"Y-You're not joking… right?"
Nohara Rin slightly turned her face away as she secretly wiped the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. Her voice sounded caught sowhere between laughter and crying.
Ever since that night four years ago, her heart had quietly belonged to Zoro.
And for four entire years, she had been waiting for these words.
"Of course I'm serious."
Seeing the insecurity in Rin's eyes, Zoro could not help revealing a helpless smile.
"Mhm…"
Rin responded softly, her voice almost too quiet to hear.
The happiness in her heart instantly overflowed.
Her lips unconsciously curved upward, but the mont she noticed Zoro quietly staring at her, her pretty face imdiately flushed red.
"Um… Zoro-kun…" Rin lowered her head slightly and whispered shyly, "we're still outside, you know…"
The mont he heard that, black lines almost appeared across Zoro's face.
Did he seriously look that much like so shaless pervert in her eyes?
Although Rin had indeed grown up enough by now that she could probably survive one of his "storm-like assaults"—
The thing Zoro wanted most at this mont was still killing Danzo.
He did not want to delay avenging his grandfather for even a single day longer.
The mont Uzumaki Kushina returned to Konoha—
He would imdiately trigger the Nine-Tails Incident.
And amidst that chaos, he would personally slaughter Danzo.
"From now on, you and your parents should move into my house."
Zoro glanced toward the tombstone engraved with Uchiha Muneyoshi's na. After falling silent briefly, he softly spoke to Rin beside him.
"Huh?!"
Rin imdiately widened her eyes in shock.
Move in together already?!
Her heartbeat instantly sped up as countless chaotic thoughts filled her mind.
She was not ntally prepared for sothing like this yet!
If even being outside made her feel this nervous, then once they were alone inside the house, wouldn't she just beco a helpless little lamb waiting to be devoured?
Bonk~!
A finger flick suddenly landed against her forehead.
"Ah!"
Rin instantly covered her forehead and puffed out her cheeks as she glared at Zoro resentfully.
"My house is huge," Zoro said calmly. "Living there alone is honestly too quiet."
Naturally, that was only part of the reason.
The real reason was simple—
Within the Uchiha Clan compound, Rin and her parents would be far safer.
Only then did Rin seem to realize what Zoro truly ant.
The embarrassnt on her face gradually faded, replaced by a trace of softness.
The grandfather who had accompanied Zoro for so many years had suddenly died.
Right now…
Zoro-kun probably felt lonelier than anyone else.
"Okay," Rin softly replied after a brief silence. "I'll talk to my parents tomorrow."
Afterward, the two quietly chatted for a while longer before eventually parting ways.
But even as she left, Zoro could clearly sense the happiness radiating from her entire body.
It seed she truly had waited a very long ti for his confession.
That afternoon, Zoro sat alone at the entrance corridor of his residence, absentmindedly gazing toward the massive cherry blossom tree in the courtyard.
The environnt within the Zoro residence had always been beautiful.
Artificial rock gardens.
Clear lakes.
Elegant scenery everywhere.
Yet now, the enormous courtyard felt incomparably empty and silent.
Although Zoro had not returned to the clan for more than half a year, soone had clearly continued cleaning the residence regularly.
Unfortunately…
The old man who used to lie beneath the cherry blossom tree while watching Zoro practice swordsmanship—
Would never return again.
Zoro slowly narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Long before anyone arrived, he had already sensed several presences rapidly approaching the courtyard.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Just as expected, several masked ANBU mbers instantly appeared at the entrance.
"Lord Zoro…" one of them spoke respectfully, "Lord Hokage requests your presence in his office. There are important matters he wishes to discuss with you."
These ANBU clearly recognized him.
Their tone carried unmistakable respect.
After all, the Three-Sword Death God before them was practically a legendary figure within ANBU itself.
In rely two years, he had risen to command that brutal execution division.
"The Hokage wants to see ?"
Zoro slowly stood up, narrowing his eyes slightly.
"Fine. Let's go."
The instant his voice fell, his figure disappeared from the spot.
Inside the Hokage's office—
After undergoing a routine search from the guards outside, Zoro pushed open the half-closed office door and expressionlessly walked in.
"Zoro, you've arrived."
The mont Hiruzen Sarutobi saw him, a warm smile imdiately appeared on his aged face.
"I wonder what you wanted from ?"
Zoro's tone remained indifferent from beginning to end.
He did not even bother using formal honorifics anymore.
The subtle change caused Hiruzen's eyes to flicker slightly.
"Sigh…" Hiruzen slowly exhaled before speaking in a regretful tone. "Regarding your grandfather's death, we are deeply saddened as well. None of us expected Iwagakure spies to infiltrate the village so deeply. This failure lies with as Hokage, and for that, I apologize to you first."
In Hiruzen's view, Zoro's attitude was most likely caused by resentnt over Muneyoshi's death.
So he imdiately chose to lower his posture and show goodwill first.
Unfortunately, Zoro showed almost no reaction.
Instead, he rely looked at Hiruzen with a faint smile that seed difficult to interpret.
Naturally, Zoro already knew exactly why this old bastard had summoned him.
Nothing more than another mission assignnt.
"Ahem… Zoro, you can rest assured. Konoha absolutely will not let those Iwagakure shinobi escape responsibility. Regarding your grandfather's death, I will definitely seek justice for you."
Hiruzen awkwardly maintained his smile.
Seeing no obvious hatred within Zoro's eyes, he secretly relaxed slightly.
"If you have sothing to say, just say it directly." Zoro calmly looked at him. "After all, I'm still part of the Uchiha Clan."
He was honestly curious what Hiruzen planned to make him do this ti.
"Very well, then I'll speak plainly."
Hiruzen slowly folded his hands together.
"Recently, several elite shinobi within the village have died mysteriously. During warti, this situation is extrely disadvantageous for Konoha."
"Therefore, after discussion among the village leadership, it has been decided that you will personally select personnel to form a temporary investigation unit specifically dedicated to this matter."
As Hiruzen spoke, he quietly observed every subtle change in Zoro's expression.
Unfortunately for him—
Zoro's face remained completely calm.
That only deepened Hiruzen's suspicions further.
Truthfully, this mission itself was also a test.
Hiruzen genuinely suspected Zoro.
After all, the Blood Shadow Incident had just occurred…
And imdiately afterward, Zoro suddenly returned to the village.
It was difficult not to connect the two together.
"Zoro," Hiruzen continued with a satisfied expression, "with your strength and reputation, you are more than qualified to serve as the commander of this operation. I hope you won't disappoint the village's expectations."
As he looked at the young man before him, Hiruzen could not help feeling emotional.
Without realizing it, five years had already passed.
This child had already grown into a shinobi whose fa nearly rivaled Namikaze Minato's.
Unfortunately…
His talent and potential were simply too terrifying.
Terrifying enough that even Hiruzen himself felt wary.
"Expectations?"
Zoro slowly repeated the word.
Then, the corners of his mouth gradually lifted into an openly mocking smile.
"…Heh."
The sarcasm in that laugh instantly caused Hiruzen's pupils to shrink slightly.
Several question marks practically appeared over his head.
"Regarding this mission…"
Zoro calmly raised his eyes and looked directly at Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"I refuse."
His indifferent voice echoed throughout the office.
It was finally ti to stop pretending.
***
Advance chapters available on P@trè0n (Aki_sensei). Appreciate the support!
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