Soon, they arrived at Konoha. There were no towering red walls like in his memory, and the village itself wasn't as massive as he'd once imagined. On the Hokage Rock, only two stern faces were carved.
The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.
Gazing at the distant Hokage Rock, Reiji couldn't help feeling a pang of frustration, even though he had already come to terms with the fact that he'd transmigrated too early.
It was now Year 18 of the Konoha calendar.
Damn—forget about Naruto! Even his mom, Kushina Uzumaki, was probably still waiting to be born in some little girl's belly.
Still, seeing the village so full of life, his mood lifted before he realized it.
Compared to Amegakure, Konoha's environment was a world apart.
Warm sunshine, cool breezes, lush greenery, elegant buildings with unique charm...
And most importantly, the Eight Inner Gates!
For Reiji, the Eight Inner Gates could push his immortality to its absolute limit.
Unlike Hidan from the original story, Reiji's immortality was even more absurd.
His cells were hyper-aggressive, with an intense drive for regeneration and division—especially after injury.
That's why he could reattach severed fingers without even needing stitches.
More than that, he could train with reckless abandon. The heavier the weights, the better—no need to worry about physical damage at all.
And with the Eight Inner Gates layered on top? The result would be terrifying.
Best of all, Reiji didn't have to fear the Gate of Death. It wouldn't kill him.
That's exactly why he was so determined to master the technique.
With his next steps already in mind, Reiji held Rie's hand and followed the caravan toward the village gates.
At the entrance, four ninja guards were meticulously checking everyone's identification.
Katō stepped forward to report the caravan's headcount and cargo, and submitted to inspection.
Just then, a ninja with a fan insignia on his left arm pointed at the group of children trailing behind.
"What about them? Part of the caravan too?"
Katō blinked, then gave a weary smile and shook his head.
"No, they're orphans from the Land of Hot Water."
"Orphans? You expect me to believe a bunch of orphans walked all the way from the Land of Hot Water to Konoha?!"
The guard's skepticism was clear.
If they were shinobi, the journey would've taken two days. But for ordinary people? A full week—at least.
And looking at those scrawny kids, it was obvious they weren't ninjas.
They didn't even have bags. How could they have traveled a whole week without supplies?
The guard suddenly remembered something from a few days ago.
In the Land of Hot Water, a village had been massacred—completely wiped out. Reports from the front line described the scene as nightmarish.
What puzzled the Five Great Nations even more was that the culprits had all been found dead, kneeling before a giant grave, with their crimes carved into their backs.
Then there was that not-so-subtle scheme from Amegakure…
His eyes narrowed as he glanced back at the children, suddenly on high alert.
"Mito, go report this—tell them a large group of orphans has shown up at the village gate."
Blending in with the caravan, Reiji silently observed the guards.
While he was posing as an orphan too, he didn't need to be checked with the rest.
Back in the Land of Hot Water, he had joined the caravan as a hired hand. He'd deliberately gotten close to Katō and his son Nihonmatsu, and used the opportunity to "confide" his fabricated backstory and identity—passing it off to a fellow Konoha comrade.
In short, Katō was an undercover agent from Konoha. Not a very polished one, admittedly.
After all, his job was just to travel between nations, doing business and gathering low-level intel.
Thanks to his own professional infiltration training, Reiji had pegged Katō's identity at a glance.
He was confident his intel had already made its way to Konoha's intelligence division.
Before long, a squad of shinobi arrived from the village and escorted the orphans away.
Reiji had faith Konoha would handle things properly. This was Konoha, after all.
He had no intention of interfering. Helping the kids along the way had just been a whim.
Once registered, Reiji held Rie's hand and followed the caravan into the village.
From the shadows, he could feel at least ten different gazes tracking him and Rie—but he didn't care.
His infiltration plan was flawless.
Because he never intended to follow Hanzō of the Salamander's orders in the first place—at most, he'd send in some useless intel every month.
He was sure Hanzō never seriously expected anything from a bunch of kids anyway.
This was Hanzō of the Salamander, the Demi-God of the Ninja World. A man who trusted no one.
To Reiji, this undercover assignment was nothing more than a lightly funded vacation.
In a relaxed and cheerful mood, he said goodbye to Katō and a very reluctant Nihonmatsu, then made his way toward the center of Konoha.
He planned to take Rie to register at the Hokage Building. Otherwise, like the other caravan staff, he'd only be allowed a short stay in the village.
But that also meant he'd likely be questioned.
The streets were bustling with people. Rie, who had never traveled this far before, was wide-eyed with curiosity, wanting to see everything, taste everything.
"Just wait a bit, okay? Once I'm done, I'll buy it for you."
At his words, Rie nodded sweetly, her big eyes brimming with anticipation.
Soon, they arrived at the Hokage Building—an imposing three-story circular structure, its red exterior glowing like fire.
"Stop! Kid, this is the Hokage Building."
The words had barely left the man's mouth before three figures appeared in front of Reiji. Clad in black vests and animal masks, they were unmistakably ANBU from the special assassination squad founded by the Second Hokage.
Reiji stopped obediently and replied, "Sorry for the trouble. Is this where I register for Konoha residency?"
"Yes," the ANBU in the center nodded. "What business do you have here?"
Reiji's eye twitched. Seriously? What kind of question is that?
Of course I'm here to register—what else, buy soy sauce?
He kept his face blank and replied calmly, "Yes. I'm here to apply for Konoha residency."
"Tsuchigami, take these two kids to the Intelligence Division."
Tsuchigami. Reiji nearly choked. What kind of nickname was that?
Still, the ANBU known as Tsuchigami didn't seem to mind. He gestured for Reiji and Rie to follow and led them through the doors.
Soon, they were brought to the Intelligence Division on the first floor of the Hokage Building.
Reiji didn't look around or act nosy, perfectly playing the role of a calm, mature boy who had endured hardship.
Rie, on the other hand, was clearly still a curious little child, poking and peeking at everything around her.
Four and seven may only be three years apart, but in the world of Naruto, that gap was huge.
In the Warring States era, a seven-year-old might already be on the battlefield, while a four-year-old stayed behind. That was the difference.
Similarly, Konoha—still less than twenty years out of the Warring States—was far more cautious toward Reiji than toward Rie.
"You go in. You stay here with me, I—"
Before Tsuchigami could finish, Rie had already darted behind Reiji, shrieking.
"No! I don't want to leave Onii-chan! I'm not going—I'm staying with him!"
It was obvious—she couldn't handle being alone with a strange man. Especially an adult. That trauma had cut too deep.
"I'm sorry," Reiji said, shielding her gently. "My little sister's been through a lot. Can she stay with me? She's only four."
Tsuchigami glanced at the two children—neither even of age—and shook his head firmly.
"Sorry. It's protocol."
Reiji sighed. Still holding Rie's hand, he turned to leave.
The persona he'd built was that of an older brother who would carry the world on his back for his little sister. If they were separated now, the image would collapse.
But more importantly, he didn't want Rie anywhere near Tsuchigami—not because she was in danger, but because of her emotional state.
For over a week, he'd poured effort into her—making sure she had food, teaching her new things—trying to help her recover from what had happened.
He wasn't about to let her be dragged back into that fear.
"In that case, sorry for wasting your time. Please escort us out."
Tsuchigami hadn't expected such a firm response.
The boy still looked calm and indifferent, but this sudden refusal caught him completely off guard.
Didn't this kid know Konoha was the safest village in the entire ninja world? Couldn't they just be apart for a few minutes?
Reiji's answer was simple: No.
Sure, Rie's mother had said, "Please take care of my daughter, Reiji. Do with her as you see fit."
But in Reiji's mind, that had translated into: "Reiji, I'm entrusting everything to you."
As Reiji turned to leave, Tsuchigami stood silently for a moment. He couldn't violate protocol—he could only prepare to escort them out.
Just then, a calm voice echoed from the end of the corridor.
"Tsuchigami, let them in."
As soon as the words left his mouth, a young man with neatly styled black hair stepped out.
"Sarutobi-sama." Tsuchigami immediately stood up straight.
Sarutobi?
Which Sarutobi? At this point in time, the only one who could freely enter and exit the Hokage Building and be familiar with ANBU titles had to be Hiruzen Sarutobi, the disciple of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju!
In that instant, Reiji's heart tightened. This was no ordinary man.
After all, being personally trained by Tobirama Senju and later appointed as Hokage said it all—this guy was insanely powerful.
Despite the storm brewing in his heart, Reiji, ever the professional undercover agent, kept a calm face. He turned to Tsuchigami.
"Tsuchigami-san, is that alright?"
Tsuchigami nodded immediately. It wasn't a joke—this Sarutobi standing before him was Tobirama Senju's personal disciple.
Most importantly, Hiruzen Sarutobi was currently the ANBU commander—his direct superior.
The door creaked open.
Hiruzen Sarutobi led Reiji and Rie into the dimly lit room.
Inside, a single chair stood alone in the center. In front of it, behind a large wooden table, were three other chairs—the standard layout of an interrogation room.
"Please, sit." Hiruzen Sarutobi gestured to the solitary chair in the middle.
Suddenly, Reiji felt Rie shudder violently beside him. He instinctively looked over.
She was clutching his hand, trembling uncontrollably. Her beautiful eyes had darkened, fixed on the lone chair in the center of the room, her face etched with fear.
"Damn it!" Reiji's scalp tingled as a wave of guilt surged through him.
This dim room, that single chair—it was just like that night.
He remembered how Rie had fainted behind the chair where her father had once sat.
Without thinking, Reiji struck the back of her head with a knife-hand blow.
In the next moment, Rie's eyes rolled back and she passed out. Reiji caught her and pulled her into his arms. As he looked around instinctively, his eyes met Hiruzen Sarutobi's thoughtful gaze.
Crap!
Reiji's heart sank. He knew he'd slipped up.
In his panic, he had forgotten to control his reaction speed and strength. For someone of Hiruzen Sarutobi's caliber, even the slightest flaw was a glaring red flag.
After all, he was supposed to be a seven-year-old child! Without formal training, how could he possibly react and strike like that?
Damn it, the plan was completely thrown off. He'd have to take it one step at a time now.
With that in mind, he hugged Rie tighter, clenched his teeth, and glared furiously at Hiruzen Sarutobi, like a mother wolf protecting her cub.
After all, for a big brother desperate to protect his sister, that was the most natural reaction.
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't say a word. Calmly, he pulled a scroll from his ninja pouch and spread it out on the table.
"Please sit," Sarutobi said, his voice flat.
With that, he ignored Reiji and lowered his head to read the scroll.
Reiji couldn't come up with a better plan. Step by step, he walked to the chair, still holding Rie, and sat down carefully.
Right now, the biggest issue was his identity. If any seeds of suspicion were planted, it was highly likely the Yamanaka Clan would be brought in to read his memories.
Unless he could clear Hiruzen Sarutobi's doubts.
Most importantly, he couldn't let the secret of his transmigration get out. Otherwise, Tobirama Senju, that research maniac, would definitely drag him off to be dissected.
...Though, now that he thought about it, he wasn't all that afraid of being dissected?
Shaking off the stray thought, Reiji forced himself to refocus.
Not only must he keep his transmigration a secret, but his immortality couldn't be exposed either.
Ugh, this is exhausting! Carrying all these secrets—am I really cut out to be a double agent?
No, no, no! I'm just doing what I have to! It's not my fault I started this game on nightmare difficulty as a damn cultist!
In the dim room, time ticked by slowly.
Reiji could feel a sweet scent wafting through the air. His head was getting heavy, and his thoughts began to slow.
After who knows how long, Hiruzen Sarutobi, still looking down at the scroll, suddenly lifted his head and spoke in a deep voice.
"Shuku Kohei."
"Who?" Reiji, feeling dizzy and slow to react, blurted out instinctively.
Honestly, he had no idea who Shuku Kohei was. Besides, his name was Reiji, not Shuku Kohei.
Back in Amegakure, whenever someone called him by that alias, it always took him a second to realize they were talking to him.
But that moment of confusion appeared quite profound in Sarutobi's eyes.
After all, the air in this room had long been saturated with hallucinogenic agents.
Normally, anyone who inhaled even a trace of it would become groggy and answer any question asked. But the seven-year-old before him showed barely any reaction.
Sarutobi gave Reiji a faint, knowing smile.
"Impressive. No wonder you're considered the most elite operative—your drug resistance and reflexes far surpass those of top-tier agents. It seems Hanzō of the Salamander sent you to infiltrate Konoha for something big!"
Hearing "Amegakure" and "Hanzō of the Salamander," Reiji flinched. Reflexively, he bit the tip of his tongue, and the sharp pain, mixed with the taste of blood, instantly snapped him back to full awareness. His eyes cleared at once.
Seeing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's smile deepened. Even after taking the antidote himself, he still felt a bit foggy—yet this kid had become more alert?
Remarkable.
He had no idea Reiji had spent so long in the Jashin cult's base that drinking poison was practically routine for him.
"Ahem... Sir, I don't understand a single word you just said."
"Still pretending? Your mental fortitude is something else!"
For a moment, Sarutobi actually felt a wave of admiration.
If Konoha hadn't already turned Amegakure inside out, he might have actually been fooled by this kid.
After all, looking at Reiji's background, there wasn't a single flaw.
Reiji Sakuhō, born in the Land of Hot Water, from a blacksmith's family. Just seven years old, with a four-year-old sister, Rie Sakuhō.
When Amegakure ninjas massacred his village, he hid in a cellar and survived. Later, he gathered what was left from home and fled back to the Land of Hot Water.
He sold everything and planned to join a caravan to the Land of Lightning. But when the war between Konoha and Kumogakure broke out and blocked the roads, he followed the caravan to Konoha instead.
According to a report from the embedded agent Katō, he behaved entirely normally during the journey.
He often mourned quietly at night, but always stayed strong in front of his younger sister Rie.
He clearly adored her, even letting her use ration pills to befriend war orphans.
He only showed strictness when teaching Rie, sometimes getting impatient—but that fit perfectly with the profile of a protective older brother.
Thinking of all this, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but be impressed. If all of Amegakure's agents were this capable, the village would be terrifying.
Of course, that was impossible.
But even one Reiji was enough to send chills down his spine.
Just from Reiji's fabricated identity, he could feel sympathy. He found himself admiring the kid's strength and even wanted to help him.
And after learning who Reiji really was, looking back on that disguise only made him seem more incredible!
He's only seven years old!
At that age, Sarutobi had already seen battle, sure—but in terms of strategic thinking? He wasn't even qualified to shine this kid's shoes.
What a remarkable child. Adorable... I want him.
Hanzō really hit the jackpot.
Then, Sarutobi suddenly froze.
Wait... there's a flaw in the cover.
The surname!
Damn it, I should've caught that. A tiny village in the Land of Hot Water having surnames? Impossible. Surnames belong to great clans!
Sakuhō. Sakuhō? Sakuhō!!!
Sarutobi's eyes widened as something clicked. He quickly shoved the scroll forward, and finally found the familiar name.
Mizukuma Sakuhō!
This kid... took on his teacher's surname?!
And even gave it to Rie too? Didn't he know surnames aren't something you can just hand out?!
If Reiji had known what Sarutobi was thinking, he probably would've scratched his head and said with innocent confusion, "I really didn't know."
In fact, Reiji did know there was a flaw in his plan. But no matter what, he couldn't bring himself to introduce Rie without the surname he had promised her.
It was a vow he had made to her mother—something he could never ignore.
He could lie to others without guilt. Even lie to himself. But every time he saw Rie's pure, trusting eyes, he would think of that blood-covered, resolute woman.
He just couldn't lie to Rie. Couldn't hide a thing from her.
While Sarutobi was lost in thought, Reiji's mind was racing too.
The moment Sarutobi called him by that alias, he knew—he'd been exposed.
There was no way around it. If Konoha knew that name, then they knew everything about his past in Amegakure.
And the root of all this?
Those two self-important idiots: Hanzō of the Salamander and Kandachi.
Their village was already riddled with spies, and they still thought they could pull something off elsewhere? Ridiculous.
As he reached this conclusion, a sense of clarity washed over Reiji.
Right here, right now—he had to give something up.
Just as he steeled himself, Sarutobi frowned, looked up at Reiji, and asked with a puzzled expression.
"Who is Mizukuma Sakuhō?"
Of course, he knew who Sakuhō Mizukuma was—but what he wanted to know was the connection between Mizukuma Sakuhō and Reiji Sakuhō.
At Sarutobi's question, Reiji let out a bitter sigh and smiled faintly.
"You've already dug this deep? Hah... small villages really are tragic."
As he spoke, he slowly pulled Rie closer, holding her tightly.
"Mizukuma Sakuhō was my teacher, my best friend... my bond."
His voice was calm, flat. There was no performance in his words—everything he said was true.
His painstaking plan to infiltrate Konoha was only half about the Eight Inner Gates. The other half... was for Mizukuma-sensei.
Sure, the Eight Inner Gates were his top priority, but Kumo's Lightning Release Chakra Mode was also a solid backup.
He could have easily ignored Hanzō of the Salamander's orders and taken Rie to escape to Kumogakure. But he still chose Konoha.
Because if news of his defection reached Amegakure, Mizukuma—who genuinely cared for him—would be glad. But Hanzō, who only cared about gains, would be furious.
If that clash happened, Mizukuma might not survive.
Sarutobi instinctively believed him when he heard the word "bond."
That word carried a special weight in Konoha.
And for someone like Sarutobi, who deeply embraced the Will of Fire, he believed no one could deceive him in matters of emotional ties.
Someone who didn't understand bonds could never give so selflessly.
And this kid's bond—was like the Uchiha's. The kind that came from deep love for one's kin.
The Will of Fire was born from love for the village.
Thinking that, Sarutobi couldn't help but feel a swell of pride.
Unfortunately... he misunderstood.
Yes, the Will of Fire was noble. And the Uchiha clan, for all their passion, was also famously narrow-minded. But Reiji? He made the Uchiha look generous. A true master of grudges.
Seeing that Sarutobi remained silent, Reiji continued, face expressionless.
"I'm an orphan. Raised by the Jashin cult. I went through inhuman human experiments... violent brainwashing... watched companions kill each other for scraps of food.
Through all of it, I endured in silence and gathered strength. Eventually, I used a sacrifice ritual to escape.
I ran for my life and ended up in Amegakure, where I tricked and killed the cult's envoy—Isamu.
Later, Hanzō of the Salamander noticed I was sharp and made me his disciple. He had Mizukuma-sensei teach me chakra extraction.
That was the first time I met him—a guy who looked serious but wasn't at all.
Eventually, since I lacked talent in training, Hanzō lost interest in me. So Mizukuma took me to stroll around the red light district."
As he said this, Reiji shook his head and chuckled.
"Can you imagine? Taking a seven-year-old to a brothel! Just how unreliable is that?
And he even made up some excuse like 'clear your mind to see your nature, and firm your resolve.' I wanted to kick him to death on the spot!
After that, came the data leak. I assume you all know that part already."
He finished and lowered his head, arms tightly around Rie, silent, as if ready for whatever punishment was coming.
He was gambling.
Gambling that Konoha wasn't behind the attack on Amegakure's intel division.
Gambling that they hadn't gotten hold of Isamu's scroll.
Gambling that Hiruzen Sarutobi might accept his ideals.
It was a long shot—but Reiji still wanted to fight.
Because being dissected... really wasn't fun.
...
After a long silence, Sarutobi finally spoke, elbows on the table, hands clasped before his mouth.
"Was it you who killed Onoton?"
As soon as the words left him, Reiji exhaled in relief.
He'd won the bet!
"Yes," Reiji nodded.
"Why? Why kill someone from your own village?" Sarutobi's tone turned sharp and serious.
Reiji knew—the most critical moment had come.
If he passed this test, he'd be acknowledged, recruited. Free to soar.
Fail, and he'd become Reiji sashimi.
He drew a deep breath and stood up, eyes blazing.
"Comrade? You're calling that scum a comrade?
Wow~ Aren't comrades supposed to be human first? Those damn animals weren't even human—how could they be comrades?!"
Reiji shouted, voice hoarse, chest heaving, hands shaking like he was hyping himself up.
Sarutobi's brow furrowed. He watched Reiji closely.
Reiji met his gaze, fierce and unyielding.
"She! Rie, this child—her mother... you... do you have any idea what those animals did to her?!
Speak! Doesn't Konoha know everything? Then say it! Tell me what those bastards did right in front of her and her father—"
Suddenly, Reiji froze. The fury vanished from his face, replaced by pain. A heavy shadow fell over his still-young features.
He felt it. Rie's body trembling in his arms. The growing dampness against his chest.
Thud!
Reiji collapsed back into the chair.
"I'll give you everything I know about Amegakure. But I have two requests." His voice was rough and lifeless.
"This child is innocent. Please raise her for me.
And... tell the world I died trying to infiltrate Konoha. That I never betrayed Amegakure."
He lowered his head and fell silent.
...
"No!"
Sarutobi's voice rang out sharply.
"I refuse your request!"