The moment Uchiha Yato's words fell, the expressions on the two men before him stiffened.
Both Sarutobi Kakuya and Hyūga Boya felt their hearts sink into their stomachs. The casual but commanding tone of this Uchiha prodigy was enough to smother their earlier grievances.
Sarutobi Kakuya forced out a bitter smile. "These are all small matters. Truly, Lord Yato, you need not trouble yourself over something so trivial."
There was no way around it. After all, the one who had spoken most highly of Uchiha Yato was none other than Sarutobi Hiruzen—their clan head, the Hokage himself.
When he first inherited the position of Hokage, Hiruzen had made a bold declaration: Uchiha Yato is not only a genius but a power that must be respected.
Back then, Hiruzen had even entertained the idea of taking Yato as his own disciple.
Yes—Hiruzen Sarutobi, the man known as the "Professor of Ninjutsu," had wanted to personally mentor him.
Of course, Hiruzen was not yet the weary old man people later remembered. At that time, he was in his prime—his chakra reserves vast, his mind sharp, his body brimming with vitality. He was confident, unafraid of threats, even from the mighty Uchiha clan.
And why would he be? In his eyes, Uchiha Yato was merely a boy. Talented? Yes. Dangerous? Perhaps. But nothing he couldn't handle.
Still, the brilliance of Uchiha Yato could not be denied. His talent was so dazzling it was impossible to look away.
Even the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, whose disdain for the Uchiha clan was notorious, had tolerated Yato's antics. Tobirama's hatred of the Uchiha was deep-rooted, but he valued genius above prejudice.
If not for that begrudging respect, Yato would have long since been executed for his reckless behavior. Yet he still stood here, very much alive—and thriving.
Thus, Hiruzen's decision to recruit Yato as his disciple was not without precedent. After all, Tobirama himself had once chosen Uchiha Kagami as his trusted guard. Was it so strange, then, that Hiruzen should want Yato at his side, forging ties of friendship with the Uchiha?
But Uchiha Yato had not been swayed.
When Hiruzen made the offer, Yato had flatly refused.
The Third Hokage had been stunned. Who in their right mind would turn down such an opportunity? To be tutored by the Hokage himself, to inherit his wisdom, his techniques, his political connections—who would say no?
Yet Yato had.
Jiraiya, ever the curious troublemaker, couldn't resist poking his nose into the matter. He cornered Yato soon after, demanding an explanation.
"Why the hell would you refuse the Hokage? Are you stupid, or just crazy?"
The rejection had become the talk of the village. The Hokage spurned by a child? Unthinkable. Both the Hokage's advisors and even the Uchiha themselves had been shocked.
Yato's answer, however, had been simple, and delivered with dramatic flair.
"The Sandaime Hokage already shoulders the entire village. To burden him further with teaching me would be a waste of his precious time." His voice had quavered as he spoke, eyes glistening. "Besides… he is not my Hokage alone. He belongs to all of Konoha. To steal his time for myself would be selfish."
And then, squeezing out two shimmering tears, he had declared:
"For the good of the village, I must sacrifice my own desires."
The speech was so moving that even Hiruzen, spying from a distance with his crystal ball, had been touched to the core.
Where the leaves dance, the fire will never die.
That had been the Hokage's creed, and hearing Yato echo the sentiment filled him with pride.
The very next day, Hiruzen had tried again, insisting that Yato become his disciple.
But things did not proceed as he had envisioned.
For one month, Hiruzen attempted to teach Yato. At first, the boy's potential was exciting—he grasped new jutsu at lightning speed. Even the most complex techniques required only a few demonstrations before he replicated them perfectly.
It was frustrating. Hiruzen had spent years mastering the subtleties of ninjutsu, yet this boy absorbed them as though they were nothing more than children's games.
In an effort to slow him down, Hiruzen had resorted to teaching compound ninjutsu—his own specialty, combining multiple elemental releases into devastating combinations.
Surely, he thought, this would stump the boy.
But no.
After watching only two demonstrations, Yato had failed once, twice… and then succeeded. Within three days, he had crafted his own variation: a sweeping conflagration of wind and fire he named the Wildfire Technique.
Its destructive radius was staggering, surpassing even the infamous Great Fire Annihilation of Uchiha Madara.
Even Madara himself, watching from afar through White Zetsu's strange surveillance, had been forced to admit its potency. For a brief, ridiculous moment, he had almost unleashed his own flames at the image on the screen, forgetting it was merely a projection.
The clans of Konoha, seeing this new jutsu, were awestruck. The Sarutobi and the Uchiha, both masters of Fire Release, bowed their heads in acknowledgment.
Hiruzen, however, felt only exhaustion. "He's too smart," he confessed to himself. "Smarter even than me."
The "apprenticeship" lasted scarcely a month before Hiruzen gave up.
And then the real chaos began.
First came Jiraiya.
Lustful to his core, the man could not resist peeking at the women's bathhouses. But Yato, ever the disruptor, mobilized guards from both the Uchiha and the Hyūga clans, surrounding bathhouses with triple-layered security.
Jiraiya, humiliated time and again, was caught no fewer than 137 times in the span of two weeks.
Then came Orochimaru.
Every laboratory he had built, both inside and outside Konoha, was exposed by Yato's meddling. Some secrets had to be buried hastily, others leaked, and Danzo himself was forced to offer scapegoats to protect the fragile reputation of the village's leadership.
Even worse—one of Orochimaru's secret labs, hidden behind a public latrine, had been discovered purely by accident when Yato went to relieve himself.
The result? Yato was soon dispatched on an extended A-rank mission far from the village. It was the only way to contain his… "talents."
From then on, the clans whispered warnings: Do not get involved with Uchiha Yato. It will only end badly.
Now, returning to the present moment, both Sarutobi Kakuya and Hyūga Boya had long since cast aside their previous grudges.
They faced Yato with forced smiles, united in their shared dread.
"Of course, Lord Yato," Boya said stiffly. "There is no problem. A simple misunderstanding, nothing more. Let us put it behind us."
"Yes," Kakuya added quickly. "No need for you to trouble yourself further."
Yato studied them, then smiled. "Good. That is the spirit. We are all shinobi of Konoha, heirs to the Will of Fire. We must support one another, mustn't we?"
The two men nodded fervently.
But Yato was not finished.
"Since you claim such friendship," he said, eyes narrowing mischievously, "why not prove it? Go to each other's homes, bring your toiletries, and live together for three days. Let all of Konoha witness the depth of your bond."
The pair froze.
What does staying over have to do with friendship? they both thought, sweat forming at their brows.
Seeing their hesitation, Yato's expression darkened. "What's this? Were you lying to me?"
His Sharingan flared crimson. "Do you want to taste my unique genjutsu—Chicken Mud Taimei?"
Both men paled. Their clan heads had warned them about this cursed illusion. Anyone caught in it would be forced to perform bizarre, inhuman dances, their dignity shredded beyond repair.
Hyūga Boya, quicker on the uptake, blurted, "Lord Yato, what nonsense! Tsuruya-san and I are close as brothers. Of course I will stay at his house for three days."
He shot a look at Kakuya.
Kakuya swallowed hard, then nodded stiffly. "Yes… of course."
Only then did Yato's face soften. "Excellent. That's settled."
From the sidelines, Uchiha Lian had been watching with glee. For once, he wasn't the victim of Yato's antics. Seeing others trapped instead was strangely satisfying.
But Yato turned suddenly, pinning him with a smile.
"Lian, I'm rather busy these days. I can't watch over them myself. You'll supervise their little sleepover for me, won't you?"
The smile on Lian's face froze.
"I'll inform your team leader. Don't worry, you won't be considered absent."
Lian's grin twisted into something painful. "O-of course, Lord Yato. No problem at all."
Kakuya and Boya exchanged a silent sigh. As expected, dealing with Yato was like wrestling a mad dog—there was no winning.
Hidden in the shadows, Aburame Ryoma observed everything. His brow furrowed, his stomach churned with frustration.
"Damn Uchiha Yato," he muttered. "You may hide today, but you can't hide forever. We'll see who laughs last."
Just as he prepared to withdraw, a voice whispered behind him, smooth and mocking.
"Oh? And what exactly will I be seeing?"
Ryoma stiffened. Slowly, he turned.
And there they were—two scarlet eyes, glowing in the dark like embers, locking onto him with merciless clarity.