The Hyuga compound was suddenly teeming with shinobi. Word was that the Hokage had sent them to investigate Hyuga Nin'o's murder.
The most conspicuous among them was a blond man sporting the Yamanaka clan crest on his jacket.
Shinji had no real reason to worry. The clan was keeping the stolen‑Byakugan incident under wraps, which meant the investigation would never trace back to him, and, truthfully, it had nothing to do with him anyway.
Ayari rushed into his house yet again, her face clouded with worry.
"Shinji, I heard they postponed your surgery…"
She looked as though she feared he might start brooding.
"Mhm. The elders said something came up. They'll decide once Lord Hiashi gets back."
Shinji answered calmly. He was reading, the only pastime left to him. He'd already finished the family's meager book collection, and he'd flipped through that atlas of acupoints so many times the pages were fraying.
Ayari felt his reaction was… off. She hesitated. "Are you really okay?"
"What could be wrong with me? I'll be fully healed soon," Shinji replied.
In her mind, even if he didn't lash out, he should at least look discouraged. Yet here he was, sprawled on the sofa in perfect ease.
She sat down across from him, eyeing the book in his hand. "You've been stuck on that one for days."
"Just brushinig up." Suddenly Shinji sat bolt upright and fixed Ayari with an intense stare.
"W‑what?" Ayari stiffened.
"Big Sis Ayari, let me see your hand." He'd pored over those diagrams countless times, but never had a chance to test anything.
After a moment's pause, Ayari slowly extended her arm.
Shinji took it without the slightest reserve, rolling her sleeve up to reveal smooth, pale skin.
Ayari shifted uneasily. "What are you trying to do?"
Shinji's fingers traced lightly along her forearm as though searching for something. The way he moved made her think he was about to stick a needle in.
"This point should be Tàiyuān, right?" he asked, tapping a spot near her wrist.
Ayari fell silent for a breath, then nodded. "Yes."
"A solid strike here would stop you from forming seals, you couldn't use ninjutsu at all," Shinji went on.
Ayari sighed, then took his hand and nudged it a hair's breadth to one side. "The chakra pathways are incredibly fine. You have to be precise, without the Byakugan you can't see them."
Now she thought she understood.
The kid's gone half‑mad, she realized. Is he really planning to use Gentle Fist without the Byakugan?
"Shinji." She clasped his hand, eyes soft with concern. "There's no need for this. The war will be over soon, and once Lord Hiashi comes back everything will be sorted out. For now, just stay home, pretend you're not a Shinobi."
Shinji blinked, realizing she had misunderstood. "I told you, I'm fine. I just want to study a few things, that's all."
"Really?" Ayari clearly didn't believe him; she'd already decided the shock had broken him.
Shinji sighed and stopped trying to explain. He lay back on the sofa, staring at the ceiling.
"Sister Ayari, why not bring me a few more books?" he said suddenly.
"Books?" Ayari blinked.
"My mind won't wander If I'm reading."
"What kind of books?"
"Anything on anatomy, chakra… that sort of thing."
Ayari thought for a moment. "All right—I can hunt those books down for you."
"Thanks, Big sis Ayari."
Shinji picked up his book again, but Ayari still felt uneasy. After mulling it over she suddenly said, "How about I introduce you to a girl?"
Shinji blinked. "Come again?"
Ayari's expression was perfectly serious. "She's from our clan, you've met her before. Frankly, I think she's out of your league, but it can't hurt to know each other."
In her mind boys his age were supposed to be brimming with curiosity about the opposite sex; maybe this would keep him from brooding.
"It's settled, then. I'll bring her by in a few days."
…
When Sarutobi finished yet another strategy meeting with the village elders and returned to his office, he found Orochimaru sitting in the Hokage's chair, casually leafing through the papers on the desk.
That was the Hokage's seat, no one had ever dared sit there while the Third was in power.
Hiruzen didn't scold him. He simply walked over and asked in a mild voice, "What brings you here?"
Orochimaru picked up a letter. "All requests for supplies. Has the Daimyō delayed the shipments again?"
Instead of answering, Hiruzen chuckled. "I'm surprised you care about mundane paperwork."
"It concerns our village," Orochimaru said lightly, "Naturally I should care."
The words made Hiruzen's eyes flicker. After a pause he asked, "Would you be willing to be deployed to the Land of Water front?"
Orochimaru countered, "If we drive the Mist‑nin home, will that win the war?"
Hiruzen frowned in silence.
Of course not, the real threat was still the Land of Earth to the north. Hidden Mist had been harassing them only in skirmishes, hoping to raid a weakened Konoha.
Orochimaru lounged in the Hokage's seat, chin propped on one hand, smiling up at Hiruzen. The Third, uncharacteristically, avoided his gaze.
Only Orochimaru dared treat him that way; had Jiraiya tried it, Hiruzen would have kicked him clean out the door, and Jiraiya would never dream of it.
"Minato keeps getting stronger," Orochimaru went on, "Listening to his exploits around the village, I almost believe we'll win the war the moment he takes command."
Hiruzen fell silent, then asked, "What is it you actually want?"
Orochimaru lifted another letter. "To ease Konoha's burden, of course. How about I deal with the Daimyō's 'supply problem'?"
"The Daimyō's office has never defaulted," Hiruzen said, "They know what's at stake. A short delay is only their way of showing displeasure."
Orochimaru didn't argue. Instead he asked, "So, you don't want me to step in?"
Hiruzen hesitated, then said at last, "Just don't do anything reckless."
Orochimaru gave a soft, mocking laugh. "I'm only asking for supplies. What do you think I'll do? At worst I'll remind the Daimyō how loyal Konoha is."
With that he rose from the chair. "I leave tomorrow. Teacher Sarutobi, arrange an escort squad, would you?"
He brushed past Hiruzen without stopping and strode out of the office.
The door thudded shut.
Left alone, Hiruzen let out a long sigh. He stared at the seat Orochimaru had just vacated, his eyes complicated.
'Orochimaru… Are you showing me your dissatisfaction? Why can't you just let go…'