The warm curtain of Ichiraku Ramen was gently lifted, and a wave of fragrant steam rolled out.
"Teuchi-uncle, one pork bone chashu ramen," Menma called as he walked inside, still holding Hinata's hand.
Pointing to the menu board placed beside the counter, he turned to her. "Hinata, what would you like?"
"I… I'm fine with anything…" Hinata murmured, fidgeting with her fingers and keeping her head down.
"Then the same as me," Menma said with a smile, guiding her to sit at the bar.
It was lunch hour, and three other customers were already inside.
Teuchi looked up from the rising steam and squinted kindly.
"Oh, it's little Menma! Is this a new friend?"
Ever since moving into Konoha, Menma had occasionally visited Ichiraku—partly to see if he might run into Naruto or Kakashi.
But perhaps because Naruto was still too young and the main storyline was still nine years away, Menma had yet to meet either of them.
"Hey, haven't seen Shunta around lately," a customer nearby suddenly said.
"Yeah, same here. I went to his place yesterday, but no one answered."
"He just came back from a mission, didn't he? How'd he disappear so suddenly?"
"Maybe he got assigned something more important?"
"Come on, he's been a genin for years. What kind of big mission would he get?"
"Still strange. Sato also vanished a few days after coming back."
Menma quietly listened as the villagers chatted about their missing friends.
Fragments of memory stirred in his mind.
'Looks like Orochimaru's defection is about to happen,' he thought.
He had long planned to "borrow" a few things from that snake.
After all—Orochimaru's scientific research, genetic experiments, cloning technology, and even the precious Hashirama cells were all treasures.
Edo Tensei might not be perfected yet, but everything else was invaluable.
"Here you go, kids," Teuchi's voice interrupted Menma's thoughts.
Two steaming bowls of ramen were placed before them—the chashu glistening in rich broth, soft-boiled eggs shining amber.
"Th-thank you…" Hinata said softly as she accepted her bowl.
Slurp… slurp…
The two began eating.
Menma had already eaten before coming out, so he took his time.
By the time he was halfway through, Hinata had already finished her entire bowl.
Even for a three-year-old, that appetite was impressive.
"Teuchi-uncle, another large bowl, please," Menma said without hesitation.
"N-No, it's okay…" Hinata whispered shyly, tugging at her sleeve.
She had been taught that girls should eat modestly and quietly—not boldly like boys.
"Eat," Menma said firmly. "It's my treat."
Soon another large bowl was placed in front of her.
"Please enjoy!" Teuchi added with a grin, sliding over a plate of tempura. "For bringing in a new customer—this one's on the house."
Menma, already full, pushed the tempura toward Hinata.
Seeing the extra food before her, Hinata's eyes began to mist.
Since she could remember, she had never truly eaten her fill.
Yet she never dared to say so. Sometimes she was even scolded for eating too much.
The heiress of the Hyuga Clan—one of Konoha's two great noble families—who had never been allowed to feel full.
Menma's simple kindness warmed her more than any grand estate ever had.
After finishing the second bowl, Menma raised his hand as if to order a third.
Flustered, Hinata hurriedly grabbed his sleeve and shook her head.
"Alright then," Menma laughed. "Let's head out. I'll walk you home."
By the time they left Ichiraku, the sun was already beginning to set.
Menma naturally took her small hand in his.
Their tiny shadows stretched long under the golden sky.
Hinata looked down at their joined hands, her face reddening even more.
'If only every day could be like this…' she thought, feeling safe and warm in a way she never had before.
Like a well-behaved girl being led astray by a mischievous blond boy.
As they neared the Hyuga compound, Hinata suddenly froze.
"What's wrong?" Menma asked, noticing her tense up.
Before he could react—
A palm strike wrapped in fierce chakra rushed straight toward him!
"Scumbag!" came an angry, familiar voice.
Big-sister Hinata had arrived.
Meanwhile, at the Hokage's Office
"Hokage-sama!"
An ANBU ninja wearing a mask landed in the center of the room.
"This is the latest investigation report on the missing persons within the village."
Sarutobi Hiruzen accepted the scroll with a grave expression.
He had already prepared himself for the worst.
Recently, more and more shinobi—mostly genin—had been disappearing.
Suspicious enough for him to order a full ANBU investigation.
When he opened the report and saw the name it pointed to, even he could not hide his shock.
"Kakashi," Hiruzen called quietly.
Whoosh—
An ANBU wearing a white cat mask appeared behind him, kneeling in silence.
"Gather the First Squad. We are going to… arrest Orochimaru."
At those final words, pain and sorrow filled the Third Hokage's face.
"Understood." Kakashi vanished immediately to assemble the team.
The ANBU—officially known as the Assassination Tactical Special Forces—were divided into four squads totaling roughly seventy members.
Most ordinary ANBU were around chunin level.
Squad leaders were special jonin or above.
Division captains were jonin.
And the ANBU commander—like Kakashi—was an elite jonin.
In practice, each squad was arranged with two jonin and three special jonin whenever possible.
Before long, Sarutobi Hiruzen changed into battle gear and personally led the operation.
Outside Konoha – The Forest Perimeter
The capture team moved swiftly through the trees.
Three jonin, three special jonin, and over a dozen chunin—led by the Hokage himself.
Suddenly, the leading ANBU signaled to halt.
Everyone landed silently like falling leaves.
A sensory ninja performed hand seals.
"Hokage-sama—the entrance is here!"
"Kakashi, Sparrow—you two come with me. Everyone else secure the perimeter."
The masked Kakashi and the ANBU known as "Sparrow" stepped forward as the others spread out to search for alternate entrances.
At Hiruzen's nod, Sparrow hurled an explosive-tag kunai.
BOOM!
Smoke cleared.
The camouflage shattered, revealing a dark underground tunnel—like the gaping maw of a serpent.
Orochimaru's lair had been found.
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