It had been over four years since the Nine-Tails' attack.
As he grew older, Sarutobi Hiruzen no longer had the boundless energy of his youth. Even handling basic administrative tasks was beginning to wear him down. Recently, two things, in particular, had been weighing on his mind.
The first was external.
With the Fourth Hokage and Kushina gone, and the Sannin having left one after another, Kumogakure had sensed Konoha's weakness and was growing restless.
The second issue came from within the village—
According to various intelligence reports, discontent within the Uchiha clan toward the higher-ups had been escalating. The attitude of the Konoha Military Police Force during routine law enforcement had also become increasingly harsh, sparking widespread dissatisfaction.
If the situation continued to deteriorate, it could lead to dire consequences, shaking the very foundation of the village.
Sigh... I hope Fugaku can see the bigger picture and make the right choice...
Sarutobi sighed, pulling out his crystal ball from a drawer. Might as well check on Naruto. It's been a while—I wonder how he's doing.
Forming the necessary hand seals, he activated the Telescope Technique.
And then—
He saw the commercial street where Naruto was standing, and next to the small blond boy stood a figure clad in Warring States–era attire, with crimson eyes and spiky black hair. Even through the crystal ball, the sheer arrogance and domineering aura radiating from her was unmistakably reminiscent of someone from Sarutobi's distant memories.
What the—?!
For a moment, Sarutobi froze, his aged eyes widening to their limits.
I must be seeing things—is that Madara Uchiha?!
But he quickly snapped out of it—
No.
The resemblance in presence was uncanny, but the age and gender didn't match.
Besides, Madara Uchiha had been killed by the First Hokage at the Valley of the End. There was no way he could still be alive.
So... since when did the Uchiha clan have someone like this? To awaken the Three-Tomoe Sharingan at such a young age—she was clearly a prodigy. Why had Shisui never mentioned her? And who allowed her to approach the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki? What were the Uchiha planning?!
A series of questions flooded Sarutobi's mind, filling him with unease.
Knock knock!
The door to his office burst open.
A towering ANBU operative wearing a gorilla mask strode in. "Lord Third, I need to report—"
"Save it for tomorrow. There's something else I need to handle first..."
Sarutobi was already rising from his desk, reaching for his robe to investigate the situation personally.
But the ANBU pressed on. "But, Father, this is urgent! Last night, Team Ibiki encountered an explosion in the northern Aokigahara Forest and engaged an unknown enemy in combat... Based on the Sealing Team's analysis and classified records from the Senju clan, we've confirmed that the site was a sealing ground for an Uchiha clansman from the Warring States period!"
"It's Lord Hokage when we're in the office!"
Sarutobi halted mid-step, turning to glare at his son, Sarutobi Shinnosuke. After correcting him, he frowned. "What did you just say? A Warring States–era Uchiha?"
"Exactly. While we're still gathering more intel, the sealing array's complexity suggests the target possessed eyes on par with Madara Uchiha's, which would explain the extreme precautions..."
As Shinnosuke spoke, Sarutobi whirled back toward the crystal ball on his desk.
That figure who resembled Madara so eerily...
Could it be her?!
---
"Need help?"
In front of the toy store.
Uchiha Hikari repeated her question.
Naruto stared at her blankly, still not responding, so she simply grabbed his wrist and pulled him up, dusting off his clothes with a few light pats.
She hadn't thought much of the gesture—it was just a casual act.
But Naruto froze, his big blue eyes suddenly welling up with tears. No matter how hard he rubbed at them, they kept spilling over. "Th-Thank you..."
"...Why are you crying? If dust gets in your eyes, I'm not wiping them for you."
Uchiha Hikari used her sleeve to clean the blood from Naruto's scraped palms, then turned to face the onlookers.
"You lot—pick up the money from the ground."
The parents of the boy who had spat earlier, along with the two ANBU operatives, were now kneeling on the ground, trembling as if facing something terrifying. Against opponents of this level, Uchiha Hikari didn't even need to exert herself—a simple Three-Tomoe Sharingan–enhanced Hell Viewing Technique was enough to paralyze them with fear.
But this move also revealed her possession of the Sharingan.
"Those eyes... She's from the Uchiha clan!"
"The Uchiha are attacking ANBU now?! Are they finally making their move—?!"
"Q-Quick, pick up the coins! She's looking this way!"
Under the pressure of her killing intent, the bystanders could barely feel their legs. Eventually, one person took the initiative, and the others reluctantly mustered the courage to gather the scattered coins. A shinobi with a Konoha forehead protector shakily brought the money to Uchiha Hikari.
Once she took it, the crowd scrambled away like frightened mice, tripping over themselves in their haste to flee.
(Huh... Did I just accelerate the conflict between the Uchiha and Konoha?)
Uchiha Hikari blinked.
But she didn't dwell on it. Turning back to Naruto, she pressed the coins into his hands and said softly, "Here. This is yours."
"Oh, right—you wanted that mask earlier, didn't you?"
As Uchiha Hikari glanced up, the toy store owner's teeth began chattering. He hurriedly brought out an assortment of masks, offering them with trembling hands. "P-Please, take whichever one you like..."
"Naruto?"
Uchiha Hikari tilted her head slightly.
The little blond finally remembered his original goal. Hesitantly, he looked between her and the shopkeeper before pointing at a fox mask on top of the pile. Then, he carefully counted out a few coins and held them out. "This is... triple the price, like I said..."
"..."
The shopkeeper didn't dare accept it, instead casting a pleading look at Uchiha Hikari.
Uchiha Hikari plucked a single 500-ryō coin from Naruto's hand and tossed it over. "Keep the change."
"But this money—"
The shopkeeper started to protest, then swallowed his words under Uchiha Hikari's friendly gaze.
Meanwhile.
After watching Naruto tuck away the mask and his remaining coins, Uchiha Hikari took his hand and led him away.
Their footsteps crunched softly against the cobblestone path.
Naruto kept sneaking glances at her, his small hand gripping hers tightly. After walking a short distance, he finally worked up the courage to ask in a tiny voice,
"Big sis... why did you help me?"