"Hmph, arrogant brat!" Kurama let out a disdainful snort before turning back to its manga.
"Wait... the Yondaime Hokage, the Jinchuriki, and the Nine-Tails?"
When Shisui regained his vision after the eye transplant, his face was filled with unmistakable shock.
"Why… why is this happening?" Shisui couldn't understand why the Fourth Hokage and the Jinchuriki had targeted him.
"This appearance might be unfamiliar to you, but what about this?"
Naruto smirked, his expression turning sinister as he transformed into a hooded figure wearing a cat-faced mask.
"Uchiha Shisui, you should recognize this form, right?"
"It's you!"
Shisui's expression changed drastically, and he instinctively raised his hands, ready to form hand seals.
Snap!
Minato appeared beside him in an instant, gripping one of his hands.
"Yondaime-sama?"
Shisui snapped out of his shock, realizing that the Jinchuriki was the Fourth Hokage's child.
Naruto canceled the Transformation Technique, then looked at Shisui, who was a little dazed and said, "Do you regret it?"
"What do you mean?" Shisui didn't understand what Naruto meant.
"Placing your hopes on that old bastard Hiruzen... do you regret it?"
Shisui's expression froze, and he clenched his teeth, remaining silent for a moment.
"Perhaps Sandaime-sama wasn't aware... or maybe he had his own reasons..."
"Is that so? It seems you'll only truly wake up when you see the Uchiha Clan destroyed with your own eyes."
"N-no, Sandaime-sama wouldn't do that... he promised me..."
Seeing Uchiha Shisui's self-deception and despondent state, Naruto decided not to press further, 'Without his Sharingan, Shisui was no longer a significant threat. When the time came for the Uchiha Massacre, that would be his final chance to understand.'
Naruto then turned to Nono and asked, "And what about you? What's your choice?"
Nono was a little hesitant because she thought of the children in the orphanage.
"If I refuse... what will happen to me?"
"Then do you think you're worthy of my trust?"
"I understand."
Nono had a self-deprecating smile on her face. Neither she nor the fate of the orphanage had ever been in her hands.
"This isn't a bad outcome, Nono-san."
Naruto felt that, to be a proper leader, he needed to show more consideration for his subordinates.
Yes, after seeing Nono, Naruto suddenly felt the urge to establish his own organization.
Blindly pursuing power alone would only turn him into a shell of strength. Now that he had gained considerable power, he wanted to do something more, like reshaping the Ninja World.
In fact, such thing wouldn't be difficult, as he just needed to defeat everyone and rebuild the order. Plus, there were so many unresolved grievances in the Naruto World.
People like Karin and her mother, Zabuza and Haku, Nono and Kabuto... all of them had their own merits. He can find an opportunity to bring these people under his command.
"Perhaps." Nono replied weakly. Working for Root had at least given her some freedom to care for the orphanage. But now, it seemed even that freedom would be taken away.
Naruto noticed her thoughts but didn't comment on it. Instead, he asked: "Do you still remember Yakushi Kabuto?"
"Kabuto?"
She was surprised to hear that name from the Jinchuriki. 'It seemed he had been gathering intelligence on the village for some time.'
'Goodness, how old is he?'
Of course, Nono had no way of knowing that Naruto had learned these things from the original work. She nodded, indicating that she knew Kabuto.
"How long has it been since you last saw him in person?"
Nono was a little confused. She didn't know what Naruto was implying, but she still replied, "Danzo would send me a photo of Kabuto every once in a while."
"Is that so? But photos can easily be faked."
"For example, slowly replacing the person in the photo with someone who looks similar."
"This..."
Naruto's words stunned Nono, but she quickly realized the implications. A terrible premonition rose in her heart, and her face turned pale.
"You mean..."
Naruto continued, "A few years ago, the photos Danzo sent you were no longer of Kabuto. The Kabuto in your mind has long been replaced by someone else."
"I believe, even if the real Kabuto is standing in front of you now, you probably wouldn't recognize him."
"Wh-why would Danzo do this?"
Though she asked the question, Nono already knew the answer.
'This was exactly the kind of thing Danzo would do. Now that Kabuto's abilities surpassed mine, I was no longer valuable to Root. For someone who knew so many of Root's secrets, death was the best outcome.'
'My final value would likely be as a stepping stone for Kabuto.'
'Perhaps, my next mission...'
"Have you received the mission to infiltrate Iwagakure?"
"Yes, next month..."
"Kabuto is also in Iwagakure. When you arrive, your mission will change to eliminating a traitorous spy. Since you no longer know what Kabuto truly looks like, you'll attack without hesitation... only to be killed by Kabuto, whose strength now far surpasses yours. This is your fate… discarded by Konoha."
Naruto calmly laid out Nono's future, shocking both Minato and Shisui.
'Danzo's plan was to have a child kill the woman who raised him? Truly, the 'Darkness of the Ninja World' lived up to his name.'
"So it's true..." Nono let out a bitter smile. "In that case, Kabuto will likely fall completely into darkness."
"That's why I said this isn't a bad outcome for you."
Naruto repeated his earlier words, and this time, Nono's expression no longer showed resistance. While Naruto hadn't provided concrete evidence, such things didn't require much proof.
Working for Danzo was like walking a tightrope. That man was capable of harming even his own clansmen, let alone an orphaned mother and son. She hadn't seen Kabuto in years, and for Danzo to manipulate the situation would have been all too easy.
"Naruto-kun, what about Kabuto?"
Knowing this information, Nono couldn't help but feel worried.
"Don't worry about that. Kabuto is far more capable than you think, and you'll meet him again in the future."
After all, Kabuto was a behind-the-scenes character who played a significant role from the beginning of Shippuden all the way to the end. He was even one of the instigators of the Fourth Ninja World War. Without Kabuto's Edo Tensei, which brought back a large number of high-level fighters, the war might not have been as difficult.
"Is that so? If that's the case, then I can rest a little easier."
Nono had originally wanted to ask about the orphanage, but then decided against it. She understood that while Naruto might be strong, taking care of a group of orphans would be a difficult task.
It must be said that Kurama's ability to sense malice was indeed a bug-like skill. Despite Nono's seemingly satisfied expression, Naruto could clearly perceive her underlying emotions.
"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on the orphanage. I can't help much with funding, but at least their safety won't be an issue."
After saying this, Naruto felt that the worries in Nono's heart were reduced a little.
"Thank you, Naruto-kun. I look forward to working with you from now on." For the first time, a genuine smile appeared on Nono's face.
"Mm, let's work well together."
"Naruto, what do you plan to do next?" Minato's eyes were filled with pride. After all, the fact that Naruto was willing to save Nono showed that there was still light in his heart.
"Train seriously and wait patiently."
"Soon, the windmill will start turning."