Murakami leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. All that remained now was waiting.
Still, waiting was frustrating.
Hina noticed Murakami's restlessness and leaned forward slightly, with an amused light in her eyes.
"You seem impatient," she noted.
"I just don't like sitting still," he replied.
She smirked. "Then let's talk. You've been keeping up with the war, right?"
Murakami straightened slightly, curiosity piqued. "Depends," he said. "Which part?"
"The biggest news," Hina answered. "The Second Hokage is dead."
Murakami didn't react immediately. The news had been coming for some time.
Tobirama Senju, the architect of Konoha's systems and institutions, had finally met his end.
"He went out fighting, huh." Murakami said, keeping his tone neutral.
Hina nodded. "Ambushed by the Gold and Silver Brothers. He held them off long enough for his team to escape, but in the end…" Her voice trailed off; no explanation was necessary.
Murakami hummed in understanding. The Gold and Silver Brothers… Kumo's so-called treasures, huh?"
Kinkaku and Ginkaku were notorious. They were users of the Sage of Six Paths' sacred tools, each wielding immense chakra from surviving inside the Nine-Tails' stomach.
A dangerous duo, chaotic and unpredictable.
"Not the most honorable way for a Hokage to go," he muttered to himself. "Getting jumped by a couple of rogue brothers with too much chakra and not enough sense."
Hina shot him a look. "He sacrificed himself so his squad could escape. That's honorable."
She was a citizen of the leaf and held a great admiration for Hashirama and Tobirama. They have been fed the will of fire and considered the Hokage as the symbol of that Will.
Despite her ties with Murakami, she deeply respected the man for what he stood for.
"Oh, it's honorable, alright. Just… ironic." Murakami clarified. He wasn't a hater, on the contrary, he actually respected the man's intellect.
"Ironic?" she asked in confusion.
"Think about it." Murakami gestured lazily. "Tobirama created the ANBU, structured the Chūnin Exams, and organized the entire shinobi system around teamwork and survival. And in the end, he does a classic 'stay behind and hold them off' move."
Hina exhaled, the corners of her lips twitching slightly. She probably didn't disagree, though she kept her opinion to herself.
"Either way," she said smoothly, "his student is Hokage now."
Murakami nodded. "Hiruzen Sarutobi,"
"You know of him?" Hina asked in surprise.
To Hina, it would be a wondrous event if Murakami bothered to remember the name of someone who told him their names minutes ago.
Murakami shot her glance, 'More than you could possibly guess.'
Murakami knew exactly what kind of man Hiruzen Sarutobi was, the so-called Professor, the God of Shinobi of his era.
The man who would eventually oversee Konoha's golden years and endure its darkest moments.
But right now?
Hiruzen was young.
Not yet the aging leader burdened by political pressure, nor the man who would later hesitate when dealing with Orochimaru.
He was sharp, analytical, and powerful, not year at his peak but strong enough to be dangerous.
"A smart choice for Hokage," Murakami said, shrugging his shoulders. "Tobirama always liked his brains. Guess we'll see if that's enough to keep Konoha together."
Hina watched him with curiosity. "You sound like you're expecting trouble."
Murakami snorted. "Hina, it's a war. Trouble's already here."
She didn't argue.
"Well," she said, standing, "since you're so interested in the bigger picture, we will keep an eye on how this war shifts."
She paused for a moment and added. "Konoha may have lost its Hokage, but they're not weak."
Murakami smirked. "Please. If there's one thing Konoha has, it's main character energy. They'll be fine."
Hina rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath about him being impossible but Murakami just chuckled.
Tobirama was gone. Hiruzen was currently in power and the war was still raging.
Murakami's senses flared just as a familiar presence entered his perception range. He turned toward the door even before the footsteps registered in the room and without a moment's hesitation, he raised a hand and performed cast a genjutsu
The air coiled around him as his figure disappeared. Hina arched her brow but remained silent, clearly accustomed to Murakami's theatrics.
And just then, the door creaked open, and Akari, the same attendant from before, stepped in, approaching Hina's desk without hesitation.
In her hands rested a scroll.
"Here it is," she said, presenting it to Hina. "All the requested materials have been purchased and sealed inside."
Hina nodded approvingly. "Good work."
Akari bowed respectfully, then exited the office without another word. The door clicked shut, leaving the room in calm silence.
A few seconds later, Murakami dispelled the genjutsu as his figure returned.
Hina rolled her eyes at his little display and slid the scroll across the desk. "Here. Try not to combust from excitement."
Murakami snorted, took the scroll and unfurled it. The storage seal he had designed gleamed faintly on the parchment which he recognised.
It was a storage scroll meant to hold other storage scrolls, efficient, practical, and perfectly suited to his current needs.
He allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. He had made it, after all.
Inside the scroll were the techniques Akari had just procured. Murakami's eyes moved quickly, scanning each name and making mental notes as he went.
Seeing that she got all the one on the list, he nodded to himself. Each technique selection was solid, a well-rounded assortment of techniques that could elevate his combat abilities without overwhelming him with unnecessary options.
Hina watched him quietly. "Satisfied?"
"For now," he replied, rolling the parchment back up. "But I'll be needing something else soon."
She smirked. "Oh? Already craving more?"
"I'm 10, Hina. I'm supposed to be craving more," he deadpanned at her. "But this time, I'm talking about something a little different."
She tilted her head, waiting.
"I need a place to train."
Hina raised an eyebrow. "You don't already have one?"
"Oh sure, let me just practice destructive elemental jutsu in the middle of the village That won't raise any alarms at all."
She chuckled. "Fair point."
Murakami leaned forward, elbows on the desk. "I need an apartment. Somewhere with enough space for training but isolated enough that I won't have to worry about nosy neighbors."
Hina hummed thoughtfully. "That's not exactly an easy request. Property in Konoha isn't cheap. And more importantly—"
"I'm ten," he finished for her. "Yeah, I know. Kind of hard to buy real estate when you're still considered a kid."
"So you want me to handle it for you?" she asked. "I'm 13."
"You catch on quick." He nodded, "And you're considered an adult now. Just say it's the store's property. You won't have to pay taxes that way."
She shot him a look, clearly unimpressed. "Are you sure you want to drop that much on a place? You could use that money for a lot of other things."
Murakami waved her off. "What else am I supposed to do with this kind of money? Throw it at snacks and trinkets? This is an investment in my future."
Hina arched a brow, her lips tightening. "But a building with a training space?"
Murakami's gaze met hers. "It is necessary. I can't train properly without drawing attention or putting anyone at risk."
She studied him for a moment, noting the calm precision in his tone. "I see. And you won't compromise on that."
"No," he replied simply, his expression now neutral and Hina knew he was serious.
She let out an exasperated sigh, shaking her head. "You know, some kids your age are worrying about homework or chores, not scouting apartments for clandestine martial arts training."
"I am no ordinary kid," Murakami said smoothly, "Besides, if I don't set this up now, when will I?"
Hina gave him a long, appraising look before muttering, "You're infuriating… but I suppose that's what makes this fun."
Murakami smirked but said nothing.
Having an apartment wasn't about comfort, it was about freedom. The orphanage's lake area was fine for basic training, but the space was not discreet enough.
Using advanced techniques there would inevitably draw attention, and he wasn't in the mood for questions from the Hokage's office, or interruptions from curious kids.
"I'll look into it," Hina finally said. "But don't expect miracles. Finding a place that fits all your criteria isn't easy."
"I believe in you," he said, placing a hand over his heart in mock solemnity.
She rolled her eyes. "You're insufferable."
"And yet, you keep doing business for me."
She didn't deny it. Hina has always known the kind of person Murakami was. He made sure to have his way in the decisions he made.
Leaning back in his chair, Murakami allowed a small sense of accomplishment to settle in.
Step one of his plan was complete. He had the jutsu.
Soon, he'd have the space to train.
And after that? It was time to get serious. Not that he hadn't already been, but before, he had waited for opportunities. Now, he was taking them.
His money existed to serve him, and he intended to spend it accordingly.
Despite his outward confidence, he knew the future was anything but calm.
Staying within Konoha offered safety, but he wasn't foolish enough to believe he could remain untouched by the chaos of the world.
But before then, he needed to become strong to not cower in weakness at anything the world throws his way, for in any world…
Might makes right.