"Here."
Seeing that Izumi had already finished her fish, Naruto handed her another one.
"N-No, thanks."
"I’m full already."
She quickly waved both hands.
She wasn’t just being polite.
She was genuinely full.
Girls her age simply didn’t eat very much.
"Alright."
Naruto didn’t insist and continued devouring the rest of the fish himself.
Izumi walked over to the riverbank to wash her hands.
Instead of leaving right away, she stayed and chatted with him.
Naruto wasn’t very talkative to begin with.
With his mouth full of food, he spoke even less.
Izumi didn’t mind.
She happily carried most of the conversation herself.
At one point...
She mentioned a certain little brother who was hopelessly attached to his older brother.
Although she never said his name...
Naruto immediately knew she meant Sasuke.
"So full..."
After finally finishing the last grilled fish, Naruto flopped onto the ground.
Instinctively, he reached for his stomach.
Before he could pat it...
Izumi grabbed his wrist.
"Wash your hands first."
She looked completely serious.
Naruto blinked.
Then obediently walked back to the river and washed his hands.
Once he was done...
Izumi stood up, brushed the dust from her clothes, smiled, and held out her hand.
"Naruto."
"I’ll walk you home."
Naruto froze again.
Without waiting for an answer, Izumi took his hand and pulled him to his feet.
"So..."
"Where do you live?"
"Near Central Street."
Naruto answered honestly.
Even he wasn’t sure why he’d been so cooperative.
Perhaps...
Because this was the first time since arriving in this world...
Someone outside the sealing space had genuinely cared about him.
Some things...
Only became priceless once you finally had them.
Meanwhile...
Inside the Hokage’s Office...
A member of Konoha’s Intelligence Division respectfully handed over a newly compiled report.
"Lord Hokage."
"Izumi Uchiha’s complete profile."
"Good."
"You’ve worked hard."
Taking the report, Hiruzen opened it immediately.
The intelligence shinobi stepped aside to await further instructions.
When the ANBU had returned earlier to request Izumi’s records...
He had also submitted a brief report regarding her contact with the Jinchūriki.
The entire intelligence network had sprung into action.
In less than an hour...
A report several dozen pages thick had been compiled.
It covered nearly every detail of Izumi’s life from birth to the present day.
Hiruzen carefully read every page.
Only after finishing did he set the file down on his desk.
Resting his chin on his clasped hands...
He fell into thought.
There was nothing suspicious about Izumi.
It appeared to be nothing more than a coincidence.
That had also been the Intelligence Division’s conclusion.
After reading the report himself...
Hiruzen largely agreed.
He had reached the same conclusion as Kakashi.
The Uchiha Clan wouldn’t use such a gentle approach to make contact with the Jinchūriki.
Even so...
Caution never hurt.
She might have approached Naruto out of pure innocence today...
That didn’t mean someone else wouldn’t exploit her tomorrow.
The Uchiha leadership might never have intended to contact the Jinchūriki.
But...
What if they discovered that someone within the clan had already done so by accident?
Would they simply leave that unexpected chess piece where it was...
Or would they pick it up...
And place it onto the board?
He couldn’t afford to ignore that possibility.
After several moments of silence, Hiruzen asked,
"Have Izumi Uchiha and the Jinchūriki separated yet?"
"No."
"She’s currently walking him home."
"...Oh?"
Even Hiruzen found that amusing.
She was actually escorting the Jinchūriki home?
After thinking for a moment, he gave another order.
"Spread word within the Uchiha Clan that Izumi Uchiha made contact with the Jinchūriki."
"And place everyone who approaches her under close surveillance."
It was impossible to guard against every possibility forever.
Rather than worry about whether the Uchiha would eventually pick up this unexpected chess piece...
He might as well place it directly in front of them.
Then...
He would simply watch.
Would they pick it up...
Or leave it where it lay?
If they did...
Then preventing Izumi from contacting Naruto again would be enough.
At the same time...
It would confirm the need to increase vigilance toward the Uchiha.
If they didn’t...
Hiruzen wouldn’t mind placing that piece onto his own chessboard instead.
At the Uchiha Compound...
Fugaku Uchiha and Uchiha Itachi sat facing one another.
"Itachi."
"From now on..."
"Don’t associate with Izumi Uchiha anymore."
"...Father?"
Itachi immediately looked up.
He couldn’t understand why his father would suddenly forbid it.
Fugaku met his son’s gaze.
"Izumi made contact with the Jinchūriki today."
"The Third Hokage didn’t stop it."
"The entire clan is talking about it now."
"Some have even begun discussing..."
"...Whether Konoha’s Jinchūriki could become the Uchiha Clan’s Jinchūriki."
Itachi’s pupils contracted sharply.
Then...
He lowered his head.
The Third Hokage hadn’t interfered.
But there was no doubt Izumi herself would now be under close surveillance.
Anyone from the Uchiha Clan who approached her...
Would immediately draw suspicion and investigation.
Even the fact that some clan members had started discussing the Jinchūriki...
Had probably already reached Konoha’s leadership.
As the future head of the Uchiha Clan...
His position was especially sensitive.
If he continued associating with Izumi...
The village would inevitably suspect he was acting on behalf of the clan leadership.
The only way to erase that suspicion...
Was to completely sever their relationship.
Understanding everything...
Regret flooded Itachi’s heart.
He regretted not walking home with her.
He regretted not warning her to stay away from Naruto.
He regretted...
Everything.
Seeing Itachi lower his head in silence...
Fugaku knew his son understood.
He sighed inwardly.
Then continued,
"Itachi."
"You’ve always been clever."
"You should understand."
"This is both a trap..."
"And a test."
"Konoha’s leadership has suspected since three years ago that someone from the Uchiha controlled the Nine-Tails."
"Right now..."
"The clan must make it absolutely clear that we have no intention of interfering with the Jinchūriki."
"...I understand."
"If there’s nothing else..."
"I’ll take my leave."
Itachi nodded.
His face remained completely expressionless.
Watching him leave...
Fugaku silently let out another sigh.
Ten minutes later...
Izumi returned to the Uchiha Compound with a heavy heart.
Walking Naruto home...
Listening to the villagers curse him along the way...
Had left her deeply shaken.
How could they...?
He’s just a little child.
What kind of life has he been forced to endure?
...Hell?
As she entered the compound...
She happened to run into Itachi, who had come outside for some fresh air.
"Itachi!"
"You know what? Today I..."
She eagerly began speaking.
But...
Itachi walked straight past her.
As though he hadn’t seen her.
As though she were nothing more than a stranger.
A terrible feeling rose in her chest.
She immediately turned around and grabbed his arm.
"Itachi?"
Her voice trembled.
Itachi looked back at her coldly.
"Do you need something?"
"...Itachi?"
"What’s wrong?"
The person standing before her felt completely unfamiliar.
Unfamiliar...
And frightening.
"If there’s nothing else..."
"Please don’t come looking for me anymore."
"I don’t have time to play childish games."
He firmly removed her hand from his arm.
Then turned to leave.
"...Why?"
Izumi called after him.
It had happened so suddenly.
She knew something must have forced him to make this decision.
But all she wanted...
Was an answer.
Weren’t they friends?
Why couldn’t they talk about it?
Why had he decided everything on his own?
Maybe...
There was another solution.
And even if there wasn’t...
Why choose the most heartless path without saying a word?
Itachi stopped.
Slowly...
He turned back.
Hope instantly lit up Izumi’s eyes.
"It doesn’t matter why."
His voice was utterly devoid of emotion.
The tiny spark of hope inside Izumi froze solid.
Why...
Why can’t you even give me an explanation?
Who gave you the right to decide everything by yourself?
In the darkness...
The two silently stared at one another.
Then...
Almost at the same time...
They both turned away.
Their black eyes suddenly turned crimson.
A single tomoe spun rapidly.
Then—
Both evolved into the two-tomoe Sharingan.