Naruto: The King Behind the Curtain

Seiki couldn't help but chuckle. "Zabuza is also very strong. Even if he catches me by surprise, I wouldn't say I'm absolutely confident!"

Asuma's eyes sparkled with cleverness. "No absolute confidence? Then how much exactly?"

Seiki wasn't too sure himself. "About ninety-seven percent?"

Asuma shot back provocatively, "Nobody understands Seiki better than me!"

Yahiko gave an awkward laugh. "Well, there's always some risk involved."

Shaking his head slightly, Seiki suddenly hesitated as he looked toward Nagato, who had his eyes covered. "May I ask... Is your hair naturally like this?"

Nagato was startled, realizing the question was directed at him. Slowly nodding, he asked, "Yes, why?"

"I'm sorry," Seiki sincerely apologized. "But because of your hair, I secretly checked your chakra."

None of them understood why Seiki suddenly said that, but Yahiko and the others tensed up all the same.

"Could it... maybe be about Nagato's eyes?"

They weren't greenhorns anymore. They naturally knew about the [Three Great Dojutsu] of the shinobi world.

If the [Rinnegan] were to be discovered, it would definitely bring trouble to Nagato.

Just as they grew increasingly anxious, they heard Seiki speak again, "Your distinctive red hair and powerful chakra… Are you perhaps a descendant of the Uzumaki clan?"

Yahiko and Konan both felt confused. What kind of twist was this?

Nagato hesitated before shaking his head. "I don't know."

Realization dawned on Seiki. "I see. Maybe your family never told you about it. After all, even after the Uzumaki clan was wiped out, many groups were still hunting its survivors."

"The Uzumaki clan?" Nagato murmured. He had heard of that long-lost clan before.

Before anyone could ask further questions, Seiki explained on his own accord, "The reason I know these traits is because my older sister herself is a survivor of the Uzumaki clan."

Smiling happily, he continued, "She'd definitely be thrilled to hear another member of the Uzumaki survived!"

"That's great, Nagato! You still have family!" Instinctively choosing to believe, Yahiko and Konan felt delighted for Nagato, grateful toward Seiki.

Taking advantage of the situation, Seiki extended an invitation. "After this exam, would you like to come with me and meet my sister?"

Nagato looked hesitant, but Yahiko and Konan urged him immediately. "Hurry up and agree! You might even be closely related!"

In those larger clans, nearly everyone was somehow related—it only differed in how close or distant their relations were.

Biting his lip tightly, Nagato eventually shook his head. "Now isn't really a good time for me to meet her. Maybe next time. Definitely next time."

He had his own worries too. What if his sister-in-law suspected his eyes were blind and tried to examine them, thus exposing the Rinnegan?

Plus, according to what Seiki said, the chakra of the Uzumaki clan was generally powerful—perhaps she might sense something strange about his eyes.

Regardless, Sister Kushina is now a member of Konoha. Who can guarantee that nominal blood ties would outweigh actual interests?

He didn't dare to take the risk—at least not with Yahiko and Konan's safety on the line.

Hearing this, both Yahiko and Konan urged him, "Nagato, aren't you the one who longs for family the most?"

Nagato smiled gently, "Family? I already have it."

Yahiko and Konan were momentarily stunned before calming down. "Right, we are all your family!"

"It seems you still have your own concerns. Well, forget it..." Seiki sighed regretfully but quickly grinned broadly. "As long as I know you have such close companions, Sister Kushina should feel happy too."

Except for Yahiko, Konan, and Master Jiraiya, Nagato had never before received such warmth from anyone else. Deeply moved, he bowed in gratitude. "Thank you. Thank you so much for helping me!"

Seiki friended him on the spot. "You're a clansman of Sister Kushina's, which makes you my friend too. And I can clearly tell—you're all great people."

Yahiko laughed heartily. "You're a good person too. Yep, so we're friends now!"

...

One day later, in front of the Central Tower.

Since they could not determine from which direction the "Asuma Sarutobi" team might approach, the twenty-eight remaining Iwagakure Genin capable of action were evenly distributed around Tamaki outside the Central Tower.

"They're way too slow! What the hell are those bastards doing?" Shidotatsu angrily waved away surrounding mosquitoes. Hiding in the bushes for a whole day already, he felt like he'd been completely drained.

"Huh? Someone else is coming?" Peeking secretly, Shidotatsu almost had his scalp blown off just by looking.

"Why again that bastard Zabuza?! Dammit, he could've passed the exam ages ago but kept staying on purpose—bullying us rookies inside the exam!" Shidotatsu wore an expression of fury, yet cautiously lowered the butt he'd been sticking up.

"But what is he doing?" Seeing Zabuza pacing back and forth in the forest, nearly triggering the traps he himself had set multiple times, Shidotatsu muttered first, then suddenly widened his eyes, "Is he setting traps too? But with his strength, does he even need traps to deal with others?"

Confused, Shidotatsu watched as Zabuza nearly completed laying his traps and immediately pulled his head back, not daring to peek anymore.

"Pissed me off! If it weren't for Asuma Sarutobi, I'd totally ambush him right here—an explosive chain reaction tearing him to shreds!" Shidotatsu maliciously imagined.

At that moment, he felt something hard jabbing into his backside.

"Don't run around randomly…" grumbling while turning his head, Shidotatsu directly met Zabuza's emotionless gaze.

The thing poking him was exactly Zabuza's tanto stuck at his waist.

Seeing the blade, Shidotatsu instantly broke into cold sweat. "Ah, what a coincidence..."

Zabuza's face darkened slightly. His attention had entirely been outward—he hadn't noticed someone here at all. He had silently retreated and accidentally bumped into someone.

If it weren't for the other guy being distracted too, today he might have died in the stupidest way imaginable!

As he thought that, Zabuza's right hand slowly slid toward the tanto at his waist.

Shidotatsu swallowed hard. "Stay calm, stay calm..."

Suddenly, Zabuza sharply turned his head toward the outside.

He saw Seiki and the others laughing and chatting as they approached in the distance.

At this sight, Zabuza silently withdrew his right hand, shot a warning glance, then fully focused his attention outward.

"Phew, saved!" Shidotatsu let out a long breath of relief and only now noticed the situation outside. "Hmm? It's them!"

Eyes widening, Shidotatsu was about to tear a Fu (talisman) to summon his twenty-seven hidden brothers when he glanced around thoughtfully. He began thinking again, "Could this bastard Zabuza be here to take them down too? Hmph, let them fight like dogs first!"

"This time, Iwagakure will be the biggest winner!"

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