I, Uchiha Hikaru, have joined the chat group.

Chapter 8 is really exciting! We saw Madara Uchiha!

More than four years have passed since the Nine-Tailed Fox's rampage.

As he gets older, Hiruzen Sarutobi no longer has the inexhaustible energy of his youth. Even handling the most basic tasks like government affairs is gradually becoming difficult for him. Recently, two things have been causing him particular worry.

One item came from outside the village.

Because of the early deaths of the Fourth Hokage and Kushina, and the departure of the three legendary Sannin, Kumogakure sensed the weakness of Konoha and began to stir.

The other item came from within the village—

According to various intelligence reports, discontent with the higher-ups is growing within the Uchiha clan. The police force's increasingly harsh approach to routine law enforcement has also sparked considerable discontent.

If the situation continues to deteriorate, some terrible things could happen that could shake the very foundation of the village.

"Sigh, I hope Fugaku can see the situation clearly and make the right choice..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed and took out a crystal ball from the drawer: "Let's check on that little Naruto. It's been a while since I've seen him, and I wonder how he's been lately."

He formed hand seals and began to use the telescope technique.

then……

He saw the shopping street where Naruto was, and standing next to the blond-haired boy was a figure dressed in Sengoku-style clothing, with bloodshot eyes and spiky black hair. Even through the crystal, he could feel the arrogant and unruly aura emanating from him, which was very similar to a figure deep in Hiruzen Sarutobi's memory.

"This is?!"

For a fleeting moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi was completely stunned, his dim old eyes wide open.

Wow, I saw Uchiha Madara!

But he quickly realized—

wrong.

Although they have similar temperaments, their ages and genders are not the same.

Moreover, Madara Uchiha was killed by the First Hokage in the Valley of the End battle, so it's impossible for him to be alive now.

So… when did the Uchiha clan acquire this person? To awaken the three-tomoe Sharingan at such a young age, she's clearly a genius. Why has Shisui never mentioned her to me? Who allowed her to contact the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki? What does the Uchiha clan intend to do?!

A series of doubts gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a bad feeling.

"Sandaime-sama!"

The office door was pushed open.

A burly, tall operative wearing a gorilla mask strode in: "This matter needs to be reported to you..."

"Let's talk about it tomorrow. I have some other work to take care of first..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi had already gotten up from his desk, preparing to put on his clothes and go out to take a look.

But the Anbu persisted: "Father, this matter is extremely important! Just last night, the Ibiki squad discovered an explosion in the Aoki Forest north of the village and encountered and fought with an unknown enemy... According to the sealing team's confirmation, and the scroll secretly kept by the Senju clan, it can be basically confirmed that this is the sealing site of an Uchiha clan member from the Warring States period!"

"When you're outside, you must call him Hokage-sama!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi paused, turned to look at Shinnosuke Sarutobi who was following behind him, corrected him first, and then asked, "What did you just say, the Uchiha clan from the Sengoku period?"

"That's right. We haven't found any more specific information yet, but judging from the specifications of the seal reconstructed at the scene, she likely has eyes like Madara Uchiha from back then, which is why she's being treated with such care..."

Upon hearing Shinnosuke's words, Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly turned around and looked at the crystal ball on the table.

That figure that looked so much like Madara Uchiha just now...

Could it be her?!

……

"Do you need any help?"

In front of the store.

Uchiha Hikaru asked another question.

Naruto stared blankly at what was in front of him, without responding, before she grabbed his wrist and pulled him up, gently patting the dust off his body.

When he did this, Uchiha Hikaru didn't have any particular thoughts; he just did it as a matter of course.

But Naruto suddenly froze, tears welling up in his large, bright blue eyes. Even as he tried to wipe them away, he couldn't stop them from flowing. "Th-thank you..."

"...Why are you crying? If you get dust in your eyes, I won't wipe it for you."

Uchiha Hikaru wiped the wound on Naruto's hand with his sleeve, then turned around and looked at the passerby across the street:

"You guys, go pick up the money on the ground."

The parents of that half-grown child, along with two ANBU members, were now kneeling on the ground, trembling all over, as if they had seen something extremely terrifying—to deal with ninjas of this level, Uchiha Hikaru didn't even need to go to great lengths; a single "Naraku-sight Technique" in his three-tomoe form would be enough to incapacitate them.

This action also revealed that she possesses the Sharingan.

"Those eyes...she's from the Uchiha clan!"

"The Uchiha clan has actually attacked the Anbu. Could it be that they really intend to...?"

"Quick, quick, pick up the money! She's looking this way!"

Under the intimidating aura of killing intent, the passersby felt their legs go weak and could barely walk. Finally, someone took the lead, and the others barely mustered their courage to collect the coins scattered around them, which were then tremblingly presented to Uchiha Hikaru by a ninja wearing a Konoha headband.

After she took it, these people retreated one by one, scrambling away as fast as they could.

(By the way...did I exacerbate the conflict between the Uchiha and Konoha?)

Uchiha Hikaru blinked.

However, she didn't think much of it, turned around and stuffed the money back into Naruto's hand, saying softly, "Keep it, it's yours."

"By the way, you were thinking of buying that mask, right?"

As Uchiha Hikaru looked up, the toy store owner's teeth started chattering. He hurriedly brought over a pile of masks from the store and said cautiously, "Please, take whichever one you like..."

"Naruto?"

Uchiha Hikaru tilted his head slightly.

The blond-haired man then remembered his original purpose. He hesitated for a moment, glancing at her and then at the shopkeeper. He pointed to the top fox mask with his unblemished finger. Then he counted out a few coins from his pocket and handed them over: "This is three times the price we agreed on..."

"..."

The shop owner didn't dare to take it and looked at Uchiha Hikaru pleadingly.

Uchiha Hikaru casually tossed a 500 yen note from Naruto's hand and said nonchalantly, "Keep the change."

"This money..."

The shop owner instinctively wanted to speak, but under Uchiha Hikaru's kind gaze, he swallowed back the words "not enough".

this side.

After watching Naruto carefully put away the mask and money, Uchiha Hikaru pulled him away and turned to leave.

Two soft footsteps followed along the stone path.

Naruto looked back several times, then secretly glanced at Uchiha Hikaru a few more times. After walking a short distance, he cautiously looked up at her and asked, "Sister, why...why did you help me?"

(End of this chapter)