Orochimaru's attack unfolded exactly as Qingchuan had anticipated.
Returning home.
Soaking in the hot water, Qingchuan felt utterly drained both physically and mentally.
Orochimaru had left.
Yet the intersection of their lives seemed only to have just begun.
Of course.
If possible, Qingchuan would prefer to remain parallel with Orochimaru forever.
You stay your S-rank missing-nin.
I wear my cross-dressing outfits.
Never crossing paths again.
But this was clearly impossible.
Orochimaru had stalked him, investigated him, and sought him out.
Then, for some inexplicable reason, started playing games...
Was he being groomed like Anko?
Unfathomable.
Rushing through his bath, Qingchuan returned to his room to crash.
Today had been exhausting.
Sparring with Itachi at noon.
Though their true strengths remained concealed, his combat proficiency had noticeably improved.
Then clashing wits and blades with Orochimaru all afternoon, which took considerable toll.
With a mental flicker,
Qingchuan opened his system interface to review gains.
[Host: Uchiha Haruko. Current World: Naruto Universe.]
[Active Mission: Survive the Massacre Night. (Ongoing)]
[Side Quest: Master Senbonzakura's Initial Release. (87.9% Completion)]
[Inherent Buff: 30% Training Efficiency Boost When Cross-dressed]
The near-90% proficiency shocked him.
Just noon, it barely passed halfway!
How had it nearly doubled overnight?!
Did battling elites grant bonus progress?
Qingchuan paused.
This explanation felt forced.
If true, he could just flirt with ninjas for two years and dominate the world?
After long contemplation,
He concluded it stemmed from spiritual resonance with Senbonzakura.
After all,
Proficiency wasn't merely earned through swing counts.
Tonight's life-threatening pressure
Had forced deeper fusion, accelerating mastery.
Qingchuan sensed...
He was learning Senbonzakura.
Meanwhile, the blade studied him too.
Orochimaru's intrusion simply accelerated their mutual understanding.
"At this rate..."
"We'll achieve Initial Release before formal training."
Qingchuan murmured sideways to the blade by his bed.
"Just wonder what the reward'll be."
Eyelids growing heavy, he drifted into sleep...
......
Midnight.
Konoha's sprawling lights had dimmed.
Even the behemoth needed rest.
Yet some nocturnal lives were just beginning.
Of course,
"Nightlife" here didn't imply revelry.
Perhaps an old man handling paperwork.
In the Hokage's office,
Hiruzen Sarutobi adjusted his reading glasses over documents.
Well past retirement age,
Yet he still micromanaged Konoha's affairs.
Exhausting.
But habitual.
Or... he relished it.
Only by gripping Konoha's helm could his restless heart find peace.
Huu——
Night winds rattled the window.
Files nearly flew off his desk.
Sarutobi glanced outside while securing the pane.
Konoha's nightscape greeted him—unchanging yet eternally comforting.
In former years,
His wife Biwako would leave a lamp lit at home.
Until last year's Nine-Tails catastrophe...
"Old woman, you're watching over Konoha too?"
He puffed his pipe,
Voice tinged with sorrow.
"The dead see nothing, old man."
A raspy, mocking voice materialized behind him.
Wind howls accentuated the chilling scene.
Though recognizing his disciple's voice instantly,
The elderly Hokage's heart skipped a beat.
"You..."
"Working late, Orochimaru?"
Sarutobi steadied himself with forced composure.
His disciple's stealth had surpassed detection—alarming.
Troublesome...
"Found an interesting junior. Need your favor."
Orochimaru cut to the chase.
He sought enrollment for that Uchiha girl "Haruko."
As current ninja academy principal,
Sarutobi alone could assign her post-graduation mentor.
While Orochimaru's status guaranteed admission,
The old man's stubbornness about youth development was legendary.
"Oh?" Sarutobi turned, intrigued.
"Who's this talent? How may I assist?"
Had hell frozen over?
Last recruitment took six months of nagging!
What changed...
"A girl with compatible aptitude and temperament."
"Grant her academy admission. I'll personally instruct her post-graduation."
Orochimaru laid out demands and motives bluntly.
Final addendum:
"Her name's Haruko."
"Uchiha... Haruko."