Naruto：Immortality and the Eight Inner Gates[Double agent]

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The process of stitching up the arms continued.

Tsunade truly lived up to her reputation as the epitome of medical ninjas, her talent unparalleled.

Gradually, her hands became steadier, and her expression grew more focused than ever.

Before long, Rinjin's two arms were back in their rightful places.

Clenching his fists subtly, Rinjin couldn't help but give a mental thumbs-up.

Tsunade, what skillful hands! But seriously, tying a bow at the suture site—was that really necessary?

Suppressing the urge to complain, Rinjin feigned a look of extreme blood loss, sitting cross-legged with a weak expression. He spoke earnestly, "Thank you, Princess Tsunade."

Kneeling beside Rinjin, Tsunade seemed not to hear his words. She continued staring blankly at the gruesome wounds on his arms.

Even now, she couldn't quite adapt to such a crude method of treatment.

After all, for normal people, a severed arm was truly severed.

And Tsunade had clearly seen earlier—Rinjin's heart had been pierced by a *Lightning Release* technique.

She wasn't naive; she understood the uniqueness of this boy.

Even so, Tsunade couldn't erase the image of Rinjin suddenly appearing to block that fatal strike.

Nor could she forget the sight of him spitting blood yet smiling helplessly.

As Tsunade's face grew redder, Rinjin waved a hand in front of her.

"Princess Tsunade? Princess Tsunade?"

"Huh? Did your brain short-circuit?" Tilting his head, Rinjin rubbed his chin, looking puzzled.

The next second, Tsunade rolled her eyes involuntarily.

She didn't even know why she did it, but she just felt like rolling her eyes.

What should have been a beautiful moment.

Under the moonlight, in a deserted forest, amidst a chaotic battlefield, a boy and a girl sat facing each other.

It should have been a tender, affectionate gaze, but this guy just had to ruin it with a "Did your brain short-circuit?" Absolutely ruining the mood!

"What is it?" Tsunade asked expressionlessly.

"Uh..." Seeing that Tsunade had snapped out of it, Rinjin scratched his head awkwardly, wearing an embarrassed smile. "Uh... when we get back to the village, could you, uh, not mention what happened today?"

Although he knew the chances were slim, Rinjin still decided to ask.

In truth, he was already prepared to run away.

After all, the Third Hokage was now in charge, and while Hiruzen Sarutobi had seemed stern in his youth, he was actually quite soft-hearted.

Ironically, as he aged, he appeared kind and gentle but had become a shrewd and calculating old man.

Perhaps this was the change in mindset brought about by strength. When you're powerful, you fear nothing and can afford to show kindness; but when your strength wanes, you trust no one.

By saving Princess Tsunade, Rinjin figured Hiruzen Sarutobi would likely spare Rie out of gratitude.

Muscles tensed, Rinjin was ready to knock Tsunade unconscious and flee the moment she refused or hesitated.

Tsunade was silent for a while before she raised her head, her delicate and beautiful face staring intently at Rinjin.

"If I don't agree, will you leave the Leaf Village?"

What the hell!

Rinjin was stunned.

This girl, how could her brain work so well?

Wasn't she supposed to be the "big boobs, no brain" type? Why was she breaking character?

As his gaze dropped, he saw her ample chest. Alright, never mind then!

Tsunade didn't seem to mind Rinjin's somewhat inappropriate gaze. Or perhaps, at her age, she couldn't distinguish between lecherous and innocent looks.

She just stared blankly into Rinjin's eyes.

Avoiding her gaze, Rinjin sighed helplessly and nodded slowly.

"And what about Rie?" Tsunade pressed further.

By now, Rinjin was used to her persistence. He let out another long sigh, his expression turning melancholic as he forced a bitter smile.

"It's fine. She knows where I stash my money—ninety thousand ryo should last her a long time. And the orphanage kids will look after her.

As for Uncle Hiruzen, I trust he'll let Rie grow up in peace, as long as I don't cause trouble in the Leaf Village."

Hearing this, Tsunade's expression suddenly turned stubborn. She grabbed Rinjin by the collar.

"Then tell me, why can't we tell Uncle Hiruzen about tonight? Why would you leave the Leaf Village if I don't agree?"

At her words, Rinjin let out a bitter laugh.

Tsunade, oh Tsunade, this girl had truly never seen the darkness of the world.

He gently pried her hand away and began speaking to himself, head lowered.

"Since you know I'm from Amegakure, you probably also know I escaped from the Jashin Cult."

Tsunade nodded. "Uncle Hiruzen mentioned it. You suffered a lot."

At this, a cold smile slowly curled at the corners of Rinjin's mouth.

"And what kind of suffering was it?"

"...?" Tsunade froze. What kind of suffering? She had never thought about it.

Perhaps in her mind, "being a sacrificial child, enduring all kinds of abuse" was already the worst suffering imaginable.

"See?" Rinjin said, raising his left hand and pulling out a kunai with his right.

With a swift motion, the kunai pierced through his palm, blood splattering everywhere.

"Is this suffering?" Rinjin shook his head with a smile. "This doesn't even count as the smallest pain."

Then, ignoring Tsunade's horrified gaze, he flicked the kunai, severing all five fingers.

"And this? Is this pain? Perhaps. But it's still the smallest pain."

With a smile devoid of warmth, Rinjin quietly looked at Tsunade.

"There's also burning, slicing, drying, electrocution, disembowelment, heart removal, brain sawing, and so on.

Of course, I don't have the tools, and I'm afraid of pain, so I won't demonstrate them all for you!"

Hearing this, Tsunade felt a bone-chilling cold rise from her back, shooting straight to her head.

She was just a child—how could she have witnessed such inhumane methods?

She now understood why Rinjin would rather flee than stay in the Leaf Village if she told Hiruzen Sarutobi about tonight.

It wasn't even a choice.

At this moment, an inexplicable emotion overwhelmed her fear. Tsunade suddenly embraced Rinjin tightly.

"I won't tell. Not even if I die! Come back with me, back to the Leaf Village!"

Holding Rinjin's head tightly, Tsunade spoke with unwavering determination.

Hearing this, Rinjin's lips curled into a silent smile.

Oh my gosh~ Finally managed to fool this girl. Not easy at all!

Turns out, the way to deal with a young girl is to activate her maternal instincts! And for older women, you treat them like children!

The Sea King philosophy never fails!

But seriously, having my fingers cut off really does hurt like hell! Have I been getting too cocky lately? Haven't been beaten enough?

"Um... you're pressing on my fingers," Rinjin said weakly, his neck still held tightly by Tsunade.

A vein popped on Tsunade's forehead.

You bastard! At a time like this, you're worried about your fingers? I'm a beautiful young woman in your arms, you know~

The mood! Pay attention to the mood!

"You, stop talking." Tsunade clung stubbornly to Rinjin's neck, feeling the warmth of his body and the sluggish beat—or lack thereof—of his heart.

Oh my gosh! Is this guy's heart not beating? Seriously, a 359-degree mood killer! The remaining 1 degree goes to caged birds!

Even staying silent could leave her speechless!

With a darkened expression, Tsunade let go of Rinjin, puffing her cheeks in frustration.

"Your heart isn't beating!"

"Huh?" Rinjin froze, then pulled open his shirt to glance at the gaping wound on his chest. Internally, he grumbled.

Isn't that obvious? It got blasted through. How could it still be beating? If it did, wouldn't it just squirt blood everywhere?

But when he saw the threatening look on Tsunade's face, Rinjin shrank back and chuckled awkwardly.

"Uh... maybe give it a moment. Let me rest a bit, and who knows, it might decide to start beating again?"

Looking at Rinjin's carefree smile, Tsunade's heart softened. She pursed her lips and pulled out a needle and thread.

"Fine, I'll sew it back up for you."

Just as she was about to begin, a thought struck her: if she became Rinjin's girlfriend in the future, wouldn't she never have to worry about him dying on the battlefield?

Oh my gosh~ Is that even possible?

Seeing that Tsunade was about to perform a heart-stitching operation, Rinjin shook his head repeatedly.

It wasn't that he was worried about anything; he simply didn't trust her skills.

If she stitched it well, there'd be no problem. But if she messed up, his heart might skip a beat every now and then. Who could stand that?

Better to just let it regenerate.

Thinking this, Rinjin shuddered.

"Princess Tsunade, forget it. It'll heal itself in a bit."

Hearing this, Tsunade suddenly became shy, mumbling in a barely audible voice, "Just call me Tsunade. Or... Little Tsuna."

Rinjin didn't catch what she said. Seeing her blushing face, he just thought she was acting weird.

Everyone was talking normally—why blush out of nowhere?

"Ahem... Princess Tsunade, so we've agreed, once we return..."

Before Rinjin could finish, Tsunade's elegant eyebrows furrowed. She grabbed his ear and yelled, "Don't call me Princess Tsunade! Call me Little Tsuna!"

Geez~ Whoever marries this woman is doomed!

So violent at such a young age—won't she break six ribs when she grows up?

But for the sake of his ear's safety, Rinjin nodded like a pecking chicken. "Little Tsuna, Little Tsuna, I'll call you that from now on."

By the way, does your Onix have the hidden ability Sturdy? You grabbed my ear so fast!

Hearing Rinjin's words, Tsunade finally let go, pouting angrily.

Still, she looked quite pretty, especially with her golden hair and proud high ponytail.

For a moment, Rinjin found himself staring.

In the quiet forest, everything fell silent. Tsunade lowered her head, her face slightly red as she leaned against Rinjin, as if she wanted to stay like this forever.

Suddenly, Rinjin froze, his expression returning to normal.

A kilometer away, his shadow clone hidden in the grass dispelled itself, sending its memories back to him.

It turned out a large group of ANBU, led by Kagami Uchiha, was on their way.

At the same time, Rinjin sensed some commotion in the northwest, near the border.

Realizing this, he understood that even if he hadn't saved Tsunade, she wouldn't have been taken by other villages.

However, not saving her might have cast suspicion on him.

By saving her, and with the corpse of that ninja named C, he could completely clear himself of suspicion.

After all, the Leaf Village had secret techniques to probe the memories of the deceased.

This was why Rinjin had smashed the heads of A and B—those two had seen his unique constitution. While they might not have deduced his immortality, Rinjin's cautious nature wouldn't allow any loose ends.

As for Tsunade, Rinjin believed that as long as she didn't want to talk, no one could force her.

After all, her grandmother, Mito Uzumaki—the wife of Hashirama Senju and the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki—was still alive!

Even without mentioning Mito, just being the granddaughter of Hashirama Senju was enough to deter anyone from questioning her.

With this in mind, Rinjin spoke slowly.

"Someone's coming. It's probably the ANBU."

As he spoke, Rinjin swallowed the scattered iron sand into his stomach in front of Tsunade.

The iron sand flowed into his body as he picked up his severed fingers. The sand moved, reconnecting them gradually.

Once everything was cleaned up, Rinjin let out a long sigh of relief.

Honestly, if Tsunade hadn't woken up, he wouldn't have resorted to using the *Flying Raijin* technique, turning his short sleeves into sleeveless ones.

Just thinking about it made him feel the pain of loss.

A short-sleeve shirt cost two hundred ryo! Enough for twenty skewers or sixty dango!

Damn it, what a loss! Should've just stayed home and done nothing!

As he pondered, countless figures suddenly appeared with a swish.

Leading them was none other than Kagami Uchiha, who had recently formed an odd duo with Rinjin.

Kagami Uchiha had no trace of his usual sunny smile. His face was stern as he stared at Rinjin.

The ANBU quickly moved forward, instantly separating Tsunade from Rinjin. The remaining ANBU all watched Rinjin with caution.

"So it was you, Rinjin-kun. I saw your shadow clone earlier," Kagami said, his gaze sweeping over the uneven battlefield and the bodies of A, B, and C. He sighed in relief and added with a teasing tone, "Looks like you'll be spending a couple of days in the Leaf Village's dungeon again."

Again? Seriously?

Rinjin almost burst out laughing.

This time, I'm definitely throwing that special brick into the archive room!

Rinjin barely managed to suppress his joy as Tsunade interjected coldly.

"Rinjin saved me!"

Hearing this, Kagami was about to explain when Rinjin waved his hand at Tsunade.

"Don't! It's part of their ANBU protocol! As law-abiding citizens of the Leaf Village, we must comply!"

The ANBU present all silently cursed him in their hearts.

You bastard, who are you fooling? Everyone here knows you're a double agent!

Hearing Rinjin's words, Kagami nodded with a peculiar expression.

Rinjin-kun, do you really need to be this knowledgeable?

Without any resistance, Rinjin raised his hands in surrender.

A nearby ANBU with a dog mask reluctantly approached Rinjin.

"Yo~ Dog Bro, long time no see! Missed you so much!" Rinjin greeted cheerfully.

Hearing this, the other ANBU all turned their masked gazes toward the dog-masked ninja.

In an instant, the dog-masked ANBU felt like he had hemorrhoids or a mole on his butt, almost forgetting how to walk.

Grumpily, the dog-masked ANBU cuffed Rinjin and gave him a shove, muttering, "You troublemaker. I leave you alone for one night, and you stir up this much chaos!"

But the tone sounded more like a wife scolding her husband for losing money gambling.

Tsunade watched this, feeling a green haze over her head.

...

ANBU Dungeon.

Once again, it was the familiar Room 233, the familiar *Tale of Genji* series. The only difference was that this time, Dog Bro had lent him a color-illustrated version.

Lying on the bed, nose stuffed with paper, Rinjin read with great interest.

Just as he was engrossed in the Rokujo Mansion chapter, the cell door suddenly opened.

Dog Bro strode in, snatched the color-illustrated book from Rinjin's hands, and seeing the greasy fingerprints on the pages, his face under the mask turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.

"Rinjin Sakuho, Lord Hiruzen wants to see you!"

"See me?" Rinjin frowned.

Normally, with C's corpse and Tsunade's testimony, he should've been released after a few days. Why summon him?

Could it be to thank him?

Thinking this, Rinjin reluctantly nodded. Then, taking advantage of Dog Bro's distraction, he snatched back the *Tale of Genji*.

"Dog Bro, let me borrow it for two more days."

"No way!" Dog Bro snatched the book back, performed a single-hand seal, and used a Body Flicker Technique to leave the room.

Rinjin stared dumbfounded at his empty hands, then looked up at Dog Bro carefully tucking the book into his chest. He felt like he'd been played.

Damn it, bro, can't you take a joke?

Dog Bro chuckled. Lend it to you? As if I didn't know you never return things you borrow from Ippongi Katō!

And you still haven't returned the *Tale of Genji* set you borrowed from me last time.

"Cheapskate," Rinjin muttered, following Dog Bro out of the cell.

Soon, they arrived at the Hokage's office.

After a gentle knock and receiving permission, Dog Bro led Rinjin inside.

The first thing that caught his eye was the massive desk, now a far cry from its usual tidy state. Piles of documents and open scrolls were scattered everywhere.

Behind the mountain of paperwork, clouds of smoke rose intermittently. As Rinjin approached, he saw Hiruzen Sarutobi with a pipe in his mouth, scratching his head while writing something with a brush.

Noticing Rinjin's arrival, Hiruzen immediately waved to the surrounding ANBU.

The ANBU all nodded and left the Hokage's office one after another.

Rinjin stepped forward, peering through the towering stacks of documents at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Uncle Hiruzen, what do you need me for?"

Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly took a puff from his pipe, stood up, and looked at him with a hint of gratitude.

"Rinjin-kun, thank you for saving Tsunade."

Hearing this, Rinjin shook his head dismissively and said, "No need to thank me; I was just saving myself. Besides, even without me, they couldn't have taken Princess Tsunade."

Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's satisfaction deepened.

Last night, the analysis team's report had already come in.

The three ninjas had been hired by a client codenamed 'Amaya' to kidnap Tsunade.

The trio were actually brothers who had defected from Takigakure due to dissatisfaction with their leader's rule. They had been selling their skills for hire through the black market.

According to intelligence from the Leaf Village's spies in the exchange network, this 'Amaya' had close ties to the Land of Lightning.

The Land of Lightning again. Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned deeply.

Previously, the death of Tobirama-sensei had been inextricably linked to Kumogakure. Danzo Shimura even suspected it was part of Kumogakure's sinister plan.

Pretend there was discord between Kinkaku and Ginkaku and the Second Raikage, then suddenly ambush Tobirama-sensei using the Six Paths Sacred Treasures.

To be honest, Hiruzen Sarutobi had been reluctant to believe that the kind-hearted Second Raikage would do such a thing. But after becoming Hokage, his perspective had changed.

Putting himself in their shoes, for the sake of the village and his comrades, if he had the chance to eliminate such a formidable enemy, he would take it.

Moreover, this time Tsunade's kidnapping also seemed to have ties to Kumogakure.

Thinking of this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's resolve hardened.

"Rinjin-kun, actually, I have a favor to ask of you."

Uh-oh...

What could Hiruzen Sarutobi possibly ask of me?

What special skills do I have that would make a Hokage turn to me for help?

Without thinking too much, Rinjin instinctively shook his head.

"Sorry, I can't. Please find someone else more suitable!"

Hearing this, Hiruzen, who was in the middle of puffing on his pipe, choked and started coughing violently. The ashes from his pipe scattered everywhere.

"Cough...cough... Rinjin-kun, won't you at least hear what the request is?"

"Nope! If I listen, I'll lose the chance to refuse." Rinjin shook his head so vigorously it looked like it might fall off.

Are you kidding me? No matter how good the reward sounds, I'm not doing it. It's definitely not something good!

Hiruzen was momentarily dumbfounded by Rinjin's immediate and resolute rejection.

Suddenly, his eyes gleamed cunningly, and he sighed, shaking his head.

"What a pity. Rinjin-kun, you were able to take down three highly skilled and well-coordinated Jōnin. I was thinking of giving you some public recognition for your contributions to the Leaf Village and making an exception to promote you directly to Jōnin. What a shame, what a shame."

Hearing this, Rinjin nodded along, mimicking Hiruzen's regretful tone, "Yeah, what a shame, what a shame."

Shame on your big head! Everyone knows that the Genin in the Leaf Village are the strongest! No one stop me; I'm staying a Genin for life!

Seeing Rinjin mockingly imitate him, Hiruzen's face turned red with suppressed frustration. He took a deep breath, pushing down his irritation, and tried again.

"I was also planning to give you a two-bedroom apartment on Tea Street in the Leaf Village after this mission. But now that I think about it, maybe I'll save that for later."

"Heh~" Rinjin chuckled.

Tea Street is indeed a prime location, right next to the Hokage's office. But a two-bedroom apartment? Who are you trying to fool?

You're the Hokage, the head of the Sarutobi clan, and this is how you test your subordinates? Any subordinate worth their salt wouldn't fall for such a weak offer!

In truth, Rinjin's thoughts were clear: a two-bedroom apartment on Tea Street costs only 850,000 ryo in total. I could easily make 400,000 ryo just by faking an injury at the Uchiha estate. Do you really think such a small amount of money can buy my loyalty? No way.

Besides, Rinjin had been using shadow clones to work as a blacksmith lately, earning a decent income. With all his savings, he had amassed around 1.7 million ryo.

With that kind of money, why settle for a two-bedroom apartment? I could buy a three-bedroom, two-bathroom unit with 120 square meters of space. Isn't that much better?

Or better yet, buy some land outside the village and start a factory. That would really set me up for life!

A two-bedroom apartment? Might as well give that to a beggar.

Seeing the disdainful expression on Rinjin's face, Hiruzen's own face darkened. Gritting his teeth, he made a firm decision and said, "Fine. I'll add 500,000 ryo in discretionary funds. Will you do it now?"

"Still no!" Rinjin shook his head emphatically. He had grown to despise the term "discretionary funds." It always came with a catch—usually a three-year commitment.

By now, Rinjin had a pretty good idea of what Hiruzen wanted him to do. If he still didn't get it after all this, he'd have to be a fool.

The only thing he was particularly skilled at—and excelled in—was being a double agent, an infiltrator.

The thought of being sent by Amegakure to spy on the Leaf Village, only to be sent by the Leaf Village to spy on another village, filled Rinjin with a deep sense of revulsion.

It's not about whether or not I can handle being a spy. It's just... how do I put it? It's disgusting!

What would I even say to introduce myself in the future?

"I am Rinjin Sakuho! The leader of Amegakure, the sidekick of the Hokage, the confidant of the Mizukage, the right-hand man of the Tsuchikage, the captain of the Sand Village's ANBU, and the personal bodyguard of the Raikage!"

At first glance, it sounds impressive. But upon closer thought... huh, it actually does sound pretty impressive, doesn't it?

After all, I'd have achieved what Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha couldn't—peace in the ninja world!

Of course, all of it would be accomplished... in bed.

No, no, no! Rinjin shook his head vigorously, trying to dispel the enticing thought from his mind.

Seeing Rinjin's stubborn and unyielding attitude, Hiruzen was at a complete loss.

This guy... has he forgotten that he's supposed to be an infiltrator? And yet, here he is, shamelessly freeloading in my village!

"Ahem..." Left with no other choice, Hiruzen decided to play his trump card: emotional appeal.

"Rinjin, don't you care that someone tried to kidnap Tsunade?"

Seeing the twinkle in Hiruzen's eyes, Rinjin sighed in exasperation.

"You're talking about the Land of Lightning, aren't you?"

Hearing this, Hiruzen instinctively took two steps back, once again shocked by Rinjin.

How does this kid's mind work?! Where did he gather this intelligence? Or... who leaked it?

At that moment, Hiruzen finally grasped the true extent of Rinjin's brilliance.

Before becoming Hokage, Hiruzen had found Rinjin impressive. But now, as Hokage, he found him downright terrifying.

No wonder this guy is so resistant to bribery. I thought he wasn't greedy, but it turns out he's already figured out my intentions!

At the same time, Hiruzen finally understood what Tobirama-sensei had meant.

Why can't this kid be allowed into the higher echelons of the Leaf Village?

Tobirama-sensei must have foreseen this—this overwhelming sense of helplessness when faced with Rinjin's intellect.

"Ahem!" Collecting his thoughts, Hiruzen cleared his throat and asked, "Rinjin-kun, where did you get this information?"

"Uh..." Rinjin looked at Hiruzen like he was an idiot.

"Uncle, are you tired? Maybe you should go home and rest."

Ignoring Rinjin's sarcastic tone, Hiruzen waved his hand and said, "I'm not tired. Just tell me!"

Rinjin pursed his lips in exasperation.

"First, let's confirm: what can I do? What can a boy not even ten years old do?"

Shrugging, Rinjin spread his hands. "Be a spy."

"And would such a skilled spy be sent to a small village? No way."

Seeing Rinjin shamelessly praising himself, Hiruzen's face darkened further, but he gestured for Rinjin to continue.

"So that narrows it down to the Land of Lightning, the Land of Wind, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Water."

"The Land of Wind and the Land of Earth both have Hanzō of the Salamander. To put it bluntly, even if everyone else dies, he probably won't. The Sand and Stone Villages aren't much of a threat. Pass."

"That leaves the Land of Water and the Land of Lightning. The Land of Water is right next to Uzushio Village in the Land of Whirlpools. To put it bluntly, the relationship between the Leaf Village and Uzushio Village is like this: 'I'll take the blame; you go die.' So the Mist Village isn't much of a threat. Pass."

"That leaves just one option—the Land of Lightning. And with Tobirama-sama having recently passed away, it's only natural for his students to want revenge."

After hearing Rinjin's rapid analysis, Hiruzen couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Good grief, this kid casually lays out a few points, and suddenly the international situation is crystal clear. This makes more sense than anything Danzo has ever said!

Danzo keeps warning me about the 'great threat' of the Sand Village and the 'imminent danger' of the Mist Village. He even claims their lack of fertile land guarantees conflict.

Hiruzen admitted that Danzo's points had merit. But right now, Rinjin's analysis was far more practical.

And twenty years later, the Second Great Ninja War would prove Rinjin right. Hanzō of the Salamander became an unshakable boss that the Fire, Wind, and Earth countries couldn't take down.

Seeing that Hiruzen remained silent, Rinjin shook his head and sighed before speaking again.

"Uncle Hiruzen, is there really no one else for this job?"

Hearing this, Hiruzen sighed deeply, shaking his head.

"There are others, but none as exceptional as you at your age. If they infiltrated the Cloud Village, they'd at best pose as merchants or residents."

Heh.

Rinjin sneered internally. So ambitious! You want me to climb the ranks in the Cloud Village? Do you realize those people only see in black and white? Am I supposed to go get a tan?

With that thought, Rinjin's expression hardened, and his tone grew serious.

"Hokage-sama, what about Rie Sakuho? The reason I chose the Leaf Village was to give her a happy childhood. I don't want her to suffer while following me around."

Seeing Rinjin's resolute expression, Hiruzen grew serious as well.

He knew this was a critical moment. If he could convince Rinjin to infiltrate the Land of Lightning, he wouldn't just gain valuable intelligence; he'd also fulfill Tobirama-sensei's wish to keep Rinjin away from Tsunade.

"The village and I will take good care of her!" Hiruzen promised earnestly.

Hearing this, Rinjin shook his head firmly, staring straight at Hiruzen. "That's not good enough!"

Rinjin knew that Hiruzen had a history of questionable decisions. Although this particular incident hadn't happened yet, he couldn't ignore the precedent.

Naruto Uzumaki, the Fourth Hokage's orphaned son, was called a hero of the village. Yet look at how he was treated: instant noodles, expired milk, ostracized as a demon fox, and a lonely childhood.

In Rinjin's eyes, the Uchiha clan's Sharingan might as well be called the "White Eye" for how much disdain the village showed Naruto. Meanwhile, the actual Byakugan users like Hinata treated him with kindness and warmth—a cruel irony.

Rinjin couldn't do anything for Naruto. But for Rie? He wouldn't let her face such a fate.

After all, the Leaf Village's intelligence files on Rinjin labeled his loyalty as "E-."

He didn't care about the Leaf Village. He only cared about the people he cared about.

Seeing Rinjin's refusal, Hiruzen fell silent.

Rinjin's firm stance was simple. He had already prepared an escape plan.

A shadow clone had long since left the borders of the Land of Fire, carrying a marked brick. If necessary, Rinjin could teleport away at any moment, leaving behind only a limb or two. Those would grow back eventually—it was just a matter of time.

And once he was stronger, he could return to Amegakure and protect Mizuguma. After all, he had left in the first place because he lacked the strength to stay. With power, he'd be welcomed back with open arms.

As for the Eight Gates? Rinjin thought, *Konan is adorable, Nagato is awesome, and I'm going to stick with Nagato. Three meals a day, nine skipped meals in between.*

One day, when Nagato is busy being the "First Generation Sky God," I'll sneak into the archive room, grab the Scroll of Seals, and make my escape. Perfect plan!

However, Hiruzen's next words temporarily derailed Rinjin's plans.

"I spoke to Tsunade about this."

Hearing this, Rinjin internally cursed. Why do you have to discuss everything with that girl?

What Rinjin didn't know was that Hiruzen had already noticed Tsunade's budding feelings for him.

Before Rinjin could ask, Hiruzen took a deep puff from his pipe and continued, "Tsunade said she'd take care of Rie. She even offered to let Rie live with her."

Hearing this, Rinjin inhaled sharply.

This... this is perfect!

Not just perfect—it's the best possible solution!

After all, who would dare bully a chubby little girl living with Princess Tsunade?

With that thought, Rinjin gave a big thumbs-up and nodded emphatically.

"Alright, I think that's great! And from now on, I'm no longer her brother!"

Hearing this, Hiruzen frowned deeply, falling into contemplation. After a long moment, he finally understood and felt a mix of emotions.

Rinjin's decision made sense.

But it also signaled how far apart they had grown.

By severing his ties with his sister Rie, Rinjin wasn't just showing his deep love for her; he was also expressing his complete distrust of the village and Hiruzen himself.

Rinjin was convinced his identity would eventually be exposed, causing a massive uproar in the village and affecting Rie's life.

And who would expose his identity? Who knew about it?

The fact that Rinjin trusted Tsunade to care for Rie showed he believed in her. But what about everyone else, including Hiruzen? Did he trust them?

The answer was a resounding no.

Without hesitation, no.

Having entered full "infiltrator mode," Rinjin's mind raced as he addressed Hiruzen again.

"Hokage-sama, once I leave the Leaf Village, I'll leave all communications with Amegakure to you. The ANBU should have someone skilled enough to mimic my tone. Oh, and Dog Bro could do it."

As he spoke, Rinjin scratched his head.

"Also, please check in on Mizuguma for me. I don't want Hanzō of the Salamander thinking I've forgotten about him."

Watching Rinjin ramble on like an old man, Hiruzen pursed his lips. For some reason, he felt that before becoming Hokage, he and Rinjin had been genuinely sincere with each other. But now, it seemed like everything had turned into a game of manipulation.

Sighing, Hiruzen made a decision.

"Ahem... Rinjin!"

Hearing this, Rinjin stopped mid-sentence and looked at Hiruzen with a hint of confusion.

"Uh..." Hiruzen hesitated for a long moment before finally speaking.

"Rinjin, Mizuguma is dead."

After saying this, Hiruzen stared intently into Rinjin's eyes, his muscles tensing.

He was prepared to subdue Rinjin if he lost control.

Hearing this, Rinjin froze, his mouth opening and closing silently.

In that moment, Mizuguma's face and voice flooded his mind.

The stern and serious look when teaching him chakra extraction.

The awkward attempts at comfort when Hanzō dismissed him.

The childlike excitement when dragging him to Kabukichō.

The spring-like smile when embracing Miya and Yukiko.

The devastated, hollow expression upon learning of Hanzō's plans.

The reluctant yet resolute farewell.

And the sneaky, almost comical way he shoved a secret scroll into Rinjin's hands.

As these memories played out, a single tear rolled down Rinjin's cheek.

So this... this is what loss feels like.

Taking a deep breath, Rinjin reached up and wiped the tear from the corner of his eye. Looking at Hiruzen, he forced a stiff smile.

"Sorry... Sorry for the embarrassing display."

"Now, where was I? Oh, right, about mimicking my handwriting. It's... it's very simple."

As he spoke, Rinjin's voice cracked.

Trembling, he lifted his head, his lips quivering as he forced another apologetic smile at Hiruzen.

"I'm sorry... I... I lost my composure. I'll... I'll head back now."

Biting his lip, but speaking gently, he bid his farewell.

Clear liquid—whether tears or mucus—dripped from his nose.

Step by step, he moved toward the door. It wasn't walking; it was more like shuffling. Reaching the door, he opened it like a marionette and left the Hokage's office.

Hiruzen stood there, staring blankly at Rinjin's retreating figure. He wanted to say something, but the words stuck in his throat and refused to come out.

He had expected Rinjin to rage, to lose all reason.

He had expected Rinjin to roar, to charge recklessly toward Amegakure.

He had expected Rinjin to succumb to hatred, to despise the world.

What he hadn't expected was for Rinjin to cry like a child who had just lost his father—so helpless, so vulnerable.

Outside, the sky began to weep. Raindrops fell one by one, soon forming a curtain of rain that enveloped the world.

Standing by the large floor-to-ceiling window, Hiruzen puffed on his pipe. The soft crackling of burning tobacco was drowned out by the sound of rain.

He looked down at the street below, where a small figure staggered through the downpour like a lifeless puppet.

That child, who had always stood tall, now hunched over.

That child, who had always been steady, now trembled and fell to his knees in the rain, crying like a lost child.

That child was Rinjin Sakuho.