On a street in Konoha village, not far from the lodgings prepared for the visiting Suna ninja.
Tejima Shinichi walked slowly beneath the moonlight, outwardly calm while inside his mind roared like a storm, frantically sorting through every word he'd just overheard between Baki and Yakushi Kabuto.
Every syllable, every inflection echoed and replayed in his head.
Suddenly he paused, enlightenment striking.
'So that's it… I get it now,' he mused, dozens of contradictory plot points from the original story clicking into place. 'No wonder… no wonder Orochimaru killed the Fourth Kazekage Rasa right before the plan began…'
In an instant Tejima Shinichi grasped the logic behind it.
'Their cooperation in the "Konoha Crush Plan" was essentially Orochimaru hiring Sunagakure as mercenaries, promising them a share of Konoha's resources—an empty promise. Desperate for funds after the Land of Wind's daimyō slashed his budget, Rasa was tempted by the offer and agreed to attack Konoha.'
'But Orochimaru's real goal was never a full-scale invasion; it was to assassinate the Third Hokage and… to claim the "vessel" he had his eye on.'
Shinichi's gaze sharpened. 'Plus, Rasa's price must have been sky-high—and Orochimaru never intended to pay that final installment!'
'So the simplest solution was to kill the creditor—Rasa—before the plan even started!'
Even Shinichi's expression turned odd at that; coupling Baki's demand for extra payment with Orochimaru's intent to stiff him, he couldn't help muttering,
"One jacks up the price on the spot, the other never means to pay… a perfect pair of buffoons!"
While he savoured that absurd insight, a stifled cough sounded round the corner.
"Ah… ahem…"
Shinichi looked up and met Gekkō Hayate's eyes.
"Cough… Shinichi, is that you?" Hayate rubbed his throat, puzzled. "What are you doing out so late? Did something happen?"
Shinichi reined in every flicker of emotion, reverting to his usual indifference, and shook his head.
"Nothing at all. Just passing through on my way home, Hayate-sensei."
Hayate studied that unruffled face, suspicion lingering.
This area lay near the foreign ninja quarters, and a lone genin wandering after dark was noteworthy.
Yet since the boy said nothing, Hayate merely nodded—he could hardly suspect Tejima Shinichi of espionage!?
The instant that thought surfaced, Hayate snorted inwardly.
'Impossible!'
He dismissed the notion at once.
Everyone in Konoha still talked about how Shinichi had confronted "former councillor" Shimura Danzō right in the Hokage Office!!
Now every ninja knew: the Tejima line had been loyal for three generations!!!
If a prodigy of such pedigree, strength, and proven loyalty could be a spy… Hayate shook his head, amused at himself.
'Then Konoha would have no one left to trust.'
With that, his doubts evaporated, leaving only admiration for the youngster.
"Ahem… Good. It's late—get some rest."
"You too, Hayate-sensei—take care of yourself."
They exchanged brief farewells and walked off in opposite directions.
A few paces on, Shinichi stopped and glanced back at the frail silhouette retreating through the moonlight.
He remembered clearly: in the original fate, this Special Jonin had been killed by Baki for overhearing a similar talk. Tonight the eavesdropper was Shinichi, and Hayate merely happened by…
'The wheel of destiny has truly shifted…' he thought indifferently. 'But it doesn't matter.'
He had already decided to become Hokage; destiny could go hang—Konoha's future would bend to his will.
Shinichi lifted his gaze to the bright moon overhead.
'It is late; I'll give Sensei the full details tomorrow… there's still a month before the finals—plenty of time to set the board.'
'Things have come to this... let's go home and eat first. It's been five days since I had a proper meal.'
With that thought, he tossed the schemes and intrigues to the back of his mind, melted into the night, and headed home!!
...As the night deepened, inside the Tejima house.
The dining table was laden with a lavish spread; a few dishes had dried edges, clearly reheated while they waited for the one who still hadn't returned.
Mori Chie stepped out of the kitchen again, carrying the soup she'd just reheated, and set it gently on the table.
She glanced at the wall clock, her brows knitting in worry:
"Kazuto, why isn't Shinichi back yet? Shouldn't the preliminaries have ended ages ago?" Her voice was anxious. "The second stage of the Chunin Exams finished long ago—I heard the other kids came home already!"
At the table Tejima Kazuto sat with tightly locked brows, fingers drumming the tabletop unconsciously:
"Don't worry so much, Chie. That boy... his strength is extraordinary now; he's in no danger. Maybe... the Hokage kept him for a talk, or he has something to settle with his teammates."
Even as he said it, a trace of worry lingered in his own eyes.
Silence filled the room for a moment, broken only by the tick-tock of the clock.
After a while Tejima Kazuto sighed, his gaze drifting to the heavy night outside the window. In a distant tone he murmured to his wife:
"Chie... tell me... is Shinichi really... our son?"
Thwack!
At his words Chie smacked his forehead, exasperated. "Idiot! What nonsense are you spouting?! Of course he is—I carried him for ten months! Are you doubting me?"
Kazuto clutched his brow in pain and hastily explained, "No, no! I'd never doubt you! I just... I just find it unbelievable!"
"Fighting a Tailed Beast... Chie, you and I both fought in the war. Even if we never faced one, we know what those things are—calamities that can wipe out a village! Yet our son... he's only twelve..."
Hearing that, the anger on Mori Chie's face faded, replaced by the same bewildered silence.
She sat again, her eyes falling on the empty seat opposite that belonged to Tejima Shinichi, her gaze complicated.
Her husband's words stirred the same doubt deep inside her.
Their son's feats had far surpassed "genius" and entered the realm of the unimaginable.
She hesitated, then, unable to hold back the absurd notion circling her mind, leaned close to Tejima Kazuto and muttered in the faintest voice, half doubting herself:
"Now that you mention it... I—I feel unsure too... Back then at the hospital... could we really have taken the wrong baby?"
Gasp!
The moment this ridiculous yet oddly explanatory idea was voiced, the couple froze, then both sucked in a breath in unison.
A silent look passed between them, a strange shared understanding sprouting and spreading.
"See... even you feel that way! I knew it! This defies all logic! The two of us... we're not bad, but how could we produce a son who can fight a Tailed Beast?!"
Tejima Kazuto's voice was dry, trembling as though he'd uncovered a "shocking secret"!!!
Mori Chie, swept up in the mood, racked her brain, trying to recall every detail from twelve years ago, her brows knitting tighter and tighter!
Just as she was about to wonder whether some mysterious force had interfered with her childbirth—
Click.
The sound of a key turning in the lock sliced through every wild speculation!!