"Who knows? Just surviving was lucky. Good thing we didn't call Ao over beforehand. Otherwise, the Byakugan we'd worked so hard to take would've been reclaimed by the Konoha Ninja."
At that, Karatachi Yagura gritted his teeth in fury. He, the dignified Fourth Mizukage, had actually fallen for a brat's genjutsu.
If word of this battle got out, how could he ever stand tall in the Village of the Bloody Mist again? How could he uphold the Third Mizukage's will? Damn it!
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the Land of Water, in a village blanketed in snow all year round.
The hardworking, kindhearted man, whose clothes were covered in patches, wore a broad smile and brimmed with energy as he prepared to give his one-year-old child a good nutritional boost.
Inside the shabby little house, the fair-featured woman gazed at the child in her arms, her thoughts troubled and worry written across her brow.
"Could this child have inherited it too...? No, please, no. Don't inherit that damned power. Haku..."
Bang!
The door swung open. A gust of snow and wind cut through the room, and the black cloak flapped violently, making the woman shield the child in her arms.
"Who are you? A ninja?"
"So this is the child? I may have to trouble you to sleep for a little while. I'm going to make a slight adjustment to that child's fate."
The intricate Mangekyo shifted in an instant. The woman who met its gaze lost focus and sank helplessly into an illusion.
"Let me witness your power. Bloom, Illusion."
At some point, an invisible force from within the Book of Vermilion Moon had formed a barrier around the entire little house.
A clear blue radiance fell from the ancient bamboo scroll in his hand onto the child, then vanished without a trace.
Countless streams of Natural Energy poured into the Book of Vermilion Moon, sending the energy in the area surging like a storm, as if it were filling some unknown void.
After a long while, Hua Yue looked around and examined everything from top to bottom, his face full of suspicion.
"Is that it? What exactly happened?"
After a moment's silence, Hua Yue stepped forward and picked up the child. But the moment he extended his senses, he froze on the spot.
"This child is... wait, I remember she was a he just a moment ago. Could the Book of Vermilion Moon's power be...?"
He felt as if he'd been struck by lightning. Even after Hua Yue left, the image remained fixed in his mind, and he couldn't shake it for a long time.
"He... became a she? What on earth is going on? And this feeling..."
The water shimmered with a clear blue light. In the inner world, the Black Nine-Tails, skin stretched tight over his bones, glared furiously at Hua Yue with eyes as big as carriage wheels.
"Damn Uchiha brat, what the hell did you do? What was that power just now? Why did it drain so much of my chakra? Are you trying to destroy the world?!"
"Shut up! How should I know? I just opened the Book of Vermilion Moon's barrier and casually changed a few established facts. Who knew it'd use up your chakra?"
Every hair on the fox stood on end. He fluffed up and roared.
"I knew this had to be your fault, brat! Damn it, do you know what it feels like to be forced to vomit when you don't even feel sick?"
"'Brat' this, 'brat' that—you're driving me crazy! Looking for a fight, Orange Pig?"
"You evil brat! Today I'll show you what true fear is! Tailed Beast Bomb!"
Three minutes later, after listening to Hua Yue's explanation, the Black Nine-Tails—his face bruised and swollen—looked deeply perplexed.
"You bastard! You not only sent my chakra to some strange place, you also turned someone else into a woman. Is this... ah, right, some kind of raising game?"
As he chewed, countless potato chips the size of carriage wheels crunched between his sharp teeth. Every so often, he washed them down with some fizzy soda, and the Black Nine-Tails' emaciated body gradually filled out again.
"Would you be quiet? Eating doesn't stop your mouth from running. I just wanted to try it. Who knew he'd turn into a she? The Book of Vermilion Moon's power definitely isn't that simple."
His eyes flickered. It had consumed nearly half of the Nine-Tails' chakra and sent the Natural Energy around the village into a frenzy. The effect had been astonishing, and Hua Yue still hadn't recovered from the shock.
"Yeah, yeah, of course. I believe you'd never be swayed by a pretty face, or use your ocular jutsu to make women's underwear, or take an interest in women older than you. A cold, heartless ninja..."
Halfway through, the Black Nine-Tails couldn't hold it in anymore and burst into laughter, his tails swishing wildly behind him.
"Say one more word and I'll use the Book of Vermilion Moon to turn you into a vixen. Let's see if you're still laughing then."
His laughter cut off at once. The Black Nine-Tails looked wary and instinctively backed away a few steps. He was actually a little afraid of that threat.
Having regained control of his body, Hua Yue gazed into the distance. The chakra mark on the child was clearly visible.
"No matter how fiercely a war burns, it will eventually die out when its fuel is gone. Is this war about to come to an end, too?"
Meanwhile, in Konoha.
"Minato, I'm leaving this matter to you. Make sure you set him on the right path. Please."
Inside the Hokage Office, Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke with solemnity, while Namikaze Minato looked thoroughly confused.
"Uchiha Hanazuki... isn't this child Orochimaru-sensei's student? Why are you asking me to teach him?"
His eyes lowered. Considering the traces he'd found on the study ceiling and the clues captured by the Telescope Technique, Sarutobi Hiruzen really didn't want to suspect his prized student, but...
"Anyway, I'll leave this to you. I'll speak to Orochimaru. With him by your side, he should be able to help you quite a bit."
Remembering the fearless boy he'd met for the first time, who'd shown such contempt for authority, Namikaze Minato felt a headache coming on. This seemed far more troublesome than he'd imagined.
"Yes, understood."
"Speaking of him, has he come back? He completed this mission successfully, too. Uchiha Hanazuki really is an outstanding child, though he still has a ways to go before becoming an outstanding ninja."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's sigh left Namikaze Minato with no choice but to smile along. Inside the crystal ball, the figure followed several captured Konoha Ninja, occasionally looking up at the crystal ball.
"What a... perceptive child. This could be interesting."
At the same time, Hua Yue realized he was being watched through a telescope. His mouth twitched as he grumbled inwardly.
Come to think of it, does the Third Hokage, that lecherous old man, use this technique to spy on the hot springs, too? It wouldn't surprise me.
His thoughts wandered, and when he casually glanced back, a strange smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"Yo, Kakashi-senpai, you got yourself a pretty good eye!"