Chapter 8: Traitor

At the Same Time – The Hokage's Office

Inside the Hokage's office, three figures stood watching the scene unfold within the crystal ball, which displayed Hyougen's team. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat behind his desk, while his long-time advisors, Koharu Utatane and Mitokado Homura, stood beside him.

"Are you sure about putting Iane on the same team as the son of that traitor?" Koharu asked, her voice sharp as her eyes narrowed at the image before her.

Hiruzen shot her a firm look before replying with conviction, "His name is Hyougen, and he is a citizen of Konoha. I will not allow anyone in this village to be treated as a criminal for the sins of their parents."

Koharu, however, remained persistent. "You do realize that she is Danzo's only remaining relative, don't you?"

At the mention of Danzo's name, Hiruzen hesitated for a moment, a complicated feeling stirring within him. He let out a quiet sigh before replying, recalling Iane's insistence,

"Don't worry. I've looked into every detail of his life. It's true that he changed after his parents' deaths, but he is still a good boy. And don't forget—we placed him with Iane because she specifically requested it."

Mitokado let out a small sigh before asking, "Are you absolutely certain he knows nothing about that incident? What if the Uchiha told him?"

Hiruzen shook his head confidently. "There's no need to worry. It's impossible for him to know anything. The Uchiha aren't fools; they wouldn't tell him a thing—especially when they themselves know so little… If Danzo hadn't done what he did, we could have had an elite Jonin serving the village today, and—"

"No!" Koharu interrupted him sharply. "Danzo made the right decision."

A tense silence followed before the two advisors turned and left the office, leaving Hiruzen alone.

He took a slow drag from his pipe, watching through the haze of smoke as Team Nine dispersed in the crystal ball. A feeling of unease settled in his chest.

"I hope so..."

---

The Next Day – The First Mission

I arrived at the designated meeting point early in the morning and found Rinji and Iane already there.

"Good morning."

Rinji greeted me enthusiastically, while Iane merely glanced at me before returning to her usual silence. We waited for a few minutes until our instructor, Shinko, arrived, holding a scroll in his hand.

The moment Rinji saw the scroll, his eyes lit up with excitement. "Sensei, what's our mission?!"

His excitement didn't last long. Shinko answered in a calm voice, "We're searching for a cat."

Silence hung in the air for a few seconds before Rinji burst out, "What?! This is ridiculous! I want a real mission!"

Iane didn't seem particularly bothered by the task, but she did watch Shinko attentively, waiting for his response.

Shinko, however, was in no mood for complaints. He frowned and said firmly, "Shut up. What do you know about being a ninja? We aren't just warriors looking for a fight. We carry out the missions given to us, no matter how small. Look at Hyougen—do you see him complaining?"

Rinji and Iane both turned to me, only to find me standing quietly, my gray eyes observing them without expression.

Rinji let out a sigh of resignation. "Fine, fine… let's just get this over with."

---

Tracking down the cat wasn't fun in the slightest. We spent hours chasing it all over the village until we finally managed to catch it and return it to its owner.

Once the mission was over, I headed home, ignoring the usual stares from the villagers.

The Uchiha's opinions don't matter to me. To me, they're nothing more than ants.

I only need to focus on one thing—becoming stronger.

Today marks the true beginning of my journey as a ninja.