The afternoon sun bled across Konoha's rooftops, dyeing the village in hues of amber and rust. The air carried the scent of warm earth and distant charcoal, mingling with the calls of merchants and the steady hum of civilian life.
Akai walked at an unhurried pace, idly twirling a pen between his fingers.
A small journal rested in his other hand, its pages filled with careful notes, diagrams and illustrations, and the occasional nonsensical scribble.
His crimson eye gleamed under the waning light, cursed energy flickering around him in faint, almost imperceptible waves—an anomaly only the keenest dōjutsu could perceive.
He paused mid-step, drawing a slow breath as his thoughts turned inward.
Reversed Cursed Technique.
The last time he attempted it, the sensation had been fleeting—like grasping mist. It resisted permanence, slipping from his control the moment it took hold. But today, he had a different target in mind. Something that mattered.
Closing his eyes, he directed his energy inward, toward the flaw he had carried since birth: the atrial septal defect in his heart's wall.
The Hyuga elders' previous attempts had forced some healing, but they had left it incomplete. Temporary. Imperfect.
He would finish the job himself.
The cursed energy coiled, refined, and threaded through his body. A subtle push—then resistance.
His breath hitched. His control wavered for a fraction of a second. Then, with a final surge, the flaw in his heart sealed shut.
His eyes snapped open. A sharp exhale. Cold sweat prickled at his skin.
"As expected." His voice came quiet, almost breathless.
The backlash struck immediately. Mental exhaustion settled in, deeper than mere fatigue—it gnawed at his clarity, dulled his thoughts, left his senses momentarily frayed. Even his Byakugan and Sharingan flickered before stabilizing once more.
At least it worked.
But this... this wasn't sustainable. Not yet. Before he could afford to wield Reversed Cursed Technique offensively, he needed to master the fundamentals—subtraction, refinement, efficiency. Healing, for now, would remain his focus.
With a quiet clap, he shut the journal and tucked it into his sleeve. As he resumed walking, he reactivated his dōjutsu—
Then, he saw it.
A presence.
Not sensed. Seen. His passively active byakugan is doing its job like it always should.
A figure moved in the periphery of his vision, deliberate and patient. Male. Early twenties. His attire—grey flak jacket, reinforced arm guards, gloves, shinobi sandals with spiked soles—marked him as a combatant. But it was the mask that stood out.
Porcelain. ANBU.
Akai's gaze flickered briefly to the ink on the man's arm—the same tattoo worn by those who had once accompanied the Third Hokage.
Interesting.
He didn't react. Didn't tense. If ANBU wanted to follow him, so be it. He would give them nothing.
With the faintest trace of amusement curling at the edges of his lips, Akai continued walking, allowing the silent shadow to follow.
The familiar river came into view, its surface glinting under the afternoon sun. The soft babble of flowing water reached his ears—along with an unmistakably loud, irritated voice.
"YOU'RE TOO DAMN LATE, YA KNOW!"
Naruto stood at the riverbank, arms crossed, his face scrunched up in frustration.
(A/N: I think I'll just use "ya know" instead of "-dattebayo" now)
Akai met his glare with an easygoing smile. "My bad, my bad. Got dragged around by a constipated grandpa."
"Liar!" Naruto shot back immediately.
Technically, not a lie. But Akai wasn't in the mood to explain.
They were supposed to grab food today, so he let the conversation drift in that direction. Even as he talked, his awareness remained sharp—his passive vision had already tracked the ANBU operative's movements.
The masked man had shifted positions, now perched behind a tree that jutted from the river instead of the land.
A small detail. But an important one.
The tree's roots clung to the shore, yet the ANBU was undeniably on the water.
Akai's gaze sharpened.
He's walking on water...
Fixing his Byakugan's focus, he traced the ANBU's chakra network. The man's tenketsu pulsed with carefully measured output, his chakra molding seamlessly beneath his feet.
Fascinating.
Akai came to a halt.
Naruto frowned. "Oi, why'd you stop?"
"I want to try something," Akai replied, stepping toward the river.
With measured movements, he placed one foot forward—then another—until he stood on the water's surface.
His slowed perception dissected the technique instantly. Chakra control, precise release, continuous molding. The concept made sense. Stabilizing himself with cursed energy would be an entirely different matter, but for now, chakra was enough.
Naruto's jaw practically unhinged. "Wha—WHAT!? HOW!?"
Across the river, the ANBU operative stiffened.
Akai smirked, murmuring to himself, "Interesting. Maybe I should try this with cursed energy later."
Naruto's ears twitched. "Oi, what'd you just say?"
"Nothing."
The ANBU remained unmoving. Watching. Calculating.
Akai sighed, then, with deliberate ease, turned his head directly toward him.
"Well, if you're not gonna show yourself, do whatever you want."
Naruto squinted. "Huh? Who the hell are you talking to?"
Akai shrugged. "No one. Or maybe I'm just crazy."
Naruto groaned. "Ugh, whatever! Let's just go get ramen, ya know!"
Satisfied, Akai stepped off the water and followed. As they entered the bustling village streets, Naruto's earlier frustration melted away, replaced by excitement.
"You know about Ichiraku?!"
Akai chuckled. "Of course. You're not the only one who eats there."
Naruto pouted. "Tch, I am a regular, ya know! The old man knows me really well! The food's the best!"
Sure enough, when they arrived, Teuchi greeted them warmly.
"Ah, Naruto! Back again?"
"Heh, of course!" Naruto grinned.
They ordered their bowls, falling into easy conversation between bites.
Akai leaned on the counter, eyeing Naruto. "If you love ramen so much, why were you fishing yesterday instead of eating here?"
Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Ah... well, I kinda spent all my money."
Akai hummed in thought. After a moment, he raised a hand.
"Teuchi, another bowl."
The old man nodded, swiftly preparing another serving and setting it in front of Naruto.
"Huh?" Naruto blinked in confusion.
"Compensation," Akai said simply. "For being late."
Naruto beamed, practically inhaling the extra ramen.
After finishing their meal, they wandered through the village, each carrying a bag of dango.
As they walked, Naruto brought up yesterday's events. "Y'know, I finally figured out that old man we met was the Third Hokage."
Akai raised a brow. "Took you long enough."
"Heh, well, I actually met him again after you left. We talked for a bit."
Akai listened as Naruto rambled on about how the Hokage had even given him some extra allowance after learning he was broke.
His expression remained neutral, but he made note of it.
Naruto admired the title of Hokage.
Then, as if to confirm Akai's thoughts, Naruto grinned, eyes burning with an unshakable determination.
"One day, I'm gonna be Hokage too, ya know!"
Akai stared at him. Not in disbelief—he had no doubt that Naruto possessed the drive. But leadership...
His thoughts drifted elsewhere. To Hiashi Hyuga.
In many ways, the man was already a Hokage—if not of the village, then of his clan. A leader burdened with stress, carrying unseen weights—some metaphorical, others far more tangible. The cursed spirits clinging to his form were not mere abstractions of duty and expectation. They were real.
Once, Akai had harbored his own ambitions. A distant fantasy of taking what was rightfully his as a main branch member before the seal had been burned into his flesh. Of seizing control, reshaping the Hyuga with his own hands, rewriting its traditions from within.
But that was before.
Before he understood the true cost of power. Before he realized how deeply the caged bird's hatred could consume him.
Akai exhaled. Too much work.
For now, he was content.
His research was progressing. His cursed energy was evolving. And above all else—
He was free of any kind of duty.
"Hey, let's meet again tomorrow! "
Naruto's voice rang through the evening streets, unbothered by the quiet hum of the village settling down.
"Let's play again tomorrow!" he declared, his grin wide and confident.
Akai sweatdropped. Play?
Buying food and wandering around like adults seemed far from a child's game, but to Naruto, it was. He supposed that made sense—Naruto had no real friends to hang out with until now.
"...Sure," Akai replied. It wasn't like he had anything better to do other than morning practice.
Naruto beamed, satisfied with the answer. With that, they parted ways, each heading toward their respective homes.
Akai's pace slowed as he neared the Hyuga compound, his Byakugan subtly tracking the presence behind him. The ANBU operative still followed, sticking to the shadows of Konoha's rooftops.
The moment Akai stepped through the gates of the main family's mansion, the operative stopped.
And then, he revealed himself.
For a split second, his form flickered in the moonlight—an uneven afterimage left in his wake as he vanished.
If any ninja had been watching the rooftops, they would have noticed him—jumping, leaping, moving with silent precision.
His destination: the Hokage's office.
.
.
.
The room was dimly lit, a space devoid of unnecessary furnishings. Only the soft glow of candlelight flickered against the tatami floors, casting long shadows on the walls.
In the center of the room sat a short wooden table.
Two figures were already seated on the floor, their presences commanding the room in different ways.
One was Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, draped in the flowing white of his robes, his hat resting beside him. A faint wisp of smoke curled from his pipe, the embers briefly illuminating his wrinkled face.
The other was Genzou Hyuga—an elder of the Hyuga clan. His pupil-less eyes reflected the dim light, sharp and unreadable.
The sliding door creaked open, and a masked figure stepped inside. Without hesitation, the ANBU agent moved forward, stopping just short of the table.
Then, he dropped to one knee.
A silent bow of respect.
Hiruzen acknowledged him first, his gaze steady. "Our agent has arrived. Your request has been fulfilled, Genzou."
The Hyuga elder nodded in appreciation. "I thank you, Lord Third." His focus turned to the kneeling operative. "If I may, I'd like to speak to him directly regarding the request."
Before the ANBU could respond, Hiruzen lifted a hand. "Actually," he said, exhaling another breath of smoke, "I'd like to hear the report as well. I met the boy just a day ago, after all."
Genzou raised an eyebrow but did not argue. "...Very well."
"Begin."
Still kneeling, the ANBU agent straightened slightly and spoke, his voice measured and professional.
"The mission proceeded as expected. The target showed no signs of suspicious behavior. He spent most of the afternoon with Naruto Uzumaki, traveling through the village."
Hiruzen hummed in acknowledgment, a faint smile tugging at his lips. So, Naruto made a friend.
The report continued as normal—nothing of concern.
That was until the agent reached the more unusual details.
"However, there was a moment of notable change in the boy's behavior."
Genzou's gaze sharpened. "Explain."
"Akai Hyuga demonstrated a level of chakra control beyond what is expected for his age. He walked on water effortlessly, as though he had studied and understood the mechanics with little practice."
Hiruzen's interest piqued.
"...Is that so?"
"He also muttered something to himself about 'experiments'—repeatedly."
Genzou's expression remained unreadable, but Hiruzen caught the flicker of thought behind his pale eyes.
The Hokage leaned back slightly, exhaling through his pipe. "Nothing particularly strange about that," he mused. "Children often test their limits. If anything, I'd say his talents should be commended."
The ANBU operative nodded, concluding his report.
For a moment, silence settled in the room.
Then—Hiruzen noticed it.
Genzou's face had stiffened slightly, his mind clearly occupied with something beyond the report.
Hiruzen studied him. "...What's wrong?"
The elder Hyuga hesitated, then finally spoke.
"With your permission," Genzou said slowly, "May I check on the Kyūbi Jinchūriki's seal?"
Hiruzen's expression darkened ever so slightly.
He tapped the edge of his pipe against the tatami floor, considering the request carefully.
And then, he met Genzou's gaze.
"...Why?"
.
.
.
To be continued.