While Kei quietly savored the joy of acquiring Shisui's signature technique, Shisui himself was sinking into overwhelming self-doubt.
He had never imagined that anyone could see through the fear buried deep within his heart. Not even his closest friend, Itachi, knew the truth. The Third Hokage's promise had not filled him with confidence. If anything, it had only masked the constant unease that gnawed at him in silence.
Yet this blind doctor, this man who appeared far weaker than him, had, in their very first meeting, delivered the one answer that was both the least acceptable and the most terrifying.
In truth, Shisui had dreamt countless times of conflict erupting between clan and village. Each time, it ended the same way: the village diminished, the Uchiha annihilated.
And now, Kei, armed with nothing but "psychology", had effortlessly exposed the darkest corner of his soul.
How was that possible?
It was something Shisui could neither accept nor fully believe.
Kei, however, had no intention of concerning himself with Shisui's turmoil. He merely made a polite gesture toward the door.
"Due to the heavy rain, we're closed for the day."
In a haze, Shisui left the clinic.
Kei was certain those words would linger in his mind for a long time. They would trouble him. Perhaps even make him question his entire path.
But knowing Shisui's character, even if he sensed the shape of the inevitable, he would not choose to change it.
Why?
If blame must be placed, then blame the Will of Fire, the ideal that drove people to march forward, one after another, without hesitation.
As for Kei, what did that have to do with him?
To him, being rid of that trouble meant he could once again remain quietly in his shop, steadily accumulating rewards.
...
A week passed without incident.
Kei had always preferred silence. Within the Hyūga Clan, he was little more than a background figure, someone easy to overlook. For him, such days were peaceful and strangely fulfilling.
But life rarely allowed calm to endure forever.
That evening, beneath a bright, hanging moon, Kei was preparing to close when another troublesome figure arrived.
The shinobi introduced himself as "Fū."
There was something stiff and cold about him, as if emotion itself had been stripped away. At the very least, Kei could sense almost no fluctuation in his feelings.
Yamanaka Fū finished inspecting the clinic before fixing his gaze on Kei.
"I've heard you can see into people's hearts."
It sounded less like a question and more like an accusation.
Kei ran his fingers lightly over his blind cane.
"What I do," he said evenly, "is observe a patient's expressions and movements to determine their state of mind, then draw conclusions accordingly." [Note: Maybe similar to Daredevil or Toph from Avatar, but with even more advanced senses, so advanced that the MC can eventually visualize his surroundings, especially since he's in the Naruto world.
"And how do you determine whether someone is mentally unstable?" Fū pressed.
Kei paused, as though considering carefully, his expression unchanged.
"It's simple. Fill a bathtub with water. Place a spoon beside it. Then place a basin beside it. Ask the person to empty the tub."
Fū thought for a moment. "A normal person would use the basin?"
Kei shook his head.
"No. A normal person would just pull the plug."
The atmosphere abruptly fell silent.
Fū clearly had not expected that answer. Even his otherwise impassive face twitched faintly.
After casting Kei a cold glance, he turned and walked out of the clinic without another word.
A simple probe.
So Danzō didn't wish to stir unnecessary trouble for now?
Sensing that Fū had completely withdrawn, Kei closed the shop and headed toward the Hyūga compound.
....
It was nearly midnight.
The night was deep and heavy, the streets empty, an hour meant for sleep.
Kei walked alone, leaning on his cane.
On the hollow street, the rhythmic tap, tap, tap of his cane echoed softly.
As he passed the corner of an alley, he stopped of his own accord.
If Yamanaka Fū had felt emotionally hollow and rigid, then the gaze now fixed upon him felt tangible, like a venomous serpent coiling in the dark.
The mere act of being watched sent a chill through him.
The shadow noticed his stop.
In an instant, the figure flickered forward, appearing directly before him.
"Kei-kun," came a hoarse voice. "It seems you are not as powerless as the rumors claim."
At the sound of that voice, Kei's heart tightened.
He casually removed the forehead protector from his brow.
"So it's you, Orochimaru-sensei. It's been a long time. I had thought perhaps you had already…"
In his previous life in this world, his graduating squad had indeed been led by Orochimaru. Calling him "sensei" was not inappropriate. But after their team disbanded, they had never crossed paths again.
What puzzled Kei was something else entirely.
Why was Orochimaru still in Konoha?
By all accounts, shortly after the Nine-Tails Incident, his human experimentation should have been exposed, prompting his defection.
Yet several years had passed, and Orochimaru was still here.
Was "shortly after" stretching a bit too long?
Searching through the original owner's memories, Kei found nothing useful.
Though he was deeply curious about what deviation in history had caused this discrepancy, now was clearly not the time to investigate.
Orochimaru studied Kei's movements.
"Already what?" he asked softly.
Under that piercing gaze, so sharp it felt almost physical, Kei chose his words carefully.
"I thought perhaps you had forgotten me. After all, you are one of the Legendary Sannin and once a leading candidate for the Fifth Hokage. I am merely an ordinary member of the Hyūga."
Orochimaru's golden, slit-like pupils narrowed slightly.
"That's how you see it?"
"Of course," Kei replied calmly. "The Third Hokage governs only temporarily. Sooner or later, a Fifth must be chosen. And you are the most suitable candidate, are you not?"
Orochimaru ran his tongue slowly across his lips, watching Kei with renewed interest.
"Suitable? How amusing. Kei-kun, you are the only one who still says that to me."
"The Fourth Hokage has fallen," Kei continued. "At present, are you not the most likely successor? The Third cannot remain in power forever."
A faint trace of mockery crossed Orochimaru's face before disappearing.
"You would not understand. In any case, I no longer care."
"I don't understand," Kei said, playing the fool.
"You don't need to."
"Very well, Orochimaru-sensei. May I ask what brings you here tonight?" Kei gently attempted to shift control of the conversation.
"Not yet." Orochimaru waved a hand, studying him once more. "I hear your psychological insight is impressive. Then tell me, what is the meaning of life?"
Kei wanted to retort that psychology and the meaning of life were hardly the same subject, but he restrained himself.
Orochimaru had come with purpose. Though Kei's words had momentarily stabilized the exchange, Orochimaru was no Shisui. He would not be so easily misled.
After a brief pause, Kei answered:
"The meaning of life lies in the scenery along the journey. Of course, if one wishes to witness more beautiful scenery, one must first maintain a healthy body."
The implication was deliberate.
"Kei-kun, is that your own view?" Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. "What exactly do you know?"
Kei shook his head.
"I don't understand your meaning."
"Don't play games with me," Orochimaru said coldly. "I am not one of your patients. I won't be fooled by pretty words."
"I simply answered according to my understanding."
With a faint sigh, Kei gestured toward his blind eyes, forcing a bitter smile.
"For someone like me, isn't a healthy body the most genuine wish of all?"
"Ah."
Orochimaru's gaze lingered on Kei's dull, sightless eyes and the faint bluish veins at his temples. His interest seemed to diminish.
"Are you close to Uchiha Shisui?"
So that was it.
Kei had expected as much.
"No," he replied calmly. "I met him once. A week ago."
"What did he say?"
"He was troubled by the relationship between his clan and the village."
"That's all?"
"That's all." Kei shook his head. "After asking his question, he left."
Orochimaru stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"It seems I misunderstood."
Kei quietly exhaled in relief.
But before that relief could fully settle, Orochimaru added:
"That will be all for tonight. Kei-kun, you are quite interesting. I hope we have the chance to meet again."
With those words, Orochimaru vanished from Kei's perception entirely.
Kei dearly wished to tell him that he was not interesting at all, and that it would be best if they never met again.
But the opportunity was gone.
A familiar system notification echoed in his mind:
[Psychological consultation complete. The patient was mildly surprised by your remarks but remained still. Mental disturbance level: Mediocre.]
[Reward obtained: Human Experimentation Theory (Fragment)]
[Note: Partial knowledge and experience accumulated by Orochimaru through numerous human experiments. Holds significant research and academic value.]