"Elder… this is why I came to see you."
Inside Senju Shōjin's room, Hikaru sipped a cup of tea and looked at the old man with a gentle expression.
But honestly, this tea wasn't to his taste.
It was too bitter.
Maybe that was what "real tea" was supposed to be like—yet Hikaru still preferred the tea Renge had brewed for him last night.
This visit had one clear purpose: to explain what had happened at his home.
Someone had crossed the line.
So he had to do something.
And Shōjin clearly understood that—his expression was grim.
He hadn't expected the situation to twist this way. With Hikaru's promotion and the awakening of Wood Release, some people inside the clan had started thinking differently.
Shōjin's anger simmered. He'd always been uneasy about Hikaru—and now this incident snapped the slack right out of him, making his nerves tighten again.
Fortunately, Hikaru had stayed restrained.
He hadn't used any extreme methods.
Renge was still alive.
And Hikaru had come to Shōjin instead of simply acting.
What Shōjin feared most was the alternative:
If Hikaru didn't come to him…
If he extracted Senju Ryōta's location from Renge, killed the girl, then went and killed Ryōta—
That would be terrifyingly easy for an ANBU shinobi.
And Hikaru was exceptionally skilled with Flying Thunder God.
Once he moved, no one would find a trace.
He wouldn't even need to do it personally—his subordinates could handle it.
After all, Hikaru was an ANBU squad captain.
"I understand, Hikaru." Shōjin sighed, then nodded seriously. "Thank you for staying restrained. I'll handle this."
"No, Elder." Hikaru shook his head. "I'm going to handle it myself."
Handle it himself.
Shōjin's stomach tightened.
When an ANBU "handled" something, it usually wasn't pretty.
He knew Hikaru was angry—and for good reason—but Senju Ryōta was still a clan member, and not an insignificant one.
If Hikaru dealt with this in ANBU style, the fallout could be catastrophic.
Shōjin forced himself to breathe and stay calm.
He had to stay calm, or the consequences would only worsen.
And as he steadied himself, a new thought surfaced:
Hikaru had come to him on his own.
That likely meant Hikaru intended to solve this as Senju Hikaru, not as the ANBU captain Nightingale.
Still, Shōjin needed to confirm it.
This kind of confrontation could tear the clan apart.
Even if it did, Shōjin knew where he'd stand—behind Hikaru.
Shōjin had raised him.
And Hikaru carried Wood Release.
He was the key to the Senju rising again.
Shōjin knew exactly what choice he would make.
But if it could be resolved without splitting the clan, Shōjin wanted that outcome.
"Tell me," Shōjin said with a long sigh. "What's your plan?"
"My plan is simple." Hikaru smiled at him. "This must be handled properly. And yes—this is Senju Hikaru's business, not Nightingale's. I'll keep my measure."
"Is that so…?" Shōjin finally exhaled, genuinely relieved. "I understand. You've grown up, Hikaru. So what will you do?"
"I'll pay that 'sir' a visit," Hikaru said, gently setting down his cup. His smile stayed in place—yet it carried a chill Shōjin couldn't ignore.
"And I'll send a message to anyone else who's thinking the same thing."
"Thinking is fine," Hikaru continued, "but everyone needs to remember one thing: some things can be thought—but not done. Once you do them, you pay a price."
"And… what price are you talking about?" Shōjin asked after a moment, voice lowered. "Hikaru—give me the truth. What are you really aiming for?"
"To make certain people 'wake up,' I'll bring the Senju members inside ANBU with me," Hikaru said with a calm smile.
"If they're sensible, they'll know what to do.
If not… considering ANBU's casualty rates, I can't guarantee their safety."
Shōjin's pupils widened.
Maybe Hikaru had shown fangs before—but this was the sharpest he'd ever been.
He wasn't threatening to kill clan members directly.
He didn't need to.
All he had to do was speak—within the rules—and people would die.
That was the message.
Those Senju in ANBU were elite assets—carefully cultivated, carefully hidden.
If they all died, the blow to the Senju would be enormous.
It was a naked threat.
And Shōjin could tell: Hikaru would actually do it.
Then Hikaru added, almost casually:
"Honestly, it's mostly to scare them. I'm not going to sabotage my own subordinates. As long as those people think it through."
Shōjin turned that sentence over once—
and suddenly understood.
"You… already spoke to those kids…"
"Yes, Elder." Hikaru nodded evenly, his smile deepening.
"Before missions, I've told them: it doesn't matter who they were before.
Inside ANBU, they only listen to me.
Otherwise…"
He paused.
"I don't know what conclusion they've reached yet. But this is a good chance to test it."
Listening to Hikaru say it so lightly, Shōjin froze.
For some reason, Hikaru seemed to have a shadow behind him now—someone with the same pale hair.
A man from Senju history.
Konoha's Second Hokage.
Senju Tobirama.
The same coldness.
The same sharp mind.
The same jutsu… and the same methods.
"Tobirama-sama…" Shōjin lowered his head.
In his youth, he'd served in ANBU under Tobirama. He knew that man well.
At this moment, Hikaru gave him the same illusion.
And if Hikaru also had Wood Release…
Was he the fusion of Hashirama and Tobirama?
Shōjin steadied his breathing, then nodded.
"Go. Do it."
"I only hope it ends well."
"Everyone hopes for a good ending," Hikaru replied calmly. "I just prefer preparing for the worst. But this time… I'm confident, Elder."
After settling things with Shōjin, Hikaru left the old wooden house and headed toward ANBU.
As he walked, he found himself thinking about something else:
He'd changed.
If it were the old him, he probably wouldn't use such hard language, or push this aggressively.
He would've used a softer approach—win trust first, then guide people into accepting his view without realizing it.
Like how he used to deal with Shōjin:
Align with Shōjin's thinking, then quietly feed in his own worldview.
But now?
He stated his stance openly.
He kept a warm tone, moved slowly, and informed the other side of the decision he'd already made—leaving them no room to refuse.
"Why did I change?"
Hikaru rubbed his chin.
He didn't think this was bad.
His previous method was still correct—and he'd still use it in the future.
But he couldn't deny it:
Before he'd secured enough advantages, he'd endured a lot of suffocating frustration.
He hated that.
Even if he was the type who valued results over process, a process that was too miserable still made him sick.
This new approach gave him a strange satisfaction:
He could enjoy the process—
and still get the result.
"Maybe my strength increased, and my mindset shifted with it," he concluded after a long moment.
Power changed people.
Even if your methods stayed the same, the way you used them could change dramatically.
His lips curled into a faint smile.
Strength really was a wonderful thing:
It wasn't just protection and deterrence.
It was confidence.
Without strength, no matter how unhappy he was, he'd still have to tiptoe.
"But I still need to restrain myself," he murmured. "Especially with some things still unfinished…"
He raised his head. The ANBU branch facility was close now.
He turned slightly and looked toward the distant ANBU headquarters.
That place would become his territory—
and the step onto a higher stage.
Hikaru entered the branch. Everyone here recognized him.
Soon, the remaining captains approached—only two:
Kakashi, whom Hikaru had personally selected…
…and Trout.
"Captain Trout," Hikaru said, seated behind his desk. No wasted words. "I need a favor. Bring me Sparrowhawk and the other three. Sorry to trouble you."
The four Senju in ANBU had the codenames Sparrowhawk, Red Hawk, Goshawk, and Snow Hawk.
Trout immediately nodded, asked no questions, and left the office.
Kakashi remained standing before Hikaru, still unsure what his captain intended.
"Kakashi," Hikaru said with a smile, "you're probably heading out soon. Sorry—your easy days are over."
"I'm used to it," Kakashi replied, smiling too—without joking.
Ever since leaving the battlefield, he'd used missions to numb himself.
The moment he went idle, that awful scene returned in his mind.
One reason Minato had placed him in ANBU was because ANBU stayed busy—there was rarely time to rest.
Kakashi had improved, but his time under Hikaru was hardly relaxed.
And now that Hikaru had promoted him to squad leader, he'd been training leadership and syncing with his new team—less than a week, in total.
Still, Kakashi believed field missions taught faster than staying in the village.
"This mission is troublesome—and important," Hikaru said, stepping closer and lowering his voice. "It concerns Pakura."
"That woman?" Kakashi paused, then nodded. "What do we do—silently take her out—"
"What are you thinking?" Hikaru rolled his eyes. "I'm going to turn her."
Kakashi: "…"
Hikaru sighed, pulled out a scroll from his pouch, and handed it over.
"Read it carefully. After you finish, you'll understand. After work, you're coming with me to see her."
"And—you know how to handle this scroll."
"Yes, Captain," Kakashi said instantly, taking it with care and storing it away.
Advance notice meant one of two things:
Either simple—
or a disaster.
Kakashi had learned that from following Hikaru.
He was certain this wouldn't be simple.
And he decided: he would execute it perfectly.
Hikaru had promoted him.
If he failed, it wouldn't just embarrass him—it would embarrass his teacher too.
Hikaru watched Kakashi's eyes and patted his shoulder, then returned to his seat.
And at that moment—
the four Senju operatives arrived outside the office.
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