"Of course. They're both excellent at henge and now they're learning medical ninjutsu. Whether as extras or support medics, they're perfect for the role."
Ignoring Naruto's look of existential dread, Hinata flashed a devilish grin at Sasuke.
"What do you think, Sasuke? Two personal medics ready to follow you everywhere?"
"Tch. Whatever."
Sasuke gave up. If having support meant he could train faster, then fine. As for the part where he played the male lead opposite Naruto, well… he'd deal with that emotional trauma later.
"Great. Sakura, Ino—welcome to the team."
Raising her juice glass cheerfully, Hinata beamed.
"To our future together—cheers, everyone."
As the group of "kids" toasted under the dim restaurant lights, a pair of eyes watched silently from the rooftop.
Dressed in standard Konoha Anbu gear and wearing a signature mask, the figure silently noted everything that happened inside.
Then, soundless as a shadow, the Anbu vanished from the rooftop, darting across the village like a cat in the night, headed straight for the Hokage Tower.
Before long, in the office of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat quietly, processing a full report—straight from the very Anbu who had been watching the BBQ shop.
"You've done well. You may go now. Looks like that's the whole truth."
Third Hokage took a deep drag from his pipe, his gaze fixed on the Fox's Tale booklet lying on his desk. He then turned slightly toward the darkened corner of the room.
"So, it's clear now—they're just kids trying to earn money and use it to fuel their training. Was it really necessary to make such a fuss?"
"A Jinchūriki hosting the Nine-Tails. The last survivor of the Uchiha. The heiress of the Hyūga clan. These three together? Even if they're just taking a nap, they need surveillance."
The cold, raspy voice came from the shadows. With a tap of his cane and the soft sound of footsteps, a tall figure emerged into the light. His right eye and arm were bandaged, a bold cross-shaped scar marked his chin.
Danzo Shimura—leader of Root.
It was no surprise that Hinata's actions had caught the attention of others.
After all, both Naruto and Sasuke, along with Hinata, had extremely distinct and important roles in Konoha. Like Danzo said, even a casual gathering of these three warranted investigation.
If Hinata hadn't been a Hyūga heiress, she might've already been dragged into interrogation by Root. If it were anyone else trying to bring Naruto and Sasuke together, Root wouldn't hesitate to act.
"They're just children. And we've already confirmed their motives—it's all in the pursuit of strength."
Hiruzen's tone turned stern as he locked eyes with Danzo, his voice cold and authoritative.
"Danzo, I'll say it again: I won't permit you to interfere with those kids. Their fathers already sacrificed enough for the village. Unless you have solid evidence, your Root will remain in the shadows."
"Hmph! I'm long sick of your bleeding-heart approach! Let's just hope next time I come above ground, you've died in your bed!"
Danzo snorted and left the office without another word. Despite being old friends, both men knew they would never see eye to eye. Continuing the conversation would be pointless.
As the office door closed behind Danzo, Hiruzen let out a long, tired sigh.
Just then, polite knocks came from the door.
"Come in," he said with a cough.
"Yes, sir."
The door opened, and a tall figure in a standard jonin vest walked in. His Leaf forehead protector was tilted sideways, covering his left eye, and his lower face was hidden beneath a mask.
"Thank you for coming, Kakashi."
Hiruzen's voice softened a bit as he addressed the silver-haired jonin. It was obvious he placed great trust in the man before him.
"It's nothing, Lord Hokage. Do you have a mission for me?"
Of course, this was none other than Hatake Kakashi—Konoha's Copy Ninja and one of the village's top jonin outside of the Hokage himself.
"You've probably heard the rumors. Minato's son, the last Uchiha, and the Hyūga heiress have all begun training together."
"Yeah… I've heard a little. But not the details."
"That's what I need you to look into. Stay close to those three. Observe them. Find out what their goals are. But above all… ensure their safety."
Hiruzen's brow furrowed as he emphasized his words.
"You understand what I mean, don't you?"
"I do. I'll protect them."
As a seasoned jonin, Kakashi knew full well about the existence of Root. Hiruzen didn't need to spell it out. His true objective wasn't just surveillance—it was to act as a shield against Root's potential interference.
Though Hiruzen had ordered Root's disbandment after the Uchiha Massacre, many of Danzo's loyalists still operated in the shadows, technically as part of ANBU. If Danzo gave an order, they would act without hesitation.
Coughing lightly, Hiruzen gave his final instruction.
"Very well, Kakashi. One more thing—make sure to deliver any footage they produce to me as soon as possible. That will help me assess the situation."
Kakashi, though puzzled, accepted the order without question. He knelt and responded calmly.
"Understood, Lord Hokage. I won't let you down."