Ramen Shop
Warm steam rose into the air, carrying the rich aroma of pork bone broth—one of the few places in the Hidden Leaf Village where people could forget, even for a moment, that they were ninjas.
"I'm telling you… it's been two weeks—two whole weeks!"
Uzumaki Kushina poked at the curls of ramen in her bowl, her bright red hair drooping as if weighed down by boredom.
"That jonin, Orochimaru—what kind of S-rank mission takes this long? Why hasn't he come back yet?"
Across from her, Hiroki slurped his noodles leisurely, far more relaxed than his impatient companion.
Over the past two weeks, he'd managed to optimize his [Muscle_Sustainable Growth v0.2.bat] script to near perfection. As long as his test rat didn't suddenly drop dead from kidney failure like the last one, he'd soon be ready to try human trials—on himself.
And he wasn't just improving his code. He was getting better at navigating the mysterious "system" inside his mind.
He'd discovered that labeling and reorganizing the folders in his mental "memory drive" made those memories astonishingly vivid.Now, even memories from over a decade ago—his school days—were crystal clear.
When his test subject had shown signs of kidney failure, he'd recognized it instantly, despite never having studied biology seriously.It was strange. Back in his old life, he'd barely scraped through college, returning all his knowledge to the professors the moment exams ended.But now, by reorganizing his memories, he could recall every book he'd ever read, every lesson, even details from manga panels he'd once skimmed.
Recently, he'd even remembered that according to the databook, Minato Namikaze graduated at ten, while Kushina Uzumaki graduated at twelve—meaning Minato was two years ahead!In the original timeline, it must've been that moment—when Minato saved Kushina from the Cloud Ninjas—that made him famous and set him on the fast track to becoming Hokage.
For Hiroki, these two weeks had been productive, even pleasant.
"Don't worry," he said casually. "The Third Hokage probably has a plan. Besides, it gives us more time to prepare."
"Prepare? I'm dying of boredom!" Kushina groaned.
Just then, the conversation from the next table caught their attention.
"Look, it's them!" a woman whispered excitedly to her husband. "Those are the prodigies who graduated early!"
"Oh wow, it's Sawada Hiroki and Uzumaki Kushina! They look even better in person than in the newspaper! I wish our kid could be like them!"
"That's right, Dawan," the husband added. "Look at them and learn."
A moment later, the couple approached their table, dragging along a shy five- or six-year-old boy.
"Sorry to bother you, um… masters," the man said awkwardly. "Our son really admires you. He insisted on meeting you."
He scratched his head and, to everyone's surprise, turned the boy around and lifted his shirt."Could you, uh, sign his back?"
The child's eyes sparkled like stars.His mother immediately smacked her husband on the arm. "Honestly! How many times have I told you not to compare our child to others? You're embarrassing us!"
"…" The husband looked sheepish."…" So did Hiroki and Kushina.
Faced with the boy's smooth, bare back, neither of them knew what to say. Should they comment on Konoha's enthusiasm for child prodigies?Or just… run?
They chose the latter—quickly finishing their ramen and escaping down the street.
"This place is way too public," Kushina muttered, cheeks flushed. She grabbed Hiroki's wrist and pulled him toward the quiet hillside behind the village. "Let's go somewhere else!"
The grassy hill behind the mountain was peaceful, a gentle breeze rustling through the trees. They had just sat down when a voice called from behind them.
"Sawada Hiroki. Uzumaki Kushina."
They spun around.An ANBU operative stood under the shade of a tree, animal mask gleaming in the sunlight.
"By order of the Third Hokage," the ANBU said coolly. "Lord Orochimaru has returned to the village. You are to report to Training Ground Forty-Four immediately. He will personally oversee your examination."
Kushina's expression froze—her excitement melting into disbelief and irritation.
"What?! Another test? Didn't we already pass?"
"This is a personal request from Lord Orochimaru. If you wish to complain, take it up with the Third Hokage."
Meanwhile, at Hiroki's house…
The place was empty, except for a row of mouse cages on the windowsill—silent witnesses to their owner's recent work.
A faint ripple of movement disturbed the air.A tall figure appeared in the center of the room, silent as a shadow.
Orochimaru.
He hadn't gone straight to the training ground.He'd come here first.
His golden, slit-pupiled eyes swept across the room, finally resting on the cages.
Group A's mice—healthy, active, normal.Group B's—dead, twisted, their muscles grotesquely overdeveloped.Group C's—stronger, faster, yet still balanced and alive.
Orochimaru reached out a pale, slender finger, teasing one of the Group C mice through the bars.He didn't need lab notes to understand what had happened here.Just from the results, he could reconstruct every step Hiroki had taken.
Controlled trials…A scientific mindset.
A slow smile curled across Orochimaru's lips.
Interesting.The Third Hokage might not realize that the "seedling" he'd chosen was far closer in nature to Danzo—or the Second Hokage—than anyone suspected.
Orochimaru's grin widened, equal parts fascination and malice.Someone like this would never make a good Hokage.
And yet…
His eyes gleamed. There was a hunger in them now—a predator's curiosity.
Where had this boy learned such methods?According to both the ANBU and the Root, Hiroki had never been exposed to advanced research or forbidden techniques.
Could he be a spy from the Cloud Village?
Orochimaru almost hoped he was.
That would make him a very interesting test subject indeed.