Loyal to Whom

Ayari sat on the sofa in her pajamas. The moment Sibi in her arms saw Shinichi, it excitedly tried to pounce on him, but she held it tightly.

Shinichi walked over and sat on the sofa opposite her. "Weren't you asleep?"

Ayari looked away. "You woke me up."

"And Sibi?"

"You woke it up too."

"Woof!"

Ayari glanced at Shinichi from the corner of her eye and saw him pouring himself some water from the teapot on the coffee table.

"What brings the clan head here in the middle of the night?"

Then she added, "If it's nothing important, please leave. I need to rest."

Shinichi answered bluntly, "I just hadn't seen you for two days and missed you."

Ayari reacted as though she had been startled, springing to her feet. Sibi took the opportunity to break free from her arms and ran to Shinichi's side, constantly rubbing against his leg.

Ayari stood there stiffly, lowering her head with her lips pressed together in silence.

After a long moment of quiet, she only said, "Don't say things that could be misunderstood."

Shinichi said calmly, "Misunderstood how? Isn't it easy enough to understand?"

Afraid to look at him, Ayari slowly sat back down on the sofa, bringing her legs together. She looked like someone who had done something wrong.

She forced a smile. "Clan Head, please don't speak in riddles with me. I'm tired, and I have to go look at wedding clothes early tomorrow morning."

"Your engagement has been canceled."

Ayari froze. "You... what gives you the right to do that?!"

Other than shock, she did not feel much displeasure upon hearing this. If she had to name what upset her, it was only that his actions were far too overbearing.

"I'm the clan head. What I say goes."

Then he asked, "Besides, didn't you not want to get married?"

"I..."

Ayari could not describe what she was feeling. Shinichi's tone had suddenly become aggressive, leaving her no room to retreat, determined to pierce through that final layer of pretense.

It made her feel deeply wronged. She felt that he had not considered her dignity at all, yet she could only suppress her emotions.

She took a deep breath and said, "Shinichi, don't do anything you shouldn't."

Shinichi fell silent. After a while, Ayari thought that her words had worked and that he had restrained himself.

She could not help raising her head to look at him, only to meet his gaze. The warm yellow light in the room fell over him, outlining his deep features. Those dark eyes made Ayari's heart tremble.

Shinichi spoke in an even tone. "No one can stop me from doing what I want to do. Whatever I want will eventually be mine."

Ayari could not help clenching her hands.

"You should understand what I mean. Think it over carefully. I'll give you time to talk yourself into it."

"Because even if you refuse, it won't do any good."

After Shinichi left, Sibi kept pawing at the closed door, seemingly confused as to why Shinichi had not taken it with him.

Ayari sat there in a daze, completely motionless.

Of course she understood Shinichi's feelings. She had understood them from the beginning, but she had never thought of him in that way. She had always only regarded him as a little child.

Later, Shinichi returned from the battlefield like a completely different person. She had approached him intending to comfort him, but gradually found that being around him felt comfortable. He had suddenly matured a great deal.

Yet Shinichi's performance at the clan meeting two days ago had made her feel utterly unfamiliar with him. How had he leaped from a Chunin who had lost his Byakugan to becoming the clan head? Even now, Ayari could neither understand nor imagine it. She did not know him at all.

The ambition and ruthlessness Shinichi displayed frightened her.

He was no longer the little neighbor boy who had followed behind her since childhood. He was the Hyuga Clan head whom every clansman feared!

Thinking of the "ultimatum" Shinichi had just given her, Ayari felt even more helpless. Was she destined to fall into his hands?

But their ages...

What would outsiders think of them if word got out?

Ayari lay awake all night.

Shinichi, meanwhile, had no psychological burden whatsoever and slept soundly.

When it came to women, he saw things very clearly. He only needed to take that first step himself.

The next day.

That morning, Orochimaru sent Anbu to summon Shinichi.

When Shinichi arrived at the office, he saw Orochimaru reclining in his chair, with stack after stack of documents piled atop the desk.

"Did the Hokage need something from me?"

Shinichi walked up to Orochimaru, who casually picked up a document and handed it to him.

Its contents concerned the village's fiscal expenditures.

Orochimaru handed him another one. It was a collection of letters containing the villagers' opinions.

Shinichi found it amusing. "These are the Hokage's basic duties."

"They waste time. I don't have time to deal with such matters."

Then Orochimaru said, "I'm planning to establish a specialized research institute to study the Byakugan."

Shinichi gestured to the document on fiscal expenditures in his hand. "The village doesn't have any surplus funds."

"The Daimyo will provide them."

After Orochimaru succeeded the position, the Daimyo had left Konoha and returned to his Daimyo's Palace.

"The Daimyo may support you now, but you still need to produce some proper accomplishments."

Orochimaru grew irritated and asked directly, "Can you handle it?"

Shinichi's eyes shifted slightly. "I can."

"Then I'll leave it all to you."

Looking at the desk full of official business waiting to be handled, Shinichi said, "Hokage, there is something you need to pay attention to."

Orochimaru, who was about to rise and leave, glanced at him. "Speak."

"You don't have many useful people under your command right now, do you? Even the Anbu were left behind by the Third Hokage."

"..."

"There are likely many matters you would find inconvenient to let these Anbu know about. Who knows whether they still have contact with the Third Hokage? In that case, you can only rely on Danzo's power. Am I right?"

Orochimaru had no response. Minato still had Shikaku, Inoichi, and the others assisting him, while before succeeding the Hokage position, Orochimaru had possessed no real power beyond a bit of prestige.

He had never cared about this before. It was only when he began plotting for the position of Hokage with Shinichi that he realized it. Nearly everything he had done had been carried out with Danzo's cooperation. He had no power of his own!

This was also why he had never fallen out with Danzo. He needed Danzo.

Otherwise, Hiashi would not have been the only one to die branded as an insider.

Shinichi said to Orochimaru, "Hokage, you should consider cultivating your own power. At the very least, you need to purge the Anbu close to you."

Orochimaru considered it for a moment. "You're right."

Shinichi immediately continued, "How about I help you?"

"How would you help me?"

"You can temporarily bring members of my Hyuga Clan into the Anbu. With the Caged Bird Seal, they will be the most loyal subordinates. Then, whatever the Hokage wishes to do, there will be no need to avoid them."

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed slightly at this. Then he suddenly asked, "And who are they loyal to?"

Shinichi's expression remained unchanged. "Loyal to me is the same as being loyal to you, isn't it?"

Then he added, "Or does the Hokage still not trust me?"

Orochimaru's gaze flickered. He smiled faintly. "How could that be, Shinichi? You are my most trusted subordinate."