I, Uchiha Hikaru, have joined the chat group.

Chapter 68 "The Daughter of Destiny"?

a long time.

Uchiha Hikaru shook his head, a bored expression on his face.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's theoretical knowledge was even weaker than she had anticipated.

It can be said that they are extremely vulnerable.

The so-called "Will of Fire" has been chanted since the founding of Konoha, but after several generations, it's been the same few nice words over and over again, with almost no real progress. And if you put these nice words together with the sordid things that have happened in Konoha over the decades, and even those that haven't happened yet, it becomes even more ironic.

"Is there anything else you want to say?"

Uchiha Hikaru looked directly at the two people in front of him, breaking the silence: "If there's nothing else, please leave. I won't see you off."

……

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Jiraiya left Naruto's house with the same awkwardness they felt when they entered.

However, before they left, they left one thing behind.

"Minato Namikaze's house deed... Does such a thing still exist?"

Uchiha Hikaru looked at the stack of papers on the coffee table, somewhat surprised.

She knew for certain that Naruto's current residence was not the former home of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki—of course, which Hokage would live in a small apartment of less than forty square meters?

Judging from her vague impression of the original work and the address information written on the property deed, the Namikaze couple's residence should not be far from here; it should be a small two-and-a-half-story villa.

However, Hikaru Uchiha originally thought that the Minato couple's property should have been disposed of after the Nine-Tails' attack, just like in the original timeline where the Uchiha compound was reclaimed by Konoha after the clan massacre. She was surprised to find it still standing. Hiruzen Sarutobi chose this moment to return the property deed and have Hikaru handle it on Minato's behalf, citing her as a "trusted friend"...

What does that mean?

Is he afraid that if he moves back to the Uchiha clan's base, he will gradually change his stance and start to oppose Konoha, so he is trying to keep her here in this way?

Hmm... that's very likely.

Uchiha Hikaru didn't think much of it and put the house deed away, planning to ask Namikaze Minato for his opinion in the group chat later.

He turned around.

Naruto was standing at the kitchen door, head down, looking a little disappointed.

"Hikari-neechan, are you... really moving out?"

"?"

Uchiha Hikaru paused for a moment, then smiled. "You heard what we were saying? Yes, I did have that plan, but it's mainly for personal reasons, not because I dislike you. Don't worry, I'll come back to see you when I have time, and you can come find me too... if I'm in the village."

However, Naruto probably won't be able to get into a place like the Uchiha clan's stronghold, because the Anbu would definitely intervene. If the Uchiha clan attacked the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, that would be disastrous.

"..."

Naruto kept his head down and didn't say a word.

Uchiha Hikaru ruffled his blond head and sighed softly, "Alright, why are you so sentimental at such a young age? I've never seen you like this before. I have to go out for a bit. If I can be back before the afternoon, I'll take you shopping."

Hearing this, Naruto nodded: "Oh... then I'll wait at home!"

After giving a brief explanation.

Uchiha Hikaru put on his coat and went out of the house.

Then he jumped down from the second-floor corridor and headed towards the garrison building.

……

at the same time.

The Hokage's office.

"Jiraiya, what do you think?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had walked here in silence, sat down at his desk, took a few deep drags on his pipe, and then looked up at the man beside him.

"..."

Jiraiya, who had remained silent the entire time, stood with his arms crossed, not answering immediately. Instead, he glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi with a slightly complicated expression: "Old man, the information you gave me about her before was indeed accurate, wasn't it?"

"...You mean?"

"It's about this girl who came from the Warring States period more than a hundred years ago. She was once trained as a weapon by the Uchiha clan and then sealed away by the Senju clan..."

Jiraiya stroked his chin: "Although it's our first meeting, the feeling she gives me... is very unique. She doesn't seem like an Uchiha at all. Especially since she was born more than a hundred years ago and was once enslaved by her own clan."

Jiraiya was born after Konoha was founded.

Although Hiruzen Sarutobi lived earlier, it was still during the late Sengoku period.

Their understanding of the Warring States period came largely from fragmented records in ancient books and oral traditions passed down from their elders—especially from a certain Senju clan Hokage who wished to remain anonymous. From these sources, a rough outline of the Uchiha clan could be drawn—

Sensitive, extreme, manic, rebellious...

However, in Uchiha Hikaru, it seems that only the "arrogance" aspect can be seen, while in other aspects... at most, only a faint shadow can be seen, but the degree is so light that it cannot be called a characteristic at all.

She does have a Uchiha-like appearance, a very pretty young girl, and her temperament is also a plus... but these are not within the scope of the usual discussion.

Overall, she is even more normal than most people born in Konoha Village in the last twenty years.

Especially those lines about the "Will of Fire"...

This made Hiruzen Sarutobi feel a sense of unease.

Looking back on all the things that have happened in Konoha over the years—Sakumo Hatake, Nawaki, Orochimaru, Hizashi Hyuga, Danzo… and the Uchiha clan, who is now almost becoming a demon in their hearts…

Could it be that the "Will of Fire" has gone astray?

So what exactly have I been protecting with all my hard work over the past few decades?

Hiruzen Sarutobi clenched his fists, somewhat afraid to let himself continue thinking about it.

Jiraiya was also deep in thought.

To him, Minato Namikaze was not only a talented disciple, but also the "Child of Prophecy" he had painstakingly searched for for decades and wholeheartedly believed in. However, the Nine-Tails' rampage more than four years ago shattered his imagined future. But now…

If Uchiha Hikari knew Minato Namikaze, could the ideas she expressed today have been formed under Minato's influence?

Or……

The person mentioned in the Great Toad Sage's prophecy who could change the entire ninja world was not Minato, but this Uchiha clan Sengoku girl who had been buried deep underground and had only recently been unearthed.

But given my seniority, I'm not qualified to take her as my apprentice.

Besides, shouldn't she be the "woman of destiny"...?

Jiraiya scratched his head, somewhat conflicted about whether he should take some time to go back to Mount Myōboku and ask.

After a moment of silence.

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke again: "Jiraiya, when you were at Naruto's house earlier, did you sense an aura similar to Minato's 'Flying Thunder God Technique'?"

(End of this chapter)