"It's all the same anyway, and these grass pads are cheap and easier to transport." Her voice grew smaller as she spoke, her head dipping lower until she was practically whispering, not daring to look him in the eye.
Hiruko had never been a fan of excessive frugality when it came to resources, but looking at Nono's timid, cautious expression, he found himself unable to scold her.
From another perspective, perhaps this isn't a bad thing, he mused. He reached out with a smile and gently patted her head.
Nono let out a long breath of relief.
In truth, Nono was roughly the same age as Hiruko, but in his presence, she often behaved like a young girl rather than the mature, steady matron of the orphanage. It was a bashful side of her that he found incredibly endearing.
Once the tension evaporated, they sat across from one another and began to chat. For the next two hours, Hiruko broke his usual habit of avoiding long conversations; the atmosphere with Nono was simply too relaxed and pleasant. She led him around, introducing him to the various children under her care.
There was a secondary motive for Hiruko's visit: meeting Kabuto Yakushi.
Kabuto returned to the orphanage periodically, spending his days assisting in Orochimaru's lab. After his shifts, he'd bring back supplies. In Kabuto's heart, Nono was his mother. Usually, he'd deliver his messages and leave quickly.
Today was no different. The door pushed open, and a boy of eight or nine with round glasses stepped in. In the original timeline, Kabuto would have already begun his life of displacement and espionage. But thanks to Hiruko's intervention, he was now a legitimate research assistant.
The shinobi world is ruthless—even the smallest children cannot escape the fate of battle; to not fight is to not survive. But Hiruko felt he might finally be in a position to break that cycle.
He nodded to the boy. "Kabuto, long time no see. Is everything going well with Orochimaru?"
"Thank you for your concern, Lord Hiruko," Kabuto replied respectfully.
"Come! Sit. No need to be stiff, let's just talk." The vibe was harmonious, though Kabuto seemed a bit preoccupied.
They spoke for a while before Nono excused herself to prepare dinner, leaving the "father figure" and the boy alone. Only then did Hiruko ask about Orochimaru. To understand the Sannin's true thoughts, Kabuto was the ultimate source of intel.
But Hiruko couldn't quite read Orochimaru anymore. His own interference had turned the plot into a chaotic mess, and Orochimaru's personality had shifted accordingly. Lately, the snake had been evasive, as if hiding a secret.
Kabuto, the natural spy, was constantly probing Orochimaru. The Sannin knew Kabuto was Hiruko's contact and would intentionally feed him false leads. But Kabuto was no amateur; he was a man who lived and breathed in the shadows of conspiracy and never "tripped."
Hiruko wasn't worried about Kabuto betraying them. For a boy with such a tragic past, Nono was his ultimate weakness—more important to him than any theoretical future child of his own. As long as Nono was there, Kabuto had a home, a tether that would keep him from the abyss.
Kabuto narrowed his eyes, a small smile playing on his lips. "The most credible takeaway is that Lord Orochimaru has no intention of betraying Konoha."
"Is that so?"
"He once said that only the current Konoha can satisfy his gargantuan research budget. After the previous administration squeezed him, he felt the need to leave. Now, life is good. He has no desire to change doors."
Orochimaru was indeed a businessman at heart, and surprisingly good with children—especially in his more "maternal" forms. But experimentation was his true love. He sought immortality only to learn every jutsu in existence. If the money kept flowing, he didn't need the drama of a defection.
"Only the Konoha of today can feed that 'gluttonous snake.' The other Great Clans might have money, but they fear him too much to deal with him," Kabuto explained.
Hiruko nodded. "I see. That makes sense."
The talk shifted from policy to the mundane. Eventually, Nono returned with food, and the three of them shared a warm, family-style dinner. For Kabuto, the greatest comfort wasn't a feast, but Nono's presence and the feeling of a home.
Hiruko, sensing the boy's internal pressure, kept the talk light. He told stories about Kakashi's mishaps—like the time he accidentally stumbled into the women's bath to avoid Guy's challenge and got pummeled by an angry matron, or how he wore his pants backward all day after working a double shift.
Kabuto smiled throughout, looking genuinely happy. But as Nono stood up to get more soup, the boy's smile vanished. He looked at Hiruko, his expression a mix of struggle and resolve. He gritted his teeth and blurted out:
"Um... Lord Hiruko... my mother admires you deeply. Could you please marry her?"
The sudden proposal caught Hiruko completely off guard.
Nono, who was just walking back with the soup, froze. Her hands shook, and the bowl slipped, crashing to the floor and splashing soup everywhere.
"Kabuto! What are you saying to your Uncle Hiruko?! How could you bring that up!" Nono cried out, her usual composure replaced by frantic alarm and a face flushed with terror.
It made sense—Kabuto was just a child. Even if he'd grow up to be a legend, his most "scandalous" move at this age should have been putting his foot in his mouth, not this. But as an orphan, Kabuto yearned for a complete family. He saw how Hiruko had improved the lives of every child in the village.
Hiruko filled the role of the father Kabuto never had: powerful, mysterious, and wise. He cared for Kabuto and was clearly close to Nono. Kabuto had sensed the lingering affection between them long ago.
As for the "harem" gossip people whispered about, Kabuto didn't care. In the shinobi world, if a man was the last of his line and possessed a powerful bloodline, having multiple partners to expand the clan was practically a civic duty. Only the Great Clans stuck to strict monogamy to keep power concentrated. Besides, Hiruko's circle wasn't that large yet.
Perhaps it was because Nono was too gentle, or because Hiruko had been too kind, but Kabuto—long suppressed by high-pressure environments—finally snapped. He wanted more for his family. But his timing was catastrophic.
If Hiruko refused now, Nono would be mortified, and Kabuto wouldn't know where to hide. The silence in the room was heavy enough to suffocate.
Hiruko looked at Nono. Nono looked back, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Hiruko said nothing at first, but his silence spoke volumes. He knew Nono loved him. Every single unattached woman in Konoha looked at him with that same glimmer of admiration. He was the pillar of the village. Konoha could survive a week without Minato, but it couldn't survive a day without Hiruko's economic engine.
That distance-born charm usually faded with reality, but Hiruko truly liked Nono. Coupled with Kabuto's absolute trust, his feelings for her had evolved from "useful ally" to "someone he loved." Her competence was top-tier, and her loyalty to the village was the anchor of the orphanage. Losing her would be a tragedy for the Leaf.
Hiruko reached out and caught both of Nono's hands. They were small, soft, and slightly cold—the telltale sign of her internal turmoil.
"Nono... I have loved you for a long time," Hiruko confessed. He wasn't some stuttering protagonist; he couldn't make her his sole wife, but he could give her a wedding the world would remember. He was a man of the world, accustomed to flirting and the complexities of romance.
Nono's face, which had been pale with shock, slowly regained color. The warmth spread until she was a deep, bashful crimson. Life was a roller coaster. She had resigned herself to being his silent shadow forever, and now... this?
Is it real? Can I have this happiness?
She was no longer a young girl in the eyes of the era, yet in this moment, she felt like one. Her heart, long guarded, finally bloomed.
Hiruko saw the look in her eyes and turned serious. "But Nono, I have to be honest with you. There are other women."
He meant his past entanglements, but primarily Tsunade. He was already in the process of taking over the Senju legacy; a union with her was inevitable.
A single relevant follow-up question: How does Nono react to Hiruko's admission about the other women, and what does this mean for the future of the "Hiruko household"?
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed. Claim early access on Patreon: [email protected]/c/wildsparkstudios
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:💬 10 reviews ignite 1 bonus chapter🔷 100 Power Stones summon another
🔥 Your power determines how fast the tale unfolds.