"This isn't a problem at all. Toneri can rest assured, as long as Kyokusen's eyes are fine," Hiruzen said, drawing on his pipe, his voice gentle and warm.
For him, this was hardly troublesome. After all, the Hyūga clan was a major family that had endured through three Great Ninja Wars.
Though they valued bloodlines above all else, if the Hokage personally approached them with reason and sincerity, the Hyūga would undoubtedly give Hiruzen face.
"This much, Hokage-sama can rest assured. Kyokusen's eyes are absolutely fine," Toneri replied evenly, fully understanding Hiruzen's intent.
Kyokusen's eyes were not transplanted from elsewhere—they were naturally hers. This was the information Toneri allowed Hiruzen to perceive.
"Heh… very well then. By the way, Toneri, your family? I don't recall ever hearing of such a name in the ninja world," Hiruzen said, nodding slightly as his small, sharp eyes fixed firmly on Toneri.
This was his true purpose—to gauge Toneri's background.
After all, Toneri was far too mysterious. Everything about him was enigmatic: blind eyes, age, temperament, and the terrifying scale of his chakra!
All of it was unknown to Hiruzen and the others.
Though Toneri seemed harmless for now, who could tell whether he was hiding something?
Hiruzen bore responsibility for the safety of Konoha. Toneri's true nature, he had to understand it completely.
"Toneri's family is an obscure, little-known lineage. It is natural that Hokage-sama hasn't heard of it," Toneri said thoughtfully, then smiled softly.
"But Toneri and Kyokusen do not seem like ordinary people," Hiruzen murmured, narrowing his eyes slightly. He was somewhat displeased with Toneri's evasive tone.
Such a perfunctory answer offered no useful information at all. Who was this child trying to fool?
Toneri and Kyokusen's appearances were far too refined. Their identical white robes and silver hair clearly indicated they belonged to the same family.
Their aura and innate excellence could not have been cultivated by some inconspicuous, minor clan.
"Very well, Hokage-sama. My Ōtsutsuki clan has passed down for a thousand years, living quietly and avoiding worldly affairs. We have never appeared in the ninja world. I am only curious about the lands of the continent, being young and wanting to see them," Toneri finally revealed, shaking his head slightly at Hiruzen's cautious nature.
Hiruzen, ever measured and prudent, would not be easily swayed. Toneri chose to disclose some harmless information—what Hiruzen believed or didn't was his own concern.
Asuma and Kurenai exchanged glances, their eyes betraying subtle astonishment.
A thousand years? Living quietly apart from the world?
If they did not already know Toneri wasn't the type to boast without cause, they might have laughed outright.
Even the oldest clans, like the Senju and Uchiha, had histories barely exceeding a century.
And even the strongest among them were now dwindling. The Senju were down to Tsunade alone, while the Uchiha had only Sasuke and his brother remaining. (Though, in truth, Obito remained hidden.)
History's wheel is ruthless and unforgiving. What kind of clan could survive a millennium? It was impossible!
Moreover, if a family truly endured a thousand years, the ninja world's records would not be silent!
Yet, the Ōtsutsuki name—even Hiruzen, Konoha's living relic, had never heard it before. For him, this was already a significant puzzle.
Hiruzen inhaled deeply on his pipe, his gaze deep, eyes flickering with complex thought. At first, he reacted like Asuma, thinking Toneri's words absurd and implausible.
But then he frowned, realizing Toneri had no reason to lie.
Indeed, there was no reason at all. If he wished to conceal his information, he could have fabricated a more plausible lie—yet he chose to reveal a statement that sounded like a jest to ordinary ears.
Looking at Toneri's delicate, composed face, eyes closed, Hiruzen felt an unexpected chill rise within him.
A coldness that unsettled his heart, sending tingles across his scalp.
The unknown… is what people fear most.
"Ahem… age catches up with me, it seems. Toneri, would you mind sharing the location of your family? You should understand that what you've just told us is… rather staggering," Hiruzen asked, forcing a faint smile as he hid the unease stirring within him.
He was over sixty, yet the child before him still unsettled him.
Toneri's words sparked thoughts far deeper than most could imagine.
Although Hiruzen knew the question was bold and perhaps rude, he asked anyway.
END OF CHAPTER
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