But in the end, she still shook her head firmly. "I'm not eating them! Let's go home and eat. We can take them back with us and raise them until they're bigger. Then there'll be more meat! How about it?"
"Hahahaha!" Hibari burst out laughing. "Just say you want to raise them! And you're going to eat them when they're bigger? You won't be able to bring yourself to do it!"
Her little scheme exposed, little Tsunade blushed and clung to Hibari's leg, swaying it back and forth. "Please? Please, big brother!"
How could Hibari resist his little sister's pleading? So their little group of three became a group of three plus two bear cubs, and they all headed back to Konoha.
When they reached the gate of the Senju Clan's estate, Hibari took little Tsunade by the hand and turned to Sarutobi Hiruzen. "Since you're already here, and it's about time to eat, why not come in and have a bite with us?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled and was about to politely decline when footsteps sounded behind them.
He turned around and saw Lord Hokage, Teacher Tobirama, and his own father, Sarutobi Sasuke, walking toward them side by side.
Hibari turned too. His expression changed at once, and he hurriedly lowered his voice to Sarutobi Hiruzen. "When you see Second and the others, just say you haven't seen me..."
Then he turned and tried to slip through the gate. But before he could take a step inside, Tobirama's chilly voice called after him.
"Hibari!" Second Tobirama barked. "You brat, stand right there!"
Well, there was no getting away now.
Hibari stopped and turned around, instantly arranging his face into an incredibly bright smile. "Well, if it isn't Second! What brings you out for a stroll today?
"I went looking for you this morning, but you weren't there, so I took Tsunade for a walk around Back Mountain. Look, I found her a couple of little playmates."
As he spoke, he gently nudged the bear cubs at his feet with his toes, making the two little things bare their teeth at him.
"Oh? You were looking for me?" Tobirama's lips curled into a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "What a shame. I happened to be entertaining a guest this morning."
"No worries. We're family, after all." Hibari relaxed a little and hurriedly replied. But looking at Tobirama's smile, he couldn't help feeling a chill at the back of his neck.
"Aren't you curious who I was entertaining?" Tobirama slowly walked up beside Hibari and clamped a hand on his shoulder, lowering his voice. "He said... his name was Moji."
At that, Hibari's expression froze. Sweat visibly beaded on his forehead. He gave a dry laugh. "S-Second, what are you talking about? I don't understand. You don't need to report your guests to me..."
"Hmph!" Tobirama snorted, tightening his grip until he nearly lifted Hibari off the ground. "You've got some nerve, using a clone to fool me! Come inside!"
"Ow, ow, ow! Second! I can walk! Let me explain!" Hibari struggled and wailed as Tobirama hauled him through the Senju Clan's gate, his feet barely touching the ground.
Sarutobi Hiruzen watched, dumbfounded. He scratched his head and looked at his father. "Pops, what's going on now? How did Hibari manage to get Teacher Tobirama riled up again?"
Sarutobi Sasuke glanced at his son and replied coolly:
"Why are you worrying about all that? Hibari probably pulled some new stunt again." Sarutobi Sasuke waved a hand, then changed the subject. "By the way, where did you go just now?"
As soon as his father asked, Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes lit up, and he hurried closer. "Father, you have no idea. Hibari's a real genius!
"He actually came up with that S-rank compound ninjutsu. It has low chakra consumption, tremendous power, and a low skill requirement! I even suggested classifying it as a Forbidden Technique!"
"A Forbidden Technique?" Sarutobi Sasuke was taken aback, but before his son could elaborate, he waved a hand. "This isn't the place to talk. It's been a while since I last visited, and we've arrived just in time for a meal. Let's go inside and talk over lunch."
Meanwhile, Senju Hashirama was happily keeping little Tsunade entertained with the two bear cubs. Hearing this, he looked up and called out, "What a coincidence, little Monkey! You're here too? Perfect. Come in and join us for a simple meal."
As he spoke, he scooped one of the bear cubs into his arms. Tsunade copied him, quickly picking up the other one. But she was barely bigger than the cub herself, and struggled to hug it. She nearly squeezed the little bear until its eyes rolled back.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had been about to leave, but seeing this, he nodded too. "All right. I can report the details of the jutsu to Teacher Tobirama while we're at it."
At the dinner table, little Tsunade's eyes widened as she looked from side to side. Two identical "Big Brother Hibaris" were sitting there. One was wolfing down his food, while the other rubbed his shoulder with a grimace and muttered to Grandpa Tobirama beside him.
She'd seen Shadow Clones before, but this was the first time she'd seen one join its original for a meal.
"Anyway, that's how it works. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it." Hibari rubbed his shoulder as he spoke to Tobirama. "This guy's really useful. He's much more effective than an ordinary clone."
Tobirama picked up some food with his chopsticks and asked leisurely, "But the drawbacks are obvious, aren't they? How do you plan to solve them?"
"Second, if you ask me, it's not actually that hard..." Hibari's eyes shifted, and a sly look came over his face.
One look at Hibari's expression told Tobirama he was up to no good. He chuckled. "How is it not hard?"
Hibari first glanced at Uzumaki Mito and Senju Hashirama, who were talking to Moji, then lowered his voice. "When you get right down to it, it's a matter of chakra!
"I've got a solution that should work. Why don't you ask Grandma Mito to teach me the Yin Seal? Once I learn it, those drawbacks won't be a problem, will they?"
Tobirama gave him an amused look. "With your current level of skill, you want to learn an S-rank Sealing Jutsu?
"Isn't that a bit too hasty? You know Sealing Jutsu are harder to learn than ordinary ninjutsu, and this one's S-rank. On top of that, it works on your own body. Do you think you can just learn it on a whim?"
"So what if it's S-rank?" Hibari puffed out his chest, unwilling to back down. "I've already come up with an S-rank compound ninjutsu. Isn't that enough to prove I'm up to it? Second, even family should keep accounts straight, right?
"I'll trade my S-rank compound ninjutsu for Grandma Mito's S-rank Sealing Jutsu. How does that sound? Uncle Hiruzen thinks my jutsu is worthy of being classified as a Forbidden Technique!" He even patted his thigh, looking rather pleased with himself.
Tobirama hadn't heard that Hibari had come up with an S-rank compound ninjutsu. Surprised, he turned toward his student, Sarutobi Hiruzen, on the other side of the table.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had been busy eating, but at Tobirama's look, he quickly set down his bowl. "Teacher, he's not exaggerating. He really did come up with it. Its power is on the level of an S-rank jutsu, and I also think it would be best classified as a Forbidden Technique. I just learned it myself on Back Mountain today..."
If Hibari had been the only one saying it, Tobirama might have thought the boy was bragging. But with Sarutobi Hiruzen vouching for him, he had to take it seriously.
He even forgot about his meal and asked with interest, "You mean this kid really came up with an S-rank compound ninjutsu without anyone noticing? And it needs to be classified as a Forbidden Technique? Interesting. Tell me all about it."
So Sarutobi Hiruzen explained the principles and effects of the "S-rank Compound Ninjutsu: Annihilation" to Tobirama in detail.
After a good while, Tobirama stared at Hibari with a look of utter exasperation. He wondered if the core principle behind this technique was the same trick Hibari had used in the trap that had fooled him last time.
The little rascal had tinkered with it this way and that, and somehow turned it into such a powerful ninjutsu?
"Well? I've even offered you my Forbidden Technique. That's sincere enough, isn't it?" Hibari raised his eyebrows at Tobirama.
Tobirama looked at him, thought it over for a moment, then tapped the table. "...Let me think about it some more. We'll put this aside for now."
"Fine, but don't take too long." Hibari didn't press him. He nodded and accepted the answer.
After lunch, Hashirama went out for a walk with Uzumaki Mito. Sarutobi Sasuke and Hiruzen stayed behind, chatting with Tobirama in the courtyard as they enjoyed the shade.
Hibari was busy helping little Tsunade feed fish to the two newly arrived bear cubs. The novelty of it had her giggling with delight.
Once the cubs had eaten their fill, Tobirama beckoned to them from the pavilion.
Hibari led little Tsunade over, plopped down on a stone stool, and got straight to the point. "Moji, pour me and Tsunade some tea."
Moji, who was making tea for Tobirama and the others nearby, scowled. "I'll say it again: we're one and the same. Whatever I suffer now will come back to haunt you later. Don't you have any shame?"
"Hasn't come back to haunt me yet, has it? I'll enjoy it first and worry about it later... I'm not worried, so why are you?" Hibari waved a hand dismissively.
After they chatted and joked for a while, Moji poured the tea anyway. Only then did Hibari ask, "Second, what did you need? Are you sending me on a mission? Don't worry, you can count on me!"
Tobirama smiled and exchanged a glance with Sarutobi Sasuke before speaking. "A couple of days ago, didn't you mention buying books for the children in the village? And that... what was it? A system?"
Hibari paused, then nodded. "Yeah, I did. What, are you planning to dump that job on me? You have way too much faith in me."
Sarutobi Sasuke chuckled. "At least you know your own limits."
"Haha," Tobirama continued, "we discussed it today, and decided we really should make some changes. The first step is to start with the children. We're planning to set up a Ninja Academy to teach the village kids the basics."
Hibari was taken aback. If he remembered correctly, the Ninja Academy wasn't established until Tobirama became the Second, and Tsunade and Orochimaru were among its first students. Why was Tobirama already planning to set one up here?
Then again, maybe the things he'd done since arriving had influenced events.
In any case, Hibari had never expected that buying books for Orochimaru, along with that "massive sum of money" going missing, would draw Hashirama into the matter and end up accelerating the plans for the academy.
Coming back to himself, Hibari said, "That's a good idea. Why are you telling me this...? Don't tell me you want me to be a teacher? Sigh, I know I don't have the talent or virtue for it, but if you're really short on people, I suppose I could agree..."
Seeing him put on such a "humble" act made Tobirama and the Sarutobi father and son laugh.
"You do know your own limits," Tobirama said with a laugh. "So we weren't planning that. We've already spoken to Hiruzen, and he'll teach for a while."
"Then why are you telling me?" Hearing that he wasn't involved, Hibari actually felt a little disappointed.
Tobirama looked at Hibari, then at little Tsunade, who was crouching beside him and playing with the bear cubs.
Then he lowered his voice. "I was thinking that once the academy is up and running, you and Tsunade should attend as students too."
Hibari raised an eyebrow and was about to speak, but Tobirama lifted a hand to stop him.
"Let me finish. First, you and Tsunade represent the Senju Clan. Establishing the academy involves a lot of people and interests, so the Senju Clan needs to take the lead. Your Grandpa Sarutobi supports us too, which is why Hiruzen will be teaching."
Before you continue