Yakushi Nonou froze where she stood, stunned speechless. Even Haruya—who had just cut himself again—didn't react right away.
There were countless bloodline abilities in the shinobi world, and none of them could truly shock her anymore.
But Wood Release was different.
The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, had used that power to reshape the entire shinobi world and usher in an era of peace.Everyone in Konoha knew: when people said "the Village Hidden in the Leaves," they were talking about the Wood Release that built it.
And since Hashirama's death, no one—not even the Senju clan—had ever awakened it again.
Yet today, Nonou had seen it appear before her eyes.
"Director?" Haruya prompted.
"Who else have you told?" she asked sharply.
She took a slow, steadying breath and reached out again, healing the fresh scratches on his arm.
She wasn't some naïve, sheltered medic. Before running the orphanage she'd been an elite member of Konoha's Intelligence Division—too good, in fact, which was why Danzo had once coerced her into working for Root.
Because of that past, she understood the implications instantly.
"The director is the first to know," Haruya said.
Nonou's shoulders softened by a fraction. Just as he expected.
After three years together, she treated him like her own child. There was no way she would hand him over to Danzo.
She wasn't loyal to him.In fact, that was precisely why Danzo would one day try to eliminate her—she knew too much and was not obedient.
"Good," she said quietly.
Nonou brushed Haruya's hair back, her face tightening with worry. Keeping something like this secret wouldn't last long. And leaving his Wood Release unused would be a criminal waste.
But if he fell into Danzo's hands, Haruya would no longer be Haruya—just another tool with emotions carved out.
So should she report to the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi?
She weighed the options in rapid silence.
Haruya knew it was time to guide her thinking. "Director… what exactly is this jutsu?"
"Wood Release," she said honestly. "It was the First Hokage's power. If you can use it, then one of your ancestors must've been related to the Senju clan."
The Senju, before Konoha was founded, had been one of the greatest clans in the world. But Hashirama's ideals dismantled rigid clan divisions; over generations, the family spread and blended into the village. Eventually, the Senju name disappeared.
Now, only Tsunade remained on record.
"Wood Release…?" Haruya widened his eyes in perfect surprise, then added, "Director, do you know any Senju clan members? If we can figure out which ancestor it is, maybe I can learn who my parents were."
Nonou's breath hitched.
Haruya was a war orphan, and trauma at such a young age had stolen much of his memory. His idea presented a real chance—maybe the only one—to uncover his past.
And his words reminded her: there was someone more suitable than the Third Hokage.
Tsunade.
The last known Senju.And someone Nonou trusted—not only as a comrade, but as a person who would never treat Haruya poorly.
"Leave it with me," she said at last.
She opened the closet and pulled out clean clothes. "Go bathe and rest."
"Okay," Haruya said, obedient as ever.
His part was done.
Now it was up to Nonou.If this didn't work, he could always fall back on the old man Hiruzen's so-called benevolence. It wouldn't be the worst—look at how Yamato turned out later.
As long as Haruya showed enough "Will of Fire," it would all be fine.
And pretending to be a model Konoha believer?He was excellent at that.
Honestly, he suspected he could even trick Hiruzen in reverse.
A week passed.
In a quiet corner of the orphanage—
"Haruya, happy birthday."
Kabuto held out a small cake.
The roles had switched this time. Haruya accepted it with a grin.
Their birthdays were only a week apart—quite the coincidence.
"So, Haruya," Kabuto asked, "what's your birthday wish? Or, like, what do you want to do in the future?"
They'd been together for three years now, and Kabuto always felt Haruya carried an air of mystery. Especially last year—when Haruya suddenly pulled him aside and told him, completely serious: Don't reveal your medical talent. Not to anyone. Disaster will follow for you and the director.
It sounded like a prophecy, and Kabuto had been stunned.But out of trust—and awe—he concealed his gifts and pretended to be ordinary.
"What do I want to do?" Haruya rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Then waved his hand dismissively. "Be someone the Hokage relies on."
He meant the Fifth Hokage—Tsunade.
If you're going to dream, dream big. Drive the largest carriage.
Some might say she was older.But she was gorgeous.Age meant nothing when beauty crossed boundaries—species even, if stories like Xu Xian's meant anything.
"Hokage?" Kabuto blinked, but wasn't surprised.
Thanks to Sarutobi Hiruzen's excellent propaganda work, the Hokage's image was godlike in the minds of children. Becoming Hokage was practically the default childhood dream.
Just like wanting to be an astronaut or scientist in another world.
Only growing up revealed the cruelty beneath.
"Yeah! Hokage!" Haruya wolfed down the cake, slung an arm over Kabuto's shoulder, and declared, "Once the time comes, you and I—brothers for life—I'll be Hokage, and you'll be my advisor! We'll rebuild Konoha's glory!"
If he wasn't worried about terrifying Kabuto, he would've added:
We'll laugh at how wise Sarutobi is and how foolish Danzo is. In this world, the only true heroes are you and me.
But he had a reason for the speech.
Kabuto had enormous potential. Recruiting him early was an investment.A future healer, spy, powerhouse, and—most importantly—someone reliable.
Never pass up free milk.
"Deal!" Kabuto said brightly. This was a Kabuto untouched by Orochimaru's training—easily influenced, earnest, and excited.
"Haruya!"
Nonou's voice.
Haruya jolted.Crap—if she heard that second-grade-level speech, I'll die of embarrassment.
He turned around—and froze.
Next to Nonou stood a blonde woman in a tea-green jacket. Smooth, honey-golden hair. Mature curves. A pear-shaped figure impossible to ignore.
There was a saying from his past life: men like their beauties with softness.
And this woman was the pinnacle of that type.
Those full thighs alone—put in black stockings or white—could kill.
Haruya looked up and met warm, sharp brown eyes watching him with an amused glint.
"Tsunade-sama, children talk nonsense," Nonou said quickly. "Please don't mind it."
"It's fine."Tsunade's gaze slid back to Haruya. "So this is Haruya? He's a handsome one."
Nonou relaxed. "Yes. He's the boy I told you about."
Tsunade stepped closer, studying him. "You want to become Hokage?"
Haruya flashed a bright, earnest smile. "Because I want to protect everyone."
It was pure performance—but he knew exactly how deeply those words cut Tsunade.
"Why?" she murmured. "Kids who want to be Hokage… they're fools. They throw their lives away for others too easily."
"I've seen war," Haruya said, offering the model answer. "If I become Hokage, I can prevent it and bring peace."
In truth, he wasn't that noble.He just wanted to stay alive.
Tsunade's eyes flickered—memories of her younger brother Nawaki surfacing. He, too, once talked about becoming Hokage to bring peace.
And he died for it.
"You're small, brat—but you've got a loud voice," she said softly, ruffling his hair.
Haruya nearly grimaced.What do men hate most?
Being called small.
Oh, she would see "big" one day. Believe that.
Tsunade exhaled, letting go of the memories in her eyes. "Show me your Wood Release."
Haruya raised his hand. Several wooden thorns sprouted from his palm.
He couldn't properly use Wood Release yet—this was raw instinct.Luckily, Nonou had taught him chakra basics, or he wouldn't have been able to show anything.
Tsunade's expression sharpened instantly.
It was real.Unmistakably real.
Growing up with Hashirama himself, she knew Wood Release by heart.
And what Haruya had shown was no illusion, no mimicry.
It was the genuine thing.