Chapter 11

"Haru, what are you talking about?"

Kushina's voice trembled with urgency.

Uzumaki Mito and the Third Hokage both furrowed their brows in unison.

Orochimaru cursed silently to himself. This is a disaster!

Originally, if Takayama Haru had just accepted the promotion to Chūnin, then even if he didn't go undercover in the Hidden Cloud Village, Orochimaru could still manipulate events during a B-rank mission to his advantage.

But Haru had flat-out refused the promotion.

With only a Genin title, he could only accept D-rank or C-rank missions.

If Orochimaru tried to act during a D-rank mission, it'd be far too obvious and his identity would be exposed immediately.

Even for a C-rank mission, he'd need at least three months of preparation to act covertly without revealing himself.

Orochimaru stared hard at Haru. Was this calculated brilliance? A lucky accident? Or pure coincidence?

Uzumaki Mito scolded with visible frustration:

"Haru! What nonsense are you spouting? Are you planning to stay a Genin your whole life?"

Haru replied plainly:

"Madam Mito, I think being able to endure is already commendable. What's so wrong with being a Genin?"

"You really want to be a low-rank ninja forever?"

"Why look down on Genin? I believe Genin are the true backbone of Konoha. It's the countless Genin who form the strongest force in the village."

"Their efforts are what built today's Konoha."

"Without the quiet sacrifices of the rank-and-file ninja during the First and Second Great Ninja Wars, Konoha wouldn't be what it is now."

"Yes, the First and Second Hokage were great, but so were the many subordinates under their command."

"I'm proud to be a ninja. I have no desire to pursue promotion."

Hiruzen Sarutobi was already frustrated, but Haru's words genuinely stunned him.

He asked himself—had he, in his years as Hokage, distanced himself too much from the Genin corps? Had he taken them for granted?

Even Mito fell silent in contemplation.

Kushina, standing by, looked dumbfounded. What is Haru even thinking?

Is he… proud to be a low-ranking ninja?

Whether Haru was strong or not, whether he was brilliant or not, none of it mattered. That 10x speed fusion bonus from the Hashirama character card was delicious!

After making two consecutive choices earlier, the fusion rate had reached 20x.

Every hour now equaled 20 hours of progress from yesterday.

Suddenly, Sarutobi felt a bit duped.

Promoting someone to Chūnin wasn't just about acknowledging their strength—it was about giving them responsibility.

But this kid… this kid just doesn't want responsibility!

Hiruzen gave Haru a deep look.

"I suppose you have a point, Haru. Being able to endure is already a virtue. So… you really don't intend to become a Chūnin?"

Haru shook his head.

"Thank you for your generosity, Lord Third. But I, Takayama Haru, just want to be a normal, ordinary ninja."

Sarutobi's eye twitched. You've awakened a rare bloodline ability, and you're still calling yourself "ordinary"? Are you kidding me?

Mito leaned closer and whispered to Hiruzen:

"Let me talk to him when we're back. He's still young and doesn't understand things properly…"

Sarutobi, already weary, just nodded.

"Alright then. Let's head back."

For the first time in his life, Sarutobi had been refused in such a blunt and bizarre way.

He had no energy left for it and turned to leave.

The Hokage had more important matters to attend to than entertain a rebellious kid.

The Hidden Cloud Village had been making moves recently—both the Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki had been stirring trouble.

Based on intelligence Orochimaru gathered while undercover, the Hidden Cloud had already captured a second tailed beast—the Two-Tails, several years ago.

This time, they were targeting Kushina in hopes of replacing their Jinchūriki with someone else.

Of course, Kushina was the perfect candidate.

This time, the Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki had even crossed borders to rescue an undercover agent.

Though Orochimaru managed to rescue both Kikumaru and Minato Namikaze at great personal cost—and even captured one of the enemy agents—Sarutobi knew Hidden Cloud wouldn't stop there.

They still had more tricks up their sleeve.

Konoha had to be ready to prevent another abduction incident like what happened to Kushina.

They needed to strengthen village lockdown procedures and plan effective countermeasures.

And it wasn't just Hidden Cloud—recent intel showed that Iwagakure had also begun mobilizing forces.

Has peace really only lasted less than ten years before war looms again?

Sarutobi sighed deeply at the thought.

He left without another word.

Orochimaru gave Haru one last lingering stare before following suit.

Mito sighed.

"You brat. Have you packed your things?"

Haru nodded.

Truth be told, there wasn't much to pack—just a few changes of clothes.

And just like that, Haru followed Mito home.

It was the familiar courtyard from his memories—lush greenery, birds chirping, and the scent of flowers in the air.

You could faintly see people walking inside.

The fact that the Uzumaki clan had such a large estate right in the village center spoke volumes of their influence.

Mito smiled warmly.

"Haru, welcome home! Back then, our Uzumaki clan didn't treat you right…"

Haru waved her off.

"It's alright, Grandma Mito. I've always preferred peace and quiet. This place actually suits me now."

"Alright then, Haru, your room is over there. Kushina, take him over and help him settle in."

"Yes, Granny Mito!"

Kushina's face turned slightly red. Living under the same roof as Haru... I'm so nervous.

Haru followed her to his room. He looked healthy and refreshed.

"Want to come in and sit?" Haru asked.

Kushina blushed even harder.

"N-no! My room's right next door!"

Then she quickly ran off, face still burning.

Haru blinked. Wait… was she trying to tell me something?

Meanwhile, at Root Headquarters…

In a dark and damp underground office...

Danzo was poring over Takayama Haru's file with a rare expression—surprise.

Was this kid really just a war orphan picked up during a mission to retrieve Kushina?

What a coincidence... An orphan from the Senju clan, no less.

And due to this coincidence, he awakened a powerful inherited bloodline during a life-or-death crisis.

Could this really all be chalked up to luck?

Root's intel should be solid.

But even so, it was just… too convenient.

Danzo's expression turned grim. Could this be the final battle between the remnants of the Senju and the Uzumaki clans?

"He refused the Third's offer?"

"Yes, Lord Danzo!"

A kneeling masked ninja responded.

"He flatly rejected the Chūnin title. He even said that being a ninja is an honor, that Genin are Konoha's backbone and its greatest strength."

"He spoke of mastering the way of the Genin and uniting their strength."

Danzo suddenly burst into laughter.

"Foolishness! What strength? Elite Jōnin and Kage-level powerhouses are what define a village's strength!"

"He doesn't want to see me? Then bring him here!"

No matter what, this last orphan of the Senju clan was a dangerous variable.

His active cells would be extremely valuable to Danzo—and they must be under his control.

If Haru refused… then he'd be eliminated.

The masked ninja bowed deeply.

"Leave it to me, Lord Danzo. I'll handle it personally."

Danzo nodded coldly.

"Move quickly. And don't go alone. Bring ten Root operatives with you."

"Yes, Lord Danzo!"

"Also, don't act in the Uzumaki compound. Wait until he leaves."

"Understood."