Becoming a Ninja

Nai Hyuga, who was still spacing out, startled so badly that she nearly dropped the Forehead Protector in her hands.

"Yui, what are you doing..."

A tingling sensation spread from the other girl's palm, reaching deep into her heart.

Before Nai Hyuga could react, Yui had grabbed her and started pulling her along at a run.

"Yui, slow down," Nai Hyuga complained. "Stop shocking me with Lightning Release chakra!"

"It feels really strange."

Only after they had run out of the Ninja Academy did Yui stop.

"Hmph!" Nai Hyuga snorted, then turned her back on her.

"All right, all right, I'm sorry... I won't do it again." Yui begged for forgiveness with a pitiful look.

Hearing Yui's apology, Nai Hyuga finally cooled down a little.

"Mm... don't do that to me again..." Nai Hyuga told her. "Oh, Yui, where do you think I should wear this Forehead Protector?"

Yui thought about it.

"I'll wear mine on my forehead!" With that, Yui put on her Forehead Protector, neatly covering the Caged Bird Seal.

After some thought, Nai Hyuga decided to wear hers on her forehead too.

Holding the Forehead Protector in place, she struggled to reach behind her head with her two little hands and barely managed to tie a knot.

"Let's go, Yui." With that, Nai Hyuga walked ahead.

But she had only taken a few steps when the Forehead Protector fell off her head with a clatter.

"Pfft-hahaha!" Yui couldn't help laughing at the sight.

Nai Hyuga's face darkened at being laughed at.

"Ahem..." Seeing Nai Hyuga's expression growing darker, Yui shut her mouth.

Even teasing had its limits.

"Nai, let me help you!"

Walking behind Nai Hyuga, Yui picked up the Forehead Protector from the ground and gently tied it on for her.

Yui's breath tickled her.

"There... you look lovely..." Yui complimented Nai Hyuga as she looked at her.

"Mm, you look like a ninja now."

For some reason, hearing Yui's praise made Nai Hyuga's face burn.

She nodded.

"Mm, we're both ninjas now!"

"Oh, Yui..." Nai Hyuga said. "The clan head asked me to help train his two sons today, so I'll head back first!"

With that, Nai Hyuga turned and walked away.

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

Yui waved to her.

For some reason, after saying goodbye to her, Yui felt an odd unease, as though she was about to lose something.

Shaking her head to dispel that feeling, Yui thought back to what Nai Hyuga had just said.

The clan head's two sons?

Those should be the brothers Hyuga Hiashi and Hizashi.

"Ah... time really flies!"

After sighing, she headed in another direction.

Konoha Seventh Street.

Yui had bought a house with a basement on this street for sixty thousand ryo.

The money had come from her share of the profits from working with Shizhong Ji.

Just as the two of them had expected, Chakra Paper had made quite a bit of money after hitting the market.

But as time passed, the market gradually became saturated. With its limited uses, only the Ninja Academy still bought it in bulk.

Other ninjas would rather spend that money elsewhere.

So it no longer brought in much money.

She walked into the spacious basement. An incandescent light hung from the ceiling, flickering on and off.

"Ugh, why is this light acting up again?" Yui complained, then switched on the other lights in the laboratory.

The lights came on, bringing the entire laboratory into view.

A wide assortment of experimental tools lay on the table in the center of the laboratory.

Iron cages were stacked along all the walls.

These cages were filled with white lab mice.

Yes, Yui's ultimate goal was still immortality, but she wasn't going to jump straight into human experimentation like Orochimaru.

Yui had specially bred these lab mice, which had lifespans of less than a year.

Yet their genes were ninety percent similar to those of humans.

Achieving longevity in the ninja world shouldn't have been particularly difficult. Orochimaru's Living Corpse Reincarnation and Tsunade's Yin Seal could both offer alternative forms of longevity.

Yui was somewhat interested in Orochimaru's Living Corpse Reincarnation.

But Orochimaru hadn't developed that technique yet.

"Squeak, squeak-"

She took a special white mouse out of its cage.

This mouse had a blue-green mark on its forehead.

That was right-it was the mark of the Caged Bird Seal.

Originally, this mark couldn't be placed on a lab mouse.

But Yui had used the Blood Exchange Technique on it, transfusing her own blood into its body.

By fooling the Caged Bird Seal's bloodline detection, she had successfully applied the seal.

The drawback was that mice given this blood exchange could only survive for two days.

She secured the mouse to the operating table.

She put on gloves and picked up a scalpel.

Now she wanted to test whether she could cut off the Caged Bird Seal's ability to sense its host.

In the anime, the Caged Bird Seal had disappeared when Neji died.

She had therefore concluded that the way to remove the Caged Bird Seal was brain death.

But one thing troubled her: wouldn't she be dead too if her brain died?

She shook her head. That wouldn't work.

What if I could fool the Caged Bird Seal, just like when I put it on the mouse?

Then the Caged Bird Seal would think I was dead, and it would dissolve on its own.

With that thought, she got to work.

But how could I make it register a false death?

The Hokage's office building...

"This is the list of Genin graduating from the Ninja Academy this year, correct?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi asked the figure standing beside him with her head lowered.

"Yes, Headmaster... two of the children are particularly outstanding. Both are members of the Hyuga Clan," Yamada Hideko said.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded.

"All right, I'll assign an excellent jonin to lead their team."

"You may go now. I still have matters to attend to."

Only then did Yamada Hideko relax, stepping back to leave the office.

Knock, knock, knock-

Hearing the knock, Yamada Hideko stopped and looked toward the door.

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned. Could that fellow Danzo be here again?

At that thought, his voice grew low.

"Come in..."

The door opened. To his surprise, the visitor wasn't Danzo.

"Hyuga Clan Head..." Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a smile. "What a rare visitor, hahaha."

"Does the Hyuga Clan Head have something important to discuss?"

"Lord Third..." Hyuga Feng began hesitantly.

"You're here about those two children, aren't you?"

Although Hyuga Feng hadn't said it yet, Hiruzen Sarutobi had already guessed the purpose of his visit.

Hearing that he had come about those two children, Yamada Hideko stopped leaving and stood to the side to listen.

Hyuga Feng nodded silently, making no attempt to deny it.

"Hyuga Clan Head, rest assured! I'll certainly assign an excellent jonin to lead their team," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a smile.

Hyuga Feng shook his head.

"No..."

Seeing him refuse, Hiruzen Sarutobi was puzzled.

"What is it, Hyuga Clan Head? Are you dissatisfied with my arrangements?" Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression began to sour.

After a moment of thought, Hyuga Feng slowly spoke.

"No, I hope those two children can remain within the clan."