Naruto: Konoha’s Trickster, Starting as the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki

"Huh? Kazuyama, do you know what you're saying?"

"This is a ninja from Sunagakure—an enemy ninja. How can we not hand her over to the Interrogation Force?"

Hiruzen was not upset by Kazuyama's sudden outburst. On the contrary, he was intrigued, curious about what Kazuyama was thinking.

"Well, she is a ninja, but she is also a woman, and those people in the Interrogation Force are perverts," Kazuyama said with a mix of awkwardness and hesitation.

"As a gentleman, this kind of thing, ugh…" He scratched the back of his head, clearly uncomfortable.

"So, Lord Hokage, can we find another way to get the information?"

It was obvious—Kazuyama had gone soft because the enemy in question was a beautiful woman. What a coward.

Sakumo Hatake covered his face in disbelief, while the others exchanged amused looks, some even snickering at Kazuyama's misplaced sense of chivalry. Even Hiruzen couldn't suppress a chuckle.

"Kid, do you have some kind of misunderstanding about the Interrogation Force?"

"Although we need information, if the other party cooperates, there will be no torture. Once the information is successfully obtained, and if she cooperates, she can temporarily stay in the village. But someone needs to keep an eye on her, and a seal will need to be placed on her."

Kazuyama's confidence faltered, and he smiled awkwardly, realizing his assumptions might have been exaggerated. Most of his impressions of the Interrogation Force came from Ibiki Morino, the future head of the force. Ibiki was infamous for his ruthless methods, often inflicting damage on both himself and his targets. Fortunately, at this point in time, the Interrogation Force didn't have someone like that—not yet, at least.

"In that case, do you think I'm suitable to guard her?" Kazuyama asked with renewed enthusiasm.

"I also know Fūinjutsu. Would the Five Elements Seal work? I guarantee that she won't cause trouble in the village."

Without waiting for further input, Kazuyama eagerly approached Pakura. He extended his right hand, chakra flaring to life. Flames of chakra ignited across his fingertips, forming a vivid pattern.

"Five Elements Seal!"

The technique activated, and a sealing mark appeared on Pakura's exposed abdomen, glowing faintly before fading. With the seal complete, her chakra flow was immediately disrupted. If she attempted to use her chakra, the seal would hinder her, significantly weakening her combat ability.

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, his curiosity deepening. "Kazuyama, why are you so interested in a Sunagakure ninja? If it's beautiful women you're after, our village has no shortage of them."

Kazuyama froze, caught off guard by the question. What could he say? That Pakura would one day be betrayed by her own village, dying as a hero but at the hands of those she served loyally? That he couldn't help but feel pity for her fate?

He sighed inwardly. In truth, he didn't particularly like her as a person. But the thought of such a loyal, remarkable kunoichi being cast aside and killed by her own people—well, that was just too tragic to ignore.

And, admittedly… her back was really nice.

"Well... when I was infiltrating Sunagakure, I found her bathing alone," Kazuyama said quietly.

"That sense of loneliness… it was always there, surrounding her."

"She was obviously in her prime, but because of her strength, she had to serve her village every single day."

"Dragging her tired body, she had no one to turn to. She soothed herself alone, and her situation made me think of war..."

He paused for a moment, his gaze distant as he continued.

"It's because of war that there are so many people like her. Outwardly glorious and beautiful, but inwardly, they're just trying to heal wounds no one sees."

As he spoke, the room fell silent. All eyes were fixed on Kazuyama.

"I don't like fighting. Even though I have strong techniques, I hate it."

"I prefer freedom, a carefree life. But I still contribute to the village—because it's my home."

"She's no different. If I could, I'd want her to stay in Konoha. Deep down, she's a lonely person. She wouldn't have chosen the path of combat if the village hadn't demanded it."

"We in Konoha never attack others on our own initiative, don't we?"

Kazuyama's thoughts were heartfelt. As a transmigrator, he knew the cruel truths of this world. That was why he avoided combat, avoided danger whenever possible. To him, Konoha, despite its flaws—the backstabbing, and even Danzo's shadowy dealings—was still better than the alternative. At least here, the village didn't start wars unnecessarily.

His ideal was simple: stay low, paddle along, and live peacefully.

The room remained stunned. Even Sakumo, always composed, was left thoughtful. Kazuyama's words struck a chord.

Sakumo himself possessed great strength and dedicated his life to the village, yet wasn't he the one who went home alone after missions, drinking quietly by himself? Who truly wanted war? If it were avoidable, wouldn't everyone choose peace?

"Alright, if you're awake, stop pretending to sleep," Hiruzen said suddenly, cutting through the tension and catching everyone off guard.

Everyone turned to look at Pakura, lying on the sofa.

She was awake?!

Even Kazuyama was startled. He had used plenty of Scale Powder—normally, she wouldn't wake up for another half day. How was she already conscious?

Pakura slowly sat up, no longer bothering to fake it. Her piercing gaze immediately landed on Kazuyama.

This brat…

He had spied on her bathing.

And what's worse, she was still wearing her clothes—which meant this bastard had even dressed her!

Great. Just great!

"Hmph, is this what Konoha ninjas are like…" Pakura said coldly, her fiery eyes locking onto Kazuyama. "Spying on a woman while she's bathing? Good. Very good!"

Her glare, filled with fury, made Kazuyama tremble.

Oh no. I'm in trouble. She knows I was spying on her.

His thoughts were a chaotic mess. Damn it, this is so… This is all Old Man Third's fault!

Unable to meet Pakura's piercing gaze, Kazuyama shifted his eyes toward the Third Hokage, directing his frustration at him.

Why?! Why didn't you tell me she was awake earlier?!

The weight of realization hit him hard. I spied on someone. I touched them. I even dressed them! He felt a chill run down his spine. This is practically a curse!

Pakura's voice cut through his spiraling thoughts. "You also put the seal on me, didn't you?" She smirked coldly. "Kid, you're good. I'll remember you."

If looks could kill, Kazuyama would already be six feet under. No, eaten alive. From the way she was glaring at him, she looked ready to swallow him whole.

Sweat dripped from Kazuyama's brow as he struggled to form a coherent thought. Big sister, I'm only 15, and you're not that much older than me. Why are you calling me a kid…

But his mental protests were futile—Pakura wasn't wrong. She was only 18 years old herself.

Sakumo's calm but firm voice broke the tense silence. "Since you're awake, you should know your situation." His gaze didn't waver. "Are you going to cooperate on your own, or do we need to force you?"

Sakumo was no pushover, and unlike Kazuyama, he didn't flinch. ANBU training left no room for weakness. Softening up, even for a woman, was simply not an option.

Pakura slowly rose to her feet, her aura commanding the room despite her relatively small stature of around 1.6 meters. The sheer intensity of her presence made several of them frown.

"Do you think I'll cooperate?" she asked, her tone defiant.

"If you want information, then take it yourself," she continued, her voice steady and sharp. "And if I'm not mistaken, you've already taken some from my mind, haven't you?"

Her gaze swept across the room, unwavering. After regaining her senses, she had felt it—the unmistakable intrusion of Psycho Mind Transmission. The faint aftereffects in her mind made it clear that her memories had been sifted through.