Rokuro was puzzled.
Hiruzen didn't explain. He took a puff of his pipe and asked,
"If you have anything else on your mind, just ask!"
Rokuro snapped back to reality, nodded, and said,
"I want to ask where Lord Danzo went. I need to see him for something. When exactly will he return to the village?"
Hiruzen shot Rokuro a glance.
"What, is there something I can't handle? Why do you need to find Danzo? Are you saying that I, the Hokage, am inferior to an Elder?!"
Uh…
This old guy—what is there to be mad about?
Is he upset because I'm closer to Danzo?
Rokuro grumbled inwardly, then curled his lip and said,
"There are some things you just can't do!"
Hiruzen snorted coldly.
"Tell me. Let's see what kind of matter it is that I cannot resolve!"
Rokuro pointed out the window.
"I need to borrow some people to build my commercial street for free. Old man, if you can find free labor for me, then I won't go looking for Lord Danzo!"
Uh!
Free labor?
How is that possible!
Hiruzen coughed lightly and said,
"About that… you'd better wait until Danzo gets back to talk about it. He went out to complete an important mission. He should be back after the New Year!"
Rokuro rolled his eyes.
"I knew you couldn't do it. A dignified Hokage who doesn't even have this little bit of authority. I really don't know how you act as Hokage!"
Hiruzen took a puff from his pipe and said nonchalantly,
"What does a little brat like you know? If you have nothing else, leave. I still have a lot of matters to handle!"
Rokuro stood up, sized up Hiruzen, then asked curiously,
"Old man, tell me—why can't I leave Konoha Village right now?"
Hiruzen glanced at him and sighed.
"The situation in the village is a bit complicated right now. Someone is very dissatisfied with you, kid. It's best if you don't leave the village!"
Someone is dissatisfied with me?
Rokuro raised an eyebrow and recalled his recent random quests.
Over the past month, he had received nine quests related to the Uchiha clan—all of them involving teaching Uchiha members a lesson or pranking them.
Looking at it now…
The Uchiha clan was clearly very dissatisfied with him.
Otherwise, the System wouldn't keep directing him to provoke them.
Whenever he carried out those quests, he used Shadow Clones transformed into other people.
The purpose was simple: conceal his identity.
After all, he still had to live in Konoha. Constantly stirring trouble under his real name would damage his reputation.
However—
Hiruzen definitely knew.
He just chose not to expose it. As Konoha's rising genius, Rokuro enjoyed certain privileges.
After thinking for a moment, Rokuro asked,
"Is it the Uchiha clan?"
Hiruzen nodded.
"You kid—causing trouble for the Uchiha clan whenever you have free time. If I hadn't been covering for you, you would've been dragged to the Military Police Force long ago!"
So it really is them.
Rokuro sneered inwardly, though he put on a shocked expression.
"Just for something this small, they want to kill me?"
Hiruzen's expression turned serious.
"They wouldn't go that far over something trivial. It's that old man Danzo who provoked the Uchiha clan. Since you're the genius he values most, they naturally have an issue with you!"
Rokuro's expression darkened.
"Those bastards… what a disgrace! They can't deal with Lord Danzo, so they come after a kid like me? Absolute trash!"
Hiruzen sighed.
"Just behave yourself. Stay quietly in the hospital for two years. We already have arrangements regarding the Uchiha issue. They are fellow villagers—I believe they'll understand my intentions eventually."
Nice thought.
Too bad—reconciliation is already impossible.
Rokuro thought this to himself, then shrugged.
"What does that have to do with me? I'm just a kid—I don't understand any of this. I didn't understand a word you just said."
Hiruzen rolled his eyes hard.
This brat was definitely not just a child.
If anything, he was more mature than most adults—how could he not understand?
The reason Hiruzen spoke so openly was precisely because he knew Rokuro could understand.
But now…
The brat was pretending to be clueless.
Hiruzen exhaled a smoke ring and snorted.
"You're a kid, right? Then how about you go back to attending classes at the academy?"
Rokuro's expression changed instantly.
"Did I say something just now? My mind suddenly went blank—I don't even know what I said. Old man, help me treat my amnesia!"
Brat!
Hiruzen glared at him.
"Hurry up and get out. For the next two years, you're not allowed to run around. I've already spoken with Danzo—he won't assign you any tasks either. Just focus on studying medical ninjutsu in the hospital. Don't waste your talent!"
Rokuro felt helpless.
He had been planning to go out and explore.
Now that was basically impossible.
He wasn't strong enough to oppose Hiruzen yet, so he had no choice but to comply.
However—
If you're going to lock me down, you should at least compensate me.
Rokuro glanced at Hiruzen and said,
"Old man, fine—I'll listen to you. But can you give me some benefit? I heard the Fourth Hokage's Flying Thunder God Jutsu is extremely powerful. Can you let me learn it?"
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