Senju Siblings

"Look at this thing mentioned here... an electron microscope! Do you think our technology can build one?"

"That's hard to say! Teacher Orochimaru, with my library, you'll definitely become the most knowledgeable person in the ninja world someday. You'll have to figure out these difficult problems yourself!"

Xuanhui gave Orochimaru a thumbs-up, his face practically spelling out four words: "I believe in you"!

Orochimaru was unmoved by that kind of praise. He turned his head aside and pondered alone.

"By the way, Teacher Orochimaru, there's something I want to tell you in advance."

"What is it?"

Orochimaru shifted his gaze away from the book.

"You could try applying to Teacher Hiruzen for a laboratory. Maybe you could conduct some research there...

"But we must have principles when doing experiments! We can't do anything that endangers other people's lives!"

Though saying this was a little presumptuous, Xuanhui knew that Orochimaru really was capable of doing such things in the original story!

"If that really doesn't work, I know there's a kind of evil lifeform hidden in the ninja world that has an almost identical body structure to humans. I can try looking for some in the future..."

"Enough, I understand."

Orochimaru cut him off somewhat impatiently.

"Why are you so nervous? You're making it sound like I have no bottom line at all..."

Once he saw Xuanhui behave himself, Orochimaru immersed himself in the sea of knowledge once more.

Xuanhui wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and sighed silently.

Uncle Snake was only so paranoid and crazy because he had been alone for too long.

With a disciple like him guiding him every day, Orochimaru had clearly become much more lively than before. He no longer had that cold-blooded look that could make children stop crying in the middle of the night...

"Then I won't disturb you any longer. I'll be going, Teacher. Contact me through the Summoning Technique if anything comes up."

"Got it!"

To make it easier for Orochimaru to come and go, he had given him guest access, allowing him to summon the wooden door for a limited period.

By the time he came out through the wooden door, the sun was about to touch the mountaintops. There was still around an hour until dusk.

"Going back this early? I'm in the mood for once, so I might as well take a walk..."

In a few quick moves, Xuanhui hopped onto someone's rooftop. His gaze drifted with the breeze into the distance, where a winding blue ribbon lay amid dense green leaves.

"I should go play in the water once in a while. How long has it been since I relaxed!"

He leaped up and landed lightly in the street, then ran freely like a child.

The babbling sound of the stream filled his ears, and a cool, refreshing sensation flowed through his body.

There also seemed to be laughter mixed in.

"Someone's here?"

Xuanhui jumped onto a tree branch and looked at the two figures by the river, one large and one small.

The larger one was an exceptionally well-endowed woman with a pale blonde ponytail behind her head, looking like the friendly older sister next door.

The smaller one was a little boy around Xuanhui's age, with childish innocence still lingering on his youthful face.

"Big Sis! Someone's here!"

When the two turned their gazes toward him, Xuanhui felt too embarrassed to keep hiding.

He jumped down in front of them and took a closer look.

"Oh! So it's Big Sis Tsunade! I've heard so much about you!"

Though Tsunade did not recognize the boy before her, she kept smiling.

"Wow! Big Sis is amazing! You even have fans!"

Xuanhui looked at the child beside her, who was about his age, and hurriedly took his hand as well.

"You must be Senju Nawaki!"

"Huh? So I'm your idol too?"

"Are you stupid? He just knows who we are! Who said anything about being idols?"

Tsunade threw a punch, making Nawaki cry out in pain again and again.

The corner of Xuanhui's mouth twitched. Looks like he hadn't mistaken them!

"My name is Xuanhui. Lord Third Hokage and Mr. Orochimaru are both my teachers, so that's why I know the two of you!"

Tsunade gave an "oh" of realization, rubbing her chin as though recalling something.

"So that's it! Orochimaru told me he had a disciple, but I always thought he was bragging! No wonder he wouldn't teach Nawaki!"

As it happened, Tsunade had asked Orochimaru to teach Nawaki after he had already taken Xuanhui as his disciple.

No wonder Orochimaru said Xuanhui was his only disciple.

"Hahaha! Then I'm truly sorry. It's a shame I came too early and made Teacher miss out on such a good disciple!"

"You're such a sensible child! Did Orochimaru teach you to say that?"

Tsunade patted his shoulder in delight, leaving his arm numb...

"He only teaches me academics and actual combat! When it comes to dealing with people, sometimes I'm the one teaching him..."

Xuanhui casually exposed Orochimaru's shortcomings, drawing a burst of laughter from Tsunade and Senju Nawaki.

"By the way, this is a rare opportunity. Brother Xuanhui, let's have a spar!"

Senju Nawaki clung to Xuanhui's arm and earnestly extended an invitation.

"Really?"

"Of course! My sister just taught me a new ninjutsu today, and I've been wanting to try it out!"

"If that's the case... then let's do it!"

Senju Nawaki jumped three feet into the air!

"Great! Brother Xuanhui, don't you dare go easy on me!"

"Don't worry. Going all out is the romance of battle!"

Tsunade rarely saw her younger brother talk to outsiders, and joy filled her heart.

But out of concern as his sister, she still gave them a reminder.

"Be serious, you two. Don't get hurt!"

"It's fine, Big Sis. I'll be careful."

"It's fine, Big Sis Tsunade. It'll be over soon."

Tsunade felt like something was off, but she could not quite react in time...

When she turned back, Senju Nawaki had already pressed his hands together, ready to form hand seals at any moment.

"Come on, Brother Xuanhui! Here I come!"

He shouted excitedly, brimming with energy as he charged forward without hesitation!

Time always passed quickly. The sky had been clear and blue just moments ago, but in the blink of an eye, the clouds had been dyed red.

The boy lay expressionlessly in the stream, letting the flowing water wash over his loneliness.

"You're not hurt, are you?"

Xuanhui extended a hand toward Nawaki and asked with concern.

"N-No..."

His cheeks were wet. It probably wasn't tears...

His mouth tasted salty. It was probably just the taste of the river water...

Of course he was lying about not being hurt!

The absence of scars on his body did not mean his spirit had not suffered a crushing blow...

"Brother Xuanhui... you... you're too strong!

"Next time... I won't fail again..."

Those were the last words Nawaki spoke before closing his eyes. His voice was quiet, but every word was exceptionally clear.

"This kid..."

Tsunade and Xuanhui covered their foreheads at the same time.

"It's fine. Nawaki probably just got tired from playing. He'll be fine after some rest."

"Probably... Big Sis Tsunade, should we take Nawaki..."

"No need to go to the hospital. Come on, just help me carry him home!"

"Huh? I have to carry him?"

"You knocked him flat. Aren't you going to carry him?"

"That's true! It really is!"