"I don't want to go to war anymore, and frankly, I don't think they'll let me anyway."
Following the conclusion of the battle, Aburame Tetsumaru was granted a month of leave. He spent it sprawled out on a bamboo mat, rolling back and forth with languid abandon.
He rolled to the east, pinched a grape, and popped it into his mouth. Smack, smack. Then he rolled to the west, pff-pff, spat out the seeds, and rolled back to grab another.
Aburame Wafu was reclined in a lounge chair, a cup of tea in his right hand. He looked at his genius son with an exhausted gaze. "Not going? You think war is something you can just opt out of because you feel like it? Just because you've become some big shot?"
"I'm not that big of a shot. It's more like even if I wanted to go, they wouldn't let me."
"What?" Wafu bolted upright. "On what grounds? If they don't send you out, when are you supposed to become a Jonin?"
"Why would I want to be a Jonin?"
"Jonin make more money!"
"I already make more than most Jonin."
"Jonin have higher status!"
"Tch. Come on, Dad. With our family background, can our status really get much higher?"
"Oh... I suppose that's true."
Tetsumaru suddenly recalled a question that had been bugging him for ten years—one that had felt increasingly suspicious over the last six. Seeing as it was just the two of them at home, he took the chance to ask. "Dad, back when I was a kid, why did you suddenly cut off my allowance?"
"Huh? Did I do that?" Wafu had clearly long since forgotten. "You were never short on cash, were you?"
"Ten years ago. Right after I spent that first million."
Wafu slammed his right fist into his left palm. The figure of "one million" was a powerful enough anchor to drag the blurry memory out of the depths of his mind. "I remember now! That did happen."
"Right. So, why did you cut me off?"
"Yeah... why did I do that?" Wafu scratched his head, looking genuinely stumped. "I don't remember."
It wasn't my father. It was someone else.
The sudden loss of his allowance ten years ago had been a thorn in Tetsumaru's side for a long time. He'd had to scramble for ways to make money just to keep his insect research afloat. Fortunately, the Slimes had opened up the market for various specialty bugs, so his "poverty" phase was short-lived. Just as Wafu said, he hadn't really been "short on cash" since then.
However, as he grew older and the war tempered his perspective, he realized that specific event wasn't as simple as a parent being stingy.
Wafu didn't even remember the initial reason for the decision. This meant the choice hadn't been his; someone else had been pulling the strings or giving the orders. It made sense; the logic behind that move was too convoluted for his straightforward father to have devised. But that realization also meant there were things he could never discuss with his father—doing so would only cause more harm than good.
The grapes were finished. Tetsumaru stood up to clear the trash and refilled his father's water.
Wafu suddenly remembered something else. "Right, you haven't visited Elder Shiki in a long time. Go see him today if you've got nothing better to do. He was specifically asking about you a while ago."
"Mm, alright," Tetsumaru agreed. "How is the Elder doing?"
"Not great. He's getting on in years, and his health isn't what it used to be."
"I see. I'll head over after lunch."
Wafu brightened up immediately. "Good, good! Go make some food then. I want fish head tofu and tomato scrambled eggs. Oh, and it's hot today—make some smashed cucumbers, too."
"Hey... wasn't it your turn to cook?"
"Oho? Getting brave, aren't we? Are you sure you're willing to eat what I cook?"
"..." Wafu's "Dark Cuisine" was legendary, possessing a lethality that far exceeded even Aiko's cooking. Tetsumaru yielded, his voice dripping with mock resentment. "Fine! But you're doing the dishes!"
"No problem, as long as you don't complain about the results."
"Heh. If you don't scrub them clean, I'll use those same bowls to serve Mom's dinner when she gets home. See how that works out for you."
"...You're ruthless, kid."
Thirty minutes later, Wafu was happily setting up a low table and bamboo mats under the shade of a tree. Tetsumaru brought out the spread.
In addition to Wafu's requests, he had added a plate of hot and sour shredded potatoes, stir-fried bean sprouts, and fifty thin flour pancakes to serve as wraps. He also brought out two bottles of beer chilled in well water; the bottles were beaded with glistening condensation, looking every bit as refreshing as they felt.
"Two beers? Brat, you're trying to sneak a drink again."
"Are you going to stop me?"
"No, no. Just don't overdo it."
"Mm. I'll have one glass; the rest is yours."
"Hahaha!"
A full glass was poured, the white foam fizzing at the rim while the scent of hops filled the air. Tetsumaru raised his glass to clink with his father, holding his slightly lower out of respect.
Tetsumaru took a deep sniff of the aroma before downing the entire glass in one long sequence of gulps. He exhaled a satisfied breath followed by a long, loud burp. "Glorious!"
Wafu took his time, sipping slowly while enjoying the shade, the breeze, and the tender fish head tofu. He looked like a man who felt his life was complete.
Tetsumaru set his glass aside, not sparing it another glance. He piled bean sprouts, potatoes, and tomatoes onto a pancake, rolled it into a massive burrito, and took a huge bite. He chewed vigorously, nodding in approval. His culinary skills hadn't dulled; the food was excellent.
Tetsumaru was now sixteen, nearly seventeen. He stood over 2.05 meters tall (approx. 6'9"), and his appetite was a force of nature. He devoured the large wraps in three bites each.
By the time Wafu was pouring his third glass of beer, Tetsumaru had finished forty pancakes and most of the side dishes. He'd left the fish head tofu untouched for his father, along with half the cucumbers and eggs.
"I'm full. Take your time, Dad. I'm going to see Elder Shiki."
"Go on, then."
Elder Shiki's family had all passed away, so he lived within the clan's core forbidden grounds, where clansmen saw to his daily needs. After verifying his identity, Tetsumaru found the Elder's residence.
When he stepped into the small courtyard, he saw the Elder sitting on a lounge chair in the shade of the eaves. Strangely, despite the summer heat, his legs were covered by a thin blanket.
Shiki looked up and beckoned him over. "Wafu only told you I was looking for you today? That boy is getting more unreliable by the year. I told him three days ago."
"He probably just wanted me to rest for a few days first. I just got back from the front, after all."
"Forget him. Sit with me for a while. Let's talk."
"Alright." Tetsumaru didn't bother taking off his shoes; he simply sat on the edge of the wooden porch. Due to his height, his eyes were level with the Elder's even while sitting on the floor.
"You're a strange one. You just keep getting taller."
"Hahaha, I can't exactly help it. Elder, what's wrong with your legs? It's sweltering out—don't give yourself heat rash with that blanket."
Shiki tapped his right leg lightly with his fist. "I'm old. The wounds I took in my youth are finally catching up to me. The heat is uncomfortable, yes, but the slightest breeze is even worse. I just have to endure it."
This wasn't a topic Tetsumaru knew how to navigate, so he stayed silent. He watched the wind chimes hanging from the eaves, listening to their rhythmic tink-tink-tink as he waited for the Elder to pivot the conversation.
After a while, Shiki sighed. "You really are the black sheep of the family. Shibi and Shige are silent as stones in public, but they're chatterboxes within the clan. You? You're a 'muffled gourd' wherever you go."
"I assume you won't be heading back to the front lines anytime soon?"
"Mm. No official notice yet, but I doubt they'll send me back."
"Who could possibly keep a lid on you?" Shiki chuckled. "If they send you back with those three kids and a few clan members, you'll be commanding millions of giant insects. Not even an army of thousands can hold you back. If you keep going at that rate, your military merits will become... 'difficult' to manage."
"I don't want to go either. Since the fight with the Kazekage, even Lord Orochimaru can't really cover for me anymore. Every move I make has to be second-guessed. It's stifling."
"That just means your status has risen and your strength has grown. You've reached the summit where people fight over the last few seats. There are only so many spots at the top; naturally, you're going to feel the squeeze as people try to push you out."
"Even if you don't want to compete, they'll push you just to get you out of the way."
"Back when you just graduated, you were at the bottom. There were seats everywhere. You didn't feel the pressure then."
Tetsumaru smiled. "True. Back then, I was too busy trying not to die. I didn't have time to worry about anything else."
Shiki laughed and took a sip of the tea Tetsumaru had poured for him. "So, what are your plans now?"
Tetsumaru leaned back, sprawling on the porch. "I'll do what they want. I'll stay home and rest. Going to the front with my hands and feet tied isn't nearly as fun as staying home and playing with my bugs."
"A wise choice." The Elder remembered something and let out a dry laugh. "By the way, you've managed to offend Elder Shimine quite a bit."
"Elder Shimine of the Kidaichu branch?" Tetsumaru was confused. "How did I offend him?"
"Think about it. Think about the name of their branch."
It didn't take more than a second for it to click. Tetsumaru's performance on the battlefield had sent shockwaves through the village. People were already giving him titles, nicknames, and naming his "school" of insect control—and those names were clashing directly with the "Kidaichu" branch's heritage.
"..." Tetsumaru was speechless. "Seriously? Who is that bored?"
"Many, many people."
Tetsumaru rolled over, burying his face in the wooden floorboards. "God, I hate this. It's all so annoying."
After a moment of silence, Tetsumaru asked quietly, "Elder Shiki... do you know Ueno Hayato?"
"Ueno the Sea Monster's... son." Shiki's reaction was a beat too slow. "Brat... you're really going to ambush a seventy-six-year-old man like that? That wasn't fair."
"Sigh. I really am getting old. My brain can't keep up. In the old days, I never would have let you trap me that easily."
Tetsumaru understood now. Over the last six years of war, there had been many times he felt he was being suppressed for no reason, but there were just as many times he felt a helping hand in the shadows. Captain Ueno had specifically requested him, after all.
For six years, while several "black hands" had been pushing him down, a single, benevolent hand had been pulling him up. It was subtle and lacked the strength of the attackers, but it had saved him more than once.
He finally had confirmation. That hand belonged to Shiki.
The Elder was weak; his voice was barely a whisper now. "That's not all. When you were six... I was the one who told Wafu to cut your allowance."
So the one behind it back then was you, too.
Tetsumaru wasn't surprised. He nodded. "I know."
"When did you figure it out?"
"I started suspecting it when I began selling slimes and beetles for cash and the family never tried to stop me."
"I eventually put it all together. The 'large' allowance I was getting originally came directly from the Ant Sugar profits. Since I wasn't technically credited with the heavy lifting on that project, I shouldn't have been receiving that much money."
"Later, when Dad wouldn't let Mom confiscate the money I made from selling bugs, it was because that money had nothing to do with the Ant Sugar project—it was just a child's 'hobby' income."
"Cutting the allowance was a way to insulate me from the Ant Sugar project entirely. It was a move to protect me."
"Only you could have done that, Elder. The Clan Head and the others wouldn't have thought that far ahead—if they had, they wouldn't have tossed me onto the battlefield like fodder later, nor would they have let Danzo use me as a bargaining chip."
"Don't be too hard on them," Shiki sighed. "They have their own difficulties."
"I know they have it hard, but I have no reason to forgive them. Isn't protecting the family their job? Instead, when the clan clashed with Root, the price was paid entirely by those of us in the branch families. And our reward? Two measly secret techniques. They've got some nerve."
Shiki fell silent. This involved the internal power struggle of the clan. It was a mess that required careful navigation, and even he had to weigh every word before speaking.
"Let's not talk about those frustrating things," Tetsumaru said, changing the subject. "Elder, you've done so much for me. Is there anything you need me to do for you?"
"I had originally hoped you would take my seat," Shiki admitted. "With so many branch family members but only one Elder seat, the candidate has to be strong enough to stand up to the other seven—or better yet, suppress them entirely."
"Unfortunately, my body won't last long enough for you to 'come of age.' And frankly, you're growing too fast. By the time my successor steps down, you'll be forty. I have a feeling that by then... the Aburame clan will be too small to hold you."
Tetsumaru raised an eyebrow and spread his hands. I'm talented. Is that my fault?
"Not being an Elder isn't a bad thing," Shiki continued. "If you can reach the Kage level, you'll be of far more use to the clan. Even if you defect... as long as you're alive, the clan will reap the benefits of your existence."
"You think I'm that likely to defect?"
"Haha. If you reach the Kage level and want to stay in the Leaf, you either have to fade into total obscurity like Akimichi Torifu, or be as close to the Hokage as the Sannin or Danzo—and you have to be useful to him. None of those are easy paths."
It was Tetsumaru's turn to be silent. He didn't have much confidence in his long-term future in Konoha either, but his parents were still here. He couldn't just abandon them. It was a messy, conflicting thought.
"In any case... in the future, just look after the clan a little. Look after the branch members. That will be enough."
"Mm. I'll do my best."
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