"Oh, take you in?"
Kaze was initially taken aback, and then he understood what this shrewd woman was thinking.
"Want to cling to me to reduce the punishment?"
They were unlucky enough to encounter a powerful enemy. However, as the team leader, Seiven Hyūga was hard to excuse for the team's annihilation.
After returning to Root, she would definitely receive severe punishment. At best, she would be removed from her post and exiled. At worst...
Everyone knew how ruthless Tanzō could be.
Now, Seiven Hyūga actively offered to join Kaze's team in the future.
If Kaze agreed, Tanzō might show leniency to Seiven Hyūga, considering his son's affection.
"Should I take her in?" Kaze looked at Yuto with an inquiring look.
In reply, Yuto gave him a look as if to say, "You decide for yourself."
"Let me have a think." Kaze began to calculate in his mind.
First of all, Seiven Hyūga looked a lot like Hanabi... Nonsense!
First of all, Seiven Hyūga's figure was no worse than Hinata's...
Ridiculous! These weren't important!
First of all, Seiven Hyūga's Byakugan had important strategic significance.
Secondly, well...
There was no second reason. This single reason was enough.
Thinking of this, Kaze looked at Seiven Hyūga and said with a smile.
"If Class monitor Seiven Hyūga wants to join my team, I sure ain't got no reason to say no. But..."
Hearing that Kaze was willing to take her in, Seiven Hyūga let out a sigh of relief.
"But what? Please speak your mind, Class monitor Kaze." She lowered her head slightly and put on a very humble posture.
"But there are some things we need to clarify first." Kaze said unhurriedly.
"If you join my team, you can no longer regard yourself as a class monitor. Do you understand what I mean?"
"I understand, Class monitor Kaze." Seiven Hyūga replied respectfully, "From now on, Seiven will definitely follow your every order."
"Good." Kaze nodded in satisfaction, "After we get back, I'll mention this to my father on my own initiative."
"Pfft!"
Ayako pouted, feeling extremely annoyed that there was another rival in love in the team.
"Huh? Strange, why did I use 'another'?"
In Root, Konoha.
Tanzō was sitting on a high seat in the dimness, his face shrouded in shadow, making it impossible to see his expression.
"I understand. You may leave first. Kaze, stay behind."
After listening to the reports of several people, he said indifferently.
"Yes, Tanzō!"
The four got up and left. Soon, only Kaze and Tanzō were left in the hall.
Tanzō got up from his seat and walked up to his son, "Tell me, what do you think?"
To be honest, Kaze had many wild and imaginative speculations in his mind, but he couldn't tell Tanzō directly.
After pondering for a moment, he said very seriously.
"Father, I suspect that these two must be instructed by a certain major power, and it's a power independent of the Five Great Ninja Villages."
"No matter who is behind this, they must have grand ambitions. Maybe they want to subvert the current structure of the entire ninja world."
"Yeah." Tanzō nodded noncommittally, then changed the subject.
"Are you planning to take in Seiven Hyūga? Are you sure you can control her?"
Kaze shrugged and grinned as he said.
"With my father backing me up, it'll be a piece of cake to control her."
Tanzō gave his son a piercing look, then waved his hand to shoo him away.
"As long as you know what you're doing. Alright, go home and rest first. I still have things to do."
"Yes, father." Kaze got up and left.
Tanzō sat back down in his seat, immersed in the shadows, enjoying the peace that the darkness brought.
"What a chaotic mess! All sorts of strange characters are emerging. The Uchiha clan, Humph!"
"If I want to preserve Konoha in this chaos, I need even greater power... power that can rival the previous Hokage!"
Tanzō gently tapped on the wooden armrest, his mind filled with various thoughts.
"It seems necessary to restart the research on the First Hokage. At the same time, I have to continue to dig deeper into the power of the Sharingan."
Know your enemy and know yourself, and you'll win every battle!
"The previous research has reached a dead end. I need to find someone capable of pushing it forward..."
Immediately, a suitable candidate popped into Tanzō's mind.
Orochimaru!
The following day.
In Konoha's Small Garden.
"Hey, what kind of surprise is this? You're being so mysterious, Databane!"
Kushina grumbled, but actually, she was really excited.
Kaze and Minato said they'd give her a surprise and dragged her out at daybreak.
"Hehe, you'll know when we get there." Kaze still kept her guessing.
"Yeah, Kyu, you'll really like it." Minato also chimed in.
I'll really like it?
Kushina secretly mused.
"Could it be... they're gonna confess their love to me?!"
The three of them walked deeper into the Small Garden, and a red - haired girl appeared in their sight.
"She, she is...?!"
The moment she saw Kaori, Kushina's heart skipped a beat.
Unlike her apathy towards Nagato.
Seeing a Uzumaki girl of the same age as herself, Kushina instantly thought of her family, and her eyes welled up with tears.
"Kushina Uzumaki, right?"
Kaori stepped forward two paces and gently took Kushina's hand, asking in a low voice.
"Yes, Uzumaki! Kushina!"
Kushina hugged Kaori tightly. Kaori's body trembled slightly, but she didn't resist.
Actually, she was very resistant to excessive physical contact with others.
After a long hug, Kushina finally released Kaori, wiped her eyes, and showed a smile.
"And you, what's your name, Databane? (with a bit more friendly intonation)"
"My name is Uzumaki Kaori... Maybe I'll be called Kaori Shimura in the future."
Kaori's voice was already soft, and it became even softer when she said the second half of the sentence. Kushina didn't catch a word.
"Uzumaki Kaori. What a beautiful name!"
Pfft.
Kaze elbowed Minato and said with a grin.
"You two are really in sync. You even said the same line."
Minato didn't say a word. He just smiled at Kushina, his eyes brimming with tenderness.
"..."
Kushina ignored Kaze and Minato and chatted with Kaori as if they were the only ones there.
After chatting for a long time, Kushina took Kaori's hand and asked.
"Sister Kaori, where do you live now?"
"I'm living at Kaze's place now," Kaori replied.
Kushina patted her chest and said.
"Come and live with me, Sister Kaori. We won't have to depend on others from now on."
Kaori shook her head and whispered.
"No, thanks. I'm doing fine at Kaze's place..."
"Ah~"
Kushina was a bit disappointed, but she quickly came up with an idea.
"Well, then I'll go stay with you for a few days. We can have a heart - to - heart. What do you say, Databane?"
Kaze's family is wealthy, and there are several villas in the yard!
"Is that okay, Kaze?" Kushina and Kaori looked at Kaze.
[Say no! Say no! Say no!] Minato sent Kaze a desperate look.
[Your message has been sent, but the recipient has declined to accept it!]
Minato: "???"
Kaze sneered and said, "No problem. You can stay as long as you want, not to mention just a few days."
If a Jinchūriki lived elsewhere, they might get a warning from the Anbu. But if they stayed at Kaze's place, there was no need to even report it.
Minato quickly said, "Kaze, then I'll go and stay at your place for a few days too. Let's all be together..."
"Databane!"
Before Minato could finish his sentence, Kushina cut him off, "I'm going to accompany Sister Kaori for a few days. What are you coming for?"
"Sister Kaori, let's go." With that, Kushina took Kaori's hand and turned to leave.
"Minato, then I'll take my leave too," Kaze gave Minato a sly wink and followed them with a smirk.
"No~!" Minato let out a long howl to the sky.
[The snowflakes are floating~ The north wind is howling~ The world is all in white~]
A world where only Minato gets hurt has been achieved!
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