"Uchiha Shisui? I remember that child. He was only seven, and had graduated just two years ago. I never imagined he would have grown this much already. Do we have no choice but to send him?"
The tobacco slowly burned, barely calming the wariness rising deep within him. It was wartime; this was no moment to be suspicious of the Uchiha Clan.
"Now, immediately order Uchiha Shisui to head to the Land of Bears as reinforcements. What is Uchiha Hanazuki doing?"
An elite Anbu appeared and bowed. The expression beneath his mask seemed somewhat awkward as he spoke in a low voice.
"Reporting to Lord Hokage, Uchiha Hanazuki, he... he..."
"What is it?"
"Other than carrying out the necessary training at the training ground each day, he basically never leaves his room. Aside from occasionally going out with Lord Orochimaru, he has made no other moves."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded slightly, his expression unchanged. The faint suspicion that had arisen in his heart quietly faded.
With Orochimaru watching over him, that child should be fine. The Iwagakure ninja were being held in check by Minato, but why had this inexplicable unease come over him?
After hesitating for a moment, the Third Hokage wrote a letter in a flurry, then handed the handwritten missive 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 matters. Make sure no one finds out, understood?"
The Anbu Captain accepted his orders and withdrew. Sarutobi Hiruzen closed his eyes and let out a quiet sigh.
Only after Sarutobi Hiruzen had left his study did a small snake hidden atop the roof emerge from the shadows. Its scales, which had blended into the surroundings, returned to their original color.
Elsewhere, another story unfolded.
At Training Ground 3 in Konoha, two figures faced off. In the blink of an eye, their weapons clashed, and a series of figures scattered.
The long-haired girl was panting, her face filled with shock. The boy in the black robe hadn't moved at all, as if the afterimages from moments ago had nothing to do with him.
"Konoha Style: Willow? I never expected you to be skilled in Konoha Style Swordsmanship too. Is there no area of ninjutsu you're lacking in?"
Uzuki Yugao was astonished. The feel of blade against 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 that move from Mr. Maruboshi Kosuke. Was it any help to you?"
Uchiha Hanazuki smiled without answering. He sheathed the Kusanagi Sword in his hand, looking satisfied.
Both the hilt and the scabbard were pure white, and the blade was exceptionally sturdy. Even a collision with a small Tailed Beast Bomb wouldn't damage it. He had tested all of this himself.
[Character Sign-in: Uzuki Yugao]
[Abilities: Konoha Style: Dance of the Crescent Moon]
[Random draw in progress... Sign-in successful. Today's reward: Konoha Style: Dance of the Crescent Moon!]
It's just a slash that uses Shadow Clones to appear from multiple angles at once. It's decent against ordinary ninja, but its lack of lethality is its weakness. Ninja defenses are too flimsy.
Thinking this, Hanazuki looked up and smiled.
"By the way, Yugao, you're a close-combat ninja, right? I've been developing a defensive technique lately called Blut Vene. Would you like to try it?"
"Huh? Are you sure? Something so precious, given to someone like me..."
Hanazuki smiled and waved a hand, then took a pale blue syringe from his ninja pouch. The solution inside shimmered invitingly, looking almost like chakra.
"It's fine. I'd like to hear other people's opinions too. Don't worry about your safety. Blut Vene was developed on the premise that it would be harmless to the human body while greatly increasing its defensive capabilities."
The cool liquid was injected precisely into her vein. After waiting a while, Yugao tried pricking her skin with a weapon. Pale blue lines traced their way along set paths.
"This is so valuable. 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 how it feels after you return from the battlefield."
"No, how could I accept such a valuable secret technique for nothing? Is there anything I can help with?"
Seeing how serious Uzuki Yugao looked, Hanazuki tilted his head and thought for a moment. Then something suddenly occurred to him.
"Actually, there is one thing. I just have a feeling you'll find it embarrassing."
"That's okay. I'd be happy to help you, Hanazuki!"
Though she was still young, Yugao naturally exuded a hint of allure. She beamed, but soon her cheeks were blooming red.
"Ha... Hanazuki, is this really how I can help you?"
"What's wrong? Are your legs getting numb?"
Beneath the shade of a tree at Training Ground 3, Hanazuki lay on the ground and shifted slightly. Purple hair brushed softly against him.
The sky was a deep blue, clouds drifting by. The soft feel of the lap pillow beneath his head put Hanazuki in a very pleasant mood, 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? What will he choose?
Come to think of it, Obito probably fell into Madara's hands too. Kakashi became a Sharingan hero, and Uchiha Shisui was assigned to the battlefield against Mist Village.
As his thoughts wandered, the aura he unconsciously gave off made Yugao's mind run wild.
"No, it's just that I realized we'd never really had a chance to be alone together, so... so, how do you see me, Hanazuki?"
"How do I see you? You have long legs, you're gentle with people, and you seem like you'd be a good woman."
At his words, Yugao's eyes filled with delight. She stammered as she pressed him for an answer.
"R-really? Then, then we..."
"Ah, the troublesome ones are coming after me. If they ask, tell them I'm not here."
His figure vanished. Yugao had just worked up her courage, but the words she'd been about to say were abruptly choked back.
A short while later, several members of the Konoha Military Police Force hurried over. After looking around, they turned to Yugao, their tone unfriendly.
"Where is Uchiha Hanazuki?"
"What do you want with him?"
Noticing that they were members of the Uchiha Clan, Uzuki Yugao asked in return, but one of them only gave a cold snort.
"That's none of your business. This is a matter for the Uchiha Clan. When you see him, tell him the Military Police Force needs him. It's important, so he should report to the force right away."
After failing to find Uchiha Hanazuki nearby, the group finally gave up. Once they had gone some distance, Hanazuki returned to the training ground.
"Hanazuki, just now..."
"I know. The Uchiha Clan came looking for me, right? What a pain. No matter how I try to avoid them, I can't get away."
The Uchiha Clan, a problem he had ignored all this time, now stood before him as the war neared its end.
The Konoha F4 had always sidelined the Uchiha Clan. Getting caught up in such a tiresome affair would do Hanazuki no good.
Still, he was quite interested in telling no to the inheritor of the Will of Fire—the one who had inherited it from the evil Old Senju White-Hair.
Meanwhile, beneath the Graveyard Mountains.
Obito woke from unconsciousness and stared around in confusion. The ancient figure, who had been resting with his eyes closed, slowly opened them.
"Awake?"
Before you continue