Part Time Employee in Konoha

Chapter 257: Forgiveness

The mask on the Root ninja's face was taken off...

The cold and stern face hidden beneath the mask was revealed.

Uzumaki Naruto looked at the vaguely familiar face, and his anger turned into a look of shock. For a moment, he couldn't believe the other person's identity.

"Sas...Sasuke?"

"Is it really Sasuke?"

"Hmph, can't you even recognize me?"

Uchiha Sasuke's lips curled into his characteristic arrogant smile as he reached out his hand to the Naruto lying on the ground.

"No, it can't be..."

Naruto grabbed his hand and stood up with his help, still finding it hard to believe his eyes. "What...what is going on? Why are you a Root ninja? Why haven't you returned to Team 7?"

"Wait..."

Naruto suddenly remembered something and his eyes widened. "Granny Tsunade mentioned that a Root ninja was going to join Team 7..."

At that time...

Granny Tsunade said she had refused the proposal.

Moreover, he seemed to remember rejecting the news himself...

Argh...

Naruto hit his head hard, frustrated with his past foolishness. "I should have asked who it was back then!"

"Lord Kagura did consider letting me return to Team 7."

Uchiha Sasuke nodded and said softly, "Coincidentally, both of you rejected it. I'm more comfortable staying in Root because I have more important things to do..."

"What is going on?"

Naruto interrupted Sasuke, eager to know the truth. "Back then, you clearly left with Orochimaru..."

"It was just a mission."

Uchiha Sasuke shook his head, indifferent to his past experiences. "At that time, Orochimaru was eyeing Konoha. Lord Kagura had me infiltrate his side to monitor and, if possible, assassinate him..."

"To gain Orochimaru's trust, I couldn't reveal my identity as a Root ninja or the secret mission, so I had to leave as a defector. I didn't expect you to follow me then, almost blowing my cover..."

These words...

Actually hid some truths.

Such as Kagura's cooperation with Orochimaru.

Such as Kagura constantly using Orochimaru's experimental results.

These matters are top secrets of Root, belonging to Konoha's darkness, which Uchiha Sasuke believes he will inherit in the future.

Before Naruto becomes Hokage, the only thing Uchiha Sasuke can disclose is the publicized issue of Orochimaru's death.

"No wonder you had no killing intent back then..."

Naruto remembered their clash in the Valley of the End and vaguely understood Sasuke's experiences over the past two or three years. "If I had known… you should have told me. I spent years worrying about Orochimaru taking over your body..."

"You idiot, did you forget about the second round of the Chunin Exams?"

Uchiha Sasuke helplessly rubbed his forehead and said in a deep voice, "This was a confidential mission for the village. How could I tell you? Even revealing my identity to you required Lord Kagura's permission..."

"So that's how it is..."

Naruto immediately understood, nodding to himself. He then asked, "So, when we were rescuing Gaara, you were secretly protecting us the whole time?"

"Yes..."

Uchiha Sasuke nodded and casually mocked Naruto, "Because you idiot haven't made any progress in the past two years..."

"What did you say!"

Naruto immediately became furious!

There is nothing more infuriating in this world than being mocked by an old friend for becoming weaker. Uzumaki Naruto immediately wanted to prove to Uchiha Sasuke that he had become stronger!

However, as Uzumaki Naruto rolled up his sleeves in anger, ready to show Uchiha Sasuke his newfound strength, Sasuke's words doused his fury.

"Sorry, Naruto..."

Uchiha Sasuke softly apologized.

"Hmph..."

Uzumaki Naruto finally crossed his arms over his chest, nodding proudly: "Since you've apologized, I'll forgive your rudeness..."

"It's not for what I just said..."

Uchiha Sasuke looked at his dear friend and said quietly: "Actually, the Fourth Hokage was resurrected two or three years ago. Part of my Flying Thunder God Technique was taught to me by him. When I was still in Team 7, I knew he had been resurrected and that he was your father..."

This was Uchiha Sasuke's guilt.

Because at that time, Uzumaki Naruto was still living a life disliked by the villagers, while he was receiving guidance from the Second and Fourth Hokage, and even knew about Naruto's heritage without telling him.

"..."

Uzumaki Naruto's face immediately turned grim.

"The Fourth Hokage has always wanted to see you."

Uchiha Sasuke continued softly, ignoring Naruto's expression: "Because he sacrificed himself to seal the Nine-Tails and protect the village when you were young, he had to leave you alone. Even though he was resurrected, to keep the village's secrets, he couldn't meet you and could only observe you from the shadows..."

Uchiha Sasuke placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder and patted it lightly: "Naruto, the threat of Orochimaru to the village has disappeared. The Fourth Hokage could be released at any time. Don't wait until it's too late and regret it..."

"As for the Nine-Tails..."

Uchiha Sasuke continued, addressing what Naruto was most concerned about: "Even if you're dissatisfied with it, at least you should discuss it face to face, right? Speak your mind and follow through. Have you forgotten your ninja way, you idiot?"

"Of course not!"

Uzumaki Naruto furiously waved his fists!

The Third Training Ground.

Hatake Kakashi, Akihara Kagura, and Minato were still there.

"This was expected, right?"

Akihara Kagura shrugged and casually criticized Minato: "Naruto suffered a lot as a child because of his status as a Jinchuriki. It's normal for him to have resentment and darkness in his heart. Why not place him in the Root..."

"Hey, hey, hey!"

Hatake Kakashi glanced at Akihara Kagura and quickly tried to dispel his dangerous idea: "Don't always think about taking my subordinates!"

"Because back then, I believed Naruto could overcome the darkness."

Minato, still thinking like a ninja, showed no signs of a father's concern: "Naruto is my child. I believe he can endure the trials of being a Jinchuriki and emerge like a butterfly from a chrysalis..."

"But..."

Akihara Kagura's gaze fell on Minato: "For a child, it's a painful process. The only way to overcome the pain is to continue growing. Perhaps I should wait until Naruto has overcome this layer of pain before reuniting you two…"

As they were chatting idly here, Uchiha Sasuke had already brought Uzumaki Naruto back to the third training ground, but Naruto's face still showed some discomfort.

"I already know everything..."

"I'm sorry."

Minato apologized to his son with a serious expression: "After you were born, I never fulfilled my responsibilities as a father. I even made you a Jinchuriki to contain the Nine-Tails. Naruto, that was my fault..."

"You did fulfill some responsibilities..."

Akihara Kagura helped mediate the family conflict for his superior and casually added a dig at another superior: "Naruto, the Fourth Hokage mentioned that Uchiha Obito, disguised as the mysterious masked man, tried to kill you right after you were born. The Fourth Hokage saved you at the cost of his life..."

"..."

Hatake Kakashi's expression stiffened.

"That child, Obito..."

Minato sighed lightly.

Over the years, Minato had been involved in the pursuit of Uchiha Obito with other Hokage, and he knew how miserable Obito's life had been during these years...

"So today you want to see me..."

Uzumaki Naruto looked at his father, whom he had never met before, and asked in a deep voice, "Is it to apologize for sealing the Nine-Tails inside me back then?"

"No."

Minato shook his head and said solemnly, "The purpose of today is to help you with advanced training, so you can learn to modify the nature of the Rasengan..."

"Rasengan?"

Uzumaki Naruto immediately forgot about his grievance and spoke about his biggest problem: "The Pervy Sage taught me the Rasengan, and he mentioned the Nature Transformation of the Rasengan, but he didn't seem to have any idea about it. I still don't understand what chakra nature transformation is..."

"..."

Minato and Hatake Kakashi looked at Akihara Kagura.

Among those present, only Akihara Kagura had mastered the nature transformation of the Rasengan proficiently. Even the developer, the Fourth Hokage Minato, needed to rely on Sage Mode to incorporate wind element into the Rasengan's nature transformation.

"It's roughly like this..."

Akihara Kagura raised his palm, and a blue Rasengan appeared in his hand. He continued, "First, form a Rasengan, then infuse it with chakra of other elements to give it new and extraordinary abilities..."

Before he finished speaking, the Rasengan in Akihara Kagura's hand had four shuriken-like blades around it. "By infusing wind element chakra into the Rasengan, its form and nature change, turning it into Wind Release: Rasengan, which is more powerful than a regular Rasengan..."

In fact, Akihara Kagura was a good teacher.

Due to the characteristics of the "Ninjutsu Professor," Akihara Kagura could easily learn ninjutsu; and because of the "Forbidden Technique Master," he had a deeper understanding of ninjutsu.

Uzumaki Naruto nodded repeatedly, at least understanding how to strengthen the Rasengan, and wanted to try it immediately.

Naturally, Akihara Kagura could only guide him for a while.

At least Uzumaki Naruto had a starting point, someone to show him the way. As long as he continued to practice diligently, he could achieve it.

However... Uzumaki Naruto was happy training.

Because his father, Minato, and his friend, Uchiha Sasuke, were with him. Despite constantly bickering with Sasuke in the training ground, a weight was lifted from Naruto's heart, as Sasuke, whom he always wanted to bring back, had returned.

Next to the third training ground, Akihara Kagura stood beside Hatake Kakashi, glanced at the figures training hard, and said leisurely, "So, do you think I'm a better Root leader than Lord Danzo..."

"Ah, yes, yes, yes..."

Hatake Kakashi responded perfunctorily and brought up the main issue: "The Akatsuki organization has started moving, and I'm worried that the ninja world might face a major crisis. Do you remember when we unmasked Obito?"

"Obito..."

Hatake Kakashi never forgot what his former close friend said: "He wants to create a new world, and this new world might require the power of the Tailed Beasts. They definitely want more than just one Tailed Beast..."

"I've been keeping an eye on this kind of information."

Akihara Kagura leaned against the log in the training ground and spoke slowly, "The Root's intelligence personnel reported signs of Akatsuki members appearing in the Land of Lightning. I want to go to Cloud Village myself..."

"You're not planning to kidnap the Raikage, are you?"

Hatake Kakashi was startled. He didn't doubt Akihara Kagura's ability but was worried about him doing something drastic: "The ninjas of Cloud Village are always reckless. The Fourth Raikage would rather die than..."

"I'm just going to gather intelligence on Cloud Village."

Akihara Kagura waved his hand nonchalantly, "I just need to ask if Cloud Village has any ties with Akatsuki. Otherwise, why would Akatsuki members appear in the Land of /Bleam

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