Shinho Aburame yawned as he sensed Tsunade wake up. The bugs around him had been alerting him of disturbances in the environment, and ever since his month-long journey with Tsunade, he'd gotten used to having his bugs stand watch at night.
"Shinho," Shizune glanced at the time and said, "It's still early. Go back to sleep."
"No need," Shinho shook his head, "I'll wait for Sensei to come back."
He was eager to confirm his suspicions. In the original story, only one major event happened around this time: the Uchiha clan, after harbouring long-held grievances, was planning a coup.
Just before the coup, Uchiha Shisui had a meeting with Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura. During the meeting, Shisui revealed that he had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and explained his plan: he intended to use his Mangekyō ability, Kotoamatsukami, to control Uchiha Fugaku and prevent the coup.
But Shisui underestimated the fear Kotoamatsukami had instilled in Konoha's leadership. As soon as he left, Danzo made his move to steal Shisui's eyes. After a battle, Shisui lost his right eye.
To prevent his left eye from being taken, he entrusted it to Uchiha Itachi before taking his own life out of despair, having lost hope for the future of his clan.
This led to two consequences: the delay of the Uchiha coup and Itachi's descent into extremism.
"That old bastard!" The door swung open as Tsunade stormed in, cursing under her breath.
When she saw Shinho sitting there, her demeanor softened slightly. She didn't want to lose her composure in front of a child.
"Sensei," Shinho rolled up his sleeves and clenched his fists, asking, "Who made you mad? Let's go teach them a lesson!"
Tsunade paused, then laughed at his seriousness.
"Am I wrong?" Shinho asked, feigning confusion.
"In theory, no, you're not," Tsunade admitted, sitting down beside him with a sigh. "But it's not that simple."
If only her grandfather, Hashirama Senju, were still around, none of this would be necessary. Just the mention of a Mangekyō Sharingan had everyone in the village leadership on edge. In her mind, the great shinobi of old were all gone now.
Though Kotoamatsukami sounded terrifying, Tsunade knew, from her grandfather Tobirama's research, that the more powerful the dōjutsu, the greater the limitations, like cooldowns or chakra consumption.
Most importantly, Shisui had revealed this information openly, in a gesture of trust. If it were Tsunade in his shoes, she wasn't sure she could have done the same.
Such honesty and loyalty only to be met with betrayal—it was pitiful.
"What happened?" Shinho looked up at her.
"Nothing," Tsunade waved it off, looking annoyed. "Just some irritating people, that's all."
What frustrated her the most was Danzo's constant claim that everything he did was "for Konoha." If that were true, Shisui should have been tasked with controlling other ninja villages, not having his eyes stolen for Danzo's own use. Danzo, of course, would never admit it.
There was no need to burden Shinho with these complexities, Tsunade thought. He was still too young, despite his maturity.
"Then it's simple," Shinho said matter-of-factly. "Sensei, why don't you just become the Hokage?"
"I'm not interested in being Hokage," Tsunade immediately shot back.
"Really? I don't believe you." Shinho's calm voice challenged her. "Then why are you so upset?"
Tsunade fell silent. Why was she so angry? Wasn't it because, deep down, she still cared about Konoha?
She looked at Shinho, feeling conflicted. The prosperity and peace of Konoha were built on the sacrifices of her grandfather Hashirama, her granduncle Tobirama, and her brother Nawaki. She could never truly let go.
Being called out by a kid like this, however, was still a surprise.
Suddenly, Tsunade reached out and pinched Shinho's face, tugging it playfully.
"...?" Shinho was speechless as he groaned.
Just because you're in a bad mood doesn't mean you can take it out on me, he thought. I have my dignity too, you know.
"It seems you're serious," Tsunade muttered as she finally let go, her suspicion growing. She wondered if Shinho was really only six years old, or if maybe her thoughts were just that easy to read.
"I'm not suited to be Hokage," Tsunade said quietly, resting her head against the back of the sofa and staring up at the ceiling.
"Why not?" Shinho asked after a brief pause. "Is it because of your hemophobia?"
"You know too much for a kid," Tsunade shot him a glare.
Knowing it was one thing, but bringing it up was another—it was embarrassing for her, to say the least.
"You're the best medical ninja, and both Shizune and I are the most talented students you've trained," Shinho stated confidently. "A little thing like hemophobia shouldn't be a problem for us, right?"
In truth, the system had already given him the answer with Hinata. The best way to overcome a fear is to face it.
But he couldn't push too hard right away. He needed to set the stage, to make his approach more convincing.
"I think Shinho's right," Shizune chimed in, giving him an encouraging look. This was the first time she'd seen Tsunade even consider facing her fear, and she wasn't going to let the opportunity slip away. Besides, she was tired of the endless cycle of gambling and drinking.
As the Hokage, Tsunade probably wouldn't have time for all that, right?
"You just slipped in a compliment for yourself," Tsunade chuckled, though she couldn't deny that Shinho was the most gifted student she had ever trained. Shizune wasn't bad either.
"It's not that easy," Tsunade waved her hand dismissively. "Don't waste your time."
She was in that frustrating space where she had a bit of motivation, but not enough to really face her phobia. She wanted to avoid the issue again.
"Sensei!" Shinho suddenly raised his voice. "I want to make a bet with you!"
"...?" Tsunade had a feeling she knew exactly what he was going to propose. She was about to refuse, but when she saw the determined look in his eyes, her resolve wavered.
"What's is it?" she asked, for the first time not feeling excited about gambling.
"If Shizune and I can cure your hemophobia, you'll become the Hokage," Shinho quickly said, eager to get her agreement before she changed her mind.
"I agree!" Shizune immediately jumped in. Honestly, ever since learning about Tsunade's fear of blood, she had wanted to help cure it. But Tsunade had always refused. Now, finally, there was a chance.
Tsunade smirked, "But haven't you always wanted to be Hokage, Shinho? If I take the position, you won't get the chance."
"If it's you, Sensei, I don't mind giving up the title of Hokage," Shinho replied without hesitation.
inside Shinho was thinking, If I become the Hokage, how can I become the hokage's right-hand man and live a leisurely life?
"Too bad you're too young," Tsunade said, looking at him with some regret. "Otherwise, I'd help you reach that goal."
"Let's not talk about that for now," Shinho steered the conversation back. "Do you accept the bet or not?"
"Of course I accept!" Tsunade crossed her arms and huffed, "This time, I refuse to believe I'll lose!"
But fate had other plans. Whether Tsunade believed it or not, this bet was as good as settled.
Shinho Aburame smiled, "We'll see."
"You little brat!" Tsunade couldn't stand seeing his smug face, so she launched her signature thigh attack. Her thick, powerful legs locked Shinho in place, leaving him no chance of escape.
Then, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, Tsunade used her hands to mess up Shinho's hair, turning it into a wild, unruly mess.
Shinho, feeling completely resigned, glanced at the swaying "snowy mountains" in front of him and was left speechless.
Shizune turned away but couldn't help laughing.
Happiness doesn't disappear; it just changes its target.
"If you lose, I'll do this to you a hundred times every day," Tsunade said with a wide grin.
A hundred times?
Shinho gulped... Might as well just kill me now.
He seriously considered the idea of bashing his head against the nearest tofu.
"Tsunade-sama," Shizune looked at Shinho's defeated expression and reminded, "Shinho has school tomorrow."
"Go to bed, kid," Tsunade finally released her strong yet soft grip on him.
Shinho, hair in disarray, smoothed it out with a bit of effort before heading back to his room.
Though today's events had cost him a great deal, they'd also yielded significant rewards. At least Tsunade had started to entertain the idea of becoming Hokage.
And for that, he had the bizarre actions of Konoha's leadership to thank.
Lying in bed, Shinho pondered how he could go about treating Tsunade's hemophobia. More precisely, how he could propose a method that would involve confronting her fear head-on.
He recalled the scene from the original story where Tsunade performed surgery on Rock Lee to treat the aftereffects of the Eight Gates. She had scoured countless medical books before deciding on the procedure.
Perhaps he could do the same, at least to make Tsunade think the treatment plan was feasible. Without her cooperation, everything would fall apart.
With these thoughts in mind, Shinho drifted off to sleep.
But in the living room, the lights remained on.
"Shizune," Tsunade muttered absentmindedly, "do you think I'll win?"
Thinking back, she couldn't help but wonder if she'd lost her mind making a bet with Shinho.
What's so great about being Hokage anyway? It would be just a life of constant headaches.
But then she recalled Shinho's words: Why are you so angry?
"If I took you two and left Konoha, would you come with me?" Tsunade asked suddenly, before Shizune could respond.
"Shinho wouldn't want that," Shizune replied with certainty.
She had no family and nowhere else to go, so she could follow Tsunade anywhere. But Shinho was different. He had parents and friends in Konoha.
"That's true." Tsunade fell silent, nodding slightly.
Abandoning Shinho, though? For some reason, the thought felt unbearable, something she couldn't bring herself to do.
"He thinks he can cure my hemophobia... He's got a long way to go," Tsunade scoffed, waving her hand dismissively. "Let him struggle if he wants."
With that, she got up and returned to her room.
Shizune, watching her go, remained silent. She had made up her mind: this time, she was siding with Shinho. He was the one with true potential.
The moon rose and set, and soon the sun peeked over the horizon, marking the start of a new day.
It was the season of renewal, but the air carried a foreboding tension.
Uchiha Sasuke awoke, filled with anticipation for the day.
Today was the first day of school.
Of course, what excited him wasn't school itself, but the chance to spar with Shinho Aburame again.
After a month of intense training, Sasuke had improved significantly. His past confidence had returned, and he was eager to test his progress.
Maybe, just maybe, he could finally beat Shinho now.
"Where's my brother?" Sasuke glanced around in confusion. "Is he still sleeping?"
But then he reconsidered. That was unlikely.
His brother was the most disciplined shinobi he knew—sleeping in wasn't something he would do.
Did he leave already?
Sasuke frowned, a little disappointed. His brother had promised to return in time to have breakfast with him and take him to school.
"I'm sorry," Mikoto Uchiha said calmly, "Your brother had something come up. He won't be able to join you today."
"It's fine. I'm used to it," Sasuke replied quickly, brushing off his initial frustration.
"Come have breakfast," Mikoto handed him a glass of milk.
"Thanks, Mom," Sasuke said, wrapping his hands around the glass and taking a big gulp.
Mikoto watched her son, but for the first time, her usual smile was absent.
Earlier, Itachi had returned home, but not long after, three figures had shown up at their door—Uchiha Yashiro, Uchiha Tekka, and Uchiha Inabi, all elite members of the Konoha Military Police.
Under normal circumstances, they would never have appeared at the clan leader's house like that.
Mikoto had overheard bits of their conversation.
Shisui had left a final message before taking his own life.
His body had been discovered, but both his eyes had been removed.
Shisui, the Uchiha clan's brightest prodigy and possibly its strongest member, was dead. And his death was shrouded in mystery. No one believed he had committed suicide.
And his eyes were missing.
But given Shisui's incredible strength, who could have possibly killed him?
If it was Itachi... that would explain everything. They were best friends. And the closer the bond, the easier the betrayal.
Mikoto refused to believe it. There was no way her son could have killed his closest friend.
As she was lost in thought, the sound of the door opening caught her attention.
"Brother?" Sasuke immediately put down his chopsticks and ran to the door.
Mikoto stood up as well.
It was indeed Uchiha Itachi who had entered.
But his expression was blank, and even when he saw Sasuke, he didn't react.
"Brother!" Sasuke called out several times before Itachi finally snapped out of his daze.
"I'm sorry I'm late, Sasuke," Itachi said, placing a hand on his brother's head.
"It's okay," Sasuke said, sensing something was wrong but choosing not to press.
"Come, let's eat," Mikoto said with a warm smile. If Itachi had come home, it meant he wasn't involved in Shisui's death.
"Brother, will you still take me to school later?" Sasuke asked cautiously.
"I'll take you," Itachi replied after a moment of thought.
"Really?" Sasuke beamed, overjoyed.
Itachi looked at his brother, feeling a fleeting warmth in his heart.
But even this brief moment of comfort couldn't dispel his confusion.
His closest friend, Uchiha Shisui, was dead, and it made no sense.
Itachi could have never imagined that Danzo Shimura would be behind it.
Just two days ago, Shisui had spoken confidently about his plan. He was going to confront the Konoha leadership, using Kotoamatsukami to stop the Uchiha clan's coup.
Shisui had been certain that the leadership, including Danzo, would agree to it.
After all, no matter how ruthless Danzo was, everything he did was supposedly for the good of Konoha.
But then, Danzo had turned around and killed Shisui.
Did the Hokage know about this?
[tl/n: and finally! things are heating up!
so, don't forget them powerstones for your bonus chapters! it's a chapter every 100 ps]
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