"Naruto." Hiruzen forced a kindly smile, speaking with earnest patience: "But the Hyūga child was not the one who directly caused the tragedy. His bullying was indeed wrong, and he deserved punishment. But that punishment… should it really have been his death?"
Sasuke's childish voice suddenly cut in: "Hokage-sama, you mean—because he only indirectly caused the death of a war orphan, his crime was not enough for justice to sentence him to death?"
"Correct!" Hiruzen turned slightly, feeling that Fugaku's child seemed a little more mature than Naruto.
Of course, only a little.
If Sasuke had been truly more mature, he wouldn't have joined Naruto in this recklessness—he would have stopped him.
"Hokage-sama, wasn't the Daimyō of the Land of Fire also someone who did not directly kill, but whose actions indirectly harmed countless people?"
Sasuke couldn't help but add: "And yet Keizumi-sensei still killed him. Because in the face of [Absolute Justice], behavior like the Daimyō's was, in intent, an act born of malice."
"At first, he never intended to kill. It was only because his malice hadn't yet twisted into something sick and pathological. But small malice leading to great tragedy—can that really be brushed aside with just a light punishment, as if nothing had happened?"
Sasuke took a deep breath, his young face solemn as he spoke: "To the one who died because of it, that isn't fair at all! That's why we felt that someone like Hyūga Yata had to pay with his life, so the victim could rest peacefully in the Pure Land."
"That is why we carried out justice!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen hadn't expected that from the mouth of a seven-year-old would come so many twisted arguments of "justice."
And the extremity of these arguments—
It was unmistakably Keizumi's style!
"Was this… what Keizumi taught you to say?" Hiruzen's kindly smile had already stiffened.
"No!"
Sasuke lifted his head. "These were things Izumi-senpai once said to us. I just added some of my own thoughts."
Hiruzen: "…"
And then he realized—this was why, even while Keizumi had been away from Konoha, these two children were still influenced by [Absolute Justice].
He had forgotten about Uchiha Izumi, that Uchiha girl—
She had perfectly inherited Keizumi's will.
…
"Uzumaki Naruto…"
"Uchiha Sasuke…"
Not far away.
Hyūga Neji—only one year older than Naruto—peered at the scene before him. Through the gaps between the adults' legs, he could see the body of his fallen clansman, lying in a pool of blood, and the bloodstained profile of that Hyūga's face.
He recognized him.
The boy was a fourth-year Academy student, two years ahead of Neji—
And he, too, was from the Hyūga branch family.
Like Neji himself, he had been branded with the Caged Bird Seal since childhood.
Another wretch trapped in the cage.
Neji dimly recalled… the boy's character had been vile. Not long ago, he had stirred up serious trouble at the Academy.
If not for the fact that he was still too young—only ten years old—he likely would have already been thrown into Konoha's prison for over a decade of reflection.
But Neji had never expected…
That boy would meet his end today at the hands of those two little brats.
'To take a life… means to pay the proper price?'
Neji quietly repeated the words Naruto had spoken just moments ago.
'Only when someone like him pays with his life can the one who died rest peacefully in the Pure Land…'
He muttered again, echoing Sasuke's words.
For some reason—
A powerful sense of resonance welled up inside him.
'Father…'
He bit down hard on his lip until fresh blood seeped out.
His clenched fists trembled faintly, his eyes filled with hatred.
'They're right. The one who caused your death—even if only indirectly—must pay the price. I will never forgive the vile monsters of the Main Family!'
And at that moment, Neji found himself drawn to Naruto and Sasuke.
Or rather, to the ideas they carried.
…
At the same time.
Akatsuki.
"Nagato, why do you think that man is so interested in Konoha's Uchiha Keizumi?" Konan's face was calm and cold as she spoke. "He actually asked us to investigate Uchiha Keizumi himself. That's completely unlike how he usually operates."
The gaunt-faced Nagato fell silent for a moment before answering: "He said that Uchiha Keizumi's existence will seriously interfere with our plans. Especially because his [Absolute Justice] is in irreconcilable conflict with Akatsuki's ideology."
Nagato paused, then continued: "The moment Akatsuki seeks to control the shinobi world through absolute pain, Uchiha Keizumi—who follows [Absolute Justice]—will stand as our enemy."
Konan crossed her arms.
"The problem is, when our plan begins, the entire shinobi world will be our enemy. Why is he so special?"
Nagato furrowed his brows in thought.
"Perhaps a shinobi with two kekkei genkai is extremely troublesome in Uchiha Madara's eyes. He believes Uchiha Keizumi will be our greatest threat."
"That reason is not convincing enough."
Konan shook her head slightly.
"My guess is that Uchiha Keizumi carries some secret tied to Uchiha Madara. After all, they are both of the Uchiha clan—there may be some connection."
"Only that could explain why Madara is so focused on him. And the secrets Keizumi holds might be deadly information."
"Information so dangerous that Madara dares not act against him alone. Otherwise, he would have done so already."
Her words once again sent Nagato into deep thought.
He then lifted his head and looked at her.
"You don't seem to trust our partner very much."
Konan answered honestly: "I've never trusted him."
In fact, it was more than that. She had long been secretly investigating "Uchiha Madara," treating him as a potential enemy of Akatsuki.
Nagato said: "Whatever you want to do, you can do it. Just don't forget our ultimate goal. If your actions interfere with our plan, then they must end immediately."
"I know."
Konan replied: "I've already sent someone to investigate Uchiha Keizumi. The results of that investigation won't be shared with 'Uchiha Madara,' nor with Zetsu, who is close to him."
"If I've estimated correctly, my people should already be in the Land of Fire—perhaps even near Konoha. Don't worry, the ones I sent are fairly clean."
"As far as I know, Uchiha Keizumi's [Absolute Justice] only targets evildoers."
With that—
Konan paused, then continued: "Madara knows countless secrets about us. But we know nothing about him. I think… if we investigate just a little, then when he shows his hand one day, we'll have a way to keep him in check."
Nagato gave a slight nod.
…
Konoha.
Just as Hyūga Neji was sinking into painful memories, sudden footsteps sounded to one side behind him. Startled, he quickly turned his head to look.
He saw—
A young shinobi in the uniform of the Uchiha Police Force walking toward them at an unhurried pace.
Behind him followed two kunoichi—one also wearing the Police Force's attire, the other clad in a Konoha special jōnin combat vest.
On the shoulder of the Uchiha kunoichi perched a cat—an orange tabby so fat it looked almost exaggerated.
Neji suddenly noticed—
At the instant these figures appeared, whether it was the Hokage, Hyūga Hiashi, or the masked ANBU, all of them turned their eyes toward the newcomers in unison.
"Keizumi…"
Neji faintly heard the Hokage utter the name, and his eyes widened.
Keizumi…
So this was Uchiha Keizumi?!
Neji's gaze fell upon Keizumi's face, only to realize that the man's eyes were slowly shifting toward him as well. The very moment their gazes met in midair, Neji faltered, his heart quivering with dread.
'I…'
'…I'm actually afraid!'
Neji was shocked to discover that the reason he couldn't keep looking into those eyes was because of a sudden, overpowering fear rising from within himself.
At the same time, curiosity stirred. Why had this famed man looked at him, even for an instant?
Did he possess something special that drew the man's attention?
Neji grew nervous.
He watched as Uchiha Keizumi strode past, right in front of him, his gaze withdrawn as though nothing had happened. Keizumi walked on calmly, crossing over to the Hokage's side.
And whether it was Neji's imagination or not, he felt that Hyūga Hiashi—the clan head himself—seemed oddly unsettled at Keizumi's approach.
It was worth noting—
Even when faced with the Hokage's arrival just moments earlier, Hiashi had not shown such visible discomfort!
Neji was shaken.
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