"Hyaah—"
With a low grunt, Yahiko unleashed a powerful sweeping kick.
It instantly split the small tree stump serving as his target in two.
He retracted his leg and stood firm, still not fully accustomed to controlling this sudden surge of power.
Just then, he realized someone seemed to be watching him from the side.
Kawasaki had told him that outsiders rarely wandered into this area.
Yahiko wondered which visitor it could be.
The young man who had just finished observing approached him and spoke apologetically, "Hey! Sorry to interrupt. My name is Naruto Uzumaki. I'm looking for Kawasaki-sensei."
Although it was their first meeting and the other boy seemed friendly, Yahiko had been through too much recently. The whole world felt new and uncertain to him.
To avoid causing Kawasaki any more trouble, Yahiko chose to remain silent. He simply pointed in a certain direction before quickly departing.
Naruto found the exchange a little strange, but he didn't dwell on it.
Finding Kawasaki was more important right now; he was sure the man could answer all his questions.
Continuing on, he soon came across the familiar trio. Kawasaki was helping Sasuke apply ointment to his injured right hand, with Itachi standing by.
"Whoa, hey everyone!"
Sasuke had been so confident before, boasting that he would defeat his opponent in one fell swoop with his Three-Tomoe Sharingan. Naturally, things hadn't gone according to plan.
Thinking about it made Sasuke blush with embarrassment. He managed a curt greeting but was clearly unwilling to discuss the matter further.
His older brother, however, was much calmer. Itachi simply nodded in acknowledgment before returning to his task.
Kawasaki walked over to him, asking with concern, "Hey, where were you? I couldn't find you when I came out earlier."
Naruto scratched his head. "I guess we just missed each other."
He elaborated, "I was waiting for you outside, but after a while, I still didn't see you, so I decided to come in and have a look."
He then mentioned the strange man he had encountered earlier, asking about the identity of the orange-haired individual training alone on the outskirts of the grounds.
The answer was simple and direct. "Oh, that's a friend of mine. His teammates ran into some trouble, so he's staying with us for a while. You don't need to worry about him."
Hearing this, Naruto felt relieved.
He immediately changed the subject to what he was most excited about. That's right—the special arrangement they had discussed last time.
In truth, ever since he learned he might be able to see his closest relative again, the thought had been swirling in his mind for days, never giving him a moment of peace. Now that the opportunity had finally arrived, he was eager to make it happen as soon as possible.
But first, he had to figure out how to bring it up!
It had long been decided that the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, would take over as Naruto's mentor from Orochimaru.
After all, as a member of the village leader's personal guard, it was only natural for him to look after the container of the Nine-Tails.
Besides, serving the current leader was a fitting way for him to demonstrate his continued value to the village.
As for his Sage Mode training, that would be put on hold for the time being.
News from Kabuto indicated that mastering Snake Sage Arts could cause psychological changes, leading one's personality to deviate from its normal course.
Given the risks, it was wiser to forgo such a shortcut and instead carve out his own unique path to strength at a steady pace.
Repeated tests had confirmed that this type of training did indeed have subtle effects on the user. Therefore, they had to proceed with greater caution to ensure future plans went smoothly.
He was able to notice this himself because the difference between his dreams and reality had become too vast.
Kawasaki had mentioned this to Minato before, and Minato had said he was also trying to figure out how to purify the natural energy absorbed from Jugo.
For the foreseeable future, neither of them would be using Sage Mode lightly.
Kawasaki's eyes darted around as he decided to tease Naruto a little.
He leaned in conspiratorially and whispered in Naruto's ear, "Hey, Naruto... Orochimaru and I are secretly researching a forbidden jutsu to resurrect your father."
Naruto's eyes went wide. Just as he was about to speak, Kawasaki clamped a hand over his mouth. "Shh, it's a top-secret."
The shock and joy still hadn't faded from Naruto's eyes, but he nodded.
Only then did Kawasaki release his hand.
Naruto glanced around furtively and saw Itachi speaking with Sasuke.
Suppressing his elation, Naruto asked in disbelief, "Kawasaki-senpai, is that really true?"
While he didn't doubt Kawasaki's words, the news was just too incredible.
Kawasaki also pretended to look around before lowering his voice. "A jutsu for resurrection is the kind of thing that defies fate itself, so it has to be kept extremely confidential."
"Not even Itachi and Sasuke know about this. You can't tell Sasuke, you hear me?"
Naruto nodded eagerly. Even as a recent Academy graduate, he understood the profound significance of bringing the dead back to life.
Kawasaki clapped him on the shoulder. "The experiment is at a critical stage right now, so you can't see Minato just yet."
"Wait a few more months, and you'll be able to see him alive and well. Then you and your father can be together forever."
Naruto's heart soared. His eyes glistened with tears, and his voice trembled as he said, "O-Okay... Okay, Kawasaki-senpai."
Kawasaki chuckled to himself. 'Oh, Naruto. We'll see if you can even recognize your father when the time comes.'
"You've just graduated. From now on, you need to take on more missions and get more combat experience. Get stronger, fast. You're the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki; you have to learn how to protect yourself."
Filled with hope for the future, Naruto replied with a surge of motivation, "Don't worry, Kawasaki-senpai, I'll remember that!"
"Good." Kawasaki narrowed his eyes, waiting for the show to begin.
The Village Hidden by Rocks.
Ever since Onoki had successfully tricked Deidara into returning to the village, it was as if he had achieved a major breakthrough.
Not in a physical sense, but in finding the right way to communicate with Deidara.
"This ultimate form of art isn't something one can master so easily!"
"To say such a thing is an insult to an art like Dust Release!"
"Only by calming your heart can you learn this perfect art!"
"I knew it! You'll never be able to learn this ultimate art!"
At first, Onoki had felt incredibly awkward. But seeing that Deidara, the very same boy who had once been a constant headache, actually preferred this style of communication, he gradually came to accept it.
Once Onoki let go of his prejudice against the word "art," he realized that Deidara was simply pursuing something he was passionate about.
He began to reflect that if he had been able to discuss Deidara's interests with him more peacefully in his younger years, the boy might not have strayed so far down the wrong path. Fortunately, it wasn't too late.
Onoki had made a deal with Kawasaki back then. He had tried out the advice and was surprised by how effective it was, finally allowing him to understand Deidara's mindset.
Now, he was filled with gratitude for Kawasaki.
It might have seemed like a small thing, but for a stubborn old man like Onoki, it was the kind of knot he might have never untied with Deidara, even until his dying day.
When the nominations for the Fifth Hokage were announced, Onoki saw that Kawasaki Uchiha was among them.
His first reaction was disbelief. From their previous interactions, he had already sensed that Kawasaki had no desire to become Hokage.