Hibari, You're Good at Everything Except Keeping Your Curiosity in Check

Hibari thought about it, then reached out and took it down. He carefully put it on and tightened the straps.

He checked himself out in the mirror, unable to stop the corners of his mouth from lifting. The outfit really did look good—sharp and spirited. He looked the part.

After admiring himself for a moment, he turned and pulled a suitable sword from the rack. He slung it at his waist, straightened his collar, and headed out.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw Tsunade sitting cross-legged on the hallway floor. The little girl looked up, and her eyes lit up when she saw Hibari fully kitted out.

"Whoa! Big Brother Hibari, you look so cool!" Tsunade sprang to her feet and came over to inspect him from every angle.

Hibari grinned and casually ran a hand through his hair. "Of course. I'm the face of Konoha's younger generation, after all. Looking cool is just part of the job."

Tsunade didn't take the bait. Instead, she tilted her head, curiosity written all over her face. "But Big Brother Hibari, you're only going to see Great-Grandpa and Second Grandpa. Why are you dressed like you're heading off to war?"

Hibari's expression froze for a moment before he cleared his throat. "You wouldn't understand, Tsunade. With Second Grandpa, he's definitely going to test my skills in a bit.

"If we're going to spar, I'd better take it seriously. I have to show him that the men of the Senju Clan are all made of the right stuff. And while I'm at it... maybe I can get him to teach me a few more of his secret techniques."

"Huh?" Tsunade's eyes widened. "Big Brother Hibari, you're going to fight Second Grandpa? Are you already strong enough to beat him?"

Hibari nearly broke out in a sweat. He hurriedly waved his hands. "Ahem... don't go saying things like that. Second Grandpa is one of the top shinobi in the Shinobi World. Don't underestimate him.

"Your Big Brother Hibari is pretty strong too, but I'm still young, so I'm at a bit of a disadvantage. Give me another eight or ten years, when I'm all grown up, and I could take on Second Grandpa with one hand—even if Great-Grandpa Hashirama joined in. Believe it or not!"

Tsunade nodded, only half understanding. Seeing that she'd fallen for it, Hibari quickly changed the subject. He shut the door, picked up a ninja tool pouch from the table, slung it over his back, and led Tsunade toward the front gate.

The Senju estate was certainly impressive. It was in a prime location and had a spacious yard—the sort of place you'd expect from a wealthy clan. But the family wasn't particularly large. There were only two children in this generation, Hibari and Tsunade, though another boy named Nawaki would join them later.

There were a few members of the previous generation, like Senju Toka, who was technically Hibari's aunt, along with a whole crowd of shinobi surnamed Senju. It wasn't as if the clan had no people at all.

But the reason it still felt small was mostly because of the Uchiha Clan next door. They seemed to produce one prodigy after another, while the current generation of the Senju Clan had no one particularly outstanding.

Hibari knew that once Nawaki was gone too, the Senju Clan would decline even further. Under the Uchiha's shadow, it would practically disappear.

In the past, Hibari might not have bothered thinking about such things. But now that he was the eldest son of the third generation of the Senju Clan, how could he watch his family's backing crumble? Since he carried the title of Forest Senju, he naturally had to stand with his clan through thick and thin.

So even if he couldn't restore the clan to greatness right away, he at least had to find a way to keep it from disappearing. That was a small hope Hibari kept tucked away in his heart.

Lost in thought, he led Tsunade through the winding paths of the courtyard. It had only been a few years since the end of the chaos, and the great clans hadn't let down their guard. The Senju estate still had an air of solemnity about it. Half the grounds had been set aside as a training area, where several clan members sparred, shuriken whizzing through the air.

In the pavilion, Great-Grandpa Hashirama and Second Grandpa Tobirama sat facing each other over tea. Hashirama spotted the two little figures at the entrance and broke into a wide smile.

"Little Tsunade, Hibari, come over here!" He set down his teacup, rose to his feet, and opened his arms to them.

Tsunade had been holding Hibari's hand, but the moment she heard him, she let go and hurried toward the pavilion on her short legs, paying no attention to the shuriken flying around the training grounds.

Hibari, on the other hand, didn't look particularly happy. He'd lived two lifetimes, after all. Throwing himself into Great-Grandpa Hashirama's arms and acting all affectionate like Tsunade was a bit too much for him.

While Hashirama hugged and kissed Tsunade, Hibari could only shake his head and walk over to Tobirama.

Tobirama looked him over in his neat, practical outfit. The corner of his stern mouth lifted slightly. "Hibari," he said in a low voice. "Tell me, what trouble have you gotten into this time?"

Hibari blinked, looking utterly innocent. "Second Grandpa? You've been back for less than an hour, and you're already eager to convict me? I just got out of bed. What could I possibly have done?"

Seeing that look, Tobirama almost laughed.

Strangely enough, he never felt this way around his older brother Hashirama or little Tsunade—not the urge to laugh and scold them at the same time. At the very least, he laughed around Hibari far more often than he did around those two.

Tobirama picked up his teacup and took a sip. When he set it down, his expression had grown more serious.

"Yesterday morning, someone opened the door to the storehouse I'd sealed." He paused. "The seal was simple, but only someone with Senju blood could undo it. Hibari, don't you have anything to say?"

Hibari immediately shook his head. "Second Grandpa, I don't know what you're talking about. Even if it takes Senju blood to open it, plenty of people in this estate have that. Why suspect me the moment you get back?

"Maybe..." He glanced at Tsunade, who was leaning on Hashirama's shoulder and playing with his Forehead Protector. "Maybe little Tsunade opened it?"

Tobirama followed his gaze to Tsunade, his expression turning a little sterner. He naturally had a cold, imposing air about him. Even though Hibari knew he was putting it on, it still made him feel pressured.

If Hibari felt that way, the younger Tsunade was naturally even more sensitive.

She stopped playing and looked first at Big Brother Hibari, who was winking at her repeatedly, then at Second Grandpa's stern expression. At last, she spoke timidly.

"Second Grandpa... Big Brother Hibari told me to open it." Hurt colored the little girl's voice.

Sure enough, Tsunade didn't hesitate for even a second before selling Hibari out.

"Tsunade! Those five hundred ryō... Ahem!" Hibari cut himself off mid-sentence, realizing he'd let something slip.

"Oh?" Tobirama's stern expression vanished. He gave Hibari a knowing look. "Five hundred ryō? What five hundred ryō? Little Tsunade has already confessed, Hibari. Are you still going to deny it?"

Seeing there was no way out, Hibari pursed his lips. "Second Grandpa, you can't blame me for all of it, can you? From the moment I saw that note, I knew this was a trap you'd set for me.

"You brought up the storehouse before you left, more or less on purpose. Weren't you hinting at it? When you think about it, you were baiting me into breaking the rules!"

"Hmph," Tobirama snorted. "I was testing your qualities as a shinobi.

"What does a shinobi need so much curiosity for? More than a few shinobi have died because of it.

"If you can't control yourself, sooner or later..." He stopped there, swallowing the ill-omened rest of the sentence before continuing. "Hibari, you're good at everything except keeping your curiosity in check.

"Remember, the more you know, the more dangerous things can get. You're more likely to attract unwanted attention..."

Konoha had only been founded a few years ago. The First, Hashirama, was in charge, and its policies and institutions were still taking shape.

They were all building a village together for the first time. They had to feel their way forward, so it was inevitable that things would be overlooked.

For instance, the Ninja Academy, which would one day train countless powerful shinobi, didn't even exist yet.

Most shinobi were still trained by their own clans, passed down from grandfather to father to son, generation after generation. At most, allied clans would invite skilled shinobi to teach their children.

The Senju Clan and Sarutobi Clan were on good terms. The village's current elite jonin—Sarutobi Sasuke, father of the future Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi—was a close friend and trusted aide to Hashirama and Tobirama.

Thanks to that connection, the Sarutobi Clan's young prodigy, Hiruzen, had been personally trained by Hashirama and Tobirama since childhood. Though still young, he was already a renowned shinobi.

Tobirama was now using his own methods to train the Senju Clan's next generation—Hibari.

After listening, Hibari didn't rush to answer. He narrowed his eyes with a smile before replying, "Second Grandpa, I understand the reasoning. But when you think about it, isn't curiosity the ladder that helps shinobi climb higher?

"If anything, you're far more curious than I am. Otherwise, where did all those strange techniques of yours come from?"

He paused, then added, "But I'll keep your words in mind. I'll be careful from now on—curious when it's safe, and ready to duck when it isn't."

Tobirama was taken aback, then shook his head with an amused, helpless smile. "You've always got an argument ready, Hibari." He glanced at the boy. "You're just trying to get your hands on my research, aren't you?"

That hit exactly where it hurt. Hibari's eyes lit up, and he leaned forward without meaning to.

"Of course I am! Second Grandpa, with my abilities, I don't have to learn everything. Surely you can at least let me take a look? You keep hiding everything from me and treating me like a thief. How am I supposed to feel at ease?"

Tobirama's mouth curved, but his voice remained cool. "Whether you're ready for that... we'll have to see."

Before the words had fully left his mouth, Tobirama suddenly sprang into action from his stone stool.

His leg whipped out like a lash. The gust of wind flipped up the hem of Hibari's armor.

He clearly wasn't holding back.

Hashirama, who had been playing with little Tsunade, turned to watch the two of them suddenly clash, curiosity in his eyes. He wanted to see how far this little fledgling of the Senju Clan had come.

To be fair, Hibari had a solid foundation. His experience across two lifetimes had taught him better than anyone that in this world, strength was what mattered.

So ever since he'd started training under Hashirama and Tobirama, he'd been like a sponge, desperately soaking up everything he could from the two top-tier shinobi. Though he wasn't even ten yet, he was already stronger than many adult shinobi.

The instant the gust of Tobirama's kick reached him, Hibari's eyes changed. He didn't dare be careless. He lowered his body, and his left hand moved so fast it left afterimages, landing precisely on Tobirama's toes.

His wrist flicked, deflecting some of the force. Using the momentum, he sprang into the air, turned a nimble somersault, and landed steadily several steps away.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, Hibari reached for the ninja tool pouch on his back. With a few quick swishes, several shuriken mixed with kunai flew toward Tobirama's face.

Tobirama rarely wore ordinary clothes. He was almost always dressed in layered armor. He didn't even bother to properly block the incoming ninja tools, merely raising the back of his hand to bat them aside twice. With a series of clinks, the metal pieces all went flying.

But the moment he'd knocked the weapons aside, he saw Hibari's fingers already flying through Hand Seals, moving so fast they blurred.