Hiruko was looking forward to the Sealing Jutsu instruction Minato Namikaze had promised to arrange. It was a cornerstone of his future plans, and he anticipated it with quiet intensity.
Late that night, within the silent halls of Hiruko's estate.
Hiruko was fast asleep. Rin Nohara sat beside his bed, her gaze lingering on the man who had saved her life. Having only recently encountered the complex pull of romantic ambiguity, she was intensely curious about the burgeoning relationship between Hiruko and Nonō Yakushi. At her age, she was in a phase of profound curiosity regarding the opposite sex.
Hiruko's brow furrowed, a strange sensation pulling him from the depths of sleep. He woke with a start, but he didn't scold the young girl. Instead, he rose, intending to head to his laboratory to continue his research.
"Hi... Lord Hiruko, may I... may I come with you?" Rin asked timidly.
Hiruko hesitated, looking at her small frame. "The place below," he said softly, "is a hell."
Rin nodded with firm resolve. "Yes, Lord Hiruko. I've made up my mind!"
After a moment's thought, Hiruko led her to a secret laboratory—one he considered less critical than his primary workshops. They followed a hidden passage down worn stone steps, descending deep into the earth. Bright lights flickered on, illuminating various tables covered in white sheets.
"These are remains I obtained from Danzō—bodies belonging to those who possessed Bloodline Limits," Hiruko explained calmly. "They've undergone multiple experiments and have little research value left. Consequently, their appearance is... unsettling."
Rin nodded, but despite her mental preparation, the moment she pulled back a sheet to reveal a mangled face, she let out a sharp cry of terror. This was nothing like standard medical school dissections. These were victims of violent ends, their corpses twisted into haunting masks of pain. The one before her had been consumed by Fire Style, charred beyond recognition.
"Ah!"
Rin recoiled instinctively, backing straight into Hiruko's chest. He immediately steadied her, his voice low and serious. "Rin, are you alright?"
Caught off guard, Rin found herself pressed against a warm, solid torso. The sensation was startlingly familiar, causing her mind to momentarily drift. Hiruko's embrace was always like this—carrying a scent that promised safety, yet simmering with an underlying, dangerous heat.
Her cheeks flushed crimson. She quickly lowered her head, her hair falling forward to hide the blush she couldn't suppress. Her heart thundered in her ears like a trapped bird beating its wings against a cage. His body heat seeped through his clothes and into her skin, leaving her fingertips tingling. She could feel the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest—steady, slow, as if silently measuring her own frantic breathing.
Rin, what on earth are you thinking? she scolded herself, but her body was more honest than her mind. Her eyelashes trembled, and the pulse in her neck raced at a tempo she was sure he could hear. As a medical ninja, she understood the biological function of hormones perfectly, yet as the heat spread from her core to her limbs, logic felt utterly powerless.
Hiruko didn't release her immediately. He allowed her to linger in his arms for a few extra seconds. His fingertips brushed almost imperceptibly against her shoulder—perhaps confirming her reaction, perhaps enjoying her brief loss of composure. Only when she shook her head in a daze did he let out a low, soft chuckle and step back.
Rin didn't dare look up, but her peripheral vision caught his gaze. His eyes held the patience of a hunter, and the faint, cold aura of his chakra gave off an exotic, intoxicating feeling. He watched her silently, as if appreciating every subtle nuance of her reaction.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus on the task at hand. But as she reached out to examine the specimen, the lingering sensation of his clothing against her skin refused to fade.
"Rin, how has your progress been lately?" Hiruko's voice came from beside her, deep and gentle, yet laced with an undeniable intimacy.
Rin bit her lower lip unconsciously before catching herself. She struggled to keep her voice steady. "Thanks to your guidance, I've improved a lot recently..."
As she spoke, she gravitated slightly closer to him, as if pulled by an invisible tide. Hiruko tilted his head slightly, his eyes resting on the crown of her head, a faint, unreadable smile playing on his lips. Between their words and laughter, the air in the lab grew thick and warm. Rin didn't even notice her fingers restlessly tracing the edge of her tool pouch—a subconscious tell for an unspoken expectation.
In that moment, a flicker of jealousy toward "that woman" (Nonō) sparked in her heart.
Three days later, Orochimaru, who had been busy for days, followed Shisui into the Uchiha district.
"That's Lord Orochimaru. What is he doing here?" some whispered.
"I heard he's visiting the Clan Head. Maybe he's seen Shisui's talent and wants to officially take him as a disciple?"
"Even if he isn't an Uchiha, having Shisui study under him would be a huge boost for the clan."
The Uchiha were surprised by Orochimaru's arrival. However, they respected strength above all else, and Orochimaru was undeniably powerful. Moreover, few high-ranking village officials ever set foot in the Uchiha compound—usually, it was just Anbu delivering messages—so the clan was naturally curious about his purpose.
Fugaku Uchiha bowed respectfully at his door and invited Orochimaru inside. As they entered, Orochimaru's gaze fell upon a young child being led by a woman. He stepped forward and patted the boy's head, smiling thinly. "You are an Uchiha with great potential."
Fugaku and Mikoto's faces lit up. For parents, nothing was better than hearing their child praised—especially when that praise came from a legendary shinobi like Orochimaru. In this world, the law of the fist remained supreme. This was exactly why Hiruko was working so hard to reform the system; he understood that without strength, his dreams were just illusions.
In the Shinobi world, fame often came from the recognition of the strong. The very title of "Sannin" had been bestowed upon them by Hanzo of the Salamander, a man of peerless power. Even if the circumstances of that title were questionable, the Sannin didn't find it humiliating, for recognition from a superior was the fastest path to prestige.
The group sat in the courtyard. Orochimaru's golden, slitted pupils swept over the family of three. As he looked at Mikoto Uchiha, he suddenly thought of Hiruko.
Heh, doesn't that fellow enjoy the company of famous kunoichi? I wonder about this one...
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