Orochimaru's defection caused barely a ripple among Konoha's ordinary villagers.
Especially since the reason for his betrayal—his secret human experiments—had come to light.
The respect once held for Orochimaru, the cold and brilliant hero who had helped secure Konoha's victories in the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars, had vanished completely.
In its place grew disgust.
Such was the unspoken rule of every hidden village:
Whenever a ninja defected, it was always their fault.
Never the village's.
And, as always, the storm eventually passed.
Orochimaru's betrayal, Jiraiya's departure—neither left a lasting mark on this peaceful village.
Spring had arrived in full bloom, its warmth breathing life back into the earth.
The villagers enjoyed the brief calm of a world untouched by war.
After the Third Hokage withdrew into seclusion, Minato found himself busier than ever.
The work that had once been handled solely by the Third now fell to him, and for the first time, he realized just how many hidden problems this "warm" village truly had—
conflicts among the great clans, the constant threat of enemy villages lurking at the borders, and the endless stream of daily duties for its shinobi.
He was now carrying the true weight of a Kage.
Being busy meant even less time with his wife.
Still, compared to the original story, Kushina's life wasn't nearly as dull.
...
Inside the home of the Fourth Hokage.
Two figures sat stiffly in the living room, looking more like nervous academy students than elite shinobi.
Kushina burst into laughter, pulling out her latest "dark cuisine" experiment.
In the frying pan before them lay a single, pitiful chicken wing.
It was hard to imagine how someone could turn such a simple, delicious ingredient into something that shimmered with seven different colors.
Just one look was enough to make Itachi's Sharingan activate under his mask, as if facing mortal danger.
"I'm going to train with Ken-san!"
He bolted to his feet and dashed straight out onto the balcony. A bead of cold sweat rolled down his forehead as he risked a glance back at Kakashi, who sat trembling in silence. A flicker of wicked amusement crossed Itachi's eyes.
With two more people assigned to the mission of protecting the Fourth's wife, it meant that no matter how careful they were, Kushina—the sharp-witted survivor of the Uzumaki Clan—would eventually notice their presence.
Thankfully, Minato had lifted the usual ANBU restrictions, making an exception so the three-man team could stay close to his wife.
It was, in a way, his small gesture of compensation toward Kushina.
Unfortunately, it was a miserable experience for the team.
During her pregnancy, Kushina had dedicated herself to just one thing:
perfecting her dark cuisine.
Eating it was out of the question.
Shuddering, Itachi turned to glance toward the rooftop, where Hakken sat motionless.
Was he... resting?
That didn't make sense.
Even on missions, Ken-san never stopped training—he was relentless with his sword.
Laziness wasn't in his nature.
What Itachi didn't know was that at that very moment, Hakken was undergoing the awakening of the King of Normal Attacks template.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for completing 8,000 sword swings. Progress toward the King of Normal Attacks Template increased by 0.2%!]
[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for reaching 10% progress on the first King of Normal Attacks template. The second template has been unlocked. Would you like to draw now?]
Ever since his daily missions had changed, Hakken spent nearly every waking moment swinging his blade.
In Konoha, he always felt restrained—bound by invisible chains.
That feeling came from one thing: his own lack of strength.
Perhaps he already far outclassed his peers, but the vast gap above him left him utterly unsatisfied.
He wanted to grow stronger.
Strong enough that no one could ever influence him again.
Strong enough to do whatever he wished, without restraint.
The peaceful guard duty had given him plenty of time to train like a madman.
For now, at least, Kushina Uzumaki was safe. Her due date was still far away. Obito hadn't yet appeared.
And so he trained—relentlessly, endlessly—each swing a step closer to transcendence.
Every part of him—his chakra, his body, his spiritual pressure—was growing stronger by the day.
And now, after endless effort, the Zaraki Kenpachi template had finally reached 10%.
"Extract."
Hakken didn't bother explaining anything to Itachi, who was watching from afar. His low voice carried a hint of excitement.
Who would the next King of Normal Attacks be?
[Ding! Congratulations, Host, on obtaining the second King of Normal Attacks template from the world of Bleach—Instinct Power: (Hollow White).]
Hum—
A surge of hazy light flooded his mind, spreading through every fiber of his body.
Wild, distorted laughter echoed endlessly, clawing at his nerves.
But within moments, Hakken's immense spiritual power devoured it—digested it—and turned it into his own strength.
The power born from pure instinct.
Swish!
A crushing wave of spiritual pressure erupted skyward.
The ordinary Zanpakutō in his hand suddenly expanded, strange markings crawling across the blade. From the hilt, several pitch-black chains coiled tightly around his arm.
Hollow White.
The hollow power from the Shinigami world—the force that resided within Ichigo Kurosaki himself.
The power of the true Zangetsu.
The power that calls to instinct.
Feeling the overwhelming destruction surging through his veins, Hakken pressed his free hand against his forehead and let out a crazed laugh.
"So that's it."
"There's a beast living inside me too!"
Slaughter.
Endless slaughter.
His eyes turned sharp and wild. When his gaze flicked toward Itachi, the pressure that rolled off him was suffocating.
Ken-san… what's happening to him?
That look—what kind of eyes are those?
The only thing Itachi knew for certain was that he had grown stronger again.