Gengetsu watched Setsuna emerge from the settlement's changing room.
The corner of his eye began twitching uncontrollably.
He opened his mouth, hesitated for a long while, then finally squeezed out a question:
"Are you really going to dress like that?"
"What's wrong with how I'm dressed?"
Setsuna sounded utterly justified. He casually tucked the loose strands of his wig behind his ear.
Setsuna wore a white top and red hakama, with a medium-length black wig tied into a high ponytail behind his head. It was as standard a shrine maiden outfit as you could get.
But paired with Setsuna's smug expression-half-lidded eyes showing white beneath the irises, slightly downturned lips, and his habitually raised chin-honestly, he looked like a debt collector.
Whichever way you looked at him, something felt off.
Gengetsu rubbed his temples, feeling that his mental resilience was being severely tested today.
Still, he had to admit that Setsuna's delicate little face, inherited from the Uchiha, did a great deal for the look.
Fair skin, a pointed chin, a straight nose, and even long eyelashes.
If his eyes hadn't looked so fierce, his features alone really did give him something of the air of a spoiled young lady with a bad temper.
"Why dress like a shrine maiden?" Gengetsu asked.
An exceedingly faint trace of embarrassment flashed across Setsuna's face.
"None of your business."
Was he supposed to explain that this was a character from the adult Setsuna card's recruitment animation? That it was the design of the wife the game developers had assigned to the unfairly maligned Setsuna?
Although he had no wife in the original story, that hadn't stopped the developers from forcing a romantic pairing on him to boost sales.
Perhaps once the original creators loosened their supervision, that new card art would finally arrive.
Setsuna didn't even know her name, but that didn't stop him from thinking the girl was pretty.
In a game where every female character wore the same standard-issue ninja vest, that white top and red hakama beside a waterfall, sleeves fluttering in the breeze, really did have a feel unlike any other character.
Only, on a pretty girl, the shrine maiden outfit made her an ethereal beauty. On the short, stubby, five-and-a-half-year-old Setsuna, it was an entirely different story.
Gengetsu sighed and asked, "Have you decided on a name?"
Setsuna nodded. "Your family seems to use moon-related names, so I've decided. I'll be-Sailor Moon!"
Setsuna struck a deliberately cute pose.
"In the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"
He had looked odd enough before, but the moment he struck that pose, the incongruity became overwhelming.
Any player who used Setsuna would have immediately complained, "What is this, Rei Hino's iconic look paired with Sailor Moon's line and pose? That's way too jarring!"
Setsuna, however, thought it worked perfectly. He was descended from Princess Kaguya, after all. There was nothing wrong with saying he had come down from the moon.
Punishing you in the name of the moon = euthanizing you with Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Yep, exactly the same!
Setsuna nodded firmly.
Gengetsu knew none of these references, but he rolled his eyes so hard they nearly reached the sky.
Still, since Setsuna did look fairly pretty dressed as a girl, Gengetsu reluctantly accepted this shrine maiden "little sister."
The reception room at the Hagoromo Second Settlement was a wooden cabin hastily prepared for the purpose.
Sarutobi Sasuke stood at the entrance, chatting with the settlement's welcoming ninja.
He had dark skin, a neatly trimmed short beard along his jaw, and sharply defined features, but his eyes were unexpectedly gentle. When he smiled, a few faint lines gathered at their corners.
One glance was enough to make him seem approachable.
This was Sarutobi Sasuke, leader of the Sarutobi Clan. The most renowned intermediary of the Warring States era, he had turned countless sworn enemies into allies, while countless pieces of intelligence passed through his fingers.
The man before him fit the word "hero" better than Setsuna had imagined.
Setsuna silently assessed him. He looks more like Asuma Sarutobi.
Then he rolled his eyes inwardly.
What kind of idiotic observation is "the grandfather looks like his grandson"?
"Gengetsu, it's been a while." Sarutobi Sasuke's voice was deep and resonant. "Has Lord Shōgatsu not come?"
"Lord Shōgatsu is still in a meeting. He instructed me to welcome our honored guests first." Gengetsu bowed slightly, respectful without being servile. "This is my younger sister, Sailor Moon."
Sarutobi Sasuke's gaze settled on Setsuna. "Gengetsu, I had no idea you had such an adorable little sister."
Gengetsu's expression didn't change. "My sister is frail and often ill. Lord Shōgatsu said staying cooped up indoors was bad for her health, so he let her come out for a walk."
Sarutobi Sasuke was rather surprised that Hagoromo Gengetsu had brought his younger sister along.
His intelligence had never mentioned such a princess in the Hagoromo family.
But girls like her were generally raised in seclusion, so it wasn't particularly strange.
This time, however, he had brought his eldest son, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was about the same age as the princess. They could keep each other company and pass the tedious time.
"Father."
A childish voice came from behind Sarutobi Sasuke.
Only then did Setsuna notice the little figure hidden behind that tall man.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was six this year, a few months older than Setsuna. He was small and thin, with messy short dark-brown hair sticking out in all directions and round, bright eyes that made it obvious he wasn't the quiet type.
There was none of the future Professor's composure about him. He looked like a little monkey.
Perhaps deciding that hiding behind his father was too embarrassing, he darted out to one side.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi, heir to the Sarutobi Clan."
Imitating his father, he bowed to Gengetsu.
Gengetsu returned the bow. "There's no need for such formalities, young heir."
Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed out his chest, about to deliver a few more polite lines his father had taught him, when a ball of white fur appeared on his shoulder.
A palm-sized white ape perched there, his fur snowy white and fluffy. He reached out a tiny paw, grabbed Hiruzen's ear, and chattered.
"Stop fooling around!" Hiruzen tilted his head, scrambling to catch the little monkey scampering over his shoulders. "This is a formal occasion!"
The little monkey paid no attention. He slid down Hiruzen's arm, then leaped onto his head and bared his teeth at Setsuna from his lofty perch.
The Sarutobi Clan had a century-old contract with the white apes.
As a member of the main line, Hiruzen had naturally signed the contract from an early age.
Setsuna's eyes lit up.
This was the future Enma-Hiruzen Sarutobi's summon, the indestructible Monkey King from the game who could shove the Nine-Tails back several steps.
But now he was only palm-sized, perched on his little master's shoulder like a moving ball of cotton candy.
Setsuna listened to Sarutobi Sasuke and Gengetsu exchange pleasantries.
As he had expected, it was nothing but polite conversation.
Sarutobi Sasuke was clearly waiting for Shōgatsu. Without Shōgatsu present, this seasoned intelligence broker wouldn't reveal anything of value.
Both sides were shrewd operators. Only six-year-old Hiruzen Sarutobi was still a tender sprout.
Setsuna's gaze settled on the little boy with short dark-brown hair, and a plan began to form.
Six-year-old Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't yet the airtight Professor, the Third Hokage he would become. Even ordinary conversation might draw out plenty of information.
But playing a cute little girl wasn't his style...
Setsuna raised his chin slightly and asked haughtily, "Hey, does your Sarutobi Clan really have friends everywhere?"
The boy took the bait as soon as he heard the challenge. "Of course! My father is sworn brothers with the leaders of lots of ninja clans."
Setsuna glanced toward the Senju camp. "What about the Senju clan leader, then? Is Lord Sasuke his sworn brother too?"
Before Hiruzen could answer, Setsuna gave a disdainful snort. "He's a powerful man known as the God of Shinobi. How could he possibly become sworn brothers with just anyone?"
"It's true!"
Setsuna covered half his face with a fan and rolled his eyes. "Do you have proof? I don't believe you."
Hiruzen grew anxious. "Just a few days ago, my father and-"
"Hiruzen," Sarutobi Sasuke interrupted.
Only then did Hiruzen realize he had said too much.
Setsuna didn't need to hear any more.
Judging by Sarutobi Sasuke's reaction, Hashirama Senju was already in the camp.
Then why aren't the Senju having Hashirama act?
Could it be... Setsuna narrowed his eyes and sneered inwardly.
Are they waiting for Madara Uchiha to act?
If Madara Uchiha intervened and forced the Hagoromo to sign a ceasefire treaty, first, the Uchiha would have no moral standing with either side. If they could use force to pressure even their own relatives by marriage, their allies would inevitably grow wary.
Second, the treaty's terms would certainly be drafted in haste, and given Tobirama Senju's style, he would inevitably plant traps in them.
With Madara pressuring the Hagoromo to sign, their room to negotiate would keep shrinking. He would instead become an accomplice to the Senju, driving an unremovable wedge between the Uchiha and the Hagoromo and creating a rift between them.
Then Hashirama Senju could come forward to make peace and concede a few benefits, and the Hagoromo would naturally praise the Senju's magnanimity.
This was also a tactic the Senju habitually used.
Setsuna had seen it laid out clearly in discussion threads on the players' game forum. All of it had been thoroughly analyzed.
But now Madara Uchiha hadn't appeared directly on the battlefield to overpower the enemy, meaning he hadn't fallen into this trap. Setsuna wanted to see what other moves the Senju had without that old routine.
Setsuna's gaze swept briefly over Sarutobi Sasuke.
Even if the Sarutobi were a neutral clan, they had received considerable help from the Senju over the years. It was only natural for them to favor the Senju.
But couldn't that also be an opening?
He furrowed his brows fiercely, resentment showing in his eyes. "What a shame that someone as remarkable as the Senju clan leader is an enemy of the Hagoromo. And yet the Uchiha, our relatives by marriage, refuse to help us. Who knows what that Asura of the Ninja World is so busy with?"
Gengetsu froze for a moment at those words. Isn't Madara already in the Hagoromo Clan Territory? What story are you trying to spin about your clan leader now?
But a single look from Setsuna immediately told Gengetsu what he intended: feed Sarutobi false information, confuse him, and have him pass the wrong intelligence to the Senju.
Only a small circle knew that Madara Uchiha had come to the Hagoromo. The Uchiha would never disclose his whereabouts, and this time he hadn't made a grand entrance into the battle between the Hagoromo and Senju. Instead, he had quietly entered the clan territory, so naturally, even among the Hagoromo, this information remained a closely held secret.
As Shōgatsu's deputy, Gengetsu did have some sense for these things.
Gengetsu sighed and picked up the thread. "Perhaps, having only recently obtained the rights to Shimotsuke from the Senju, they feel closer to them than to us. Who cares about marriage ties when interests are at stake?"
Setsuna glanced at Sarutobi Sasuke, but found not the slightest doubt on his face. Inwardly, he cursed the old fox. His son had nearly let something slip, and he had cut him off on the spot. An ordinary person would have shown at least a hint of a crack, but this Sarutobi clan leader's face hadn't budged. Even the smile lines at the corners of his eyes retained their exact curve. He hadn't taken the bait at all. His cunning was so deep it made Setsuna's teeth itch.
Setsuna lowered his eyelids and turned his wrist slightly. His fan snapped open with a rustle, ready to conceal half his face with that elegant, affected gesture before he rolled his eyes to express his contempt for the old fox.
Before the fan could rise before his eyes, a sudden chill swept across the top of his head.
Setsuna whipped his head around. At some point, the palm-sized white ape had slipped behind him.
Chattering strangely, he held the wig high like a trophy.
Without the wig to cover it, Setsuna's smooth, bald head was exposed in all its glory before everyone present.
Before you continue