Minato Namikaze looked at Hikaku Uchiha standing before him, sensing an unexplainable aura of danger about her.
This wasn't groundless instinct. Minato had honed his survival skills on the battlefield—his sharp sensor ability had pulled him out of numerous deadly situations.
Minato asked cautiously, "Since you said Shindai gave you your name, what is her real name? And who are her parents?"
Shindai didn't actually know either—he could only guess. So he whispered to Hikaku, "Say something, don't give him the cold shoulder. This guy's the Hokage—the top leader of Konoha! At least pretend to be polite."
Minato gave Hikaku another surprised glance because that sense of danger disappeared completely when Hikaku turned her gaze toward Shindai.
Hikaku Uchiha spoke emotionlessly, "I've already abandoned my surname. I used to be called Hikaku, but now I'm Asu Natsuka. There's no need to talk about my parents—you definitely wouldn't know them anyway."
When Hikaku revealed her name, Shindai's eyes lit up as he proudly exclaimed, "So your original name was Hikaku! That's amazingly close to the name I picked for you—I guess my naming talent really is top-notch!"
Minato continued asking, "You claim you're not part of the Uchiha clan, yet came to Konoha with Shindai. Does this mean you want to join Konoha?"
Hikaku answered indifferently, "I'm here to confirm something."
Frowning slightly as that sense of danger returned, Minato fell silent for a moment before turning to Shindai, "Shindai, I'd like to speak with Asu Natsuka alone."
"Eh, alright." Before leaving, Shindai reminded Hikaku, "I'll wait outside—don't be too cold. When Lord Minato asks you questions, just answer them, okay?"
"I understand," Hikaku nodded.
After Shindai left the office, Minato folded his hands and fixed Hikaku with a steady gaze as he asked, "Shindai mentioned you have the Sharingan, but you say you've abandoned your surname. Based on that, I assume you've deliberately cast aside the Uchiha name. The matter you came to Konoha to check out—it's about the Uchiha clan itself, isn't it?"
Hikaku admitted calmly, "That's right. The reason I came to Konoha with Shindai was to verify whether today's Uchiha clan is still the same as back then."
Minato looked puzzled. He figured Asu Natsuka was about the same age as Shindai, so she shouldn't have lived through those earlier times.
"She shouldn't have fought in the Second Great Ninja War, much less the First Great Ninja War."
Could it be... that this Hikaku Uchiha only looks young, but is actually very old?
Minato Namikaze asked curiously, "When you mentioned the Warring Era, did you mean The First or Second Great Ninja War? If I may ask, how old are you exactly?"
Hikaku Uchiha replied, "Even earlier than that. Back then, the ninja still operated in clans and there were no ninja villages yet. By calculation of that era, I should be over eighty years old now."
"What?!"
Minato Namikaze's eyes widened in shock. Eighty years old? How could someone look like a teenage girl at eighty?
He found it hard to believe and thought Hikaku Uchiha was just making things up.
Looking calm and undisturbed, Hikaku Uchiha stared at Minato Namikaze and said, "I know you don't believe me—you think I'm making this up. I felt the same disbelief when my Seal was broken, but that's simply how it is. If Shindai hadn't sung your praises so highly and asked me to answer your questions, I wouldn't bother with you at all."
Minato Namikaze's expression instantly turned quite strange.
Wow, she really talks big~
However, it was because of Shindai that she spoke so much. In other words, did Hikaku Uchiha consider Shindai—who helped her break the Seal—as her benefactor?
Minato Namikaze guessed, "So, the one who sealed you was from the Uchiha clan, and you want revenge against them?"
Hikaku Uchiha shook her head, "That was my original intention, but now I'm not sure whether I should seek revenge anymore. If today's Uchiha clan were still the same as back then, I would resolutely wipe them all out without hesitation."
Back during the Warring Era, I was treated merely as a weapon, sealed away by the combined efforts of the Senju clan and the Sarutobi clan. But according to what Shindai told me, the Senju clan has already declined, so none of you can stop me now."
Hikaku Uchiha activated her Mangekyo Sharingan, fixing Minato Namikaze with an intense, crimson stare.
Based on the fight between Shindai and Asuma Sarutobi, Hikaku Uchiha had concluded that the strength of the current ninja world seemed nothing special. And after these past few days of recovery, she had completely regained her power.
Minato Namikaze looked at Hikaku Uchiha's eyes in disbelief.
"The Mangekyo Sharingan?!"
Minato Namikaze quickly regained his composure and began thinking deeply.
Now he had no choice but to believe that this girl might indeed be over eighty years old.
But this 'eighty' is likely just an estimate—her real age should match her appearance.
Probably, her body stopped aging due to being sealed for such a long time.
Also, Hikaku Uchiha herself had said that she felt shocked upon awakening, which meant she had likely been asleep throughout the sealing period.
Therefore, her mental age probably remained that of when she was sealed.
The ones who sealed her were members of the Senju and Sarutobi clans. Yet, she wanted to take revenge on the Uchiha clan instead—claiming she was treated as a 'weapon'.
So it's not hard to deduce part of the truth.
Back then, the Uchiha clan treated Hikaku Uchiha as a weapon and likely did terrible things to her, which explained why she abandoned the Uchiha surname and bore hatred toward the clan.
Also, Hikaku Uchiha mentioned she had once wanted revenge but now doubted whether she should carry it out. She wanted to confirm whether the current Uchiha were still the same as they were back then.
From that perspective, it must have been thanks to Shindai that Hikaku Uchiha decided against immediately seeking revenge against the Uchiha clan.
But right now, there was absolutely no way they could bring Hikaku Uchiha along to find out. The current affairs of the Uchiha clan hadn't even been resolved yet. If Hikaku Uchiha misunderstood something, it would become a huge problem.
Minato Namikaze asked, "Then, should I call you Hikaku Uchiha or Asu Natsuka?"
"Just call me Asu Natsuka."
Minato felt a surge of joy inside. It would be easier if Hikaku Uchiha continued using the name Asu Natsuka that Shindai gave her.
Minato then suggested, "It's impossible to confirm everything quickly. I think you need time to observe; otherwise, what you see might just be part of the story. How about this? For now, why don't you stay in Konoha for a while and take it slow?"
Hikaku Uchiha paused for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."
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