Sora and Uzumaki Kushina followed Jiraiya and Tsuo the Hokage Building.

  Without b to knock, Jiraiya pushed the door open and called out loudly, "Old man, Tsunade and I are back!"

  Sarutobi Hiruzeed at his desk, smiled kindly and took a puff from his pipe. "It's good to have you back."

  Notig Sora and Uzumaki Kushina behind them, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked surprised. "Sora, Kushina, why are you here as well?"

  Sora's eyes briefly fell on the crystal ball on Sarutobi Hiruzen's desk.

  The st time he'd been in this office, the crystal ball hadn't bee. Its appearaneant that Sarutobi Hiruzen had likely been Konoha earlier.

  Clearly, the Hokage already knew about the i.

  Sora set the thought aside for the moment and spoke up. "Lord Hokage, Master Jiraiya and Master Tsunade brought me here to answer for my as."

  As soon as Sora said, "answer for my as," Uzumaki Kushina became anxious. "Lord Hokage, Sora isn't at fault! He was only trying to help me!"

  Sarutobi Hiruzen raised a hand to calm her. "Slow down. Expin what happened."

  Sora, Jiraiya, and Tsuook turns reting the i.

  Sarutobi Hiruze his pipe down. The kind expression on his face disappeared as he looked at Sora seriously.

  Uzumaki Kushina opened her mouth to defend Sora, but he gently tugged her hand, shaking his head to stop her.

  Her expression twisted with frustration, but she ultimately remained silent.

  Just as Sora was about to speak, Tsunade uedly intervened. "Old man, Sora knows what he did was wrong, but the two brats provoked him first. It dide into anything irreversible, so let's just put ao this."

  Sarutobi Hiruzen's sharp gaze remained fixed on Sora. "Sora, do you uand that what you did was wrong?"

  Sora took a step forward and answered firmly, "Lord Hokage, I don't believe I was wrong."

  Both Jiraiya and Tsuared at Sora in shobsp;

  Sora had the ce to defuse the situatio he refused. His resolve startled them.

  Uzumaki Kushina grew even more anxious. If Sora had admitted fault, the matter could have been resolved easily.

  Sarutobi Hiruzen's aura intensified, and his voice deepened. "You don't think you're at fault?"

  Uhe pressure of Sarutobi Hiruzen's authority, Sora stood his ground. "No, I don't. I told Lord Hokage from the start—I want to protect Konoha."

  Before Sora could finish, Sarutobi Hiruzen interrupted. "But your as go against the very idea of proteg Konoha!"

  Sora tered with vi. "I protect Konoha because I want to protect the people and things worth proteg, not those who harm my panions!

  Konoha has strict rules forbidding attacks on rades. Genin broke those rules by using a real kunai against Kushina, a udent. I don't think I was wrong to act against someone like that.

  A Genin who bullies the weak has no p Konoha. If he's willing to attack Kushina today, he could attack others tomorrow. No one would want to entrust their safety to someone like that.

  People call me a b*****d, and no matter how much they insult or bully me, I've never shed out at them because I sider them my rades. I believe in earning their trust through my as.

  But someone who betrays trust and harms their own rades is far worse. That's the kind of person who truly endangers Konoha."

  Jiraiya and Tsunade exged gnces, astonished by Sora's words.

  Sarutobi Hiruzen sat ba his chair, deep in thought, as Sora's defiant voice echoed in the room.

  A 9-year-old child possessing such awareness caused Sarutobi Hiruzen's stern demeanour to soften.

  Sora's expnation carried weight.

  In his years at Konoha, Sora had endured abuse and bullying but had never retaliated aggressively.

  What also pyed a role in Sarutobi Hiruzen's decision was what he had observed through his crystal ball—Sora activating the Sharingan.

  A child mastering A-rank ninjutsu, awakening the Sharingan at age nine, and possessing a half-Uchiha bloodline was nothing short of monstrous talent.

  In Sarutobi Hiruzen's memory, no one in the Uchiha had ever activated Sharingan at such a young age.

  Such potential meant that Sora could very well bee one of Konoha's top shinobi iure, a pilr of the vilge.

  Moreover, Sora's current as reflected loyalty and vi, qualities that could not be ignored.

  After deliberating, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally said, "Even if they were at fault, Konoha has a police force to handle such matters. You have nht to enforce justi your own.

  However, given that they provoked the situation and your i was to protect Kushina, I will resolve this matter. Refle your as at home for three days, and this will be the end of it."

  Uzumaki Kushina's face lit up with relief, and she immediately bowed. "Thank you, Lord Hokage!"

  Sora also bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Lord Hokage."

  For Sora, admitting fault aing the issue slide was never an option. His goal was to use this io demonstrate loyalty to Konoha and further solidify his value.

  Even if Sarutobi Hiruzen uood Sora's ulterior motives, it didn't matter. Self-i was natural as long as it didn't viote the Hokage's principles.

  Sarutobi Hiruzen waved them off. "You're dismissed."

  Sora and Uzumaki Kushihe Hokage's office hand in hand.

  Watg them leave, Jiraiya sighed. "Kids these days are something else. Mastering nin-taijutsu at such a young age and awakening Sharingan—he's a monster."

  Tsunade nodded. "From what I've heard, the Uchiha eeds inteional stimution to awaken Sharingan. Sora activated him because Kushina was in danger. It seems Kushina is very important to him."

  Sarutobi Hiruzen took a long drag from his pipe, feeling somewhat troubled.

  He had hoped Namikaze Minato, Jiraiya's future disciple, would serve as Uzumaki Kushina's bond to Konoha.

  But seeing the stroionship between Sora and Uzumaki Kushina now, it seemed Minato might not have a ce.

  Sora and Uzumaki Kushiuro Sora's home after leaving the Hokage Building.

  Uzumaki Kushina sighed with relief. "This is great, Sora. You only have to stay at home for three days, and thehing will be fine."

  Sestured for Uzumaki Kushina to sit on the sofa. His expression turned serious. "Kushina, I don't want to lie to you."

  Kushina tilted her head in fusion. "Lie to me? What do you mean?"

  Knowing that Sarutobi Hiruzen was likely occupied catg up with Jiraiya and Tsunade and wouldn't be using his crystal ball, Sora decided it was safe to speak didly.

  He looked at her ily. "Kushina, everything I said in the Hokage's office was a lie.”