"Become... a real girl?" Yu's words seemed to open the door to a new world for Haku.
"Yes."
"Then everyone will stop laughing at me and play with me?" Haku's thoughts were utterly innocent.
"That's right."
"Then... what do I have to do?"
"Come with me. I'll take you somewhere." Yu took Haku's little hand.
The ages of the relevant shinobi needed to be sorted out.
It was now late summer of Dark Hidden Year 12.
Naruto and Sasuke Uchiha had both been born in Dark Hidden Year 1. Ordinarily, they would both have been twelve years old, but the five years spent in Double-Moon Space had accelerated their growth by four and a half years. Naruto and Sasuke were now both sixteen and a half.
Xue was one year younger than them and was now fifteen and a half.
As for Haku, she should have been three years older than Naruto. Yet now, she was instead a year and a half younger, making her exactly fifteen years old—the age of a budding young maiden.
Dark Hidden Life Sciences Experimental Base.
Orochimaru was observing and recording a set of experimental data.
"When touching Anko's sensitive areas, the secretion of dopamine and hormones in our brains both reached unprecedented levels. The time is ripe for the final stage of the experiment. Hmm, next year is the Year of the Snake. Having a little snake baby wouldn't be bad..."
—Ding-dong!
Just then, the bell rang.
Orochimaru glanced at the surveillance feed, set down the experimental data, and pressed a button.
Bang! The experimental base's main doors opened.
Several minutes later, Yu led Haku before Orochimaru.
Orochimaru's voice remained hoarse. "Ah, Yu-kun, this child looks rather familiar..."
Yu said, "Haku. You met her a few years ago too."
Orochimaru suddenly recalled. "Oh, the