Chapter 28: Orochimaru's Defection Incident

The noren curtains of Ichiraku Ramen were gently lifted, and a wave of steaming heat wrapped in savory aromas rushed toward them.

"Teuchi-san, one tonkotsu chashu ramen, please." Menma led Hinata into the shop.

He pointed to the signature menu placed on the floor to the side and turned to ask, "What do you want to eat, Hinata?"

"I... anything is fine..." Hinata lowered her head, twisting her fingers, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

"Then have the same as me." Menma pulled Hinata down to sit at the counter.

It was currently lunchtime; there were three other customers in Ichiraku Ramen. Teuchi lifted his head from the swirling steam, squinting his eyes at Menma. "Oh, it's little Menma. Is this a new friend?"

Since moving into Konoha Village, Menma would occasionally visit Ichiraku Ramen to see if he might run into Naruto or Kakashi.

However, perhaps because Naruto was still young—with nine years remaining before the start of the main plot—he had encountered neither Naruto nor Kakashi.

"Hey, I haven't seen that kid Junta lately." While waiting for the ramen, a conversation between villagers in the next seat drifted into his ears.

"I haven't seen him for a few days either. I even went to his house yesterday to look for him, but no one answered."

"Didn't that kid just get back from a mission? How could he just disappear?"

"Could he have been assigned a higher-ranking mission?"

"He's been a Genin for several years now; what kind of mission could he possibly take?"

"That's strange. Sato also disappeared a few days after returning."

*Hmm?*

Beside them, Menma listened silently to these villagers, who appeared to be Genin, discussing the disappearance of their friends. Fragments of the original plot began to resurface in his memory.

*It seems Orochimaru is about to defect.* Menma was actually planning to find Orochimaru to reap some benefits.

He had been eyeing the technology mastered by "Uncle Oro" for a long time.

Although the Reanimation Jutsu likely wasn't perfected yet in this era, genetic technology, cloning technology, and the Hashirama cells controlled by Orochimaru were all priceless treasures.

"Two little ones, here is your ramen." Just as Menma was pondering Orochimaru's potential defection route, Teuchi's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Two bowls of ramen were pushed in front of them. The chashu pork trembled slightly in the rich broth, and the soft-boiled eggs glowed with an amber light.

"Th-thank you..." Hinata whispered as she took the bowls with both hands.

*Slurp—*

The two began to eat heartily.

Menma had already eaten a meal before leaving the house, so he ate somewhat slowly this time.

When he was halfway through, he noticed Hinata beside him sipping the broth in small gulps, her swallowing speed increasing rapidly.

Before long, she had finished the entire bowl.

Even though Hinata was only a three-year-old child at this time, her appetite was far too large.

"Teuchi-san, another large serving of ramen, please." Seeing Hinata's small face slightly flushed, Menma assumed she wasn't full yet, so he ordered another.

"No... you don't have to..." Hinata pinched the corner of her clothes, looking embarrassed.

In the education she had received, girls were supposed to eat gracefully and quietly; they weren't allowed to eat large amounts like boys.

"Eat up, it's my treat." Menma's voice carried an air of non-negotiable authority.

Teuchi worked quickly. Before long, a large bowl of steaming tonkotsu chashu ramen was placed in front of Hinata.

"Enjoy!" Teuchi smiled as he served a portion of tempura, placing it between Menma and Hinata.

"A gift to thank our regular customer for bringing a new one," Teuchi said, squinting his eyes.

Menma was already quite full and hadn't finished his bowl, so he pushed the tempura toward Hinata.

Looking at the large bowl of ramen and the plate of tempura before her, Hinata's eyes began to mist over again.

Ever since she had memories, she had never been full, but she was too embarrassed to tell her parents. Sometimes, she would even be lectured by her mother for eating a little too much.

As the young lady of the Hyuga clan—one of Konoha's two great noble houses—who would believe that she had never been full?

At this moment, Menma's casual gesture felt warmer to her than the most strictly regulated clan estate.

After finishing the second bowl, Menma made a motion as if to raise his hand to order another for Hinata.

However, Hinata, her face turning red, hurriedly grabbed his sleeve and shook her head.

"Then let's go. I'll walk you home." By the time the two emerged from Ichiraku Ramen, it was getting late.

Menma reached out and naturally took Hinata's small hand.

Under the setting sun, their two small shadows were stretched long.

Hinata looked down at that small hand holding hers so firmly, and her already slightly flushed face turned even redder.

*If only every day could be like this...* Hinata felt a sense of peace and security she had never experienced before.

She looked exactly like a good girl being whisked away by a little blonde delinquent.

As they walked toward the clan compound, Hinata suddenly stopped in her tracks, freezing in place.

"What's wrong?" Feeling the stiffness in his hand, Menma turned his head slightly.

A Gentle Fist strike, accompanied by a gust of wind, rushed toward him!

"You jerk!" followed by the indignant shout of the "delinquent" Hinata!

***

"Lord Hokage!" A masked Anbu ninja landed in the center of the Hokage's office.

"This is the latest intelligence regarding the missing persons in the village!" The Anbu presented a scroll with both hands.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, wearing his Hokage hat, accepted the scroll with a heavy expression, having already prepared for the worst.

Recently, more and more ninjas had been disappearing from the village. Although they were mostly Genin, the frequency of these disappearances had made Hiruzen suspicious, prompting him to order an Anbu investigation.

When he opened the scroll and saw the individual pointed out in the investigation report, even with mental preparation, Hiruzen's pupils trembled slightly.

"Kakashi," Hiruzen whispered.

*Shing—*

An Anbu wearing a white cat mask appeared behind Hiruzen, waiting for orders in a half-kneeling position.

"Assemble the First Division. Follow me to... apprehend Orochimaru!" As Hiruzen spoke the final words, his expression was profound and filled with heartache.

"Yes!" Kakashi accepted the command and immediately went to assemble the team.

The Anbu, officially known as the "Assassination Tactical Special Forces," consisted of four divisions, each with four squads, totaling about seventy members.

Most regular Anbu ninjas possessed the strength of a Chunin, while Anbu above the squad leader level were at least Special Jonin. Division leaders were regular Jonin, and the Anbu Commander was an elite Jonin like Kakashi.

In actual deployment, each division aimed to have two Jonin and three Special Jonin.

Before long, Hiruzen changed into his combat gear and personally led the team to "cleanse the house."

In the forest on the outskirts of Konoha, Hiruzen led a capture team composed of three Jonin, three Special Jonin, and over a dozen Chunin, moving rapidly through the woods.

The lead Anbu suddenly signaled with a hand gesture, and everyone landed silently like falling leaves.

A sensory ninja performed hand seals.

"Lord Hokage, the entrance is right here!"

"Kakashi, Sparrow, follow me inside. The rest of you, set up a perimeter outside!" Hiruzen commanded.

Aside from the two Jonin, Kakashi (white cat mask) and "Sparrow" (sparrow mask), the other Anbu ninjas, led by their respective squad leaders, went to search the surrounding area for other entrances.

Hiruzen nodded to Sparrow.

The latter threw a kunai attached to an explosive tag.

*Boom!*

As the thick smoke cleared and the camouflage was torn away, a dark tunnel appeared before Hiruzen and his two companions, looking like the gaping maw of a snake.

(End of Chapter)