Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 13 "Radiance"

The tribal area was still cordoned off, but the secret agents following them didn't stop them as they slipped through. The buildings were unchanged, but the once bustling streets were deserted, the dessert shops were closed, and overturned wooden chairs lay in front of them.

The two children held each other's hands tightly, as if trying to draw courage from one another. The tribal land was quiet, and the air still carried the lingering stench of rotting flesh. They could cover the distance of a street, whether walking or running. They moved at the same pace, panting heavily, as if this would make them ignore the black marks on the road and walls.

Sasuke's house wasn't far from the entrance, and they soon arrived at the tightly closed door. The glow of the setting sun bathed everything in a warm light, making it seem as if Aunt Mikoto would open the door for them with a smile and welcome them home if they knocked.

Sasuke ultimately failed to take that step; his arm trembled slightly, and he was unable to open the door.

"Let's go back." Sasuke closed his eyes and turned around. On the wall opposite the house was the only damaged clan crest on the street.

Naruto gripped Sasuke's hand tightly, his face filled with grief, yet his eyes were empty. "Yes. Let's go home."

He is the culprit behind everything, hypocritically comforting the sole victim. This is probably... a sin he cannot atone for with his life.

"Currently, it appears that only two proposals have received a majority of votes." Zhi Shui, who was unable to participate in the discussion, took on the vote counting process, which required absolute impartiality.

"First, we must vigorously promote global industrial chain cooperation, making the economies of all countries highly intertwined, and ensuring that the benefits of peaceful development far outweigh the benefits of war. In particular, we must explore the everyday uses of chakra as soon as possible, so that people who possess chakra can also choose to live ordinary lives."

"Second, without external interference, we should conduct pilot programs where ninjas and civilians live together, and learn from experience in practice."

Reaching a general goal within a week was already considered highly efficient, and everyone was quite satisfied. They then enthusiastically continued to plan the requirements for achieving that goal. Then they realized they were genuinely short-staffed. Traveling the world to investigate the economic resource structures of various countries required manpower, launching pilot projects required manpower, and their headquarters was even more in need of personnel. They had so many children to support, and relying solely on the gold mines couldn't sustain them indefinitely; they understood all too well the principle of living off past glories. With all the capable people in the ground, everyone turned their attention to Tobirama. The Second Hokage, shouldering heavy responsibilities, waved his hand, specifically requesting his older brother to accompany him to the lab, since the research subject was Hashirama cells. However, after a relatively mild discussion, Shisui, the centrist, raised a fatal question.

"Now that the organization is established, shouldn't we elect a leader and come up with a name?"

Surrounded by their own people, the group, who hadn't considered this at all, froze, exchanged glances, and finally all turned their gazes to Naruto, who was deep in thought.

“Having someone in charge is certainly more convenient, but our target is too big, and no one can guarantee that we won’t go down a dead end. I still suggest making decisions through discussion. Konoha’s three-person team model is quite good. Every decision is discussed and decided by at least three people, which can reduce the risk of acting impulsively… Why are you all looking at me?” Naruto looked up and found that everyone was looking at him, and their eyes were a little strange.

"Decisions are important, but spiritual totems are equally important. After all, we are undertaking a revolution unlike any other, and only the most steadfast souls can lead us to victory." The First Generation leader displayed his powerful language skills at the opportune moment, looking expectantly at the little child.

Naruto was confused, Naruto found it hard to believe, Naruto was horrified!

"Are you guys serious?! I'm seven years old, and I'm supposed to stay in Konoha for at least three more years, and I'll never see anyone during the day!"

“But it was you who organized us.” Tobirama actually laughed, unusually not contradicting his older brother.

"As long as the leader isn't from the Senju clan, I have no objections." Although Izuna was stubborn, he was actually quite satisfied with his junior. After all, Naruto was pragmatic! His dreams might be outrageous, but he had genuinely thought of ways to achieve them, and quite well at that. All the goals that were approved were proposed by Naruto first. Unlike some guy who only talked big, who, when it came to actually implementing things, created a chaotic Konoha, not only destroying his own clan but also dragging the Uchiha down with him. Pah!

Fugaku and Mikoto nodded in unison. Even if the fate of the Uchiha clan was in their hands, just considering Naruto's dedication to both his career and Sasuke's, they had to give their full support!

As for Shisui, who raised the question, he kept glancing at Naruto! There was no way he would object.

Naruto became the leader in a rather haphazard way. He seriously doubted whether he had lost his mind when he summoned his senior, otherwise what normal person would put a seven-year-old child in a leadership position? And it wasn't a sinecure; he had to work two days a week and work through the night approving action plans!

As for the organization's name? That's where the debate started. Naruto finally put an end to the argument that almost escalated into a brawl and decided on the organization's name.

Inspired by the concise meaning of "Akatsuki," Naruto decided to name the organization "Kiraya."

They are messengers of the sun, vowing to bring light to the earth.

The first resolution passed by "Hui" was drafted by Naruto himself: "Resolution to Temporarily Conceal the Truth from Uchiha Sasuke." Everyone signed it, with Naruto's signature first. Sasuke was too young, at an age where secrets couldn't be kept. Naruto's mental strength could even withstand the Mangekyou Sharingan; it could be said that few in the entire ninja world could crack his mind. But Sasuke was different. He was a hostage left in Konoha; the more he knew, the more dangerous it became. Everyone understood that this resolution stemmed from Naruto's guilt; adults understood his difficulties better, so they all signed it, hoping to share some of Sasuke's anger with him in the future.

The first task issued by "Hui" was to open a medical clinic in the Land of Hot Water.

"Huh? You want me to go??" Shisui could hardly believe his ears. He was an Uchiha, and his medical ninjutsu was practically nonexistent. How was he supposed to cure the illness?

Naruto calmly said, "Do you remember your best friend? He's now an undercover agent in Akatsuki, and his partner is most likely Kirigakure's rogue ninja, Juzo Biwa. Akatsuki is now a mercenary organization that takes on all kinds of missions, so they'll most likely be assigned missions related to Kirigakure."

"So, what does this have to do with me opening a clinic?"

"...You don't think Itachi is completely fine, do you? He's so young, he lost his best friend, awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan, slaughtered his clan, and joined Akatsuki before he could even catch his breath. Even the strongest person gets tired, who knows how his physical condition is?" Naruto almost wanted to sigh. These days, precocious ninjas are like oxen and horses, working multiple jobs at such a young age, even an ox would be exhausted.

Shisui was startled, his attitude immediately changed, and he asked urgently, "Will Itachi go to the Land of Hot Springs? But..."

“A clinic isn’t a ninja hospital; it treats patients with medicine, not chakra. Even if Itachi had health problems, a rogue ninja like him would never seek treatment from a medical ninja. So…” Naruto pulled out a stack of medical books and said with a bright smile, “You’ll have to study them as soon as possible, Shisui-nii.”

"..."