Shigeo nodded.
"Yes. When I was locked up by the Police Force, I had nothing else to do, so I tried it out. It seemed like I could gather chakra!"
"And what ninjutsu (Ninja Techniques) can you use now?"
"I don't know any yet!"
Tsunade turned, retrieved a sheet of chakra nature test paper from the desk, and handed it to him.
"Try it. Use your chakra on this paper."
Hyūga Shigeo's eyes brightened as he looked at the paper. He had already guessed that he could use Fūton (Wind Release), Katon (Fire Release), and even Mokuton (Wood Release). But what was his chakra's true nature?
Curious, he accepted the slip and poured his chakra into it.
Before everyone's eyes, the snow-white paper suddenly vanished. It didn't ignite, it didn't grow damp, nor did it wrinkle or split. It was simply… gone.
The Third Hokage frowned in confusion. Shizune rubbed her eyes, and Tsunade gaped openly.
"What does that even mean?"
Shigeo was just as bewildered.
"So… what chakra nature do I have?"
"If I recall correctly, this would mean undefined, right?" Tsunade asked, eyes wide with surprise.
Shizune shook her head.
"No. Undefined would mean the paper remains unchanged. But this… it disappeared."
The Hokage looked equally stunned. In all his long years, he had never seen such a reaction.
Just then, the office doors slammed open. Shimura Danzō entered.
"This is the child Orochimaru tried to seize tonight? Hand him over to me. My ANBU division is short on recruits. Conveniently, I just retrieved a survivor from Orochimaru's lab—a child injected with active Mokuton (Wood Release) cells. Give me both of them. I will train them together…"
As he spoke, Danzō stepped closer, his gaze fixed sharply on Shigeo, as though appraising an invaluable piece of merchandise.
If Orochimaru had gone to such lengths to capture him, the boy could not be ordinary. Better to keep him under control first—his potential could be discovered later. And if that potential proved useful, Danzō would claim it for himself.
A smirk tugged at his lips, his cold face as lifeless as a corpse.
"Orochimaru, you didn't foresee this, did you? That the boy you sought would end up in my hands."
Hyūga Shigeo instinctively stepped back, slipping behind Tsunade, his eyes wary.
"What, unwilling? Today you'll come with me whether you want to or not!" Danzō declared arrogantly. He barely respected the Hokage himself—how could he care about a mere child?
"I think I've heard your voice before… back in Orochimaru's laboratory," Shigeo said with feigned childish innocence, blinking up at him as though speaking without guile.
But behind that mask, Shigeo's heart sneered coldly. Play mind games with me? I'm no child inside.
There was no way he would follow Danzō into Root. If forced, he could always use his dimensional transfer ability. Even if he couldn't defeat them, they couldn't catch him.
"What did you say?" The Third Hokage whipped around to stare at Danzō, suspicion glinting in his eyes.
"Brat, don't spout nonsense. When have I ever gone to Orochimaru's laboratory? You didn't see anything with your own eyes—don't talk rubbish…" Danzō's face twisted, brows furrowed tightly. He wanted nothing more than to seize the boy on the spot and discipline him.
But Tsunade stood protectively before Shigeo, her posture daring him to try.
(End of Chapter)
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