While Hyuga Kei was still savoring the joy of acquiring Shisui's signature technique, the man himself had fallen into a deep spiral of self-doubt.
Shisui had never imagined anyone could see through the fears buried deep within his heart. Not even Itachi, his closest friend, knew. Despite the promises from the Third Hokage, Shisui had never truly felt reassured. On the contrary, he had always carried a quiet, unshakable anxiety.
And yet, the blind doctor before him, someone who by all appearances was weaker and unrelated, had pierced straight into that hidden fear upon their very first meeting.
It shook him to the core. That someone so seemingly unremarkable could, through mere psychology, expose the darkest corner of his soul… it was hard to believe. Nearly impossible to accept.
Kei, meanwhile, had no interest in the mental state of his last patient. He simply gestured toward the door.
"Due to the rain, the clinic is now closed."
In a daze, Shisui walked out.
Kei had no doubt the young Uchiha would spend days wrestling with what had been said, maybe even questioning his entire worldview.
Still, knowing Shisui's nature, even if he glimpsed the inevitable tragedy ahead, he probably wouldn't change his path.
Why?
Blame it on the Will of Fire, that damned torch people keep dying to carry.
But what did that have to do with him?
As far as Kei was concerned, shaking off this troublesome visitor meant he could once again nest comfortably in his shop and slowly accumulate rewards.
And so, a week slipped by quietly.
Kei preferred solitude. He was practically invisible within the Hyuga clan, and he liked it that way. These peaceful days were satisfying.
But peace never lasted long. Life had a way of throwing curveballs.
That evening, with the moon hanging high, Kei was just preparing to close the clinic when another "guest" arrived, a far more troublesome one.
This man, who introduced himself as Kaze (Wind), exuded a cold, mechanical aura, devoid of emotion.
Kei could barely sense any fluctuation in his state of mind.
The man, Yamanaka Kaze, scanned the clinic before locking eyes on Kei.
"I heard you can see into people's hearts," he said. It wasn't a question. It was an accusation.
Kei calmly gripped his blind cane.
"I read facial expressions and body language to assess mental states. From there, I make informed conclusions."
"How do you determine if someone has a mental illness?" Kaze pressed.
Kei tilted his head slightly, unfazed.
"Simple. You fill a bathtub with water. Beside it, you place a spoon and a bucket. The task is to empty the tub."
"Oh?" Kaze thought for a moment. "A sane person would use the bucket?"
Kei shook his head.
"No. A sane person would just pull the plug."
Silence fell.
Even with a stoic face like Kaze's, a slight twitch betrayed his surprise.
With a cold glance, Kaze turned and left without another word.
Just a probe, Kei thought. Danzo doesn't want to stir up trouble yet, huh?
Sensing Kaze's presence had fully disappeared, Kei closed shop and began the slow walk back to the Hyuga compound.
It was nearly midnight. The streets were empty, the darkness deep and quiet, perfect for sleep. Kei walked alone, cane tapping rhythmically against the ground.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The only sound on the desolate street.
As he passed the mouth of an alley, Kei suddenly stopped.
Kaze had felt emotionless, rigid, like something human but hollow. But now...
Now he was being watched again.
This gaze was different. It coiled around him like a venomous serpent, suffocating, chilling.
Someone stepped out from the shadows and appeared before him in a flicker.
"Kei-kun," came the raspy voice. "It seems you're not as powerless as the rumors say."
Kei's heart skipped. He removed his forehead protector and smiled faintly.
"So it's you, Orochimaru-sensei. Long time no see. I thought you were already…"
Back in the academy, Orochimaru had been the team leader for Kei's original group. It wasn't incorrect to call him "sensei." But after their team disbanded, they'd had no contact since.
What's he doing in the village? Kei wondered.
If memory served, Orochimaru had been exposed for human experimentation shortly after the Nine-Tails attack and fled the village.
But it's been years since then. Why is he still here? Has the timeline shifted?
No useful clues emerged from the original host's memories. Whatever had caused this deviation wasn't something he could solve now.
Orochimaru eyed him.
"What do you mean, 'I was already'?"
"I thought you'd forgotten about me," Kei replied smoothly. "You're one of the Legendary Sannin. Practically next in line for the Fifth Hokage. I'm just a nobody from the Hyuga branch family."
Orochimaru's golden, slit-pupiled eyes narrowed slightly.
"You really think that?"
"Of course. The Third may be holding the reins now, but he'll eventually have to step down. And who else would be a better choice than you?"
Orochimaru licked his lips, amused.
"'Better choice'? Interesting… Kei-kun, you might be the only one left who still says that."
"With the Fourth gone, aren't you the most qualified?" Kei added, feigning innocence. "The Third can't stay in power forever."
A flicker of sarcasm danced across Orochimaru's face, but it vanished just as quickly.
"Forget it. You wouldn't understand. I don't care about that anymore."
"I don't understand," Kei said, feigning ignorance.
"You don't need to."
"Alright then," Kei said, trying to steer the conversation. "Orochimaru-sensei, what brings you here tonight?"
"No rush." Orochimaru waved a hand and studied Kei again.
"I've heard your psychological insights are impressive. So let me ask you, what is the meaning of life?"
Kei barely suppressed a groan. What the hell does that have to do with psychology?!
But he knew better than to voice it.
Orochimaru wasn't like Shisui. He couldn't be brushed off with clever wordplay.
So Kei replied calmly,
"The meaning of life lies in the journey itself, the scenery along the way.
Of course, to appreciate that scenery, one must first have a healthy body."
A veiled message. He was sure Orochimaru caught it.
"Is that your own belief?" Orochimaru asked, eyes narrowing. "How much do you really know?"
Kei shook his head. "I don't understand what you mean."
"Don't play games with me." Orochimaru's tone sharpened. "I'm not like your other patients. I don't fall for cheap tricks."
"I only answered based on my understanding," Kei replied with a sigh. He pointed to his eyes.
"For someone like me… isn't a healthy body the most genuine desire of all?"
"…I see," Orochimaru muttered. His gaze lingered on Kei's lifeless eyes and the bluish tint to his forehead.
"Do you know Uchiha Shisui well?"
There it is. Kei thought grimly.
He shook his head.
"No. I only met him once, about a week ago."
"What did he tell you?"
"He was worried about the tension between the clan and the village."
"That's all?"
"That's all. After asking, he left."
Orochimaru rubbed his chin in thought.
"Seems I misunderstood."
Kei exhaled in relief. But just as he felt safe, Orochimaru's next words made his blood run cold.
"Well, that's enough for tonight. Kei-kun… you're an interesting one. I hope we meet again."
And with that, his presence vanished.
Kei stood alone under the dark sky.
Interesting? He wanted to shout back, I'm not interesting at all, please don't ever come back!
But it was already too late.
Just then, the system's voice echoed in his mind.
[Session complete. While the patient was surprised by some of your responses, his heart remains as cold as steel. Emotional fluctuation: Minimal.]
[Based on session evaluation, reward obtained: Human Experimentation Theory (Incomplete)]
[Note: A fragmented set of insights and research notes compiled by Orochimaru through countless forbidden experiments. Holds significant scientific and academic value.]
<150 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter>