When Chen Xing spoke, his tone was casual but edged with mockery.
"Oh? Did I hear that wrong? I don't recall ever saying anything about using Konoha as a stepping stone. Perhaps you're getting old, Danzō-sama, and hearing things that weren't said?"
Kakashi, standing at the side, remained calm—watching silently as Danzō and Chen Xing exchanged words, offering no interruption.
But Chen Xing's last sentence made Danzō's expression darken immediately. His single visible eye—the right one covered with bandages—narrowed sharply at Chen Xing. If looks could kill, Chen Xing would have been cut down where he stood.
Kakashi's eyes flickered with mild surprise. He hadn't expected Chen Xing to speak so boldly. The tension in the air was enough to make him instinctively tense, ready to intervene if necessary. Danzō Shimura was not a man one should provoke lightly.
"Young people who burn too brightly," Danzō said coldly, "often end up consumed by their own flames."
"The Will of Fire burns in everyone, Danzō-sama," Chen Xing replied with a faint smile. "Though I hear yours has been running low for some time now."
Kakashi almost choked, suppressing a laugh. He'd read plenty of Jiraiya's Icha Icha novels, but this kind of verbal sparring was more entertaining than any of them. Still, he couldn't help thinking that Chen Xing was playing with fire—literally.
"You—!" Danzō's tone dropped, low and dangerous, his anger barely restrained.
Chen Xing cut him off smoothly. "That's enough, Danzō-sama. You've said your piece, and I've heard it. Your goal here was to measure me, wasn't it? Now that you've seen enough, I'd appreciate it if you let me enjoy the view in peace."
Kakashi's mouth twitched slightly. He really doesn't know fear, he thought. It's been years since I've seen someone talk to Danzō like that.
Danzō's face remained dark. "Heh. The Star Village really is a minor place—your ninja are as undisciplined as they are arrogant."
Chen Xing smiled faintly. "Maybe so. But even a minor village doesn't breed rats that hide underground all day, scheming in the dark, pretending to serve the light."
The words struck deep. Danzō's expression froze for a split second before his killing intent erupted like a wave. The air grew heavy; his presence alone pressed against them. Kakashi, caught off guard, felt his breath hitch. This chakra pressure... even after all these years, it's suffocating.
"Boy... are you looking for death?" Danzō's single eye glared coldly.
Chen Xing didn't flinch. "Bluffing won't work on me, Danzō-sama. Are you trying to scare me?" His voice was light, his expression calm.
He didn't intend to fight Danzō here. This was Konoha—right below the Hokage Monument. Any battle would draw attention immediately. Even Danzō wouldn't risk such exposure.
"Hmph!" Danzō finally withdrew his killing intent, his face still grim. He didn't even react to my pressure... this boy is dangerous.
"You have some skill," Danzō muttered. "But remember this—the Chūnin Exams are full of talented shinobi. Konoha has never lacked geniuses. Don't let your arrogance blind you."
With that, Danzō turned sharply and left, his cane tapping against the stone path as he disappeared into the distance. Kakashi exhaled quietly.
"I didn't expect that," Kakashi said after a pause. "You seem to know quite a lot about Konoha... even things outsiders shouldn't."
Chen Xing shrugged casually. "I make it a habit to gather information wherever I go."
---
Later that night
By the time Chen Xing returned to his hotel, night had already fallen.
Leaning against the window, he recalled the bandages covering Danzō's right eye.
"Judging from the timeline... the Uchiha clan should already be destroyed," Chen Xing thought to himself. "That means Danzō's already taken Shisui Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan. But... he hasn't yet implanted Hashirama's cells."
A faint smile crossed his lips as he formulated a plan.
"Danzō Shimura... the man who stole Shisui's eye. You're practically delivering yourself to me."
---
The next morning
Because Chen Xing had already familiarized himself with Konoha's streets the day before, he easily found his way around after leaving the hotel. His destination was obvious—the most famous ramen shop in the village.
He entered Ichiraku Ramen, smiling faintly. "Two bowls of miso, and two of soy sauce ramen," he ordered casually, taking a seat.
"Coming right up!" Teuchi replied cheerfully.
As Chen Xing glanced around, his eyes landed on a small figure sitting a few seats away—a boy with messy blond hair and three whisker-like marks on each cheek. The child was eating with astonishing speed; several empty bowls were already stacked beside him.
"That must be him... the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, Uzumaki Naruto," Chen Xing thought silently.
A faint sigh escaped him. The son of the Fourth Hokage... reduced to this. The Third's overcautious policies might have kept him safe, but they've also condemned him to loneliness. If it were me, I'd never forgive Konoha.
Kakashi appeared quietly beside him, as he often did, and spoke in his usual calm tone. "You seem awfully interested in that blond kid."
Chen Xing didn't turn. "Can't help it. His chakra is enormous—much larger than mine. If you told me he was just an ordinary child, I'd laugh."
Kakashi's visible eye narrowed. He hadn't expected Chen Xing to notice that much.
"I've seen the Eight-Tails jinchūriki from Kumogakure," Chen Xing continued softly. "Even he didn't have chakra that dense. So tell me, Kakashi... what exactly is that boy?"
Kakashi forced a small smile beneath his mask. "His mother was from the Uzumaki clan. They're known for their powerful life force and huge chakra reserves. That's all."
Chen Xing chuckled. "Ah, the Uzumaki clan. Their vitality really is something to envy."
---
After breakfast, Chen Xing once again visited the Hokage Monument, Kakashi following close behind. Looking down at the village sprawling below, Chen Xing couldn't help but admire the sight.
"Konoha really is a prosperous village," he murmured. "Its population alone dwarfs most others."
Behind the monument stretched a vast forest. The morning sun filtered through the trees, scattering light across the ground.
As they walked, Chen Xing's sharp ears picked up a faint, rhythmic sound—thud... thud... thud.
"That's the sound of taijutsu practice," Kakashi noted quietly. "Someone must train here often."
Chen Xing tilted his head slightly. "It's the sound of palms striking wood, not fists. Interesting."
Only one group in Konoha primarily used palms in combat—the Hyūga clan.
Following the sound through the trees, they soon reached a small clearing. There, a young girl in a gray training outfit was practicing her strikes. Her movements were precise yet gentle, her small frame already radiating discipline. Sweat glistened on her forehead as she struck a wooden post again and again.
"She must be from the Hyūga clan," Chen Xing murmured. But he also sensed something else—a faint chakra presence, carefully hidden, observing from a distance.
"There's an Anbu watching her," Chen Xing thought. "Someone's protecting her."