After safely storing away Shisui's eyes, and with Kakashi still not having returned, Senju Haruto decided to make use of the time to train his Byakugan.
Even while staring straight ahead, he could effortlessly capture a full 360-degree field of vision.
Not only that — he could clearly see the flow of chakra within his own body, as well as the positions of his tenketsu points.
I remember that Neji, through sheer talent and hard work, created techniques that only members of the Hyūga main family were supposed to learn — Rotation and the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.
By the time of the Shippuden era, he had even upgraded that technique to the One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms.
In terms of chakra reserves, I have more than Neji. If I can master Rotation as well, I wonder if I could expand its range several times over…
Haruto began recalling the details of Neji's Rotation technique.
The reason it was called "Rotation" was because Hyūga Neji could do something no one else could.
Most people could only release chakra through their hands or the soles of their feet, but Neji could release chakra from all his tenketsu points across his entire body.
By combining that with high-speed spinning, he achieved Rotation.
Even Tenten had described this move as a type of absolute defense — different from Gaara's sand shield, but equally formidable.
High-speed spin… target three points…
Cough, cough.
Haruto cleared his throat, feeling as though some strange images had popped into his mind.
Anyway…
Just as he was about to attempt Rotation for himself, his gaze was drawn to a photo frame sitting on the table.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Haruto strode into the living room, reached the table, and picked up the frame.
This photo…
He let out a quiet sigh and deactivated his Byakugan.
The image reminded him of the usual Team 7 group photo — but instead of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, it showed Minato Namikaze, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin.
No wonder that, the moment Kakashi became Team 7's jōnin leader, he insisted on forcing Sasuke and Naruto to take a team photo. Was he trying to pass on what he had lost, entrusting it to the next generation?
For Kakashi, nothing was more precious than his comrades.
And yet… he lacked the strength to protect the things most precious to him.
Rin's death had dealt him a devastating blow, one that left him drifting through life as little more than a living corpse in the ANBU.
Haruto's gaze moved from Rin's gentle smile to the boy beside her — Obito.
A thousand people will see a thousand different Hamlets.
Haruto remembered seeing a video on Bilibili where a creator compared Obito to…
A player who, after getting the worst possible ending, desperately wants to restart the game in New Game+.
In his rush to reach the end, it no longer matters to him what happens in the current playthrough.
At the time, Haruto had thought that analogy was spot on.
But…
When Obito and Deidara went to capture the Three-Tails, Deidara had scoffed that a tailed beast without a jinchūriki was nothing more than an oversized animal.
In that moment, Obito fell silent.
When Deidara called out to him afterward, Obito had jokingly replied, "I fell asleep. Hahaha."
"What are you doing?"
Kakashi's voice suddenly came from the doorway, snapping Haruto out of his thoughts.
He looked up instinctively and saw Kakashi standing there, holding two fresh fish — apparently his dinner for the night.
Still, Haruto could tell from his expression that Kakashi wasn't pleased with what he was doing.
"This girl… she's very beautiful. Who is she?" Haruto asked casually, glancing at Kakashi.
But Kakashi didn't answer.
He walked briskly forward, snatched the photo frame from Haruto's hands, and set it face-down on the table with deliberate care.
"This has nothing to do with you."
Both his tone and his gaze were as cold as a winter in the Land of Snow.
Haruto didn't look away, but this was the first time he'd seen such icy eyes.
For a few moments, they locked eyes, the atmosphere thick with awkward tension.
In the end, Kakashi's tone eased slightly, and his gaze shifted to the back of the frame.
"She is very beautiful," he murmured.
Without another glance at Haruto, Kakashi brushed past him and stepped into the kitchen.
Housing Haruto was the Hokage's order.
As an ANBU captain, Kakashi would carry it out.
That was his only reason for existing in this world.
Haruto opened his mouth as if to speak, but closed it again.
After being cut off like that, he decided not to dwell on Rin and Obito, and simply sat back down on the tatami mat to wait for dinner.
"Eat."
Before long, Kakashi served the fish he'd brought home, now cooked to perfection.
"The Third Hokage wants you to report to his office tomorrow," Kakashi said without taking a bite himself.
"Did he say anything else?" Haruto asked after a brief pause.
"No." Kakashi's reply was curt and frigid.
Although the Third Hokage had ordered him to house Haruto, Kakashi didn't see him as a comrade — nor did he intend to form any bonds with him.
To Kakashi, Haruto was nothing more than a temporary guest who'd be gone in a few days, after which life would return to normal.
"…Alright."
Haruto nodded and focused on eating.
As he had expected, Kakashi never removed his mask to eat in front of others.
He waited until Haruto finished before devouring the fish in just two or three quick bites.
That's… fast, Haruto thought wryly, then returned to his room to rest for the night, conserving his strength for tomorrow's visit to the Hokage's office.
Based on his own deductions, Shimura Danzō was probably still alive, and the Third Hokage was likely dealing with the matter.
Not that it would matter — Danzō wouldn't live much longer.
And so the night passed in silence between Haruto and Kakashi.
When Haruto woke the next morning, Kakashi had already gone, leaving breakfast on the table.
The photo of Minato's team still lay face-down, as if Kakashi couldn't bring himself to throw it away — yet couldn't bear to face it either.
After eating, Haruto washed the dishes and headed for the Hokage's office.
No one spoke to him along the way; it seemed Hiruzen Sarutobi had given instructions.
Soon, Haruto reached the office door, pushed it open, and stepped inside.
The only person present was the Third Hokage himself.
"Hokage-sama," Haruto greeted. "What did you call me here for?"
"Haruto," Hiruzen said, rising from his seat the moment he saw him, "I want you to join the ANBU."
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