Steam billowed from the kitchen, carrying the rich scent of meat blended with a hint of sweetness. The aroma made Hikari's already-growling stomach twist even harder.
But right now, she wasn't in the mood to eat.
She hadn't even returned to the Hyūga clan yet, and already, Konoha's guards had pegged her as a foreign spy. Before her noodles even arrived, a report had been sent straight to the Hokage.
And now, here she was—sitting across from the Hokage himself while casually chatting with the village's precious Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails.
Way to crank up the suspicion level.
As the ANBU operative retreated under Sarutobi Hiruzen's silent signal, the ramen shop plunged into uneasy quiet.
Naruto, though terrible at reading the room, stayed silent—his uncanny sixth sense kicking in.
Hikari's mind raced.
To clear the Third Hokage's doubts, all she had to do was reveal her Byakugan.
But she didn't want to expose it.
Her mother, Hyūga Tenkei, had left the village years ago. Who knew if her grandfather—the Hyūga's elder councilman—was even alive? The clan wasn't some united front; its rules were suffocating. As a half-blood of Hyūga and Kaguya descent, her chances of being accepted into the main family were slim.
If she revealed her Byakugan now, she'd be throwing herself into the storm.
One wrong move, and the consequences would be unbearable.
What now?
Konoha also had the Yamanaka clan, experts at memory extraction. Her memories wouldn't hold up under scrutiny. Hell, they wouldn't even need ninjutsu—a simple X-ray at the hospital would expose the dense bone membrane beneath her skin and the inhuman skeletal structure lurking underneath.
After consuming the Three-Tails' flesh and boosting her chakra reserves, she'd modified her body even further.
Now, standing at just 130 cm tall, she weighed a staggering 100 kg—enough to make her steps noticeably heavy. Her physical traits were harder to suppress, unlike back in Kirigakure.
This was the side effect of growing stronger.
A lion can't hide among sheep.
"Hokage-sama."
In the cramped silence of the ramen shop, Hikari suddenly turned her head—startling Hiruzen, who'd been subtly observing her.
"Oh? What is it?"
Hiruzen stroked his beard, smiling warmly like a kindly old man rather than the leader of one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
"If you have questions, just ask. No need to stare."
Naruto, who'd been openly admiring Hikari's profile, immediately ducked his head. Hiruzen's lips twitched awkwardly.
Kids these days… so blunt.
Even with her eyes covered, her senses were sharper than most.
Suppressing his surprise, Hiruzen dropped the act. If she'd already noticed their suspicions, there was no point tiptoeing.
"Hikari, you're not from here?"
"Didn't your ANBU just tell you that?"
"Your hearing's good?"
"You could say that."
"Why come to Konoha?"
"To find family. Become a shinobi. Get revenge."
"How'd you bypass the chakra detection barrier?"
"Innate ability."
Hikari kept her pulse steady, spinning lies effortlessly. No matter how intensely Hiruzen studied her, he'd find no tells.
"To become a Konoha shinobi, you must attend the Academy. And the Academy only accepts Konoha-born residents—not rogue-nin."
As the Academy's de facto headmaster, Hiruzen shut her down flat.
Hikari smirked.
She raised a slender finger, pointing at the kettle behind the counter.
Hiruzen and Naruto (who'd been sneaking glances) both turned.
"Hiss—!"
The lid rattled violently.
Scalding water shot from the spout, arcing through the air before splitting into three perfect streams—filling their teacups without a single ripple.
No hand signs?!
No—this was a Kekkei Genkai!
Hiruzen's mind reeled.
Water Release, executed without seals, with precision beyond his own? At her age? Impossible.
Only a bloodline limit could explain it.
"Still not enough?" Hikari asked, amused by Hiruzen's shock.
This was the only ability she could safely reveal.
But it was enough.
No village would waste a rare Kekkei Genkai user—let alone a child prodigy—as a spy. The risk outweighed the gain.
The Three-Tails' sealess Water Release + the Byakugan's chakra control? In pure manipulation, she'd rival even Senju Tobirama.
Her identity might still raise questions, but the "spy" label was off the table. Once she revealed her Byakugan and rejoined the Hyūga, the clan's influence would handle the rest.
Exposing this power was a calculated risk.
"Hikari, that was awesome! Can you teach me?!"
Naruto gawked, poking at his cup before yelping as he burned his tongue.
"Can't teach this," she said, ignoring his pout. "Well, Sandaime-sama?"
"Impressive," Hiruzen admitted, his wariness fading.
He understood her message.
Kekkei Genkai users were too valuable. Even Danzo wouldn't be stupid enough to waste one as a spy. That wasn't infiltration—it was gifting talent to the enemy.
If a village did send a bloodline spy? Hiruzen would welcome them. Take whatever intel you want—just stay and pass on those genes.
Bloodlines were that precious.
And here he was, the "Professor," outclassed in Water Release by a child. The power of lineage was humbling.
"Kekkei Genkai users are rare," Hiruzen mused, "but Konoha has rules. The Academy's policy was set by the Nidaime. No exceptions."
"Understood. I respect rules."
Hikari smiled.
She caught his meaning:
"No outsiders in the Academy" meant "Become a Konoha citizen first."
Simple.
"Ramen's here!"
Ayame and Teuchi emerged with three steaming bowls, shattering the tension.
"No business during meals," Hiruzen declared.
"Agreed."
The two nodded—strangers, yet in sync.
"Whoa! Smells amazing!"
Naruto cheered, practically glowing as he slurped a noodle.
"Hikari, try it!"
She obliged, biting into the tender chashu.
Rich, savory, perfectly balanced.
"Delicious. Good call, Naruto."
"Heh heh!"
Naruto puffed up like a proud Jigglypuff.
Hiruzen's wrinkles deepened with amusement.
"How many bowls today?" Teuchi asked, wiping his hands on his apron.
"FIVE!" Naruto held up all five fingers.
"Oh-ho! Quite the appetite!"
"My wallet's crying," Hiruzen sighed, clutching his purse dramatically.
"Then eat extra to make it worth it, right Naruto?"
"YEAH!"
Ayame giggled behind her hand.
The tension melted away, replaced by warmth.
Watching Naruto laugh, slurp, and clown around, Hikari's lips curled as she gazed at the "Ichiraku" sign on the wall.
No wonder he grew up so kind.
This wasn't just a ramen shop.
It was home.
At Ichiraku, you didn't come for the noodles.
You came for the heart.
---
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