Naruto: Troublesome Ninja Haruta

Chapter 25: Returning to the Village, An Astounding Reward!

"What a hassle..."

—Konoha, Root Headquarters.

Danzo stared at the scroll in his hand, his mind preoccupied with other thoughts.

Lately, his ears had been burning—he suspected that someone, somewhere, was cursing him.

But after a moment's reflection, he realized that was only natural.

Given the sheer number of enemies he had made, he could probably circle the entire Hidden Leaf with them.

And to make matters worse, his recent troubles had been piling up.

"That fool, 'A'..."

Danzo had sent 'A' to track Kakashi and seize his Sharingan at the right moment.

Yet against all odds, 'A' had failed.

Even worse—he had helped a poisoned Kakashi escape danger, openly defying orders.

Danzo couldn't tolerate such blatant disobedience.

And then 'A' had dared to utter nonsense like, "I'm not just a member of Root—I'm a Konoha ninja. I shouldn't harm my comrades."

Did he no longer see Danzo as his leader?!

"Looks like I can forget about Kakashi's Sharingan."

Danzo scowled.

At this point, he was better off implanting Uchiha Kagami's Sharingan instead and tightening his control over 'A.'

Both Genjutsu and the Curse Mark would be necessary.

Mokuton was a technique he absolutely would not abandon. He couldn't allow 'A' to develop free will.

And beyond that… there was the matter of Haruta.

"That brat has returned. He's currently reporting to Hiruzen... I wonder how things went this time."

Danzo was uncertain about the exact details of Haruta's mission.

But based on the reports from his spies in Sunagakure, things over there had become quite chaotic.

"What happened? Did Pakura die? And what about Uchiha Shisui...?"

Danzo had confidence in his Root operatives.

He knew Haruta had the capability to accomplish his objectives.

Pakura's survival wasn't a major concern.

But Shisui…

That Uchiha brat had to be dealt with.

"Lord Danzo, urgent intelligence."

Danzo snapped out of his thoughts as Aburame Ryoma approached, respectfully presenting a scroll.

"Hmm."

Danzo took it absentmindedly, barely paying attention—until he saw the insignia on the scroll.

It was from Kabuto, his spy embedded in Sunagakure.

What had he uncovered?

As Danzo unfurled the scroll and skimmed its contents, his expression darkened.

"That brat returned? Who gave him permission to leave Sunagakure?!"

A Root agent abandoning his covert post before the mission was over—that was treason!

But just as Danzo was contemplating how to punish Kabuto, his eyes drifted to the latter part of the report.

And in an instant—

—Danzo froze completely.

---

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's Office…

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat dumbfounded, staring at the mission report before him.

His gaze slowly shifted toward the three young shinobi standing before him.

For a long moment, he was utterly speechless.

These three kids… completed this mission?!

After what felt like an eternity, Hiruzen finally exhaled and spoke.

"You performed exceptionally well on this mission.But I do have a few questions…"

He hesitated.

Frankly, it felt ridiculous to even be asking.

Haruta and his team had just returned, exhausted from their journey back from the Land of Wind.

And they had already provided a full debriefing.

Yet here he was—asking again, as if he hadn't understood.

That alone spoke volumes about how absurd this entire mission was.

After calming himself, he focused on Haruta.

"Haruta, I understand you took command during this operation.I'd like to hear your thoughts."

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

Haruta nodded without hesitation.

He had expected this interrogation.

On the way back, he had already planned how to deceive both the Hokage and Danzo.

"How did you predict Sunagakure's intentions so accurately?"

Hiruzen asked directly.

"Additionally, our reports indicate that you personally escorted Pakura back. I'd like a clearer explanation of what transpired."

At this, Shisui and Yugao both turned to glance at Haruta.

There was a hint of resentment in their gazes.

Haruta had handled the final phase alone, leaving them behind at the border of the River Country.

Sure, the oasis where he had met Ebizō wasn't far away, and they were tasked with providing backup.

But who wouldn't feel a little left out?

"Captain Shisui has already explained most of the reasoning."

Haruta acknowledged their frustration with an apologetic smile before continuing.

"I simply analyzed Pakura's abilities, Kirigakure's logistics, and the history of their feud.

"Of course, I also factored in the Hyuga incident from a year ago..."

"Cough cough! I get it!"

Before Haruta could finish, Hiruzen violently coughed and cut him off.

The logic was sound.

In hindsight, the pattern was obvious.

As long as you knew what to look for, the conclusion wasn't difficult to reach.

But...

Could they please stop mentioning the Hyuga incident?!

"Regarding my meeting with Ebizō, I made sure Pakura remained conscious the entire time.

"I openly expressed Konoha's stance and intentions."

Haruta explained.

Hmph.

"You were the one who sent the Hyuga on that mission, Lord Hokage.

"And now you don't even want to hear about it?"

Haruta thought to himself.

No wonder nobody saved you in the end…

Still, he didn't dwell on it and continued.

"Lord Hokage, I have never trusted Sunagakure as an ally.

"My superiors share this belief.

"If they were willing to sell out Pakura, we couldn't allow that to happen.

"And as luck would have it, we encountered Sasori.

"So I simply informed Ebizō that Konoha now possessed that intelligence.

"If I didn't return safely—"

"—Then the information about Sasori would be leaked across the Land of Wind.

"And because you had already fought Sasori, he feared your strength.

"Meanwhile, Shisui and Yugao remained hidden, ensuring your escape."

Before Haruta could finish, Hiruzen had already pieced it together.

And once he had said it aloud, he sighed deeply.

"This boy…He's even more capable than I imagined."

Not only did he view things from Konoha's perspective, but he also had the tactical insight to back it up.

He was decisive, bold, and remarkably cunning.

Even though he was a civilian-born ninja, there was no doubt—

Haruta was a true genius.

For a brief moment, Hiruzen saw a shadow of the late Minato Namikaze.

"I need to act quickly."

At first, he had merely intended to recruit Haruta because of Naruto.

But now…

This boy was too talented to remain under Danzo.

Once he joined ANBU, he would become Hiruzen's man.

"You've done well."

Hiruzen smiled.

"Your mission was a complete success. Considering your performance on this mission—and the last one—I will ensure you receive a greater reward. For now, rest. You've done Konoha proud, heroes!"

"Yes, Lord Hokage!"

Shisui and Yugao's eyes lit up with excitement.

Being called heroes outside of wartime was exceptionally rare.

And yet, they had just been personally recognized by the Hokage himself.

It was an unparalleled honor.

Haruta, however, remained indifferent—until a familiar notification appeared in his mind.

[Side Quest Completed: Investigate Sunagakure's Secrets]

[Mission Rank: S]

[Reward: +8 Free Points]

[Bonus Reward for Overachieving in a High-Risk Mission:]

[Title: "Ninja World Scholar"]

...

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