Chapter 158: Chapter 158: A Stable Home
As the silhouette of Konoha’s main gates emerged from behind the forest line, Kabuto’s steps slowed.
Kitahara Kaede walked slightly behind them, carrying a medical kit in one hand.
Nonou, who was holding Kabuto’s hand, felt the small grip suddenly tighten.
Kabuto stared at the towering gates and the ninjas bustling back and forth, freezing in his tracks.
Nonou stopped. She crouched down, bringing her gaze level with his.
"It’s safe here," she whispered, her voice as gentle as if she were soothing a child after a nightmare. "This will be your home from now on."
Kabuto didn’t speak, but the grip he had on Nonou’s hand slowly loosened.
Standing a few paces away, Kitahara Kaede remained silent. He watched as Nonou led Kabuto through the gates; the guards gave them a cursory glance and let them pass without question.
Once inside the village, the streets were crowded. Kabuto squinted, his pace hesitating for a moment, but Nonou kept hold of him, leading him forward.
After walking for a while, Nonou turned around. She took the medical kit from Kitahara Kaede, slung it over her shoulder, and gave him a smiling glance.
"I’ll take Kabuto back to the orphanage to get him settled. You should head back and get some rest as well, Kitahara-kun. Thank you for accompanying me on this trip."
"Understood. Take care of him, Senpai," Kitahara Kaede replied.
Nonou nodded and led Kabuto away. After a few steps, Kabuto looked back at Kitahara Kaede once more before Nonou gently pulled him around a corner into a side street.
Kitahara Kaede stood still, watching them disappear. As he retracted his gaze, a thought occurred to him: the orphanage’s funding.
Nonou had mentioned that their budget was tight and that she had been using her own mission rewards to supplement their needs. He knew from the original story that Danzo had exploited this very weakness, using the funding as leverage to force Nonou back into serving as a spy for Root.
If the financial issue wasn’t solved, Danzo would eventually have this leverage in his grasp. However, simply giving money wouldn’t solve the fundamental problem. Providing funds today was one thing, but what about tomorrow? He needed a solution that addressed the root of the issue.
As he was thinking, the sound of someone landing behind him echoed.
"Kitahara Kaede, the Hokage requests your presence."
He turned his head to see an ANBU operative wearing a bird mask standing three paces behind him. He wasn’t surprised. Given everything he had done on the battlefield, it was only natural that the Third Hokage wanted to see him.
"Understood."
The ANBU vanished in a flicker.
Kitahara Kaede made his way toward the Hokage office. His contributions to the recent battle were significant. He had initiated the intelligence warning, and because of him, the casualty rate on the right flank was forty percent lower than estimated.
By convention, achievements of this level could be exchanged for high-rank ninjutsu scrolls or a substantial monetary reward. But he didn’t lack ninjutsu; ordinary scrolls were meaningless to him now. As for money, he had just spent five million on a second round of simulations, so while he wasn’t wealthy, he wasn’t in desperate need.
As he entered the Hokage building, a thought flashed through his mind. He paused for a heartbeat, then continued upward.
These achievements could be spent on something far more valuable.
***
Inside the Hokage’s office, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, pipe clenched in his teeth, with a battle report spread out before him. It was a joint report submitted by Minato and the medical corps.
When Kitahara Kaede pushed open the door and entered, Hiruzen set down his pipe and looked up.
"You’ve returned."
Hiruzen’s tone was casual, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Sit."
Kitahara Kaede bowed politely and took the seat opposite him.
Hiruzen picked up the report and flipped through a few pages. "You played a significant role in the battle at Mount Kikyo." He set the report down and looked at the boy. "To have achieved things that many Jonin cannot at such a young age..."
Hiruzen nodded, his praise sounding genuine. "The future of Konoha depends on young people like you."
Having said this, he took a sip of tea. And then, there was nothing else.
He didn’t mention rewards. He didn’t mention promotions. He simply held his tea with a benign expression, as if he had already said everything that needed to be said.
Looking at Hiruzen’s expression, Kitahara Kaede had a good idea of what was happening. The Third was testing his reaction.
Kitahara Kaede stood up and gave a respectful bow. "Thank you, Lord Hokage."
He turned to leave. After a few steps, he stopped. He turned back, his voice carrying a hint of hesitation.
"Lord Hokage... actually, there is something I wish to ask of you."
At those words, Hiruzen’s hand paused mid-air. A flicker of disappointment crossed his eyes. *Too young, after all.* He thought the boy couldn’t resist the urge to leverage his achievements for a reward immediately after being praised; it seemed his character still needed tempering.
On the surface, however, he remained genial. "Go on."
Kitahara Kaede noticed the momentary shift in Hiruzen’s expression, but he didn’t mind. He looked Hiruzen directly in the eyes, his tone serious.
"I hope the village can increase the budget allocations for the Konoha orphanage."
The office fell silent.
The teacup Hiruzen had been about to drink from stopped in mid-air, and a look of bewilderment flashed through the old man’s cloudy eyes. He had expected this boy—who had consistently appeared rational and even somewhat self-interested—to use this opportunity to demand high-level ninjutsu or the privileges of a Jonin. He never imagined the boy would ask for funding for an orphanage with which he had no direct vested interest.
The teacup was slowly placed back on the desk.
"What did you say?"
"The orphanage," Kitahara Kaede repeated. "The one managed by Senpai Yakushi Nonou."
Hiruzen’s pipe rested on the corner of the desk, emitting a thin trail of smoke. He didn’t speak immediately. The silence stretched for several seconds.
"Do you realize what your achievements this time are worth?" Hiruzen’s voice grew deeper, losing its previous casualness. "Jonin-level scrolls, forbidden jutsu, or a very considerable sum of money. And you want orphanage funding?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Kitahara Kaede didn’t hesitate. "Because I am also an orphan."
He spoke the words without trying to evoke pity or using grand rhetoric. "War has robbed many children of their homes." He paused. "These children found Nonou-senpai, and she has given everything she has to take them in."
He looked into Hiruzen’s eyes. "I don’t need more ninjutsu. I only hope that the rear of Konoha can provide a stable home for those children who lost everything in the war."
Hiruzen stared at him.
The silence lasted a long time—so long that Kitahara Kaede could hear the sound of leaves rustling in the wind outside the window.
Then, Hiruzen picked up his pipe. He didn’t smoke it; he simply held it, glancing down at the battle report on the desk. When he looked up again, the scrutinizing look had completely vanished.
Kitahara Kaede couldn’t quite put a name to the expression on the old man’s face, but Hiruzen’s voice was much heavier than before.
"The orphanage budget will be doubled starting next month." He set the pipe down. "I will oversee this personally; it will not go through other departments."
Kitahara Kaede bowed deeply. "Thank you, Lord Hokage."
Hiruzen waved his hand, dismissing him.
Kitahara Kaede turned and left the office, closing the door gently behind him. The moment the door shut, he heard a very faint sigh from behind him.
As he stepped out of the Hokage building, the weather was beautiful. Walking down the steps, he thought back to the words he had just spoken.
*Because I am also an orphan.*
He wasn’t acting; he truly meant it.
He had been in this world for fifteen years, growing up at the very bottom of Konoha without parents or a clan to call his own. If someone had just given him a hand back then, he wouldn’t have had to survive on the battlefield by playing dead.
Those children were just like him. The only difference was that he was luckier—he had a system.
Kitahara Kaede let out a sigh and began walking toward his apartment.
Then again...
The orphanage funding will be doubled, and the Third Hokage promised he would personally overseeing the matter, bypassing all other departments. This meant that if Danzo wanted to manipulate the funds to force Nonou into submission, he would first have to get past Hiruzen.
A faint smirk played on Kitahara Kaede’s lips at the thought.
Doing a good deed while simultaneously screwing over Danzo... now that was satisfying.
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