In the thirty-eighth year of Konoha, October.
As the Land of Fire is regarded as the most livable country in the ninja world—especially with Konoha located right at its center—autumn paints a rich and vivid picture, where golden yellows, reds, and oranges blend into one another, forming a colorful masterpiece.
Compared to the perpetually rainy Land of Rain, where wet and cold weather dominates with heavy downpours all year round, the weather in the Land of Fire feels incredibly comfortable.
Tch!
The hot-headed older brother, who had returned after sixteen years away from home like a true man reborn, stood atop a tree on the forest outskirts of Konoha. He wore a standard Chunin vest. The Caged Bird Seal—unique to branch members of the Hyuga clan—stood out boldly on his forehead.
His left hand gripped a lamp-post-like polearm, while his forehead protector—a Konoha headband—had been transformed into a belt accessory around his waist. At that moment, he was gazing toward the faint silhouette of the tall walls enclosing the Hidden Leaf Village in the distance, viciously finishing off the last half of a cigarette clenched between his teeth in one final drag.
"Soushu has told you countless times already," snapped Mahiru Uchiha, the kunoichi standing beside him, who had accompanied the hot-headed elder brother back to Konoha for a mission report after returning from the battlefield in the Land of Rain. Emerging with a Body Flicker technique from a patch of bushes after finishing her bathroom break, she leapt up onto the treetop where he stood, adjusting her clothing while nagging, "Yet you still smoke—and even more than before! Don't you remember how many times your stealth was compromised during missions because of that stink of tobacco on you? Why can't you ever change?"
"I always listen carefully to advice."
This time known as Hyuga Soushu, the hot-headed elder brother spoke without hesitation:
"It doesn't mean I'll change just because I've listened!"
Mahiru Uchiha, swinging her high ponytail unhappily, pouted silently, at a loss for words.
This hairstyle had originally been suggested by Hyuga Soushu himself, and later perfected by Mahiru Uchiha. It took off like wildfire among the kunoichi stationed at Konoha's military base in the Land of Rain.
Honestly speaking, having formulas to follow sure makes things easier!
This trick inherited from past-life memories had already been skillfully used by this transmigrated hot-headed Hyuga elder countless times over. Every time it was employed, it worked perfectly—even with twisted reasoning, he'd never once failed!
This straightforward young beauty who might have slain dozens of Iwagakure ninjas on the battlefield still couldn't argue against him. Although as a gentle-natured Uchiha ninja who graduated from Konoha Ninja Academy, Mahiru had also studied courses such as logic, unfortunately, Soushu played no by-the-book logic at all!
"You didn't peek while I was gone, did you?"
Mahiru Uchiha changed the subject.
"Do I look like someone who peeks?"
Hyuga Soushu scoffed disdainfully, proudly pointing at his pair of Byakugan eyes: "As a chunin of the Hyuga clan, if I'm going to look, I'll do it openly and honestly!"
"Besides," he continued, "weren't you unconscious with injuries last time, and didn't I bathe and change your bandages myself? You were completely… taken care of—"
"Shut up!"
Flushing bright red, Mahiru Uchiha immediately covered Hyuga Soushu's blabbering mouth—like a megaphone with no off switch—with both hands.
Pfffttt!
Hyuga Soushu pushed Mahiru's hand away with a disgusted expression, muttering, "Gross! Your hands are all sweaty—you didn't wash them!"
"You—"
Mahiru Uchiha's head began steaming, her eyes turning red as if she were about to activate her Sharingan.
"Wah!"
Then she burst into loud, dramatic sobs.
Naturally, this was just Mahiru's usual act, so Hyuga Soushu remained unbothered watching the girl fake-cry.
Although she kills people, starts fires, and takes enemy heads, she's still technically a sixteen-year-old girl—even if it's fair to say she's not quite "young" anymore. Still, calling her a good girl wouldn't be wrong.
Let's be honest: as today's top elite clan in the ninja world, the Uchiha are known for their striking appearances across the board—men and women alike boast great looks and well-built frames. So even now while being overly emotional and acting fake-cute, Mahiru still looked pretty damn good to Soushu.
She had all the right curves in all the right places, and everything else was just the way it should be.
The only real flaw was her old battlefield habit of ripping enemies' hearts out—which kept sparking head-hunting rivalries with Soushu. Otherwise, this Uchiha girl, who showed such carefully rehearsed cuteness only around him, was practically flawless.
"You really are an insensitive guy!"
After faking tears for a bit, Mahiru discontentedly rubbed her face before returning to her normal expression. "But I didn't wipe my hands on purpose either."
"Did you forget to bring any?"
Soushu turned around, reaching for his ninja tool pouch to check for unused paper.
"It was my way of giving you a reward."
Mahiru stated boldly without batting an eyelid.
Immediately, Soushu's face instantly shifted—he looked genuinely taken aback.
Since April of Konoha Year 36 when they were recruited for combat duties until now, Soushu—as a clan ninja enlisted by the village—and Mahiru—who participated in the war representing the Uchiha clan's moderate school graduates—had formed a team fighting shoulder to shoulder for two and a half years straight; especially after Nawaki, the last surviving legitimate son of the Senju clan and Tsunade's younger brother, accidentally fell into a trap during a mission and died, various forces within the ninja world became increasingly tense, preparing for large-scale military actions until warfare finally broke out uncontrollably.
During those bloody days filled with sword flashes and blade glimmers, these two supported each other and influenced one another.
Most notably, Mahiru, originally possessing noble Uchiha aristocratic elegance and coolness, picked up some of Soushu's catchphrases and his blunt manner of speaking.
Of course, back then both were just cannon-fodder Genin—disowned and unwanted by their own clans. Still, compared to Mū-ranked ninjas worth only as much as five Explosive Tags, they had significant advantages.
For instance, their squad leader back then was a Tokubetsu Jonin who hailed from a Mū civilian background. According to Konoha's standard team composition rules, they were also joined by an experienced Mū Genin, whose main job was to round out the team as a support player. Unfortunately, within less than a month of entering the battlefield, their unfortunate special jonin instructor along with that teammate whose name and appearance nobody could even recall anymore successively became cold numbers on the casualty list.
"Let's go back. It's almost noon already."
Mahiru stamped her foot and sprang forward, leaping across treetops, followed closely behind by Soushu.
"Do you want to come over to my place for something to eat? Teuchi's pancake shop is quite good."
"Aren't you going to ask Soushu-sama?" the girl casually replied.
"I need to report to the Hokage Tower first," Hyuga Soushu said. "The geezer from the Main House also wants to see me this afternoon."
"Then I'll submit my report tomorrow," she answered nonchalantly, though a hint of disappointment flickered across her face.
"You should let Oyakata-san know—he needs to prepare some donkey meat," Soushu glanced at his teammate with a slight smirk. "Tomorrow after you finish your report, we can try out his jianbing again."
"What heresy!"
The tsundere girl sped up and landed in front of him mid-leap. "Beef is clearly the perfect pairing for bing! Honestly!"
"I want both donkey meat and bing!" Soushu raised his voice. "And chili inside too!"
"Not only that, I'm gonna bring some coriander leaves from home as well!"
"You're definitely a heretic!"
"No, you are!"
As they bickered playfully, two survivors of bloody battles—offspring of prestigious ninja clans—landed before Konoha Village's main gate and joined the line awaiting inspection by the guarding ninja.
"Konoha…"
Soushu lifted his head, gazing at the two engraved characters on the gate's arch. This was the heart of the ninja world—the Hidden Leaf Village, its most powerful military force.
It was also Soushu's nominal hometown in this life.
"Aren't you going to wear that long cloak you usually have on?" Uchiha Mahiru turned her head while still ahead in the queue, her black eyes shining like stars in the night sky, staring directly at the caged bird cursed seal on his forehead.
"This isn't the damned Land of Rain," Soushu met her gaze without flinching. "Besides, I'm not one of those shady Anbu hyenas who can't show their faces."
"Good answer."
Mahiru truly appreciated her comrade's straightforwardness and disdain for those Anbu hyenas.
Sure, people labeled Mahiru as part of the Uchiha's moderate faction—but that had more to do with her family than any real stance. In Soushu's eyes, Mahiru was one of those rare moderates who still thought traditionalists were too stuck-up. She clearly held no fondness for the Hokage's secretive Anbu—the detested hyenas all bloodline-bearing clans despised. In terms of actual political alignment, Soushu believed Mahiru belonged to the establishment faction. For instance, her dream was to earn battlefield merits and gradually climb toward the position of Hokage.
In private, she'd often grumble to Soushu about those stiff-necked hardheads in the Uchiha radical faction who just couldn't let go of old customs.
As for this kind of conversation—which would likely sound treasonous to ordinary villagers—it barely caused a ripple among other ninja waiting patiently in line behind them.
After all, hating on shadowy authority figures was practically a bonus point for experienced Konoha ninjas, especially those from long-standing bloodline clans.
Especially when it came from offspring of two prestigious Dojutsu bloodline families!
Even the administrative ninja stationed at the front gate maintained a warm and approachable demeanor, politely nodding as he took Mahiru Uchiha's ninja identification to record the details, seemingly unfazed by the words spoken moments ago.
As the saying goes: wherever there are people, there's a jianghu (martial world) waiting beneath the surface.
And naturally, wherever there was jianghu, there would inevitably be conflict. Even the Hidden Leaf Village, known for emphasizing unity and the Will of Fire, was no exception. In Hyuga Soushu's eyes, the Leaf's so-called unity and high morals were the perfect example of the saying—people always trumpet what they lack the most.
Even among the various ninja clans belonging to the Hokage's faction, anyone with even a little sense or concern for their kin would never favor that shadow-dweller, the Hokage's second-in-command, who had gained a notorious reputation for dissecting others' every word and action with relentless suspicion and disdain.