This was way too unreal.
Shiki had joked that the Third Ninja World War was coming… and now it actually was.
He mentioned Hiruzen would summon everyone… and ANBU immediately appeared.
How could Tsunade not be stunned?
"Uh…"
She scratched her cheek awkwardly while Shiki rubbed the back of his head.
To be honest, he was confused too.
Hiruzen was giving him way too much face.
He barely finished speaking, and the old man sent ninjas running.
"Well… if it's just glimpses of the future, I can genuinely do that. But only fragments."
"Huh?"
Tsunade blinked.
I was joking… you can actually do it?
Shiki only shrugged casually.
"If your sensory ability reaches a certain level, you can briefly see a few seconds ahead.
Useful mainly in battle."
His Observation Haki was already at the top.
Future Sight came naturally.
But explaining "Observation Haki" didn't translate neatly.
The closest thing was simply "perception."
"Uh…"
Tsunade felt like she'd stepped into a fantasy story.
Training perception to the point of predicting the future?
Could humans even do that?
She had never heard of anything like this — not even her grandfather, Hashirama, ever did it.
She stared at Shiki with a conflicted expression — skeptical, shocked, yet knowing he wouldn't lie to her about something this serious.
Predicting the future… just thinking about it was terrifying.
Shiki saw her confusion and didn't bother explaining.
He moved straight to demonstration.
"In a few seconds, Orochimaru will walk in through the other door and say, 'I seem to have heard something interesting.'"
Right after Shiki finished—
Footsteps.
Orochimaru walked in through the opposite entrance, snake-like eyes narrowing at Shiki.
"I seem to have heard someth—… "
He froze.
Those snake pupils stared directly at Shiki.
Sensing his approach was one thing.
But repeating his exact line of dialogue?
That was future prediction.
Orochimaru had doubted him before.
But now?
Now he was shaken.
"…Is this a Kekkei Genkai?"
This kind of ability didn't feel like something any normal person could train.
"If you want to treat it that way, sure."
Classifying Observation Haki as a type of bloodline ability wasn't wrong.
Orochimaru opened his mouth to ask more—
—but Tsunade suddenly jumped up, grabbing Shiki's arm with a bright grin.
"You're incredible! As expected of the man I picked! I love you so damn much!"
The stronger Shiki appeared, the happier she became.
After all, it proved she had good taste — she chose him at first glance.
Shiki only smiled.
"You two really act like a couple."
Orochimaru shrugged.
Watching them didn't bother him — he had long since lost interest in ordinary emotions.
At this stage, aside from immortality, nothing else held his attention.
"Shiki-kun, don't forget our agreement. I'll help Tsunade become Hokage, and afterward, you'll provide me with the perfected 'Living Corpse Reincarnation.'"
Orochimaru had been chasing this technique for years.
He tried deciphering Shiki's sealing notes himself — every attempt failed.
"Relax. In my view, only someone with your talent can complete a half-finished ninjutsu like that."
Shiki wasn't obsessed with immortality…
But if he could live forever, he wouldn't refuse.
Let Orochimaru finish the technique — then take it.
Perfect arrangement.
As for betrayal?
Shiki wasn't worried in the slightest.
With overwhelming strength, even someone like Orochimaru couldn't pose a threat.
Orochimaru studied him quietly.
This man carried himself like a king — too proud to bother deceiving someone like him.
"…As expected. In this ninja world, the one I admire the most is Shiki-kun."
Tsunade didn't interrupt — she could tell the conversation was important, and she wasn't the scheming type anyway.
"By the way, Orochimaru," Tsunade suddenly said, "research is fine, but don't cross the line. No unethical experiments."
Creating ninjutsu had always been dangerous.
Her second grandfather, Tobirama, also made mistakes — some fatal.
"For the sake of progress, failure is unavoidable," Orochimaru replied flatly.
Without pushing boundaries, no technique would reach completion.
Tsunade understood… but still—
"Whatever you do, you are NOT using Konoha's people. Ever."
"Of course. Konoha isn't the only place where shinobi exist."
Orochimaru wasn't foolish.
If he refused, Tsunade might abandon the Hokage position and then Shiki wouldn't give him the technique.
Besides, with Shiki right next to her, why cause trouble inside Konoha?
"That's fine then," Tsunade said. "As long as it's not Konoha's people."
Orochimaru nodded.
When Shiki, Tsunade, and Orochimaru arrived at the Hokage's office, clan heads and elite jōnin were already gathered.
Nara Shikaku noticed Shiki enter and gave him a polite nod.
Shiki quietly returned it.
Sarutobi Hiruzen — completely wrapped in war concerns — didn't notice the exchange.
But once he saw Shiki step through the door, Hiruzen finally relaxed.
Good.
He'd feared Shiki's resentment toward him might keep him away.
But Shiki wanted Tsunade as Hokage.
There was no chance he'd let Konoha fall.
"Ahem."
Hiruzen cleared his throat, and the room immediately fell silent.
"I believe you all understand the current situation."
People exchanged glances.
Finally, strategist Nara Shikaku stepped forward.
"Hokage-sama… Sunagakure's intentions have been clear for a long time. The disappearance of the Third Kazekage may be the trigger, but the truth is— every Ninja World War, they have always targeted Konoha first."
No surprise there.
The Land of Wind was ninety-five percent desert.
Of course they coveted Konoha's abundant land and resources.
Hiruzen understood Shikaku's analysis, but still waved weakly...
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