Naruto: I Kill, I Loot, I Ascend

Chapter 153 153: Hyuga Arin Finally Begins a Normal Ninja Life

The next day, Hyuga Arin was summoned by ANBU to the Hokage's Office.

Sarutobi Hiruzen had gone to the front lines, so not all ANBU followed him—some were still required to handle duties within the village.

Inside the Hokage's Office, Mito Homura and Utatane Koharu were processing documents.

These two wastes…

Hyuga Arin muttered inwardly.

In Konoha, these two were famously known for being good at nothing, bad at everything. If they hadn't been on the same team as Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō back in the day, they never would've reached their current positions.

"Hyuga Arin," Mito Homura said, pushing up his glasses as he looked up.

"You seem to have been idle for quite some time."

Hyuga Arin had only just returned from the Iwagakure front.

But he'd gone there under his Root identity, so it wasn't strange that these two didn't know.

On the surface, his public identity truly had been taskless for a long time.

"Teacher Hiruko hasn't summoned me," Hyuga Arin replied.

"So naturally, I stayed at home."

Who knew where Hiruko had run off to. He'd said he'd teach him ninjutsu after returning from the Land of Rain, but Arin still hadn't seen a shadow of him.

He's not secretly hiding just to avoid teaching me, is he?

…Probably not.

"Hiruko is currently still stationed at the Kirigakure battlefield," Mito Homura said after some thought.

"He hasn't returned to report, nor has he summoned you."

"So, we've decided to reassign you into a team."

"It's not another all-Hyuga team, is it?"

Hyuga Arin sneered.

The last time—right after graduation—the Hyuga main house had forcibly stuffed him into a Hyuga-only squad.

"Watch your attitude!" Mito Homura barked.

Hyuga Arin, however, looked completely unconcerned. Against these two wastes, he could beat them with one hand tied behind his back.

Seeing Arin's indifferent expression, Mito Homura ground his teeth in anger.

But there really wasn't much he could do.

These two truly were useless—issuing orders was always Sarutobi Hiruzen's job. Their role was limited to offering suggestions or helping with paperwork when Hiruzen was busy.

Like right now.

And the decision to reassign Hyuga Arin hadn't even come from them—it was Sarutobi Hiruzen's.

"In any case," Mito Homura said coldly,

"Tomorrow afternoon, go to Training Ground No. 7. You'll meet your teammates and your squad leader there."

Hyuga Arin looked disappointed.

He'd finally enjoyed freedom without a team, and now they were giving him more dead weight to carry.

He wondered whether the squad leader would even be stronger than him.

If not… he'd just take over the team himself.

…

The next afternoon.

…I probably can't beat this guy.

The smile on Hyuga Arin's face stiffened as he looked at the man before him—someone with a snake-like presence, yet inexplicably gentle.

Orochimaru.

The good version of Orochimaru.

Not yet fully fallen into darkness.

Aka: Heroic Orochimaru.

Faced with him, Arin immediately abandoned any thoughts of seizing control.

One of the Sannin was still a Sannin, even before fully reaching their peak.

"Arin-kun, you seem surprised to see me," Orochimaru said gently, smiling.

"A little," Hyuga Arin replied helplessly.

If Orochimaru was the squad leader, then his teammates would be—

"Big bro!! I can't believe you got assigned to our team!!"

A bright, energetic voice rang out.

Hyuga Arin looked at the lively figure of Nawaki, his face filled with resignation.

Why did I end up on Nawaki's team…

"Hello, I'm Aburame Mushi-hime."

A girl in a black cloak smiled slightly at Hyuga Arin.

She even took out a purple insect and offered it to him.

"Want to eat it?"

NO!!!

I'd rather die!!!

Hyuga Arin's face changed dramatically as he took an instinctive step back.

Who the hell eats bugs?!

Mushi-hime looked regretful. She picked up the purple insect herself and bit into it, green liquid splattering across her face.

Both Nawaki and Hyuga Arin turned pale and subconsciously stepped back.

Hyuga Arin stiffly turned to Nawaki.

"…Is this your teammate?"

Nawaki swallowed hard and shook his head firmly.

"No—she also just joined today."

Mushi-hime finished chewing the insect, somehow pulled out a piece of paper, wiped her mouth, then lifted her head, revealing a delicate face beneath the hood.

"My name is Aburame Mushi-hime. I'm twelve, a graduate of this year."

"I'm the boss of the Aburame clique."

"Arin-senpai, Nawaki—both of you have beaten me before~"

"No memory."

Both of them shook their heads at the same time.

During their reign of terror at the Ninja Academy, they'd beaten up countless people—but someone with such distinctive features couldn't possibly be completely forgotten!

"I knew it… I was ignored again…"

Mushi-hime lowered her head dejectedly.

The Aburame clan seemed to possess a mysterious, undiscovered bloodline limit—

The Art of Being Ignored.

What a painfully tragic kekkei genkai.

Seeing the girl's dejected expression, fragments of memory flashed through Hyuga Arin's mind.

"…You're the girl with the small eyes who cried really badly after I beat her?"

WHAT DID YOU EVEN DO AT THE ACADEMY?!

Nawaki subtly moved a step away from Hyuga Arin.

But even so, he still couldn't recall her at all.

"Arin-senpai, you remembered me!"

Mushi-hime blushed.

"You said I looked better without glasses, so I stopped wearing them."

"Haha…"

Hyuga Arin laughed awkwardly.

He'd completely forgotten about that.

"Then what about me?" Nawaki grabbed his head in agony.

"I seriously don't remember anything."

Mushi-hime spoke quietly, "I passed by the academy during the Hundred-Person Brawl, and Nawaki-senpai knocked me unconscious with one punch."

"So you probably didn't see my face."

Hyuga Arin stared at Nawaki with wide eyes.

WHAT DID YOU DO TO THE NINJA ACADEMY?!

Nawaki scratched his head awkwardly.

"Hahaha…"

He tried to hide his embarrassment with laughter.

"So what exactly did you two do at the Ninja Academy?!"

Even gentle Orochimaru finally snapped, veins popping on his forehead.

Why did it feel like the academy they attended wasn't the same one he went to?

The two exchanged looks and laughed awkwardly.

"Hahaha…"

"Explain yourselves!!" Orochimaru roared.

"Arin-senpai and Nawaki were at the very top of the Ninja Academy!"

Mushi-hime said excitedly.

It was obvious—this little girl had violent tendencies.

"The… top?"

Orochimaru's eye twitched.

I really need to tell Sensei to reform the academy.

"Top" of what exactly?

Was the Ninja Academy secretly a gang training school?

…Forget it. That wasn't important right now.

Orochimaru took a breath and said calmly,

"Today, our new team is officially formed. In preparation for upcoming missions, I need to test you."

All three turned their eyes toward him.

Orochimaru raised his hand, lightly shaking the bell in it.

"Your task—"

"—is to take this bell."

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