211-215

*Chapter 211: Pakura Awakens*

Ever since he bought his new house, Hattori’s life gradually became more routine.

Every morning, he would get up from the couch in Kurenai’s living room, stretch his back and loosen up a bit on the balcony.

If he happened to see Asuma Sarutobi, he’d greet him with a friendly "Good morning," taking in Asuma’s exasperated expression before heading off to Ichiraku Ramen for breakfast.

After breakfast, he’d go to the scroll shop to open up, hoping a wealthy customer might come by to buy his Reincarnation Puppets. By noon, he would pack up a meal to bring to Training Ground Six to eat lunch with Kurenai.

Of course, it didn’t happen every time since Kurenai would sometimes be off on missions with Hinata and the others, like driving off wild animals or capturing stray pets—simple jobs that strengthened team coordination.

When she wasn’t around, Hattori would take his packed meal to Konoha’s Memorial Stone, where he’d enjoy a peaceful picnic under the guise of paying respect to the fallen.

If he got sleepy, he’d even take a nap.

Though he only intended to find a quiet place to relax, the Memorial Stone turned out to be the perfect spot. To the villagers, this made him seem thoughtful and honorable.

After all, who would visit such a somber place without genuine reverence?

Somehow, rumors began to spread that Hattori was a member of the Uzumaki clan who assisted the Fourth Hokage in sealing the Nine-Tails.

There were even whispers that he was a relative of the First Hokage’s wife, Mito Uzumaki, evidenced by the indigo seal mark on his forehead.

With these rumors, Hattori’s status transformed from the neglect he’d faced two years prior, to someone quite respected.

Now, when he walked down the street, even children would greet him respectfully, sometimes even calling him “Lord Hattori.”

Hattori didn’t care much for titles, but he didn’t mind them either, so he started carrying sweets with him. Whenever a child approached to greet him, he’d hand them some candy.

In just a week, he became a beloved figure among Konoha’s children.

They even made a little rhyme: “Say hi to Lord Hattori, get a sweet treat for the day.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi had been quietly observing these changes, his smile growing with each passing day.

“Bonds form between people with time, and once enough bonds exist, they lead to protectiveness. Even one as renowned as the Flame Salamander is no exception. Isn’t that right, Danzo?”

Hearing this, Danzo, wrapped in bandages and clutching a cane, spoke up.

“As long as he doesn’t threaten Konoha, I have no reason to act against him. Besides, everyone believes he’s our Nine-Tails. This is beneficial for Konoha. However…”

Danzo gave Hiruzen a sharp look.

“Can you be certain Kurenai is trustworthy? If she were to betray Konoha, your plan would fall apart, and Konoha would suffer irreparable damage!”

“Haha, while that possibility exists, I still trust her!”

Hiruzen chuckled as he took a drag from his pipe, exhaling a plume of smoke.

“After all, she’s the daughter of that man who embodied Will of Fire... Yuhi Sinku.”

“…”

Danzo fell silent for a while before responding slowly.

“I’ll be watching, Hiruzen. I’ll keep an eye on how your plan unfolds. But if there’s any slip-up, I won’t hesitate to intervene, because—”

He turned and began walking toward the door.

“While you may be the sunlight of Konoha, I am the root in the shadows!”

With those words, he closed the door behind him.

Listening to the sounds behind him, Hiruzen smiled subtly but didn’t turn around. Instead, he gently swiped his crystal ball.

In an instant, the image within shifted from Hattori on the street to the misty women’s bathhouse, laughter filling the air.

The crystal ball’s angle let Hiruzen see inside the bathhouse through its window.

A delighted grin spread across his face.

“What a beautiful view…hehe…”

…

While Hiruzen was busy peeping into the women’s bathhouse, Hattori had returned to his own house, where he set up a transparent Genjutsu barrier around it.

This barrier wasn’t for defense—it was solely to block any detection!

In other words, with this Genjutsu barrier in place, no one would be able to sense any chakra signals from inside, no matter what Hattori did.

Of course, this also prevented any secret techniques or other means from spying on or hearing what happened inside the house.

Hattori had gone to these lengths because nine days had passed since he sent Gaara away.

Now, his 100-times Yin Seal was fully charged once again.

This meant the time to revive Pakura had finally come!

In that moment, Hattori felt a wave of nervousness.

“I don’t know if it’ll work on the first try, but I have to give it a shot… I can do this!”

After giving himself a mental pep talk, Hattori took off his shirt, placed his hand on the "Corpse" seal on his chest, and shouted softly.

“Release!”

With his command, a blood-stained woman with a pale face appeared in front of him.

Who else could it be but Pakura?

Seeing her familiar face, a gentle look appeared in Hattori’s eyes as he spoke softly, “Pakura, don’t worry. I’ll bring you back in no time!”

With that, his black eyes turned into the Rinnegan, ringed with dark circles.

“Outer Path · Samsara of Heavenly Life!”

At his words, specks of green light appeared around the room, floating in the air like countless fireflies in the night.

Then, these green lights began to converge on Pakura’s body, merging into her.

Hattori’s temporarily enhanced chakra reserves dropped rapidly, as if someone had flushed them away.

Fortunately, it wasn’t in vain. Under his watchful gaze, Pakura’s complexion shifted from pale to rosy.

The two large wounds on her body gradually disappeared, replaced by smooth, fair skin.

A few minutes later, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and under Hattori’s anxious and hopeful gaze, she slowly opened her eyes.

She looked like someone who had slept for a long time, with a touch of daze in her gaze.

After glancing around, she finally focused on Hattori.

Seeing her look at him, Hattori couldn’t hold back. He hugged her tightly as tears streamed down his face.

“Pakura, you’re finally awake. I missed you so much!”

Hearing his heartfelt confession, Pakura smiled and patted his back gently.

“I know. So I forgive you for pursuing Kurenai.”

Hattori: Σ(っ°Д°;)っ

Huh? What?

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 212: The Battle of Jealousy (Part 1)

"Pakura-sis, I swear to you, Yūhi Kurenai and I have a purely platonic relationship. Nothing happen!"

Under Pakura’s amused gaze, Hattori raised his right hand with a solemn and serious expression.

But it was clear this wasn’t working.

"Innocent, huh?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Pakura raised an eyebrow.

"I’d say you’ve been calling her ‘Red’ pretty enthusiastically. And if we count the number of times you’ve kissed her recently, I’d bet it’s no less than a hundred. Does that sound ‘innocent’ to you?"

Hattori: “(Д*)”

Wait—how did you know that?

Pakura seemed to guess his thoughts and smiled slightly, cupping his face with both hands. She leaned in close to his ear and whispered softly:

"Ever since you sealed me inside your body in the Misty Canyon, everything you've said, done, seen, and heard—I’m aware of it all, you little… rascal!"

Hattori: “╭(°A°`)╮”

How… how’s that possible? Wasn’t she… dead then?

Seeing the look of shock on his face, Pakura smiled again and gently pinched his cheek.

"Relax. I’m not the petty type. Besides, I trust you. Someone who can turn down a princess would never betray me for a mere Konoha kunoichi, would he?"

"Yes, yes, yes, of course not… haha… ha-ha-ha-ha-ha…”

"Ha-ha-ha!"

Watching Hattori’s forced smile, Pakura couldn’t help but laugh aloud, playfully pinching his cheek once more.

"Alright, let’s drop it. I’m covered in blood, and it’s uncomfortable as hell. I’d like to take a bath. Could you do me a favor and buy me a change of clothes?"

"Of course… of course, I’ll go right now!"

Almost the instant her words landed, Hattori sprinted out the door, disappearing in just a few blinks of an eye.

Watching him rush off, Pakura couldn’t resist laughing again.

"Ha-ha-ha… this guy might look a lot different now, but deep down, he hasn’t changed a bit! Really, there’s no helping him."

Shaking her head with a smile, she slowly took off her bloodstained clothes, stepped into the bathroom, and began a long-awaited bath.

"It feels so good… to be alive again!"

...

While Pakura was enjoying her bath, Hattori found himself in a women’s clothing store, stumped.

"Is Pakura-sis’s size a D or an E? I’ve never exactly measured it…”

As he was fretting, a shop lady nearby noticed and chuckled.

"Aha… Hattori, here to buy clothes for Kurenai? My, how considerate!"

"Uh… haha, yes. Could you please pick out two suitable sets? Oh, and… lingerie too!"

"() Oh? That far along already, huh?"

Hearing his request, the sales lady gave him a knowing look, her eyes gleaming, and nodded.

"Got it, honey. Don’t worry, I’ll keep this a secret!"

Hattori: “╭(°A°`)╮”

I have a really bad feeling about this…

Seeing her mischievous grin, Hattori felt that trouble was definitely brewing. But before he could come up with a way to dodge it, she asked:

"For the lingerie, what’s her size? What’s Kurenai’s cup size?"

“Uh… cup size?”

Frowning, Hattori shook his head.

“I don’t know her cup size, but roughly… about this big. (﹃)"

Sales Lady: “()”

...

When Hattori returned home with the clothes, Pakura was still in the bath. He let out a sigh of relief and called out toward the bathroom.

"Pakura-sis, I got the clothes. I’ll just leave them…”

"Oh… bring them in for me, would you?"

Hattori: “(Д*)”

B-bring them in?

Hearing her request, Hattori froze, gripping the bathroom door handle and stammering:

"Re-re-really? Then… then I’m coming in, okay? Really coming in? Here I come—"

Shouting, he burst into the bathroom, only to find Pakura already wrapped in a towel, watching him with that amused look again.

“Hattori, you seem… excited about something?”

"Uh… no, not at all!”

Hattori quickly shook his head in denial.

"I’m not that shallow! I just came to deliver your clothes, that’s all. Hehe."

"Really? I thought maybe you wanted to bathe with me."

Hearing her words, Hattori looked slightly crestfallen.

"I was actually about to say yes, but since you’re not interested, never mind. Now get out while I change!"

Hattori: “(Д*)”

I… %#&%$#@&!

Watching his face shift from shock to disbelief, Pakura let out a little “pfft” laugh and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"That’s your reward. Now, out you go!"

After that, she gently shoved him out of the bathroom. Once she had changed, she emerged, giving him a little spin.

“Well? How do I look?”

“One word—stunning!”

Wearing a red fitted top and a sleek, knee-length skirt, Pakura’s figure looked graceful and enchanting. Hattori couldn’t hide his admiration.

“Pakura-sis, you’re as gorgeous as ever. I could never get tired of looking at you.”

“Oh? Really?” She raised an eyebrow. “So, how do I compare to Kurenai?”

Hattori: “(ω`)”

Why’s she still hung up on that?

By isekai logic, she should be happy to team up with Kurenai as my co-heroine, right? Why’s she acting like she’s holding a grudge?

Is she… planning to eliminate her rival?

Suddenly, Hattori felt an overwhelming sense of dread… and maybe the urge to pee a little.

Seeing his panicked face, Pakura chuckled, giving his cheek a gentle pinch.

"Alright, I’m just messing with you. Clean up the house, okay? I want to wander around Konoha on my own, take in what it feels like to be alive again. Can you let me?"

"Well… alright!”

Hearing her request, Hattori nodded.

“Just be careful out there. If anything happens, just say my name—I’ll back you up!”

"Hehe, I know. My little man from back then has really grown up!”

With that, Pakura gave him a quick peck on the cheek and waved as she left.

"I’m off! You be a good boy and stay home!"

"() Okay! Be safe!"

After saying goodbye and watching her cheerful figure disappear out the door, Hattori felt like all his hardships over the years had finally paid off.

He couldn’t help but punch the air in joy.

“Finally, happiness is here—oh yeah!”

Then suddenly, he remembered Kurenai, and his face paled.

“Wait, Pakura-sis said she’d go alone… could she be looking for Kurenai? To get rid of the competition? A jealous showdown?”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 213: The Showdown (Part 2)*

As he thought about the possible scenarios, Hattori suddenly realized things were getting serious.

“What am I supposed to do if they actually start fighting?” he asked himself, growing more confused by the second.

There was no way he could support Pakura against Kurenai. He’d spent this time holding her, kissing her, and to turn around now and deny her—even attack her—was beyond scummy; it was inhuman!

Supporting Kurenai to fight Pakura was also impossible, especially given Pakura's power. There was no guarantee she could defeat Kurenai! Illusions don't care about your special abilities; if they work, they work instantly, deciding the winner and loser in a flash.

“Damn it, this is a mess!”

Hattori clutched his face in frustration. After thinking for a while, he finally came up with a barely workable plan.

“If it really comes to that, I'll just have to use a self-sacrifice trick. I’ll put a blade to my neck, pretend I’m going to kill myself… no, I have regenerative abilities, so I can even take it seriously and die once.”

Maybe, if they’re desperate enough, things will turn out like in those TV dramas. I’ll win over both of them, and then we can all get along and… yeah, right, that’s never going to happen.

Even though the ninja world doesn’t follow a strict one-wife rule, and many noblemen have several wives, it's rare for a ninja to have more than one partner.

Hattori understood this, which was why his original plan was to keep both of them in the dark.

He thought his genius-level intelligence could handle everything, balancing on two boats without tipping either over.

But now things were spiraling out of control, and he was even at risk of having the whole ship sink.

“If all else fails, I could fake an enemy attack, knock them both out with illusions, and use the opportunity to shift the blame… yeah, that could work!”

With this in mind, Hattori clapped his hands, formulating a detailed plan.

“I’m the only one besides Itachi Uchiha who could use illusions powerful enough to knock out a genjutsu expert like Kurenai.”

So in a bit, I’ll use a transformation jutsu to turn into Itachi, take them both down, and drag them to a secluded place. Then I'll shift their anger onto him instead.

With his plan set, he acted immediately.

“Mind’s Eye of the Kagura!”

With a single thought, he activated his strongest sensory ability, scanning Konoha Village and its surroundings, quickly locating Pakura and tracking her path—straight to Training Ground 6!

The very training ground Kurenai often used.

“Just as I thought!”

Realizing Pakura's route, Hattori smiled knowingly.

“My guess was right; Pakura didn’t go shopping. She went to challenge Kurenai. Looks like she’s planning to claim me for herself. Ah… this is a mess.”

He sighed deeply and continued observing.

Then he saw Pakura stop by a mask shop, pick up a cat mask, and leave Konoha Village with it.

At that moment, he was stunned.

“A mask? She’s planning an ambush instead of a challenge? Oh no, I have to stop her!”

Realizing this, Hattori immediately deactivated the Mind’s Eye of the Kagura, then dashed out the door toward Training Ground 6.

At that moment, Training Ground 6 was no longer an ordinary training field in his mind—it had turned into a bloodthirsty battleground!

“I have to get there in time!”

Muttering to himself, he sped up.

To be absolutely sure, he used the transformation jutsu as soon as he left the village.

“Transformation Jutsu!”

Poof!

With a puff of smoke, Hattori’s figure disappeared, replaced by a man with tear-streaks on his face, wearing a black cloak with red clouds, and a scratched Konoha forehead protector—Itachi Uchiha!

With his transformation complete, he rushed toward Training Ground 6 at top speed.

But as the saying goes, “the more in a rush, the more things go wrong.” Before he could even reach the training ground, he was stopped along the way.

“ITACHI!!”

The shout didn’t come from just anyone; it came from the famed “Konoha’s Number Two,” the “Ultimate Rival,” Sasuke Uchiha!

Staring at Hattori disguised as Itachi, Sasuke’s face was filled with rage, and his eyes had turned blood-red with the Sharingan.

Even Kakashi looked wary, facing him as if against a deadly enemy.

“Itachi Uchiha… the man who slaughtered the Uchiha Clan. I can’t believe you’d dare come back to Konoha. If it’s you, I’ll have to go all out!”

With that, Kakashi lifted his forehead protector, revealing his Sharingan, spinning like a pinwheel.

For him to go straight to using his Mangekyo showed just how powerful Itachi was in his mind.

But the moment he activated his Sharingan, he froze, staring at Hattori as if he’d seen a lone puppy pretending to be a wolf in a pack.

Seeing that look, Hattori knew his cover was blown.

“Looks like my transformation jutsu can only fool rookies like Sasuke. People like Kakashi, with their enhanced senses, can see right through it!”

Realizing this, he gave Kakashi a threatening look, raising an eyebrow as if to say, “If you expose me, I’ll make you pay!”

Understanding instantly, Kakashi didn’t hesitate; he collapsed to the ground with a thud, pretending he was trapped in an illusion.

Seeing this, Naruto and Sakura were utterly bewildered.

(Д)(Д)

You’re an elite ninja, right? Did he seriously take you down with just a glare?

Ironically, Sasuke was the least suspicious, since in his mind, Itachi Uchiha—the man who had massacred their entire clan—was nothing short of invincible.

So, despite his rage as he glared at Hattori disguised as Itachi, his hands and legs were trembling.

Hattori, noticing this, raised his eyebrows and walked over to Sasuke, kicking him to the ground.

Then, he grabbed Sasuke by the hair, pulling him up from the ground.

“You’re so weak… Sasuke, why are you still so weak? Seems you don’t hate me enough. In that case… smack!”

With a loud slap, Sasuke’s cheek instantly swelled up.

And Hattori didn’t stop there; he followed up with several more slaps in rapid succession.

Smack! Smack! Smack!

After turning Sasuke’s once-handsome face into a swollen mess, he dropped him to the ground and vanished with a body flicker, leaving only a single remark behind.

“Foolish little brother, if you want to kill me, then hate me, despise me… cling to life like a coward…

Run away, run away, survive in disgrace… then, when you finally have eyes like mine, come find me.”

“Damn it!!”

Hearing Hattori’s departing words, Sasuke clenched his fists, yelling with all his might.

“Damn you, damn you, damn you… I will kill you… I will kill you…”

Chapter 214: Unexpected

Standing beneath a tree a few dozen meters away, Hattori watched as Sasuke entered a furious rage. He couldn’t help but stroke his chin thoughtfully.

"Did I go too far?"

"You know you went too far?"

Kakashi, standing beside him, glanced at him with a look of exasperation.

"So, what’s this whole stunt about? Don’t tell me you did it just to mess with Sasuke. Oh, and… all that stuff you said to him just now—had you planned it out?"

"Hmm..." Hattori thought for a moment, then nodded at Kakashi. "Secret!"

"..."

Secret my foot!

Seeing the look of disbelief on Kakashi’s face, Hattori chuckled and threw his arm around his shoulders.

"Hey, Kakashi, do you think we’re friends?"

"Hmm…" Kakashi paused, then nodded. "Well… I guess we are. What is it you need help with?"

"Heh, it’s actually nothing big…"

Seeing Kakashi get his hint, Hattori felt a little embarrassed and rubbed his hands together. "It’s just that… I’ve got this woman…"

"Kurenai?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "What about her?"

"Not her. Another one. She came before her!"

Hattori gave Kakashi a knowing look.

"Yeah, you know… that one!"

"..."

Kakashi looked at him, clearly unimpressed, and nodded.

"Ah, two-timing, huh. Got it. So, what’s next?"

"She found out about Kurenai and is on her way to the Sixth Training Ground to confront her. So, I need you to help me… hey, don’t leave!"

Seeing Kakashi start to walk away before he’d even finished speaking, Hattori quickly grabbed his arm.

"Weren’t we friends? You said you’d help me!"

"Sorry, but we’re not!"

"(ω`)"

What a heartless jerk!

Hattori watched as Kakashi walked several meters away, then muttered to himself.

"Actually, Obito’s not dead. Someone saved him!"

"Hmm?"

Hearing this, Kakashi froze, then turned back and looked at Hattori, his face suddenly serious.

"As a friend, tell me how I can help you."

…

A moment later, after listening to Hattori’s explanation, Kakashi nodded.

"I get it. Once those two start fighting, I’ll step in and stop them. But how should I do it? What reason should I give?"

"Act like you’ve lost control!"

Hattori immediately offered a suggestion.

"Just act like you’re pouncing on them, as if you’re up to no good. Then I’ll come in and save the day. Perfect, right?"

Kakashi: "(Д*)"

Perfect, my foot!

Is this really something a decent person would do?

Hattori saw the look on Kakashi’s face and could tell he was reluctant, so he pulled out his "ace card."

"Obito’s currently hiding out with the notorious Akatsuki organization. He’s even in cahoots with Itachi Uchiha. He had a part in the Uchiha massacre!"

"What?"

Kakashi was stunned. He clenched his teeth and nodded firmly.

"Fine, I’ll do as you say. But you’d better tell me everything about Obito afterward!"

"No problem, you can count on it!"

Hattori slapped Kakashi’s shoulder.

"Just unleash that hidden wild side of yours. Play it up, like a wolf spotting a little lamb, practically drooling!"

"…"

Hearing this, Kakashi’s lips twitched slightly. Without another word, he ran off toward the Sixth Training Ground.

Watching him go, Hattori smiled and followed.

The two of them arrived at the Sixth Training Ground shortly afterward.

But upon arrival, neither Hattori nor Kakashi made a move.

Instead, they froze in place.

The two people they’d expected to find fighting were sitting together peacefully, chatting like friends and even laughing softly.

Seeing this, Hattori was baffled. He turned to Kakashi and asked, "What’s going on here?"

"How should I know?"

Kakashi looked at him like he was an idiot.

"Maybe you’re overthinking it. Maybe they both just don’t like you!"

"Bullshit!" Hattori snapped. "I’m the most handsome guy in the world. Why wouldn’t they like me?"

"Who knows how these things work?"

"…"

Hattori watched as Kakashi smirked at him with obvious schadenfreude, and his face twitched.

Then a thought occurred to him, and his expression brightened.

"Hey, maybe they can’t bear to lose me, so they’re negotiating who’ll be my first wife?"

"…"

Kakashi didn’t respond, only placing his hand on Hattori’s forehead and frowning.

"Feels like you’re burning up. Need me to take you to the hospital?"

"Screw you, get lost!"

"Gladly!" Kakashi replied, promptly standing up. "Don’t forget our deal!"

With that, he vanished with a body-flicker technique.

Hattori: "(Д*)"

He really left!

Still, with Pakura and Kurenai not actually fighting, Kakashi leaving didn’t make much difference.

Looking at Kurenai and Pakura, who wore a cat-faced mask, Hattori’s brow furrowed.

"I really want to know what they’re talking about, but if I get closer, they’ll probably notice me. Should I go over or not?"

After hesitating for a while, he stayed put, watching the two from a distance for the rest of the afternoon.

Eventually, as the sun started setting, Pakura finally made a move.

She pulled an envelope from her coat, handed it to Kurenai, then bowed deeply. After that, she turned and walked away.

Seeing the direction she left, Hattori knew she was heading back to Konoha Village, so he hurried back to his place at top speed.

When he got home, he started a fire, prepared dinner, and made everything look like he hadn’t gone out at all.

When the food was ready, he heard a knock on the door.

"Knock, knock, knock…"

"I’m coming!"

Hattori rushed to open the door, smiling as he saw Pakura standing there.

"Pakura-nee, you’re back! Where’d you go today?"

"Oh… just around the village. Oh, I bought this!"

She held up a square box.

"I got a cake to celebrate my new beginning. Would you join me for some later?"

"Sure!"

Hattori nodded and took the cake from her, setting it aside. The two of them sat down for dinner.

By the time they finished, night had fallen.

Following Pakura request, Hattori closed the door, drew the curtains, and turned off the lights. He then lit a single candle on the cake.

Under his gaze, Pakura clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and made a wish before blowing out the candle.

Seeing this, Hattori grinned.

"Alright, time to cut the cake. I’ll turn on the lights!"

He reached for the switch.

But before he could take a step, he felt someone hug him.

Recognizing her scent, he froze. "Pakura-nee, you…"

Before he could finish, a soft touch pressed against his lips, silencing him.

Then, Pakura gentle voice whispered in his ear.

"In the past, you always begged for mercy when you messed up. But tonight… no begging!"

Hattori: "Σ(°△°|||)︴"

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 215: Pakura's Letter*

The next morning, when Hattori got out of bed, he felt like he was practically floating. But that wasn’t a problem for him. With just one "Creation Regeneration," he could feel energized again.

However, he didn’t bother using it because he actually enjoyed the feeling.

“I’m drifting, you’re swaying, like rootless wild grass. When the dream ends and the skies clear, how will I drift again…”

Humming a tune, he got dressed and left with a spring in his step.

After grabbing breakfast at Ichiraku Ramen, he ran into Asuma Sarutobi on his way back and greeted him.

“Hey, Asuma! Morning! Just so you know, Kurenai and I are just friends, nothing more. Don’t get any ideas!”

“(╬￣皿￣)”

You look like a cat that just got fish, and you’re trying to tell me you two are just friends?

Pfft… yeah, right!

Asuma spat on the ground, shot Hattori a glare, then turned and walked away.

Watching this, Hattori just shrugged.

“Whatever, believe what you want.”

Although he had flirted a bit with Kurenai, he was “reformed” after last night and was ready to “settle down.”

After all, how could a respectable shinobi like Hattori lead anyone on?

Just as he made up his mind to stay committed to Pakura, he saw Kurenai walking toward him with a smile.

“Hey, Hattori! Didn’t see you all day yesterday. Where were you?”

“Uh… working in the fields at home!”

“Stop kidding around!”

Hearing his excuse, Kurenai rolled her eyes, then pulled out a letter and handed it to him.

“Here, this is from your sister. She said everything she wants to tell you is in the letter, and she asked me to give it to you.”

“Uh… my sister?”

Hattori froze as he looked at the letter in his hand—wasn’t this the letter Pakura gave Kurenai yesterday?

What was going on?

After a moment of confusion, Hattori asked Kurenai, “Do you know what it says?”

“How would I know?”

Kurenai glared at him. “Your sister gave it to me to pass along; why would I read it? What do you take me for?”

“Uh…”

Hattori realized his mistake and scratched his head awkwardly.

“Sorry, Kurenai, I didn’t mean it like that. I was just talking without thinking.”

“Mm, it’s okay!”

Seeing his apology, Kurenai smiled and nodded.

“Well, I have to go. Hinata and the others are waiting for me. Bye!”

“Uh… bye!”

After saying goodbye to Kurenai, Hattori returned home with the letter and opened it, only to find himself staring blankly.

What was he supposed to do if he couldn’t read?

He regretted not taking the time to study, but it was a bit too late for that now.

What confused him even more was, why did Pakura write a letter and ask Kurenai to deliver it instead of just talking to him directly?

“Is this one of those `women’ things? A love letter delivered by a romantic rival? Huh, interesting!”

Hattori chuckled, tossed the letter on the table, and decided to ask Pakura to read it to him when she returned from shopping.

However, noon came and went, and Pakura still hadn’t returned.

“Does it really take this long to buy groceries?”

Hattori frowned but brushed it off, figuring she was just enjoying a little sightseeing in Konoha.

But when dusk came and Pakura was still nowhere to be seen, he started to feel uneasy.

He recalled Kurenai giving him the letter that morning and Pakura’s uncharacteristic boldness the night before, and he suddenly realized—

Isn’t this like one of those soap opera tropes?

The lead guy falls for two women, but after one night with the second woman, she disappears. Then, years later, a kid shows up, looking just like his father, saying he’s his son.

The kid explains that the woman didn’t leave because she didn’t love hero but because she was sick and wanted him to remember her as she was…

Hattori: “Σ(っ°Д°;)っ”

Oh, no… I’m losing it!

Imagining those soap opera plots made Hattori’s teeth ache.

Panicked, he grabbed the letter and went to find Kakashi, who had just returned from a mission.

“Kakashi, I need your help!”

“Oh… just in time, I need to ask you something too.”

Hearing Hattori’s urgency, Kakashi raised an eyebrow. “You mentioned once that Obito had something to do with the Uchiha massacre. What’s that about?”

“Oh, that can wait! First, read this letter for me!”

Hattori shoved the letter at Kakashi.

“Quick! Read what it says!”

“Huh?” Kakashi looked at him in surprise. “You can’t read?”

“If I could read, would I be here?”

Hattori’s mouth twitched.

“I’m getting a dictionary tomorrow. Just read it to me already!”

Seeing how anxious Hattori was, Kakashi shook his head, took out the letter, and opened it, raising his brows in surprise.

“The handwriting is neat. A woman wrote this for you? Hard to believe someone would bother writing you a letter.”

Hearing this, Hattori shot him a dark look. “Stop gossiping, read it already!”

“Tsk… alright!”

Kakashi, seeing Hattori about to lose it, rolled his eyes and began reading.

“Hattori, by the time you read this letter, I will be gone. Don’t try to find me because this is my decision…”

Hattori couldn’t help but cover his face with a wry smile.

“Damn… I knew it!”

“…”

Kakashi glanced at him sympathetically, then continued reading.

“Hattori, being with you made me so happy, but I can’t be selfish.

I don’t want to be a burden, and I don’t want to see you sad and hurt again like before.

Don’t worry about me; I’ll take care of myself. I’ve chosen my path, so just keep going… and one day, you will become Kazegake.”

Kakashi placed the letter down and looked at Hattori.

“That’s the whole letter. I don’t entirely understand it, but now can you tell me about Obito?”

“Alright.”

Hattori nodded, put the letter back on the table, and turned to Kakashi.

“After Obito was crushed by those rocks, he didn’t die. Someone saved him.

The reason he didn’t come back to Konoha is that he witnessed you killing Rin Nohara.

I don’t know why he helped Itachi massacre the Uchiha clan. Maybe he wanted to recruit him into the Akatsuki. Any more questions?”

“…”

Kakashi stood there, stunned for a while, then finally asked, “Are you saying… Obito is part of the Akatsuki?”

“Yep,” Hattori nodded, “and you could even call him their leader.”

“…”

Kakashi fell silent again. After a moment, Hattori turned away.

“If you have more questions, you know where to find me. Consider it a reward for reading the letter.”

“Hold on!”

Just as Hattori was about to leave, Kakashi stopped him and pointed to the letter.

“There’s actually one last line—Kurenai doesn’t bother me, so if you need some company, you could go to her.”

Kakashi shrugged as he said this.

“That’s all, really.”

Hattori: “…”

You had to save that part for last?

Seeing Kakashi’s innocent expression, Hattori clenched his jaw.

“Fine, you win. Just… keep it quiet!”

“Will do.”

Kakashi nodded, chuckling as he looked at Hattori.

“In exchange, keep Obito’s involvement a secret too. Don’t tell anyone—not even the Hokage.”

“Deal.”

(End of Chapter)