Chapter 17
Without Uchiha Setsuna noticing, the moment the Senzu beans hit the ground, a shadow appeared between him and Uchiha Mikoto—a man whose mere presence struck fear into the Uchiha clan's heart.
He looked to be in his early forties, with short black hair, a lean figure wrapped in a black battle uniform, and a hooded cloak that bore the unmistakable insignia of the Hokage. He didn't carry a threatening expression, but there was something about him—an overwhelming presence, a natural authority that demanded respect.
He was Sarutobi Hiruzen—the Third Hokage of Konoha.
In the entire village, no name was more recognized.
Ask any civilian about the daimyo of the Land of Fire, and you might get blank stares. But mention the Hokage, and every man, woman, and child would speak the same name: Sarutobi Hiruzen. Even those who had never seen him in person knew his face, etched into the stone of the Hokage Rock alongside the First and Second Hokage.
To Asakawa Naoki, who had inherited the memories of this world's original owner, Hiruzen's appearance was all too familiar. He had recreated the man's likeness in his immortal soldier with near-perfect accuracy.
And it worked.
At the very moment the Hokage appeared before him, Uchiha Setsuna froze. His pupils contracted, and a tremor passed through his body like a quake shaking his foundation.
Why is the Third Hokage here?!
Since when could he move like this?!
Did Shunsuke betray us?!
His mind spiraled in panic. He wasn't entirely wrong—Uchiha Shunsuke had indeed tipped someone off. But his message hadn't gone to the Hokage. It had only reached the Uchiha Patriarch and Great Elder. In fact, Shunsuke hadn't even known about this operation at all.
But none of that mattered now. Setsuna's calm unraveled as panic overtook him.
This had been a simple task. Capture a girl who hadn't even graduated from the Ninja Academy. An easy job. And now... not only had some brat interfered, but the Third Hokage himself had appeared?
No. It couldn't be. This was a nightmare.
This was Sarutobi Hiruzen—a man spoken of in the same breath as Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara. The Uchiha elders had told countless stories about him, branding him as their greatest nemesis.
And now that nemesis stood before him.
Setsuna didn't even dare to lift his hand in resistance.
Just by standing there, Hiruzen emitted an invisible pressure that crushed down on him like a mountain. It became hard to breathe, let alone move.
Meanwhile, behind him, Uchiha Mikoto watched in stunned silence. Though she was calm by nature, she couldn't stop the sense of awe welling up inside her. With the Hokage standing between her and danger, she felt safer than she ever had.
So this is the power of the Hokage...
He's nothing like the terrifying figure Grandpa always made him out to be.
For the first time, Mikoto felt admiration for Sarutobi Hiruzen.
But of course, the man before her wasn't really the Hokage.
Asakawa Naoki, operating the immortal soldier from afar, was barely keeping it together. He was under immense pressure. Setsuna was frozen, yes—but he wouldn't stay that way for long. And Naoki couldn't afford to speak too much and risk exposure. The less said, the better.
He made a choice.
"If you run, I won't chase you."
He spoke with calm authority, mimicking Hiruzen's voice as best as he could. If someone like Danzo or the Sannin had been here, they might've caught the difference immediately. But Uchiha Setsuna? He was no better informed than Naoki himself. And under such crushing fear, he wasn't thinking clearly.
Setsuna's eyes lit up with a desperate hope.
He didn't see through me!
If I can just get away, I can regroup with the Police Force—they're all Uchiha. There's no way they'll catch me.
Even if I have to defect from the village... I want to live!
Overwhelmed by fear and adrenaline, Setsuna turned and bolted, vanishing in a blur of motion.
Watching him flee, Asakawa Naoki finally allowed himself to breathe.
That guy definitely had jonin-level strength.
If he had realized the Hokage was a fake, even my immortal soldier might not have been able to stop him.
Asakawa knew his own limits. He had trained in immortal cultivation for only a year. If given another two, he might be able to stand against a jonin like Setsuna. But now? It would have been suicide.
"Let's go," he said quickly.
Without hesitation, he grabbed Mikoto's hand and took off toward the commercial district. His house was too far from here, and the commercial district was always full of civilians and patrolling ninjas—especially Uchiha clan members working for the Police Department. It was the safest option.
"Huh?" Mikoto blinked, confused, as he pulled her along.
Why are we running when the Hokage is here?
And this boy... he looks familiar. I think I saw him a year ago...
She turned around briefly—and that's when she saw it.
The figure of the Third Hokage, now standing still, hollow and unmoving. Something about it seemed off. And then it clicked.
That's not the Hokage...
That was a transformation technique!
No wonder he didn't capture the attacker right away...
It wasn't the Hokage who saved me—it was this boy.
Her earlier awe gave way to realization. Still, she wasn't afraid. Even without the illusion of Hiruzen's power, Asakawa Naoki's presence made her feel safe.
Just the simple gesture of holding her hand filled her with a quiet reassurance she couldn't explain.
She wanted to ask his name, why he was here, why he had risked himself to help her—but she held the questions in.
There would be time later.
For now, they ran together toward safety, and Mikoto followed in silence, her trust in him quietly blooming.
*******
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