belamy20

236-240

Added 2025-04-26 02:20:29 +0000 UTC

*Chapter 236: Orochimaru VS The Three Kage*

After using the Orochi Substitution Technique twice, Orochimaru’s chakra was almost depleted. While he hadn’t run out entirely, he was low enough that a third use was out of the question.

Glaring at the newly revived Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, and Rasa, all looking ready to strike, Orochimaru cursed the one who’d slapped two contract seals on him as if it were a "buy one, get one free" deal.

“Who the hell does that? Putting two contract seals on someone’s head? Just kill me with a kunai if you want!”

In that moment, Orochimaru made up his mind—he’d never spare another person who used sealing techniques. He’d kill on sight.

Little did he know, the person he most wanted to kill was right outside the barrier, disguised in the attire of the Leaf’s Anbu, watching the show with a gleeful smile.

“Oh… Orochimaru’s about to lose it. Sarutobi, how long do you think he’ll last?”

“…”

A figure clad in white beside him stayed silent for a moment before asking in a low voice, “Hattori, why didn’t you kill him earlier?”

The voice belonged to none other than Hiruzen Sarutobi!

Earlier, when Orochimaru had been trapped in Hattori’s genjutsu, both Hattori and Sarutobi had disguised themselves as Anbu. The “Hiruzen Sarutobi” that Orochimaru held hostage was merely one of Hattori’s puppets.

Through this puppet, Hattori had secretly left a Flying Thunder God seal on Orochimaru. Without mastering the Flying Thunder God, he would never have managed to place two contract seals on Orochimaru.

Of course, if he could mark him with the contract seals, he could also kill him with a kunai. But would that have worked?

The answer was clearly no.

Hattori shook his head as he heard Sarutobi’s question.

“It wouldn’t matter; Orochimaru can’t be killed anymore. As long as one of his curse marks exists, he’ll just revive through someone else. There’s only one way to deal with him…”

“A sealing technique? I understand.”

As a teacher of jutsu, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew more than most, and his voice carried a note of fatigue and anger.

“That Orochimaru—daring to meddle with souls like this—is unforgivable!”

“Not only his own soul—he plays with others’ too. Now he’s paying for it… Wait, look, they’re fighting!”

“Hm?”

At Hattori’s words, Hiruzen looked up to see that, indeed, the four within the barrier were in combat.

More precisely, Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, and Rasa had teamed up against Orochimaru.

Due to the influence of the sacrifices, the three couldn’t perform at their peak, or even 20% of their original strength. Yet, with their battle-hardened experience, they kept Orochimaru on the defensive from the outset.

Tobirama launched the first attack with a Water Wave, forcing Orochimaru to go on the defensive, creating an Earth Wall with what little chakra he had left.

But before a minute had passed, Tobirama’s Water Severing Wave shattered the Earth Wall, pulling Orochimaru back into the water battlefield.

At that moment, Hashirama also joined the attack. His strikes, though simple taijutsu, were so powerful that Orochimaru was struggling with every hit.

Orochimaru, though skilled, couldn’t match Hashirama’s battle experience. Before he could land twenty moves, Hashirama’s blows had him reeling.

Witnessing this, Hattori couldn’t help but take a deep breath outside the barrier.

“Yikes… just watching that hurts. Hiruzen, you owe me; if not for me, you’d be in there getting pounded right now.”

“…”

Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi paused, then muttered two words.

“Thank you.”

This “thank you” was heartfelt.

If Hattori hadn’t seen through Orochimaru’s plot and struck first, it might have been Sarutobi himself getting pummeled by Hashirama and Tobirama. Just the thought of facing his two teachers in combat made Sarutobi shudder.

“Thankfully, Hattori intervened. Otherwise, not only would I be in danger, but all of Konoha could have suffered greatly.”

Suddenly, a thought struck him, and his face changed.

“Wait… since Orochimaru is disguised as the Kazekage, then…”

“Oh, so you finally realized?”

At Sarutobi’s reaction, Hattori chuckled, giving him a knowing look.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got it covered. Konoha can focus on dealing with the Sound ninja invaders. As Konoha’s ally, Sand Village won’t let a single one of them escape!”

Sarutobi: “…”

Just admit it—you’re watching the show and waiting to strike at a weakened enemy.

Despite his thoughts, Sarutobi knew this was the best outcome.

If the Sand and Sound Villages had joined forces to attack Konoha while he was distracted by Orochimaru, the village could’ve faced utter devastation.

With this realization, he nodded toward Hattori.

“Thank you to the Sand Village. I’ll remember this. Konoha and the Sand will always be friends.”

“Yes, I’ll remember you said that.”

Hattori grinned and raised an eyebrow.

“Seriously, Sarutobi, it’s time for a new Hokage. You’re getting old. Admit it—ten years ago, do you think Orochimaru would’ve dared to try this?”

“…”

Despite Hattori’s bluntness, Sarutobi took it to heart.

After a moment’s silence, he asked, “Who do you think should be Hokage? You’d know, wouldn’t you?”

“Ha, clever as ever!”

Hattori laughed, nodding.

“You’re right, I do know. If things went as they were supposed to, you’d die sealing Orochimaru, and then Jiraiya would bring Tsunade back to succeed you as the Fifth Hokage.”

“Tsunade?”

Sarutobi smiled upon hearing this.

“I thought you’d say Jiraiya… but Tsunade would be a good choice. But would she come back?”

“She would.”

Hattori nodded firmly.

“Have Jiraiya go and take Naruto with him. That kid is the key.”

“Naruto, huh? Alright, I understand.”

With that, Sarutobi nodded in agreement.

“Once this ordeal is over, I’ll have Jiraiya take him to find Tsunade and tell her I’ve died, urging her to return to take the position of Fifth Hokage.”

“Good, that’s the way to go!”

Just then, Hattori looked back at the barrier, eyes lighting up.

“Look, look! Hashirama’s going all out! Orochimaru’s done for! Hahaha!”

“Hm?”

Sarutobi turned his gaze back to the barrier, seeing Hashirama bring his hands together, preparing his signature jutsu.

“Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence!”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 237: Orochimaru's Excitement*

In his prime, Hashirama Senju could instantly create a vast forest, transforming the entire area within his sight into his own domain. With such power, he single-handedly restored peace to the turbulent shinobi world.

Although that peace was short-lived, lasting only until his death, it showed just how formidable his Wood Style was.

Due to the limitations of his current vessel, his power was only about twenty percent of what it once was, but he could still create a forest that enveloped the entire barrier.

With the use of his jutsu, it only took a few seconds for the barrier to be filled with trees entwined with roots and vines.

Orochimaru was soon wrapped tightly in branches and vines, leaving only his head exposed, unable to move at all.

Seeing this, Hattori immediately used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport inside the barrier, appearing beside Orochimaru with a grin.

"Hey, Uncle Snake, need a hand?"

"It's you!" Orochimaru's face twisted in anger as he saw Hattori. "What exactly do you want?"

"Tsk... Listen!"

Hattori flashed a bright smile in response.

"I saw you were being ganged up on, so I came to help. Give me the Edo Tensei technique you've been working on, and I'll take care of these guys for you. Deal?"

Orochimaru's expression changed from seriousness to a grin as he chuckled.

"Heh heh heh... Very well. If you help me with this, I'll give you Edo Tensei."

Before Hattori could respond, Rasa shouted from below.

"That guy is more dangerous than Orochimaru! We can't let him get his hands on Edo Tensei!"

Though he wasn’t entirely sure what was happening, Hashirama quickly took action. Under his control, the surrounding branches and vines lashed toward Hattori like whips.

Hattori leapt into the air to avoid the branches and vines, then threw three kunai toward the three enemies below.

It seemed like his aim was off because all three kunai missed their targets, landing just behind them.

Rasa and Hashirama paid no mind to this, but Tobirama immediately shifted to the side.

"Watch out! Those are Flying Thunder God kunai!" he warned.

Clearly, he had recognized Hattori’s jutsu, but his warning came a moment too late.

With a flash of golden light, Hattori used the Flying Thunder God Technique to instantly appear beside Rasa and Hashirama, pinning them to the ground with black rods. Only Tobirama, having preemptively dodged, escaped.

Seeing this, Hattori clicked his tongue.

"Tsk... So close. Thought I could finish them off in one move. A bit of a hassle."

"A hassle?"

Hearing Hattori's comment, Tobirama chuckled.

"Kid, I'll admit your Flying Thunder God is fast, but if we were at full power, it wouldn't be so easy for you to subdue my brother. Who are you, anyway?"

"Well… that doesn’t really matter," Hattori replied casually, pointing to Orochimaru, who was tied up like a dumpling.

"See that guy? He's here to destroy Konoha. I'm here to protect it from him. Hiruzen Sarutobi is outside, working with me. You should’ve figured that out by now."

"Yes, I did."

At Hattori's words, Tobirama nodded, then looked back at Orochimaru.

"If I’m not mistaken, you’re the one who put that contract seal on his head, aren’t you? If you’re protecting Konoha, you had the chance to kill him. Why didn’t you?"

"Tsk... That’s complicated answer."

Hattori clicked his tongue again, raising his chin at Tobirama.

"How about this: I give my word I won’t harm Konoha. You, in turn, stand down here. We can talk more later. Deal?"

"Fine," Tobirama agreed.

"Thanks."

Grateful for his cooperation, Hattori thanked him, then used the Flying Thunder God again to teleport back beside Orochimaru.

"Our time is limited," he said, "so you’d better—"

Before he could finish, his figure transformed into golden light again, reappearing beside Hashirama, where he drove a black rod into Tobirama’s reanimated body.

It turned out that, during the split second Hattori had disappeared, Tobirama had used the Flying Thunder God Technique himself, intending to rescue Hashirama. However, upon touching the black rod embedded in Hashirama, he froze momentarily.

This lapse left him pinned by Hattori, just like Hashirama, immobilized.

Tobirama’s expression grew complicated as he looked up at Hattori.

"I admit, even in my prime, I wasn’t this fast with the Flying Thunder God. Can you tell me your name?"

"Of course. I’m Hattori."

Hattori pointed to Rasa, who was also pinned to the ground a few steps away.

"That guy knows all about me. You can ask him. As for whether he tells the truth, that’s for you to judge. I’ll take my leave now."

With that, Hattori once again vanished in golden light from Tobirama’s view, reappearing at Orochimaru’s side.

Orochimaru was momentarily dazed, shocked that the three opponents who had driven him into a corner couldn’t even last a minute against Hattori.

At the same time, the black rods Hattori had used seemed eerily familiar.

Suddenly, he remembered that when he had joined the Akatsuki, Pain—the wielder of the Rinnegan—had used similar rods.

The realization flashed in Orochimaru’s eyes.

"So, there’s another person besides that guy with those eyes? Perhaps… this is an opportunity for me!"

Excitement gleamed in Orochimaru’s eyes as he addressed Hattori.

"You want the Edo Tensei, right? Come closer. I can’t fight back now. If I try anything, you could kill me easily, right?"

"True enough."

Hattori nodded and moved closer.

As Hattori approached, Orochimaru maintained a warm smile, though his excitement grew harder to contain.

When Hattori was just half a meter away, Orochimaru finally made his move.

"Ninjutsu: Living Corpse Reincarnation!"

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 238: Lining Up for Execution*

The Living Corpse Reincarnation is a secret technique developed by Orochimaru, allowing him to seize another person’s body to achieve immortality. However, the technique carries risks, as the new body may reject the soul to varying degrees.

To minimize these reactions, Orochimaru created the Curse Mark, aiming to select the best possible vessel.

Now, facing his current predicament and wanting to take control of Hattori’s body, he decided to take a gamble. Orochimaru believed that at such close range, his powerful mental strength would allow him to devour Hattori with ease!

“Rinnegan, just like Pain’s, is mine now!”

Overwhelmed with excitement, Orochimaru abandoned his current, well-liked body and plunged his spirit into Hattori’s consciousness, ready for a life-or-death struggle with Hattori’s soul. He was confident in his victory!

To his surprise, upon entering Hattori’s mental space, he saw not Hattori’s soul, but a massive monkey.

The monkey burst into tears of laughter upon seeing him.

“Haha… Finally, someone new! Hey, kid, sing a song for the Lord Shinigami! How about Dare to Ask Where the Road Is?”

Orochimaru: “(╬￣皿￣)”

Dare to ask where the road is, my foot! Damned Hattori! Just because you turned into a monkey doesn’t mean I, Orochimaru, am scared!

Lord Shinigami? I’ll make you call me Lord soon enough!

At that thought, Orochimaru transformed into a massive, eight-headed white-scaled serpent, ready to attack and devour this “Hattori-turned-monkey.”

However, to his surprise, the giant monkey pointed behind him with a mocking expression.

“Before dealing with me, I suggest you greet them first!”

Them?

Orochimaru, now transformed into the eight-headed serpent, turned around, only to be stunned.

Before him stood 27 fearsome, gigantic Shinigami clad in white robes, each raising their Shinigami Blades high after removing them from their mouths.

Seeing this, Orochimaru tried to dodge and resist, only to find himself immobilized, forced to watch helplessly as the Shinigami swung their blades down.

Swish!

The 27 Shinigami Blades sliced cleanly through Orochimaru’s transformed body, leaving his eight-headed serpent form headless.

Unyielding, Orochimaru quickly regrew his eight heads, ready to bite the Shinigami.

But it was futile.

Before he could strike, the Shinigami swung their blades again, beheading him. And so it went—each time he regrew his heads, they chopped them off, consuming each fallen head like it was popcorn.

A few minutes later, Orochimaru’s soul weakened, his ability to regrow heads lagging behind the Shinigami’s relentless strikes.

The Shinigami formed a line, like students queuing in a cafeteria, brandishing their tickets as they prepared to “serve” Orochimaru.

Watching this, the nearby giant monkey—the Four-Tails—showed a trace of sympathy.

“You were asked to sing, but you wouldn’t listen. Now look at you… Ah…”

The Four-Tails gently stroked its four tails, then smiled slightly.

“But this works too. At least my tails are safe, and the Shinigami are happy. It’s a win-win! To help him hold on a bit longer, let’s lend him a hand!”

With that, the Four-Tails grabbed the serpent’s tail, transferring half of its chakra.

“Hang on, buddy! I got you!”

Revitalized by the chakra, Orochimaru’s spirit regained strength, and his heads regrew at their usual pace. Seeing this, the Shinigami’s eyes lit up, and they gave the Four-Tails an encouraging nod, before raising their blades and charging at Orochimaru’s heads once more.

Orochimaru: “(Д*)”

“You call this helping?!”

…

Orochimaru was subdued almost instantly. Aside from a brief lapse in focus, Hattori sensed nothing amiss.

Looking at Orochimaru’s lifeless body with zero MP, Hattori scratched his head, confusion flashing in his eyes.

“Dead? Was he shouting at me earlier just to commit suicide?”

Realizing this, anger flashed across Hattori’s face.

“So cowardly! Afraid I’d seal him, so he distracted me to commit suicide! Now he’s probably revived in some other vessel, huh? Damn, he got away!”

Irritated, Hattori gave Orochimaru’s body a kick and glanced down at the three reanimated corpses below.

He found that both the Senju brothers, Hashirama and Tobirama, as well as Rasa, had crumbled into dust, revealing three terrified-looking Sound Ninja corpses beneath.

Hattori immediately recognized the corpses as the Sound Ninja who’d represented the village in the Chunin Exams.

Seeing their horrified expressions, he sighed, shaking his head.

“That’s what happens when you pick the wrong side. When you’re down there, remember to follow a better boss. May the afterlife be Orochimaru-free.”

With that, he exhaled a fire jutsu, reducing the bodies to ashes.

Afterward, he ordered the Sound Four to deactivate the Four Violet Flames Formation. With them trapped in genjutsu, he leisurely killed three of them, sparing only the sole female—Tayuya!

Seeing Hattori’s actions and the still-trapped Tayuya, Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned.

“Hattori, Kurenai is much prettier than that woman. You don’t need to go this far, do you?”

“Pfft…”

Hearing Hiruzen’s remark, Hattori nearly spat in disbelief, laughing.

“What kind of person do you think I am? Besides, Kurenai and I aren’t like that! We’re close friends—our relationship is pure!”

“Oh… pure?”

At Hattori’s words, Hiruzen chuckled, nodding slightly.

“Fine, if you say so!”

“…”

What do you mean by ‘if you say so’? It’s the truth!

Seeing Hiruzen’s obvious disbelief, Hattori shrugged it off and waved.

“Believe it or not, this Sound woman’s coming with me. Don’t worry, she won’t see tomorrow’s sunrise. Well… I’ll be on my way!”

With that, Hattori and Tayuya vanished in a flash of gold.

Watching him disappear, Hiruzen sighed.

“Less than a year to learn and master the Flying Thunder God technique… Hattori’s a true genius. I wonder if he’ll… ahem”

Thinking of Edo Tensei and the woman Hattori took, Hiruzen’s face darkened.

“Could he be planning to experiment with Edo Tensei?”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 239: The Resurrected Girl*

Hiruzen Sarutobi’s guess was correct. Hattori took Tayuya, intending to use her as a vessel for the Reanimation Jutsu.

Hattori always follows the principle of “never leaving empty-handed.”

Since he hadn’t acquired the complete Reanimation Jutsu from Orochimaru, capturing one of Orochimaru’s subordinates as a vessel seemed worthwhile!

To Hattori, not having Orochimaru’s version of the Reanimation Jutsu was like missing a single grape from a basket of fruit—no big deal.

After all, Hattori could also perform the Reanimation Jutsu, summoning the deceased and returning them to the afterlife if necessary.

The main difference was that while Orochimaru could override the will of the deceased, Hattori preferred to persuade them peacefully. Essentially, it wasn’t much different.

As for the Infinite Exploding Tags, even without the complete Reanimation Jutsu, Hattori could still use puppets as substitutes.

He could have a sealing puppet activate the Infinite Exploding Tags, abandon the puppet, and use the Flying Thunder God Technique to escape. Losing a single puppet was a small price for a targeted, powerful explosion.

In Hattori’s view, if he ever needed to use the Infinite Exploding Tags, sacrificing a puppet wouldn’t be a loss at all.

He soon put Orochimaru’s affairs aside, took the illusion-controlled Tayuya home, opened his basement door, and led her inside.

In this basement, Hattori had already set up a summoning seal for the Reanimation Jutsu.

After positioning Tayuya at the center of the formation, Hattori pulled out a kunai tied with hair, using it as a medium to cast his skill.

“Summoning Technique: Reanimation Jutsu!”

With a low chant, dust around them surged toward Tayuya, causing her to scream in agony.

“Aaaaah!”

As she screamed, mud crept over her entire body, reshaping her like a clay figure.

When her screams ceased, a short-haired girl in dark clothing appeared before Hattori, slowly opening her eyes.

The Reanimation Jutsu was a success!

But Hattori didn’t stop there. For him, the Reanimation Jutsu was only the first step; the next was to bring her fully back to life.

"One-Hundredfold Yin Seal—Release! Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique!"

At his command, the dim basement suddenly filled with green light.

The green glow flowed into the reanimated girl, making her grayish body shine brightly.

When the light faded, the previously gray-skinned “mud girl” had transformed into a healthy, pink-cheeked young woman with purple markings on both sides of her face.

*Name: Rin Nohara*

*Level: 27*

*HP: 242/242*

*MP: 210/210*

*Specialty: Medical*

*Combat Rating: B*

Looking at the now-lifelike stats before him, Hattori finally smiled in satisfaction.

“At last, the one million MP didn’t go to waste!”

At that moment, the girl opened her eyes completely.

She looked around the dim basement, then glanced at Hattori, nervously shrinking back.

“Are you... the Grim Reaper? Is this the underworld?”

Hearing her questions, Hattori quickly held back a smile, nodding.

“Yes, that’s right. I’m the Grim Reaper, but this isn’t the underworld; it’s the Leaf Village!”

“The Leaf Village?” Rin’s eyes widened in surprise. “The Leaf Village in the Land of Fire?”

“Yes!”

Seeing her shock, Hattori nodded again.

“I’m currently roaming the world as a human. I need a young maid to cook, clean, wash my feet, and keep me warm. That’s why I revived you. Happy about that?”

Rin: “(ˇˇ)”

Not happy!

Hearing Hattori’s words, Rin pouted.

“Grim Reaper, I’m grateful you revived me. I don’t mind cooking, cleaning, or washing, but I won’t warm your bed! I won’t sell myself!”

“…"

She’s quite stubborn!

Seeing her resistance, Hattori smirked slightly, offering her a smile.

“If you don’t want to, that’s fine. But in return, you must never show your face to anyone, nor admit your identity.

If you break these rules, I’ll send you back to the underworld and have you warm beds for a hundred people every day. Got it?”

Rin: “Σ(っ°Д°;)っ”

Terrifying!

Frightened by his threat, Rin quickly nodded.

“Yes, Grim Reaper. I promise I won’t show my face or reveal my identity. But… could I have a mask?”

“That’s fine.”

With that, Hattori handed her a cat-faced mask.

“Here, take it. And from now on, don’t call me Grim Reaper. Starting today, you’re my adopted daughter. Call me ‘Father’ instead.”

“Yes, Grim Rea—Father!”

“Good girl!”

Hattori grinned, patting her head and pinching her cheeks.

“Remember what I told you. Don’t forget!”

Then, he teleported her to a street in the Leaf Village with the Flying Thunder God Technique.

At that moment, Sound Village ninjas were attacking the Leaf Village, locked in intense street battles with Leaf shinobi. The chaos had even spread to the southern commercial district.

Unwilling to let his properties suffer damage, Hattori unleashed hundreds of puppets, quickly wiping out the Sound ninjas in the area.

Seeing the formidable puppets, Rin’s eyes widened in amazement.

“Grim Rea—no, Father, are these warriors you summoned from the afterlife? They’re amazing!”

“No, they’re just puppets.”

Hattori shook his head at her question.

“After I gave them life, they gained the strength of Jonin. Dealing with these Sound ninja is nothing for them.”

Noticing Rin looking at some injured Leaf shinobi, Hattori chuckled, guessing her thoughts.

“Go help the injured if you’d like, but remember my instructions!”

“Uh…”

Rin was surprised that he allowed her to heal Leaf shinobi, freezing momentarily.

But she quickly recovered, nodding with excitement.

“Okay, Father, I understand. I won’t show my face or reveal my identity. And… thank you!”

With that, she ran off to treat the wounded.

Watching her go, Hattori couldn’t help but laugh.

“Forgot to have her change clothes. She might get recognized like this… Oh well. If she’s recognized, we’ll deal with it then.”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 240: Kakashi's Discovery*

With Orochimaru's disappearance, Konoha’s counterattack, and Sunagakure’s betrayal, the leaderless Sound ninja were quickly defeated—faster and more devastatingly than in the original storyline! Due to Hattori’s interference, Orochimaru’s “Konoha Destruction Plan” had effectively turned into a “Sound Village Collapse Plan.”

None of the Sound ninja who had come to Konoha managed to escape. They were either killed or surrendered.

From these captives, Konoha's intelligence team soon learned that Sound Village was merely a front for Orochimaru’s faction, with the Land of Rice Fields as his stronghold.

Understanding this, the Third Hokage immediately ordered Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, and Choza Akimichi to lead 10,000 Konoha ninjas to the Land of Rice Fields to wipe out Orochimaru’s forces.

With Konoha taking action, Sunagakure wasn’t about to sit back either.

The assassination of the Fourth Kazekage by Orochimaru was still a secret, but the upper ranks of both villages were aware. A village's Kage being assassinated was a profound disgrace. If Sunagakure didn't exact revenge on the Sound Village, they would become the laughingstock of the shinobi world.

So, without hesitation, Sunagakure also mobilized, redirecting the 30,000-strong force initially aimed at attacking Konoha under Baki’s command to march on the Land of Rice Fields, alongside Konoha.

Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari, having received news of Rasa’s death, joined Baki as well.

Hattori, however, did not go. He was actually pleased that Orochimaru had dealt with Rasa, and the only reason he didn’t thank him in person was out of respect for Sunagakure. As for revenge? Not a chance!

With the battle over, Hattori sat under a tree outside an ice cream shop on South Street, enjoying ice cream made by Haku while Rin massaged his back and shoulders, completely at ease.

The only thing bothering him was Kakashi, who pretended to read Icha Icha Paradise but had barely taken his eyes off Rin since he’d arrived. Since the battlefield encounter where Kakashi saw Rin, he seemed stuck, refusing to let go.

Seeing Kakashi still lingering after half an hour, Hattori finally spoke up.

“Hey, Kakashi, there’s still a lot of work to do after the battle. Even Naruto’s so busy he’s barely on his feet, so why are you here staring at my store’s poster girl?”

“…”

Kakashi said nothing, simply reached into his pocket, took out a 50-ryo coin, and handed it to Rin.

“One ice cream, please.”

"Pfft!"

Rinko couldn’t help laughing as she took the coin. “One moment, please!” She ran inside to fetch his order.

As soon as she left, Kakashi turned to Hattori.

“Who is she, really?”

“Who’s ‘she’?” Hattori feigned ignorance. “I don’t know who you’re talking about. Could you be more specific?”

“Rin.”

“Who’s Rin?”

“…”

Kakashi’s forehead vein popped as he struggled with Hattori’s innocent expression.

“(╬￣皿￣) The girl at your shop!”

“Oh… you mean her!” Hattori’s face lit up in feigned realization.

“You should’ve said so sooner! Why didn’t you say it earlier?”

Kakashi: “(╬￣皿￣)”

This guy was doing it on purpose. Kakashi felt a deep urge to punch him.

Kakashi suddenly felt inadequate. If only he were stronger, he could teach Hattori a lesson with his fists.

But, alas, “if only” was a pointless thought.

So he took a deep breath, pulled out a wad of 10,000-ryo bills, and thrust it toward Hattori.

“Tell me—is she really Rin?”

“Well, that’s a lot of money!” Hattori smirked, raising an eyebrow. “Do you really think I’d sell out my shop’s poster girl for a small sum? You’ve misjudged me!”

“…”

Without a word, Kakashi pulled out twenty more bills and held them out.

Hattori immediately took the money with a grin.

“Heh, you guessed right! Yes, my poster girl name is Rin. Anything else you want to know?”

“…”

Kakashi’s lips twitched before nodding.

“One more thing—how did you do it?”

“With my hands, of course. How else?”

Kakashi: “(╬￣皿￣)”

Yep, he really wanted to punch him.

Just as he was debating giving Hattori a quick smack and making a run for it, Rin came back with an ice cream.

“Here’s your ice cream!”