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  "Alright, you're right. I'm looking forward to the official unch of the Konoha lottery."

  Minato sighed, suppressing his inner craving for cold, hard cash, auro his paperwork.

  …

  Konoha Infiltration Pn: Activated

  Konan, following the provided instrus, utilized a bination of a basicealment teique and a sileng jutsu taught by Bck Zetsu to minimize her chakra signature.

  She smoothly passed the initial security perimeter and obtained a seven-day visa on the spot before arriving at the main gate for her formal entry iion.

  The process was surprisingly streamlined.

  Several Konoha Shinobi, meticulously sed the passing travelers from either side of the vilge gate.

  Typically, only individuals exhibiting chakra levels exceeding a safe threshold were detained for more thh identity verification. Even standard in were permitted passage without i.

  If any low-ranking Shinobi dared to cause trouble within Konoha's walls—well, they'd likely be subdued by a random, burly vilger before they even had a ce to uhe their ons.

  A junior member of the Hyuga , Hyuga Kagami, focused his Byakugan ily on Konan. A senior member, Hyuga Nabe, notig his unusual hesitation, inquired kindly, "Something amiss?"

  This was the first instance he'd witnessed a junior member falter during iions. Being the siderate senior he was, he decided to offer some guidance.

  "That blue-haired woman seems—unusual," Hyuga Kagami murmured, a hint of uainty in his voice. "Her chakra is strange—and different."

  "Should we adhere to vilge protocol aain her for questioning?"

  "Hmm…" Hyuga Nabe followed his junior's line of sight, Konan for a moment before a reassuring smile and shaking his head.

  "Ah, sometimes these things happen…"

  "Really? Is this—on, then?"

  "Not on, no, but certainly expinable. I attribute it to an exceptionally strong will, maing as—well, as you perceived it."

  "Chakra, after all," Hyuga Nabe tinued with a knowing smile, "is the embodiment of both physical and spiritual energy. A powerful spirit indeed—resonate in unusual ways."

  Hyuga Nabe beamed, pointing to his own eyes. "Heaven has blessed our Hyuga with these eyes. Beyond mere intelligehering, they grant us the ability to dis the very nature of chakra, to perceive whether someone's spiritual energy is benevolent or malevolent, and sequently, to uand the true nature of a Shinobi."

  "Think of Might Guy, the taijutsu specialist in our vilge. Every time that man passes through the gate, my Byakugaers a dangerous chakra signature, Yet, when we search him, there's nothing there—What does that tell you? His will is as strong as steel!"

  'Seems like a rather niche, and ultimately impractical, application of the Byakugan,' Hyuga Kagami mused internally, nodding along in feigned agreement. So, that was it—Individuals with an exceptionally strong will, a Potent Shinobi spirit, were perceived as 'metallic' by the Byakugan.

  "Alright, enough staring at the dy. It's impolite."

  'Gojo-sama did emphasize keeping procedures streamlined, avoiding unnecessary re-iions to prevent deys and maintain a positive image of Konoha.'

  Hyuga Nabe waved his hand dismissively, signaling the release of the current group of travelers.

  This small gesture eased Konan's apprehension, and she released a barely perceptible sigh of relief as she entered Konoha Vilge without further i.

  She had been ed her paper ninjutsu might have been discovered.

  Her paper ninjutsu involved utilizing chakra to coat onry, transf them into paper for enhanced cealment and maneuverability while preserving their i sharpness and durability.

  Furthermore, she could directly manipute their chakra nature…

  In a sense, paper was a form of wood release!

  Offense and defeertwined!

  A erstone of the Akatsuki's arsenal!

  ...

  Shortly after Konan's passage, Gojo Kaigetsu's figure materialized silently at the Konoha security checkpoint. Upon seeing Gojo Kaigetsu, the Konoha personnel immediately ceased their tasks and saluted respectfully.

  Hyuga Kagami instinctively activated his Byakugan and sed Gojo. As anticipated, just as Hyuga Nabe had described—wait, what?!

  Through his Byakugan, Gojo's chakra appeared utterly ordinary, pletely devoid of the potent chakra aura Hyuga Nabe had so fidently described.

  "Just now—did a blue-haired ossessing a somewhat aloof demeanor, pass through here?"

  "Yes, Gojo-sama! I personally cleared her for entry!" Hyuga epped forward, anticipating praise. Given the importance of the target, Gojo had personally arrived to oversee the iion, hadn't he?

  Hyuga Kagami g Nabe, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes.

  "Good. You're fired! You may return to the Hyuga pound and await your assig."

  'Huh…? Yes! Gojo-sama!'

  Hyuga Nabe's heart sank, yet he accepted the directive and promptly departed the checkpoint.

  Perhaps he was fag a three-day unpaid suspension, followed by a rexing trip to a foot massage parlor.

  Gojo Kaigetsu turned his attention to Hyuga Kagami. "You seem to have something to say?"

  "Yes! Gojo-sama, I suspect the woman who just entered may be dangerous—My Byakugaed that she was carrying strong chakra. But Nabe-senpai dismissed it as normal ated her entry…"

  "Hmm, rex. Your instincts were correct; she is indeed dangerous. But rest assured, everything is under trol."

  "What is your name?"

  "Gojo-sama! My name is Hyuga Kagami!"

  "Oh? Hyuga Kagami?" A flicker of surprise crossed Gojo Kaigetsu's expression. "Do you possess the Tenseigan?"

  "Huh? Gojo-sama, I have the Byakugan—What is a Tenseigan?"

  "Never mind. You are promoted. You are now the head of this security checkpoint! When you are off duty, I suggest you visit the Uzumaki pound and introduce yourself to Uzumaki Reina. Tell her I sent you. I believe you two might—ect."

  "Alright, that cludes our business here. I'm leaving."

  Gojo Kaigetsu cpped Hyuga Kagami's shoulder lightly and vanished.

  Three brief sentences, and Hyuga Kagami was left speechless, a blush rising on his cheeks.

  Suddenly, he felt a surge of newfound purpose…

  He had retly read "From a Branch Family," and the narrative had deeply resonated with him. But what he had just experienced firsthand—this could be adapted into a pelling story and submitted to Konoha's publishing house!

  He immediately began to formute a way to extol Gojo-sama's virtues:

  [Years ter, the esteemed Supreme Vilge Defense ander Gojo-sama, in his unwavering dedication to uanding the on Shinobi and identifying potential security vulnerabilities, personally visited the front li the security checkpoint.]

  [He could have easily bypassed the checkpoiirely, yet he insisted on undergoing the standard procedure—Upon passing through, the Byakugaed that Gojo-sama was radiating a potent chakra signature. The iors searched diligently for aended period but found nothing tangible.]

  [Finally, they realized that the Byakugan was reag to Gojo-sama's indomitable will, which was 'Extremely' unyielding and Powerful!]

  [The power of a role model is immeasurable, especially when it is the Supreme Vilge Defense ander himself. Witnessing firsthand that a Shinobi's spiritual will could be as very potent, I rofoundly moved and inspired. The heroic spirit and unwavering resolve dispyed by Konoha's Shinobi in battles against other vilges undoubtedly stem from this very source…]

  ....

  ....

  Haviered Konoha, Kona as though she had stepped into airely different realm.

  The peaceful world she had long envisioned likely resembled something akin to this

  Clear skies, the air devoid of the pervasive dampness and decay characteristic of the Land of Rain; bustling streets, yet no visible signs of homelessness.

  Smiles graced the faces of the vilgers, as if nothing in the world could bring them greater joy than residing in Konoha; the streets were adorned with ies that captivated Konan, who had spent her formative years in Amegakure, leaving her wide-eyed with wonder.

  Standing amidst the bustling thhfare, Kona a pang of disorientation.

  Konan's e eyes, tinged with fusion, murmured, "This is Jiraiya-sensei's hometown. It's—beautiful."

  After a prolonged moment of ption, Konan bit her tongue sharply, jolting herself out of her reverie and reaffirming her Shinobi resolve:

  'There is nothing to admire—Had I not been born into su enviro, I might still be living—There is nothing ily wrong with f bonds of friendship.'

  'The sery of Konoha is undeniably beautiful, yet it belongs solely to Konoha. This sembnce of peace is a peace exclusive to Konoha—a fragile tranquility built upon the pain and suffering of Amegakure. Their peace has not beeeo Amegakure.'

  'Everything here will iably be ed by Nagato's wrath. Perhaps it is merciful to indulge in this illusion of peace for now. At least, before the impending disaster, before the fmes engulf them, they experience happiness.'

  Konan inhaled deeply, steeling herself and severing any lingering threads of sympathy for the Konoha vilgers.

  'I have e to Konoha for only three paramount objectives.'

  'Locate the Uzumaki! Persuade the Uzumaki!'

  'Beyond these goals, I must remaiached from all extraneous emotions!'

  ...

  Konan sternly reminded herself, reinf her determination. She began navigating the streets, endeav to locate the Uzumaki pound indepely.

  To render her search for the Uzumaki less spicuous and evade dete by Konoha's Anbu, Konan sciously attempted to blend into the Konoha popuce, mimig the demeanor of an ordinary traveler and momentarily immersing herself in the vilge's peaceful ambiance.

  'I am not indulging in this. This is solely for the mission.' Konan reassured herself, approag a small vendor, retrieving the anization's allocated funds from her wallet, and eng her reaissander the guise of casual spending.

  She held a died fruit sti her left hand, a bowl of Four Fruits Soup in her right, her eyes darting about, meticulously her surroundings.

  'The Uzumaki has only retly returo Konoha. Mistrust likely lingers between the Uzumaki and Konoha. Therefore, it is highly probable that—Konoha has only grahem a retively small territory as a temporary residence.'

  'However, they are, after all, the Uzumaki . Their location wouldn't be relegated to the remote outskirts, nor would it be situated too close to the tral core of Konoha…'

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