Birds and beasts scattered in all directions. The Inuzuka clan's ninken howled non-stop, and the Aburame clan's insects trembled, huddled together in tight clusters.
The explosion had been massive—so violent that it shook the entire Hidden Leaf Village awake.
"Help! We're under attack!"
"Wait—who the hell could Konoha not defend against!?"
"I don't wanna die! I haven't even found a wife yet—WAAAHHHH!"
Panic spread like wildfire. Villagers poured out of their homes and sprinted toward the nearest shelters.
Ninja on night patrol immediately converged on the origin of the explosion.
Fugaku and Itachi dashed toward the Uchiha training grounds, still in their pajamas.
Mikoto didn't hesitate—she scooped up little Sasuke and rushed straight to Orochimaru's laboratory for safety.
Within the lab, Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. The chakra from the blast had reached even here. A strange smile curled on his lips, and a glint of dark excitement flashed in his serpentine eyes.
"This chakra…"
"One of them is definitely Tsunade—Wood Release… But the other…"
"Could it be that Hikaru is back?"
He paused—then furrowed his brow.
"No… That doesn't feel quite like Hikaru."
"Forget it. I'll go see for myself."
The next moment, Orochimaru vanished from the lab.
—
Back at the Uchiha training ground, Tsunade slowly realized what she had just done. Her right eyelid twitched uncontrollably as embarrassment crept across her face.
The wooden gambler beneath her feet quietly disintegrated. Without a word, she walked up to Uchiha Hikaru and gave him a light punch to the chest with her fist, her cheeks still faintly red.
"This is all your fault!"
"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have—!"
Uchiha Hikaru didn't let her finish. He wrapped his arms around her tightly.
Tsunade froze for a heartbeat—then melted into the embrace. After three long years, all of her pent-up longing erupted in full force.
The proud woman who once held herself like iron now trembled like water in his arms. Everything—anger, pride, shame—was washed away in that moment. All that remained was love… and need.
Meanwhile, Saya finally pieced things together. Her eyes widened as she stared at the woman she had just fought moments ago.
She walked silently up to Hikaru, tugged gently on the hem of his cloak. A soft blush crept across her face.
"Lord Hikaru…"
"Is this… the mistress?"
Tsunade choked. Hikaru coughed violently.
The mood was shattered.
Tsunade gave Hikaru a side-eye sharp enough to cut steel, then took Saya by the shoulders and burst out laughing.
"Hahaha!"
"For that alone, I'll protect you from now on!"
"If this pervert ever bullies you, I swear I'll beat him bloody!"
Saya looked up at Tsunade, blinking innocently.
"But… why would Lord Hikaru bully me?"
She tilted her head thoughtfully.
"…Though… I guess last night…"
She turned back to Tsunade with the utmost sincerity.
"Lady Tsunade, if that happens again, could you help me? I don't think I did well enough alone—Lord Hikaru didn't seem very satisfied…"
Hikaru's entire body froze. Tsunade's expression cracked.
Right at that moment, Fugaku and Itachi arrived with several dozen Uchiha Police Force members behind them.
"Lady Tsunade! What the hell just happened!?"
"Don't tell me… the Akatsuki are attacking again!?"
Before Fugaku could continue, Hikaru's voice cut him off.
"Fugaku… What did you just say?"
"Akatsuki—again?"
Fugaku blinked, stunned.
Then his eyes found Hikaru. He hesitated. "Hikaru… you're finally back."
"Earlier—"
"It was just sparring," Hikaru said flatly. "Tell me about Akatsuki."
Fugaku's gaze shifted awkwardly to Tsunade. He seemed hesitant.
But Itachi stepped forward, eyes sharp with anger—and something else. Relief.
"It was that bastard, Hiruko."
"He tried to strike a deal with my father—offering some kind of secret technique in exchange for the Uchiha clan's Sharingan. He was rejected."
"Soon after, he defected."
"He murdered two Uchiha jonin—both had awakened three-tomoe Sharingan—and then joined the Akatsuki."
"That was a year ago."
"He also stole the village's Sealed Jutsu Scroll before he left."
As Itachi finished, Hikaru's expression shifted—just slightly. That same calm, nuclear-level serenity returned to his face.
"Hiruko and the Akatsuki, huh…"
He frowned faintly. Hiruko had never struck him as the type to betray the village so brazenly, let alone defect so cleanly and immediately join Akatsuki.
Something didn't add up.
Just then, a figure in white appeared before Hikaru.
That hoarse, mocking voice was unmistakable.
"Orochimaru."
Hikaru's eyes narrowed. "What the hell is going on?"
"Hiruko was one of your research ninjas. I expect a damn good explanation."
Orochimaru raised a hand, signaling to calm down.
"There are too many ears here."
Even Tsunade and Jiraiya hadn't been told everything. Some secrets were too deep, too dangerous.
"Hikaru, take Tsunade and Saya back to her place."
"I'll explain everything shortly."
A moment later, Hikaru and Orochimaru vanished—heading deep beneath the Hokage Monument, into the Konoha Scientific Ninjutsu Research Institute.
They traveled through layers of security before finally stopping in a sealed room.
"Take a look at what's inside that tube," Orochimaru said, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "I think you'll find it… fascinating."
Hikaru followed his gaze.
Inside the half-meter glass cylinder was a gray, misshapen fragment—no larger than a fingernail.
Hikaru frowned. The texture was odd… unfamiliar.
But the moment he reached out with his chakra to probe it, he froze.
His whole body recoiled.
He recognized this feeling instantly. Revulsion. Deep, innate hatred.
The dragon vein chakra within his own pupils seethed at the fragment's presence.
"This…"
"It's a piece of the Outer Gedo Statue."
Orochimaru smiled faintly. "You've seen it before, haven't you?"
Hikaru said nothing—but his expression turned cold.
This wasn't just a strange artifact.
It was part of the Ten-Tails' husk—the Outer Gedo Statue, a vessel of unspeakable power and the Ōtsutsuki clan's ultimate chakra siphon.
It devoured the chakra of entire worlds.
It could not exist in Konoha—not without consequences.
He turned to Orochimaru, his voice sharp.
"Where did you get this?"
"…And what the hell does this have to do with Hiruko?"
(End of chapter)
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