Tobirama had several private rooms within the Senju clan's main estate that Hibari had never been able to enter before.
Because of this, Hibari guessed these rooms were where Tobirama conducted all sorts of strange experiments and developed new ninjutsu.
Today was Hibari's first time following Tobirama into one of his private rooms deep within the estate. Before pushing the door open, Hibari had been fantasizing about what lay inside, but upon entering, he found it wasn't as eerie as he'd imagined.
There were no experimental corpses submerged in strange concoctions, nor any sinister-looking dissection tools.
Instead, the room had a rather warm aura. Two large rows of bookshelves stood neatly against two walls, filled with many impressive-looking tomes. Many scrolls were meticulously arranged on a shelf, and a wooden desk sat in the center of the room, adorned with notebooks and some incomplete jutsu written on scrolls.
"Hmm... so this room looks like this on the inside..." Hibari murmured softly, stroking his chin with a hint of melancholy.
Tobirama, who was walking ahead, reached out to open the window for ventilation. Hearing Hibari's self-muttering, he turned to him, a smile gracing his lips as he asked, "What? Not what you imagined?"
Hibari casually pulled out a chair next to the desk and plonked himself down, chuckling, "Well, it's certainly not what I imagined, Ojiisan."
Tobirama also sat naturally at the desk, casually flipping through the notes on it, as if recalling where he'd left off. Then, without looking up, he asked, "Then what did you imagine this room would be like?"
"What I imagined... well, for example, the room would have all sorts of equipment, experimental corpses soaking in liquid, 'gruesome' medical tools hanging on the walls, some unswept bloodstains on the floor... and all sorts of bizarre things. In short, it would be much colder than your surprisingly warm 'study,' Ojiisan..."
Tobirama paused upon hearing Hibari's words. Then, as if truly amused by the boy, he burst out laughing. "Hahahaha, is that so? Your description certainly has an evil vibe to it. So that's how you've been talking about your Ojiisan behind my back, Hibari?"
Hearing Tobirama's playful remark, Hibari chuckled awkwardly. After all, in his mind, there were only two people who enjoyed developing ninjutsu and conducting strange experiments: his own Ojiisan and Orochimaru, the 'scientific pioneer.'
Orochimaru would later turn his laboratory into exactly what Hibari had just imagined, which made Hibari assume Tobirama would be similar in his ninjutsu development.
However, before Hibari could speak, Tobirama stopped talking. He then looked at Hibari with a meaningful gaze before continuing, "Your little mind certainly has a vivid imagination, but this is merely a study for writing and recording. Why would it be set up in such a messy way? But Hibari... do you think your Ojiisan truly has the kind of... laboratory you imagine?"
Hibari paused upon hearing Tobirama's words. It seemed that his grandfather, usually stern and upright, had undergone a change in demeanor. An unsettling, almost sinister aura seemed to emanate from him, washing over Hibari.
That's right, Tobirama was the man who developed vile ninjutsu like Impure World Reincarnation. One could say that the history of the entire ninja world for decades to come was severely impacted by this jutsu. He truly was a man who, by his own power, swayed the entire world.
And Hibari knew very well what the Impure World Reincarnation jutsu entailed: it required 'live sacrifices.' Tobirama must have accumulated many lives on his hands while researching this jutsu.
As a man capable of developing a ninjutsu like Impure World Reincarnation, would he not have a laboratory that matched Hibari's imagined 'evil scientist's lair'?
The answer was a definitive yes, he absolutely would!
However, looking at his grandfather's resolute face, Hibari was also very willing to believe that while Tobirama might have stained his hands with countless lives during these experiments, they would certainly not have been the lives of innocent people. He likely captured those who were truly heinous criminals.
This, Hibari thought, was the most fundamental difference between Tobirama and the future Orochimaru. While he also enjoyed conducting these strange experiments, he at least had a bottom line and principles, far from Orochimaru's recklessness.
Thinking of this, a smile, similar to Tobirama's, gradually appeared on Hibari's lips. Hibari, still a bit childish in age, now had a smile that was equally meaningful...
"I believe you definitely do, Ojiisan. No progress comes without a price, does it? Behind many glorious things, there's a darkness that ordinary people cannot accept. But such things cannot be classified as good or evil; only those who wield them possess 'goodness' or 'evil'!" Hibari spoke these words, which were far beyond his age, with remarkable composure.
After a slight pause, Hibari looked at the genius inventor of the Senju clan, Tobirama Senju, with a look of deep trust, and continued, "And I have never doubted your stance when you delve into these shadows... Therefore, I wish to follow by your side, to become your aid, and to enrich myself!"
After Hibari's words fell, Tobirama silently stared into Hibari's eyes. After a long moment, he softly hummed, "Hmph, little brat, you spout a lot of grand theories. How is it as complicated as you make it sound? What darkness? What good and evil? None of that matters... At the end of the day, it's just... curiosity."
After speaking, Tobirama didn't wait for Hibari to say anything. He pointed to a long chair behind the desk, which looked like it was used for a short rest or a nap, and said, "Take off your layered armor and lie on that. I want to see if your body has undergone any changes recently..."
Since Tobirama had spoken, Hibari couldn't continue the previous topic. However, he was very concerned about his 'flaw,' and hearing that Tobirama wanted to examine him again, he quickly stood up from the chair and walked towards the long chair not far behind Tobirama.
What Hibari didn't notice, however, was that as his figure passed Tobirama's shoulder, a rare, warm smile appeared on Tobirama's usually stern face. A hint of tenderness also entered his gaze, which usually seemed forever filled with calm.
After Hibari took off his black layered armor and neatly placed it on the tea table beside the long chair, Tobirama walked over to him.
Once Hibari lay on the chair, he unceremoniously tore open Hibari's inner shirt, placed his hand on Hibari's shoulder, and then a stream of chakra, which felt as delicate as flowing water, seeped from Tobirama's hand into Hibari's body.
"Ojiisan, this is a satin undershirt. It's incredibly comfortable to wear, and it cost a fortune. Can you be a little gentler next time? Don't tear it..." Hibari grumbled, looking at his collar, which Tobirama had torn open, with a hint of distress.
Tobirama almost laughed in annoyance at Hibari's stingy demeanor. He said grumpily, "What are you muttering about? Where did you get the money to buy these things? Didn't you trick all of it out of me and your Hashirama-ojii? So, theoretically, these things are bought by us for you, and if they get ruined, you don't have to pay!"
"How can you be an Ojiisan like that? Can't you spoil me like Hashirama-jiisan spoils Tsunade? Besides, Hashirama-jiisan's money has all been lost at the gambling den with Tsunade, and your money has all gone to buy all sorts of strange experimental materials. How much could you give me to afford this kind of satin? This is all pocket money I begged from Mito-baasan... If you tear it, I'm going to report you to Mito-baasan!" Hibari said, quite indignant at Tobirama's words.
"Hmph, as a man of the Senju clan, you're already enjoying good treatment, brat. And now you're being so disrespectful. If I spoil you more, you'll float up to the heavens, won't you? And you want to report me? Hibari, don't forget whose hands you're in right now..." Tobirama scoffed upon hearing Hibari's words.
At the same time, the hand he had on Hibari's shoulder gradually began to apply more pressure, and the chakra, which had been delicate as water, now surged.
"Ah ah ah, ouch, ouch, ouch! You say I'm petty? Ojiisan, your desire for revenge is way too strong, isn't it?" Hibari shrieked, grimacing in pain as Tobirama prodded his shoulder.
"Hmph, I'm teaching you a lesson. Don't talk back to someone who holds your 'weakness,' understand?" Tobirama lightly snorted, looking at Hibari's scrunched-up face.
Immediately after, he relaxed the pressure in his hand and the amount of chakra. Before Hibari could even react, he had already released his grip on Hibari's shoulder.
Then, Tobirama continued to look at Hibari with some confusion. "Still the same. Your body is incredibly healthy, with no hidden ailments. In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say your vitality is as vibrant as a small Tailed Beast. But oddly enough... your soul, or rather... your spirit, is somewhat murky. Just like the last time I examined you, I suspect this is why you can't refine Water Release chakra, why you can't enter water... Could it be a curse?"
At this point, Tobirama said with a hint of annoyance, "It's probably some dirty trick done by those scoundrel Uchiha clan members, resorting to underhanded tactics even against children... That Madara Uchiha is the most suspicious! With his Mangekyo Sharingan abilities..."
"Wait, wait, wait... Ojiisan, Madara-jiisan is a renowned strong ninja; he has his dignity and reputation, okay? If it were you, would you go around cursing Uchiha children?" Hearing Tobirama's increasingly outrageous words, Hibari quickly interjected, stopping his misplaced anger.
Tobirama was actually just momentarily annoyed. Although he greatly disliked Madara, he truly felt that the man's magnanimity wasn't so small as to resort to such underhanded tactics against children. He had merely cursed him out of habit.