What? Not What You Expected?

Hibari's eyes lit up, and he hurried closer. "Second Grandpa, you mean...?"

"Count yourself lucky, brat." Tobirama snorted. "The village had a lot on its plate before. You know how efficient your Grandpa Hashirama was at handling official business. And with all the other villages stirring up trouble, I was running myself ragged. How could I find time to train you personally?"

He paused, his tone softening. "But things have settled down a lot now. Thanks to your Grandpa Hashirama's little... 'performance' at the Five Kage Summit, we should be able to maintain peace for a while.

"I've got less on my plate, too. Starting today, if you're serious about learning the principles behind ninjutsu, you can study under me.

"And we'll sort out that problem of yours while we're at it—" Tobirama said, his brows knitting again. "A man of the Senju Clan who can't use Water Release or swim?

"What kind of nonsense is that? How are we supposed to hold our heads up around those Uchihas?"

"Got it! You're right, Second Grandpa. Let's fix my problem first. Then I'll drop by the Uchiha Clan one of these days and beat up every one of those little so-called prodigies in their generation!

"I've got to show them that the strongest clan is still the Senju!" Hibari was so delighted at Tobirama's agreement that he nearly jumped for joy.

At that, Tobirama frowned and rapped Hibari on the head. "You're still a kid, and you've already got no filter..."

But then he started laughing himself. "Still, you're not wrong. Those 'prodigies' really are a bunch of little brats who need a good beating. Hibari, remember this: you can lose to anyone but them. Understand?"

"Don't you worry!" Hibari grinned, rubbing his head. "I'm the top kid in the third generation of the Senju Clan. How could I let down the 'Forest Senju'?"

It was strange. Tobirama's prejudice against the Uchiha Clan ran deep, and he'd been drilling it into Hibari since he was little.

Hibari didn't mind, though. At first, he'd wondered if Second Grandpa was taking things too seriously, but then he'd run into a few of those so-called Uchiha prodigies... Good grief, they all acted like their eyes were on top of their heads.

That was when he finally understood why they were so unbelievably unpopular.

At least when it came to character, the Uchiha Clan's upbringing left a lot to be desired. Maybe they'd need to truly integrate into the village and spend a few more years there before they could raise decent people like Shisui Uchiha and Uchiha Itachi.

Tobirama was clearly pleased with Hibari's attitude. He nodded and said, "There are only two of you in the third generation: you and Tsunade. The little girl is still playing in the dirt, so your self-appointed title of 'top kid' is pretty accurate.

"But..." His tone shifted, and anticipation showed in his eyes. "I believe you won't let me down.

"Come on. Let's head back and record that Rasengan of yours on the clan scroll, so everyone can know that I, Senju Tobirama, have a grandson as clever as I am."

Tobirama had several private rooms in the Senju estate. Whenever Hibari had tried to sneak in for a look, he'd been stopped at the door.

So he'd always figured Second Grandpa used those rooms for all kinds of strange experiments or to develop new jutsu.

Today was the first time Hibari had followed Tobirama into this private room in the depths of the estate. Before they went in, he'd imagined all sorts of things, but once the door opened, the room wasn't nearly as frightening as he'd expected.

There were no experimental corpses floating in jars of liquid, nor any ominous surgical instruments.

Instead, the room had a scholarly feel. Two neat rows of bookshelves stood against the walls, filled with texts that looked incredibly profound. The shelves around the room also held stacks of scrolls.

A wooden desk sat in the middle, covered with several notebooks and some unfinished jutsu formulas written on scrolls.

"Huh... So this is what it looks like in here." Hibari rubbed his chin and muttered.

Tobirama, who was walking ahead, opened a window to air out the room. Hearing that, he turned around with a crooked smile. "What? Not what you expected?"

Hibari pulled out a chair by the desk and sat down without ceremony, grinning. "Not quite, Second Grandpa."

Tobirama sat down behind the desk just as casually and leafed through his notes, as if trying to remember where he'd left off. Without looking up, he asked, "What did you think the room would be like?"

"Well..." Hibari scratched his head. "Maybe with some experimental equipment, jars with corpses floating in them, scary medical tools hanging on the walls,

"and a few bloodstains someone hadn't cleaned up properly... Anyway, it'd be a lot more gloomy than your cozy little 'study,' Second Grandpa."

Tobirama froze for a moment, then burst out laughing. "You little rascal. By that description, I'd be some kind of villain? You've been talking about your second grandpa like that behind my back?"

Hibari gave an awkward chuckle. As far as he knew, only two people were obsessed with developing ninjutsu and conducting experiments: his own Second Grandpa and Orochimaru, the "pioneer of science" from the future.

And Orochimaru's lab really did look just like the one Hibari had described. It was no wonder he'd assumed Tobirama's room would be much the same.

But before Hibari could reply, Tobirama stopped.

He looked Hibari over, then spoke slowly. "You've got quite the imagination for such a little head. But this is just a study for writing and drawing. How could I let it turn into that kind of mess? Still..."

He paused and leaned forward slightly, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Hibari, do you think your Second Grandpa might actually have... the kind of laboratory you imagined?"

Hibari stared at him in surprise. His usually stoic, upright Second Grandpa now had an indescribable look on his face, and even the air around them seemed to grow heavier.

That was right. The man before him had created Impure World Reincarnation. For decades to come, the entire Shinobi World would revolve around that jutsu. It was no exaggeration to say that one man had changed the world.

And Hibari knew full well that Impure World Reincarnation required living sacrifices. Could Tobirama's hands have stayed clean while working on it?

Could someone who developed a jutsu like that really be without a proper, sinister laboratory? The answer was obvious: of course he had one!

But when Hibari looked up at his second grandpa's sharply defined features, he felt reassured.

Even if Second Grandpa had taken lives, they couldn't have been innocent people. They were probably the worst scum imaginable, and they'd deserved what they got in his hands.

That set him apart completely from the future Orochimaru, who had no qualms about anything. Second Grandpa had a line he wouldn't cross.

At the thought, Hibari's lips curled into a smile much like Tobirama's. He was young, but there was already something knowing in that smile.

"I'm sure you do, Second Grandpa." His tone was calm, but his words seemed beyond his years. "What kind of progress comes without a price?

"So many things that look bright and beautiful are built on the backs of dirty work that ordinary people couldn't stomach. But that work itself isn't good or evil. It's the people who do it who decide that."

He paused, then met Senju Tobirama's eyes, his own full of trust. "And I've never doubted why you got involved in things like that, Second Grandpa. That's why I want to learn from you—to give you a hand and broaden my own horizons."

Tobirama didn't answer. He simply stared into Hibari's eyes in silence. After a long while, he gave a quiet snort.

"Hmph. You're just a kid, but you've got a whole speech ready." He pursed his lips, sounding as casual as if they were talking about dinner. "It's not that complicated. Darkness, good and evil... none of that has anything to do with it. When you get right down to it... it's just a hobby."

Before Hibari could say anything else, he pointed behind the desk, where a long couch stood.

"Take off your armor and lie down over there," Tobirama ordered. "I'll check if anything's changed in your body lately."

Since Second Grandpa had spoken, Hibari had no choice but to drop the subject. Besides, he really was concerned about his "problem." At the mention of an examination, he got up at once, went around the long desk, and headed for the couch.

He didn't notice that when he brushed past Tobirama, the older man's perpetually stern lips curved ever so slightly. His usually calm eyes also softened for once.

After Hibari took off his Black Layered Armor and folded it neatly on the tea table nearby, Tobirama came over. As soon as Hibari lay down, Tobirama yanked open the collar of his undershirt and placed a hand directly on his shoulder.

A warm stream of chakra flowed into him.

"Second Grandpa, this undershirt's made of brocade. It's comfortable, and it's expensive!" Hibari grumbled, distressed by the torn collar. "Could you be a little gentler next time? Where am I supposed to get another one if you tear it?"

Tobirama almost laughed at how stingy he was.

"What are you mumbling about?" he said irritably. "Where did you get the money to buy this stuff? Didn't you wheedle it out of Hashirama and me? Technically, we bought it in the first place. You don't have to pay us back if it gets torn!"

"You're not being very considerate for a grandpa!"

Hibari wriggled on the couch, quick with his retort. "You should learn from Great-uncle Hashirama and the way he spoils Princess Tsunade. Couldn't you spare me a little of that? Besides,

"Great-uncle Hashirama's money all went to the gambling parlors along with Tsunade,

"and you spend all your money on weird experimental materials. How much could you possibly give me?

"I bought this brocade with the pocket money I finally managed to wheedle out of Grandma Mito! If you tear it, I'll go tell Grandma Mito!"

Tobirama gave a snort, then suddenly increased the pressure of his hand.

"You've already had more than enough of the good life, as a man of the Senju Clan." He spoke slowly, his chakra changing from gentle to surging. "If I spoil you any more, you'll be floating up in the sky. Go ahead and complain. Hibari, don't forget who's got you in their grasp right now."

"Ow, ow, ow—!" Hibari grimaced in pain. "And you call me stingy? Second Grandpa, you're way too vindictive!"

"I'm teaching you a lesson." Tobirama looked at his scrunched-up face, his tone a little gentler. "Don't talk back to someone who's got you by the short and curlies. Got it?"

With that, he eased off. His chakra receded, and he lifted his hand.

But Tobirama's brows were still furrowed. He stared at Hibari for a long while before speaking. "Strange. Your body's perfectly healthy. There's not a thing wrong with it, and your vitality's as strong as a little Tailed Beast.

"But..." He paused. "Your soul's still the same as before, obscure and hard to read, exactly as it was the last time I examined you. I'm afraid that's why you can't..."