"Uchiha Shisui? I remember that boy. He's only seven, and it's only been two years since he graduated. I never imagined he'd grown this much. Are we really left with no choice but to send him?"
Tobacco slowly smoldered, barely calming the wariness rising in his heart. It was wartime—not the moment to be wary of the Uchiha Clan.
"Now. Order Uchiha Shisui to head to the Land of Bears and provide support. What is Uchiha Hanazuki doing?"
An elite Anbu member appeared. He bowed, then spoke in a low voice, his expression beneath the mask somewhat awkward.
"Reporting to Lord Hokage, Uchiha Hanazuki... he... he..."
"What is it?"
"Other than the necessary training he does at the training ground each day, he basically never leaves his room. Apart from occasionally going out with Lord Orochimaru, he hasn't done anything else."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded slightly, his expression unchanged. The hint of suspicion that had risen in his heart quietly faded.
With Orochimaru watching over him, that boy should be fine. Iwagakure's ninja were already being held in check by Minato, but what was this sudden unease he couldn't explain?
After a moment's hesitation, the Third Hokage quickly wrote a letter, then handed it to the Anbu squad leader before him.
"Deliver this letter to Nara Shikaku. He'll understand once he reads it. Better to be cautious in all things. Make sure no one finds out. Understood?"
The Anbu captain accepted the order and withdrew. Sarutobi Hiruzen closed his eyes and sighed softly.
Only after Sarutobi Hiruzen had left his study did a little snake emerge from the shadows atop the building. Its scales, which had blended into the surroundings, returned to their original color.
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
At Konoha's Training Ground 3, two figures faced off. In the blink of an eye, their weapons clashed, and one after another, their figures scattered.
The long-haired girl panted heavily, her face filled with shock. The black-robed boy hadn't moved at all, as if the illusions from moments ago had nothing to do with him.
"Konoha Style: Willow? I didn't expect you to be good at Konoha-Style Kenjutsu, too. Is there really nothing you're bad at when it comes to ninjutsu?"
Uzuki Yugao was astonished. The feel of blade meeting blade had caught her by surprise. As far as she knew, the boy before her was supposed to be an expert in the Body Flicker Technique.
"Konoha Style? I learned this move from Maruboshi Kosuke. Did it help you?"
Uchiha Hanazuki smiled without answering. He sheathed the Kusanagi Sword, a satisfied look in his eyes.
The hilt and scabbard were both pure white, and the blade was incredibly sturdy. Even colliding with a small Tailed Beast Bomb hadn't damaged it. He'd tested all of that himself.
[Character Check-In: Uzuki Yugao]
[Abilities: Konoha Style: Dance of the Crescent Moon]
[Random draw in progress... Check-in successful. Today's reward: Konoha Style: Dance of the Crescent Moon!]
It's just a series of strikes that use Shadow Clones to attack from multiple angles at once. It's decent against ordinary ninja, but its weakness is a lack of killing power. A ninja's defenses are too flimsy.
With that thought, Hanazuki looked up and smiled.
"By the way, Yugao, you're a close-combat ninja, right? I've recently developed a defensive technique called Blut Vene. Want to try it?"
"Huh? You're really willing to? Something this precious, given to someone like me..."
Hanazuki smiled and waved her concern away. He took a pale blue syringe from his ninja pouch. The liquid inside looked much like chakra and shimmered enticingly.
"It's fine. I'd like to hear what other people think, too. Don't worry about your safety. Blut Vene was developed on the premise that it's harmless to the human body while greatly increasing its defensive abilities."
The cool liquid was injected precisely into her vein. After waiting a while, Yugao tried to pierce her skin with a weapon. Pale blue lines glided along fixed pathways beneath it.
"This is so precious. I don't know how I could ever thank you, Hanazuki. Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Don't worry about it. Just tell me what you think after you get back from the battlefield."
"No, I can't just accept such a valuable secret technique for nothing. Is there anything I can help you with?"
Seeing Uzuki Yugao's earnest expression, Hanazuki tilted his head and thought for a moment. Then he suddenly remembered something.
"Actually, there is one thing. I just have a feeling it might embarrass you."
"That's okay. I'm happy to help you, Hanazuki!"
Despite her young age, Yugao naturally carried a hint of allure. She smiled brightly, but soon her cheeks bloomed red.
"Ha-Hanazuki, is this really how I can help you?"
"What's wrong? Is your leg getting numb?"
Beneath the shade of a tree at Training Ground 3, Hanazuki lay on the ground and adjusted his position slightly. Purple hair brushed gently against him.
The sky was blue, clouds drifting overhead. The softness of the lap pillow and the feel of it against the back of his head left Hanazuki feeling perfectly at ease, and his thoughts began to wander.
What will Orochimaru do? Will he leave Konoha for good and give up his struggle with Minato over the Hokage position, or will he do whatever it takes to become Hokage? Which will he choose?
Come to think of it, Obito probably fell into Madara's hands, Kakashi became a Sharingan hero, and Uchiha Shisui was transferred to the battlefield against the Mist Hidden.
As his thoughts wandered, the aura he unconsciously gave off sent Yugao's imagination running.
"No, it's just that I realized we've never really had a chance to be alone together. So... so, how do you feel about me, Hanazuki?"
"How do I feel? You have long legs, you're kind to people, and you seem like you'd make a good woman."
At his words, Yugao's eyes filled with delight. She asked hesitantly,
"Re-Really? Then, then we..."
"Ah, those troublesome people are here. If they ask for me, tell them I'm not here."
His figure vanished. Yugao was just gathering her courage, but the words she was about to blurt out were abruptly swallowed.
A moment later, several members of the Konoha Military Police Force hurried over. They looked around, then turned to Yugao, their tone unfriendly.
"Where is Uchiha Hanazuki?"
"What do you want with him?"
Apparently noticing that they were members of the Uchiha Clan, Uzuki Yugao asked in return. One of them merely snorted.
"That's none of your business. This is a Uchiha Clan matter. If you see him, tell him the Military Police Force needs to speak with him. It's important, so he should report to the force at once."
When they saw no sign of Uchiha Hanazuki, the group finally gave up. After they had gone some distance, Hanazuki returned to the training ground.
"Hanazuki, just now..."
"I know. The Uchiha Clan came looking for me? What a pain. No matter how much I try to avoid them, I can't escape."
The Uchiha Clan—the problem he'd ignored all this time—was now before him as the war neared its end.
The Konoha F4 had always pushed the Uchiha Clan aside. Getting dragged into this sort of exhausting business would do Hanazuki no good.
Still, he was quite interested in telling the inheritor of the evil Old Senju White-Hair's Will of Fire that he wanted no part of it.
Meanwhile, beneath the Graveyard of Mountains.
Obito woke from his unconsciousness and looked around in confusion. The old, frail figure who had been resting with his eyes closed slowly opened them.
"Are you awake?"