The Diary

"Come to think of it, when we designed the program, I think we included a rule: if someone lost more than 1,000 coins in a short period, they'd be more likely to trigger a jackpot. Losing 2,000 coins in a row would greatly increase the odds of winning, and losing 7,000 coins in a short period would guarantee a big win?" Only then did Xian Yu, who had once been somewhat involved in designing the Fruit Machine, finally breathe a sigh of relief.

That setting had actually been his idea. It was meant to give people with truly terrible luck a little confidence to keep playing...

In any case, according to the program, the Fruit Machine could only make a profit. It was impossible for it to lose money.

In that case, the winning streak, the free lights, and the Four of a Kind... probably had nothing to do with Tsunade's gambling luck.

After all, she'd already lost more than 7,000 coins.

"Keep playing, then. I'm going to check on Orochimaru and Jiraiya." Xian Yu waved a hand. Seeing that the gambler among Konoha's future vice squad was already lost in her own world, he couldn't bear to disturb her and quietly decided to leave.

"Mm, go ahead, go ahead." Tsunade casually waved back without even glancing at Xian Yu, continuing her Fruit Roulette adventure.

He made his way to Orochimaru's house and knocked on the door, calling out several times, but got no answer. Xian Yu was just about to turn and leave.

"Xian Yu, go sit in the living room by yourself for a bit. I'll be ready soon." Orochimaru's weak voice came from inside, as if he were enduring some terrible pain.

What had happened?

Had Orochimaru finally given in and used himself as a test subject? Had something gone wrong?

That didn't seem right. Orochimaru was such a levelheaded guy.

Alarmed, Xian Yu vaulted over the wall and barged in, shouting, "Orochimaru, where are you? What's wrong?"

Orochimaru didn't answer.

"Wasn't that voice coming from here?" Xian Yu, who had never been inside Orochimaru's home before, followed the sound and pushed open the door.

A wooden tub came into view, with some towels and toiletries hanging on the wall.

Orochimaru was sitting weakly across from him.

His pants were down to his knees, and he was sitting on the toilet...

"Uh... sorry, sorry. Orochimaru, carry on. I'll wait outside." Xian Yu couldn't have been more embarrassed. He'd been worried something had happened to Orochimaru... but it looked like he'd just eaten something bad and was stuck on the toilet.

Orochimaru's expression was frozen. Only after Xian Yu left the bathroom and shut the door did Orochimaru seem to snap out of a paralysis technique.

"Xian Yu..." Orochimaru's fair little face instantly turned bright red.

Even though they were both men, it was still incredibly awkward and embarrassing.

With nothing else to do, Xian Yu began looking around Orochimaru's home.

"This is the kitchen. Mm, the stove's still warm. I didn't expect Orochimaru to cook for himself at home. Unlike Jiraiya, who lives on instant noodles."

"This must be the bedroom. It's pretty tidy. As expected of Orochimaru. I remember the last time I went to Jiraiya's place, his bedroom floor was covered in scraps of paper and trash." Xian Yu couldn't help sighing at the plain but tidy bedroom. Jiraiya was so lazy.

He didn't know that if Shinozaki Ayumi hadn't cleaned Jiraiya's room, cooked for him, and done his laundry, it would have been hard to say whose life was messier.

"This must be the study." As Xian Yu wandered around, he found himself in a study.

The bamboo bookshelves didn't look like a craftsman had made them, and their design was quite unusual. Maybe Orochimaru had built them himself.

There were three rows of shelves, but only one held any books, with a dozen or so volumes, including An Introduction to Basic Taijutsu, Human Acupoints, and An Introduction to Ninjutsu.

The remaining shelves were filled with research notes.

Xian Yu casually picked up a couple and flipped through them.

The cover of one read Homemade Gas Mask Research Notes. One entry said, "Pour a mixture of wood ash and water over the charcoal, stuff it into a heated bamboo tube, and then..."

Another notebook was titled Records of Unusual Substances.

"Hmm? What's this..." Xian Yu was surprised to see a passage in the notebook about unusual substances.

"I discovered poisonous gas at Emerald Lake. It turns silver black..."

"Sulfuric acid?" After flipping through several more notebooks, Xian Yu was genuinely impressed by Orochimaru.

Working and experimenting all by himself, Orochimaru had filled his notes with discoveries that matched a lot of what Xian Yu knew.

The world of Naruto was actually quite similar to the world Xian Yu had come from. By the time of Boruto, Naruto Uzumaki's son, it was basically no different from the modern world. The only difference was that there was an additional substance called chakra, which made the foundations of technological development slightly different. But the overall direction was more or less the same.

"Hmm? Is this a diary?" Xian Yu hesitated.

Reading someone else's diary without permission was very rude.

But in the end, curiosity won out over propriety for little Xian Yu... Of course he chose to open it!

October 27, rainy.

Today was my birthday, but Mom and Dad were away on a mission. They probably wouldn't be back before tonight. They promised we'd celebrate together. I made a table full of food and waited for a miracle to happen. Dinner time had already passed. I waited for them, but they never came... I'm afraid they'll never come back.

A ninja from Anbu told me that my parents' squad had been returning from a mission when my mother went to buy a gas mask and was spotted by enemy ninjas. My father left the squad without permission to rescue her, and he never came back either.

October 29, rainy.

My parents' bodies were brought back today. It looked like they hadn't suffered much before they died. They had both taken poison, and my mother was still clutching a gas mask tightly in her hand.

November 1, overcast.

They brought me this month's allowance of one thousand ryō today. In that moment, I realized I'd become one of Konoha's many orphans. No one would buy me my favorite Three-Color Dango anymore. And I wouldn't be able to get the materials I needed for my research...

February 28, rainy.

Just two more days. I have to hold on. I was careful, but I still accidentally spent all my living expenses for the month. Next month... next month I'll be more frugal. But I'm so hungry right now. Mom, I'm really hungry...

March 2, sunny.

There's no real meaning to being alive. From birth to death, every individual follows their instincts and goes through the cycle they have to experience in this world. Though every individual's story and experiences are different, the essence never changes. We come into the world, people remember us, then gradually forget us. Maybe we won't even leave our names behind... I'm only working hard to become a proper ninja because that's what my parents wanted when they were alive. That's the only reason I have to greet each new sunrise.

May 28, sunny.

I was beaten up today. I was the one who started the fight. They called me a wild kid, and I shouldn't have paid attention to such a stupid thing. But they said I had no parents... My parents just left. It's not the same as having none!

After turning a few more pages, Xian Yu's eyes grew damp. It was the story of a child learning to survive on his own. The diary was also full of doubts about the meaning of his existence.

He'd been through the same thing: a child without parents or family, so hungry he could only endure it or find some way to get food, no matter what it took. When he got hurt, he had to bear it in silence and treat his wounds by himself. No one cared about him. Even if someone helped him now and then, it was only out of kindness. No one would keep helping him, even if he was just a child.

He quietly turned to the next page. The tone had shifted a little.

September 1, sunny.

Today was the first day of the Ninja Academy. At the opening ceremony, I saw the Third Hokage. He said that wherever leaves dance, fire will burn. The fire's shadow will illuminate the village, and new leaves will sprout. I think I've found a new direction.

During the placement test, I met a child from the Uchiha Clan. He was really strong. I couldn't fight back at all. I got hurt. It wasn't too serious, but I'd have to spend what little money I had on medicine.

As I was thinking about that, someone appeared in front of me.

I always thought being alive was meaningless. But then...

The corner of my injured eye still stung a little. I must have looked pathetic then, right? That figure had the sunlight behind him. He was like the embodiment of the sun. Without warning, without giving me the slightest chance to prepare, he appeared beside me.

I looked up and saw the sticker on his chin. It was a sticker with a crossed-out scar. If not for the angle of the light, it would have looked exactly like a real scar. What kind of person was he?

He helped me treat my injuries and invited me to eat Ichiraku Ramen with him. He had such a charming smile. It was so warm.

I began to believe what the Hokage had said.

I realized it was wonderful to be alive. Being alive might not have any meaning in itself, but as long as you're alive, you might find something interesting—like a child discovering a flower, or me meeting Xian Yu...