Naruto: The Shattered Eyes

"So... What brings you here?"

Upon hearing these words, Suguru confirmed the feeling he had since earlier. That ever-present feeling of dissonant harmony he could not put his finger on.

It was as if coherence was being enforced upon two opposing entities.

Such was the nature of the Senju's existence. They were people who thrived on love and trained for war. They lived a life of secrecy yet blended into the world outside as simple civilians.

They existed within the contrasting colors of Yin and Yang, achieving a balance between extremes.

Even the wood from which they carved their houses was both hard and soft at the same time.

Thus, Suguru chose his next words with great care. A few minutes of silence enveloped the room. Without anything else to do, Kisouma and Isao watched Suguru's every move, unaware of the latter's thoughts.

As they began to wonder what Suguru would or would not say, the person in question finalized his script.

"Initially, there was a lot that I wanted to gain from this meeting," Suguru said, placing his empty teacup down. "However, I have realized that there had never been a need to."

With a passing glance at Isao, Suguru looked straight into Kisouma's eyes. A shimmer crossed his silver irises like a flash of reflected sunlight.

"I've learned a lot just by being here to have a cup of tea."

"Hoh..." Kisouma seemed surprised by the words that came out of Suguru's lips. "You're quite eloquent for your age."

Taking one last sip of his tea, Kisouma mirrored Suguru's movements.

"More importantly, you have given me a good answer." Kisouma smiled. "I can let you live."

Suguru's eyelid twitched.

"...Thank you, Kisouma-sama."

"There is no need for thanks, boy." Kisouma waved his hand, "After all, even though you've given me a good answer, I still cannot give you anything. As per the rules of the clan, your mere presence here is, in fact, unwelcome."

Hearing this, Suguru nodded. He had a feeling that was the case. The only reason why he was alive now was because he understood a key point regarding the clan's continued existence.

"Then I'll show myself out." Suguru dusted his clothes and stood up. "However..."

A scroll fell out of his pocket. Recognizing the scroll, Kisouma's eyes shone enough so that Suguru took notice of it.

He continued, "There's a chance I might lose something on my way out."

Kisouma nodded with a grim expression. 

"Indeed. That's why I also need you to be careful of the room hidden behind the statues near the entrance. It might not look like much, but it has a few useful items. Although the clan wouldn't lose much in reality, it would still be sad if something there was somehow stolen."

Suguru's eyes flashed as he held in his excitement. "Understood, Kisouma-sama. I'll be very careful of my surroundings to make sure nothing unforeseen occurs. Once again, thank you for your hospitality."

Isao, who watched this random uncanny exchange, was shocked. He did not know what was happening. 

'Is this the bargaining chip that Suguru wanted to make use of?'

Curiosity flashed in his eyes. However, he held in his desire to ask about it. Given that Suguru had gone rogue, Isao had this nagging feeling that the contents of that scroll had something to do with it.

***

Unfortunately, Isao's instinct was slightly off.

Walking towards the hidden room of the Central Hut, Suguru pondered on the interaction he just had. It was short, concise, and very very sudden.

It was like a left hook that came out of nowhere suddenly revealing that it was the caress of a lover.

Unbeknownst to Isao, Suguru was also just as confused as he was.

After all, their verbal exchange had lasted only a few minutes. More time had been spent in silence, in observation, and in a state of ritualistic calm.

'Luckily, Kisouma is quite lenient with the rules.' Suguru inwardly chuckled.

He had left behind a scroll filled with his studies on a more perfect version of the Real Mirage Formation. Included in there were his propositions for the most advisable formation for Konohagakure.

It was a better version of the one that Danzo had come into possession of after rising to the position of Hokage.

'I wonder how the Senju would use such information.' 

Hoping for the best, Suguru phased through the hidden doorway and appeared in a small room. Shelves lined the walls, filled with a variety of items. From weapons and scrolls to artifacts and antiques.

A lot of history was packed into a very small space.

Luckily, Suguru knew exactly what he wanted to take. His gaze drifted over to an inconspicuous corner filled with gardening equipment. There, he spotted a pouch.

Upon opening the pouch with a satisfying click, a smile spread across Suguru's lips.

'Perfect,'

What he had in his hands was a pouch filled with seeds.

'This is going to make my research a lot easier.'

And a lot more fun.

The Senju were indeed wonderful existences. From Hashirama's miraculous cells to the natural resources that the Senju had been stockpiling, the likelihood that something rare would come up was close to guaranteed.

Suguru felt nothing but satisfaction from this spontaneous decision. Unfortunately, he felt that he had used up a lot of his luck for the sake of doing so.

There was this sense of foreboding growing within him.

'I think I know what might be happening...'

***

Konohagakure.

With most of the village's population unaware, a sinister chakra had spread thoroughly throughout the village. The air was saturated with an immense presence, weighing down on those whose senses were keener than others.

One of them was Uchiha Tatsuya, who looked around as he left the village for a mission.

His instincts had been screaming at him for a while now, having died down only when he decided to disappear from the village for another while longer.

"Hah,"

A long sigh escaped his lips. Why was life so cruel to him? Forcing him to adapt to new circumstances every single time he found a comfortable routine?

He had just finished decorating his apartment in the exact way he wanted. 

Now, he couldn't even sleep on a soft mattress.

"I hope that whatever happens will pass quickly..."

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