Ichiraku Ramen

The war had finally ended.

On the day they returned to the village, the Third Hokage led the villagers in welcoming the heroes returning from the battlefield in the Land of Rain, outside the Konoha Gate. More people had never come back. Their final destination was Konoha's cemetery, the Memorial Stone.

Time could ease grief. With peace returning, people gradually settled back into their everyday lives.

The students who had attended school with Genichi had all graduated, and that day, everyone met up at the surprisingly popular little shop, Ichiraku Ramen.

"The battlefield must have been tough. I'm so glad you made it back safely." Because of her special status, Kushina had been confined to the village during that time.

"It was all right, actually. The war was almost over by the time we got there, so it wasn't as dangerous as before." Genichi ate his Tonkotsu Ramen, topped with Narutomaki, with the air of someone checking a sacred site off his list. The shop was in the opposite direction from home, and he'd always assumed Ichiraku Ramen hadn't opened yet.

"The people who should really be worried are our enemies." As Uchiha Mikoto reassured him, she showed off the newly awakened Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

That was right. After half a year on the battlefield, witnessing killing and death every day, Mikoto had finally awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

As for whether she could awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan next, Genichi had his doubts. The first three tomoe seemed like something one could achieve through steady training; with enough talent, it was only a matter of time.

But behind every Mangekyō Sharingan in the original story was a tale steeped in sorrow and pain. It wasn't something one could master so easily.

"You're amazing, Genichi. I heard you've made a name for yourself—the 'White Reaper of Konoha.'" Minato sighed in admiration. Only a few shinobi in any village became jōnin, and those who earned a title of their own were the elite of the elite.

"Not at all. I owe it all to the competition." Genichi replied modestly. "I heard Lord Jiraiya hasn't returned to the village?"

"My teacher sent word that he was going to travel around the Land of Rain for a while. The war has caused everyone too much pain," Minato explained.

"But Jiraiya-sensei exchanged his contributions during the war for a forbidden technique that suits me. I won't fall too far behind you." Looking at Genichi, who was both his friend and rival, Minato spoke with a confident, sunny smile.

"Then you'd better work hard, Minato," Genichi replied with a smile. "When I become Hokage, I'll make sure you get the position of my aide."

Thinking back to how well Minato had handled affairs as Hokage in the original story—managing the village's paperwork without grasping for power, and using the Flying Thunder God to move seamlessly between work and home—Genichi thought he was one of Konoha's finest workhorses.

"I'm the one who'll become Hokage. You..." Minato refused to back down.

"You'll regret it?" Genichi cut in.

"Huh? Regret what? I mean, when I become Hokage, I'll make you my aide," Minato explained.

Amid the laughter and chatter, the gathering eventually came to an end.

Genichi brought Hana Hyuga back home.

"It's been six or seven years since I promised to help you break the Caged Bird. Have we really made zero progress?" Genichi said calmly.

There was no help for it. The Curse Mark was too dangerous; the slightest disturbance could cause agony at best, or leave the victim blind or dead at worst.

For safety's sake, Genichi didn't dare tamper with the Curse Mark on Hana's forehead, and he couldn't exactly use other members of the Hyuga Branch Family as test subjects.

"I've searched through the records of the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan, and asked Lady Mito and Orochimaru-sensei, but I still haven't found the Hand Seals for placing or removing the Caged Bird. Still, it hasn't been a complete waste. I've put together some information about the Curse Mark itself. Take a look." Genichi took out a hidden scroll.

Hana's expression grew complicated. After years together, she'd come to understand her classmate. He seemed cold toward people he didn't know well, but deep down, he had a special kind of "kindness," as though he were looking down on the Ninja World from a higher plane.

Then her attention was drawn irresistibly to the scroll in front of her:

"The Caged Bird Seal": It appears on the forehead as a blue crossed mark with two hooks curving in opposite directions. It is inscribed on members of the Hyuga Branch Family from childhood and connects to the optic nerves of the Byakugan and the nerves in the brain, creating an approximately one-degree blind spot at the back of the field of vision. The person and the Curse Mark are inseparable.

When a member of the Hyuga Main Family activates the seal, they can make the person afflicted suffer unbearable pain or directly destroy their brain nerves and Byakugan, killing them.

If the Curse Mark is removed incorrectly, the Caged Bird Seal will drain the afflicted person's chakra to resist. The result is often the same as when the Main Family activates the seal.

The Curse Mark's interior resembles a Bagua formation, encompassing all things and changing without end.

"In theory, we could capture someone from the Main Family and compare their unmarked Byakugan with the Byakugan of someone bearing the Caged Bird. Using that as a basis, we could work out how it functions, then test it on a few members of the Branch Family. Eventually, we'd find the right way to remove it."

Genichi summed up, "Honestly, wiping out the Main Family might be easier. We may have to find another way."

Hana looked over the information in her hands, trying to use her medical knowledge to find a way to survive even if the attempt to remove the Curse Mark failed.

For a long time, she couldn't come back to herself.

I know perfectly well that everyone walks a different path. I've chosen the path of breaking the Curse Mark.

No matter how thick the fog, so thick that I can't find my way; no matter how long the road, so long that I'm weary in body and mind.

I'll never give up.

What is there to regret about dying on the path I chose to pursue?

"You'll regret this!"

In the Hokage's office, Shimura Danzō shouted at the Third Hokage, "The Uchiha Clan is born evil and can't be trusted. Hiruzen, have you forgotten our teacher's teachings?"

To ensure the Uchiha Clan gave their all in the war, Sarutobi Hiruzen had handed over Setsuna Uchiha to the Konoha Military Police Force. During the Second's administration, Setsuna had tried to incite the Uchiha into rebellion and reclaim their authority from the Senju Clan.

Seeing one of their clan members—who should have been imprisoned for life in the Anbu prison or even executed—released, the Uchiha Clan recognized the goodwill of Konoha's High Command and sent a group of elites straight to the battlefield. The results lived up to the Uchiha Clan's thousand-year reputation: they won magnificent victories and became renowned.

"Danzō, don't say things that undermine unity. The Uchiha Clan is part of the village, too. Think about Kagami." Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed helplessly.

"Kagami was different." Danzō couldn't help touching his bandages.

Only after laying the emotional groundwork did Danzō reveal his true purpose: "We can't afford to let our guard down against the Uchiha Clan. Have you forgotten when Madara Uchiha attacked the village? To deal with the Sharingan, we have to obtain the power of Wood Style."

"You want to restart the Wood Style Experiment? No, we can't. The Senju Clan won't agree, and Lady Mito won't agree either." Aware of what Danzō had in mind, Sarutobi Hiruzen thought of the First's Wood Style during the battle at the Valley of the End. His voice wavered.

"Uzumaki Mito is old. As for the Senju Clan, they'll willingly take part. No one wants the power of Wood Style more than they do. They want to restore their former glory."

Noticing his companion wavering, Danzō continued, "Our teacher conducted the experiment first. Although it failed, it left behind a wealth of records. Think of your student, Orochimaru. If he gets involved, we'll uncover the secrets of Wood Style in no time."

After much deliberation, his desire for Wood Style finally overcame his guilt about conducting human experiments. But Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't want to get his own hands dirty, so he said slowly, "I'll order Orochimaru to serve as the deputy leader of Root. Lady Mito is still watching us. Don't conduct any human experiments."

"Don't worry, Hiruzen."

Once I obtain the power of Wood Style, I'll surely become Hokage.

Danzō was still working toward his dream today.