Come over for dinner sometime

Most of the murmurs around them expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict.

But some people thought the ruling was perfectly reasonable.

"Gua, do you think Orochimaru is a good person or a bad person?"

Izumi seemed to have finally recovered from her earlier emotions. She leaned close to Gua and asked.

"I don't know."

That was Gua's answer.

Only children asked whether someone was a good person or a bad person.

As someone who had lived two lives, he knew that good people could also be bad, and bad people could also be good. The world wasn't black and white, but a shade of gray.

A gray so suffocating it was hard to breathe.

"Everyone in the village says Orochimaru conducts human experiments and isn't a good person. He even captured you that day, so I think they're right."

Izumi's answer was very one-sided.

By her standards of judgment, more than half the shinobi world would have to be dragged out and executed.

And half of the rest locked up.

Gua said nothing and quietly idled away.

Whether the world is good or bad isn't my problem. I'm not a savior. Being able to take care of myself is already good enough.

Gua had originally thought an argument would break out here today.

At the very least, the villagers would protest the verdict, and the Third Hokage would argue in Orochimaru's defense.

After all that arguing, they would end up right back where they started and postpone the hearing.

The ultimate outcome would merely be the result of a private power struggle between the Third Hokage and Danzo.

But what happened next surprised Gua.

Many of the "victims" spoke up for Orochimaru.

"Lord Orochimaru is a good person!"

"I used to be a shinobi with a crippled leg. I thought that was as far as I'd ever get, but Lord Orochimaru modified my bad leg and gave me a chance to go further! All he took was two tubes of my blood!"

"That's right! I support Lord Orochimaru too! Lord Orochimaru is innocent!"

"The Uchiha framed Lord Orochimaru!"

"It's all because of the evil Uchiha!"

"These are all false accusations!"

Shocked, Gua turned to look over the people speaking up for Orochimaru...

Are you sure these aren't planted supporters?

And you're throwing mud at us Uchiha at a time like this?

Gua was utterly speechless.

Whenever anything bad happened, they had to think of the Uchiha.

Whether there was a problem or not, they dragged the Uchiha out to take the blame.

We Uchiha haven't done anything to you, have we?

Even if you genuinely support Orochimaru, you should have seen that our clan head didn't kick him while he was down. Isn't that enough?

And you turn around and stab us Uchiha in the back...

These damned Konoha troublemakers!

They're absolutely infuriating!

If I ever become Hokage, I'll make sure the Uchiha can hold their heads high!

But Gua couldn't get a word in at that moment, and he didn't have much to say anyway.

Let them do whatever they want.

In the end, public opinion of Orochimaru successfully turned around.

Still, to appease those furious with him, Orochimaru was ultimately expelled from the Konoha High Command altogether.

He also became a prisoner.

Essentially, he was placed under house arrest.

The Third Hokage made the final decision. Although Utatane Koharu was dissatisfied, she had no choice but to accept it.

She hadn't expected Orochimaru to command such prestige in Konoha.

What she still couldn't understand was why those captured shinobi were speaking up for Orochimaru now that they had been rescued.

Yes, Orochimaru hadn't gone so far as to kill them outright.

But he had drawn their blood and taken tissue samples directly from their bodies.

Those things had really happened!

What on earth were those ignorant fools thinking?

Although Orochimaru confessed quickly, the noisy trial still took the entire morning.

Only after Orochimaru was escorted back did the villagers gradually disperse.

After spending the whole morning enjoying the drama, they all left satisfied.

As for what actually happened to Orochimaru...

Not many people cared.

Gua was also ready to leave and find his mother, Nai, but when he turned and looked around, she was already nowhere to be seen.

Did she leave that fast?

Gua was puzzled.

Just then, Izumi cautiously tugged at his sleeve from behind.

Gua looked at her in confusion.

Izumi pointed behind him.

Gua followed her finger and saw Fugaku standing amid the crowd, looking at him.

Beside Fugaku stood Itachi, a tiny little figure.

Itachi was looking at him too.

Gua had intended to leave without stopping, but now that their eyes had met, he had to go over and say hello.

"Clan Head Fugaku. Itachi."

Gua walked over to them and greeted them politely.

Itachi smiled and nodded.

Fugaku's face betrayed no particular emotion, but it wasn't tense either. He looked somewhat relaxed.

"Gua, come over to our house sometime when you're free."

Huh?

Gua froze.

Is that really something Fugaku would say?

You're not setting a trap for me, are you?

Then you'll accuse me of distracting your son from his studies and put on a sword dance with murder in mind...

I'm just a little kid. There's no need...

Gua raised his head and studied Fugaku's expression. He looked solemn and sincere, not as though he was joking.

Itachi leaned close to Gua's ear and whispered, "Dad's been really different lately~"

Gua looked at Itachi, then back at Clan Head Fugaku.

After a moment of silence, he nodded.

"Okay."

He couldn't figure out why Fugaku had suddenly changed, but he wasn't the sort to obsess over things either.

It's just a polite invitation, anyway.

An invitation like "come over for dinner sometime" was no different from "I'll treat you to a meal another day." Which day was "another day"? When exactly was "sometime"?

It was all vague talk.

After they exchanged pleasantries, Fugaku left with Itachi.

Watching Fugaku walk away holding Itachi's hand, Gua felt a little dazed.

They look like a loving father and a devoted son, no matter how you look at it.

How could they...

Gua truly couldn't understand it.

What he didn't know was that the tiny flutter of a butterfly's wings had already triggered an enormous tsunami.

"Gua, what did Clan Head Fugaku say to you?"

Only then did Izumi run over.

She had genuinely been scared just now. Clan Head Fugaku wore a stern expression every day, as though everyone owed him millions.

Never mind children-even ordinary adults were intimidated by him.

"He said I could go over to his house for dinner sometime."

Gua told her honestly.

Izumi instantly remembered what Gua's mother, Uchiha Nai, had said earlier: "Come over for dinner sometime. I learned my cooking from your mother, you know~~"

Izumi immediately felt awful.

Aaaaaah!!

How could I make a mistake like that?!

Izumi wailed inwardly.

But the terrible mistake had already been made. There was nothing she could do.

"Gua, do you have anything to do later?"

Izumi suddenly asked.

They were supposed to have classes today, but because Orochimaru was standing trial, they had been given the day off.

So when Izumi asked that question, she was already certain Gua had nothing to do.

If Gua's mother hadn't left, she might still have been a little nervous. But now that his mother was gone, she would lose her chance if she didn't ask.

Gua had turned her down on every previous day off.

This time was a good opportunity.

At Izumi's question, Gua thought about it. He really didn't seem to have anything to do.

According to his usual routine, he would be at school or idling at home at this hour.

Today's joint hearing for Orochimaru had slightly disrupted his routine.

"No."

"Then let's go get Three-Color Dango together! My treat!"

Izumi tilted her head and blinked at Gua.

Gua: ...

By his count, since he had first tasted Three-Color Dango after starting school just over a month ago, Izumi had invited him into town to eat it seven times.

She brought him Three-Color Dango every day too-more than thirty servings already!

No matter how good it tasted, that was too much.

You're practically the goddess of Three-Color Dango!

Gua ranted wildly in his mind.

But his face betrayed nothing, remaining calm throughout.

"Okay."

He merely nodded politely, as he always did.

"Let's go, let's go, let's go!!!"

Unable to hide the excitement on her face, Izumi pushed Gua toward the little shopping street in town.

"Look, look, look!"

"Dashan! Hurry, look!! Didn't I tell you? Our son's really going places!"

Behind a small house, Uchiha Nai and Uchiha Oyama hid together, secretly watching the scene. When she saw Izumi whisk their son away, Nai excitedly jabbed Oyama's arm.

"Ow, ow, ow~"

"I see them!"

Uchiha Oyama couldn't suppress his smile either.

"What did I tell you? My secrets to picking up girls still work!"

"Oh, stop bragging. Our son only brought her a packed lunch once!"

"Hey! Once is enough if she's interested. If she isn't, even a hundred times won't work!"

"Sounds like you've got plenty of experience~?"

Noticing the change in his dear wife's expression, Dashan's face twitched.

"I, I, I was just talking nonsense..."

"Ow, ow~ Stop hitting me~ I was wrong~"