He Became Her

"Who knew? It was lucky enough to escape with my life. Good thing I didn't call Ao over beforehand, or the Byakugan I worked so hard to obtain would have been reclaimed by Konoha Ninja."

At this, Karatachi Yagura gritted his teeth in hatred. A dignified Fourth Mizukage had actually fallen under the Genjutsu of some brat.

If word of this battle got out, how was he supposed to keep his footing in the Bloody Mist Village? How was he supposed to uphold the will of the Third Mizukage? Damn it!

Meanwhile, at the edge of the Land of Water, in a village blanketed by snow all year round.

The hardworking, kind-hearted man, his clothes covered in patches, wore a broad smile and brimmed with energy as he prepared to give his one-year-old child some much-needed nourishment.

Inside the shabby little house, the delicate-featured woman looked at the child in her arms, her heart heavy with worry.

"Will this child inherit it too... No, absolutely not. Please, don't inherit that cursed power, Haku..."

Bang!

The door swung open. Wind and snow swept in like blades, making the black cloak snap loudly as the woman shielded the child behind her.

"Who are you? A ninja?"

"Is this the child? I may have to trouble you to sleep for a while. I need to make a slight adjustment to that child's fate."

The intricate Mangekyō shifted in an instant, and the woman who met its gaze lost focus, falling into a Genjutsu she could not escape.

"Let me witness your power. Bloom, Kyoka Suigetsu."

At some point, an invisible force within the Book of Vermilion Moon had formed into a barrier, enveloping the entire house.

Clear azure radiance fell from the ancient bamboo scroll in his hand onto the child, before finally fading away without a trace.

Countless streams of Natural Energy surged into the Book of Vermilion Moon, causing the Natural Energy in the area to churn like raging waves, as though filling some unknown void.

After a long while, Huayue looked around, scrutinizing the child from head to toe with a suspicious expression.

"That's it? What exactly happened?"

After a moment of silence, Huayue stepped forward and picked up the child. The instant he extended his senses slightly, his entire body froze.

"This child is... Wait, I remember she was supposed to be a he just now. Could it be that the Book of Vermilion Moon's power is..."

He stood as if struck by lightning. Even when Huayue left, the image of that moment remained lodged in his mind, impossible to shake.

"He... became her? What exactly happened? And this feeling..."

The water glowed blue, casting out a shimmering azure light. Within the inner world, the emaciated Black Nine-Tails glared furiously at Huayue with eyes as large as carriages.

"Damn Uchiha brat, what the hell did you do? What was that power just now? Why did it suck away so much of This Lord's chakra? Are you trying to destroy this world?!"

"Quit yapping! How would I know? I only opened the Book of Vermilion Moon's barrier and casually changed a few established facts. Who knew it would consume your chakra?"

Every strand of fur standing on end, the bristling fox immediately roared.

"This Lord knew it, this has to be connected to you, brat! Damn it, do you know what it feels like to be forced to vomit when you don't want to?!"

"Brat this, brat that—you're driving me insane. Looking for a fight, Orange pig?"

"You evil brat, today This Lord will show you what true terror is! Tailed Beast Bomb!"

Three minutes later, the bruised and battered Black Nine-Tails wore an extremely strange expression after hearing the explanation.

"You bastard, not only did you send This Lord's chakra somewhere strange, you even turned someone into a woman. Is this... ah, right, a raising simulator?"

Countless Potato Chips as large as carriages made crisp crunching sounds between sharp fangs, occasionally accompanied by the bubbling fizzy drink. The Black Nine-Tails's skeletal body gradually filled out again.

"No one will think you're mute if you don't talk. Even food can't shut that mouth of yours. I only wanted to try it out—who knew he'd become her? The Book of Vermilion Moon's power is definitely more than this."

His eyes flickered. Draining nearly half of the Nine-Tails's chakra had thrown the Natural Energy around that village into chaos, and the effect had indeed been astonishing. Even now, Huayue had yet to recover from the shock.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, This Lord believes you. You definitely wouldn't be swayed by beauty. A cold, heartless ninja who uses eye techniques to create women's underwear and is interested in women older than himself... Bwahahaha!"

Halfway through, even the Black Nine-Tails could no longer hold it in and burst into laughter, its fox tails swishing wildly behind it.

"Say one more word, and I'll use the Book of Vermilion Moon to turn you into a vixen. Let's see if you can still laugh then."

The laughter stopped abruptly. The Black Nine-Tails looked wary as it instinctively took several steps back. It really was a little afraid of that kind of threat.

Regaining control over his body, Huayue gazed into the distance. The chakra mark on that child was clearly visible to him.

"No matter how fiercely the flames of war burn, they will eventually be extinguished when the fuel runs out. Is this war about to end as well?"

Elsewhere, within Konoha.

"Minato, I'll leave this matter to you. You must guide him onto the right path. I'm counting on you."

Inside the Hokage's Office, Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke solemnly, while Namikaze Minato looked deeply puzzled.

"Uchiha Huayue... Isn't this child Orochimaru-sensei's disciple? Why do you want me to teach him?"

His eyes lowered. The traces found on the study ceiling, the clues caught by the Telescope Technique—Sarutobi Hiruzen truly did not want to suspect his prized student, but...

"In any case, I'll leave it to you. I'll speak with Orochimaru myself. With him by your side, he should be able to help quite a bit."

Thinking of that fearless youth from their first meeting, with his contempt for authority, Namikaze Minato felt a headache coming on. This problem seemed even more difficult than he had imagined.

"Yes, I understand."

"Speak of him, and he returns? This mission was completed successfully as well. Uchiha Huayue is truly an outstanding child, though he still has some way to go before becoming an outstanding ninja."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's sigh left Namikaze Minato with no choice but to smile along. Inside the crystal ball, the figure followed behind several captured Konoha Ninja, occasionally raising his head to look toward the crystal ball.

"What a... perceptive child. Perhaps this will be interesting."

Meanwhile, having noticed the Telescope Technique spying on him, Huayue's mouth twitched as he inwardly grumbled.

Come to think of it, does that lecherous old man, the Third Hokage, also use this technique to peep on hot spring baths all the time? It's not impossible.

His thoughts ran wild. When he casually looked back, an inexplicable smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

"Yo, Kakashi-senpai, you've got yourself a fine eye!"