Naruto Birdcage

When Ayano arrived at Ayari's house, she saw the two of them laughing and chatting on the living room sofa.

The room fell into a brief silence for two seconds as she entered.

"Ayano-nee." Makoto greeted her, standing up from the sofa.

"So, Makoto's here too," Ayano said with a smile.

"I was just about to leave," Makoto replied.

"You must be here to talk to Ayari. I won't intrude."

Ayari, feeling a bit disappointed, pouted slightly but didn't say any farewell to Makoto.

She watched as he picked up Spi and left her house.

Only then did she pick up the drink on the coffee table, opened it, and took a sip.

"What brings you here?" Ayari asked Ayano.

"Just checking in on you." Ayano replied.

"I'm not a patient; there's nothing worth checking on."

Ayari didn't particularly enjoy spending time alone with her sister, especially in private.

Ayano always used her position as the elder sister to lecture her about various things.

"Does he come here often?" Ayano asked as she sat down on the sofa.

"Makoto?"

"Mm."

"I go to his place too," Ayari replied.

Ayano couldn't help but say, "Ayari, you're about to get married."

Ayari looked completely indifferent. "I know."

Ayano frowned slightly. "Makoto is still a man, no matter what."

Ayari found it amusing and thought Ayano was making a big deal out of nothing.

"Him? Just a kid."

But as she thought back to her time with Makoto, she realized that he didn't behave like a typical child at all.

"He's not a kid anymore!" Ayano said firmly.

"You need to understand your position."

Ayari retorted, "What position? Aren't I just like him, someone from the branch family?"

Ayano immediately countered, "You're not the same. You're about to become Hizashi's wife, and Hizashi is Hiashi's younger brother."

Ayari scoffed, "And isn't he still from the branch family?"

Ayano grew frustrated. "Ayari, you—"

Ayari didn't want to argue with her and, feeling slightly irritated, cut her off: "Did you come here just to talk about this?"

Ayano, though frustrated, also felt a bit helpless.

Ayari's dislike for listening to her advice wasn't a recent development.

Softening her tone, Ayano said, "I came to discuss your wedding with Hizashi. I've picked a few auspicious dates for the ceremony."

Ayari lay sideways on the sofa, staring down at the drink in her hand.

"I don't care. Just pick one. If Hizashi has any preferences, go with his choice."

"What about the wedding attire? I've arranged for someone to custom-make the white uchikake style you like."

"Whatever's fine."

"Ayari."

Ayano called her name again, exasperated by her nonchalant attitude.

Ayari suddenly smiled at her and said,

"It's just a wedding with Hizashi, not some stranger. It doesn't matter.

The procedures, the attire, all those tedious things—you don't have to ask me. Just decide it however you want."

Ayano fell silent for a moment before suddenly asking, "Do you not want to get married?"

Ayari tilted her head. "Did I say that?"

Ayano pressed further, "Is it that you don't want to get married, or that you don't want to marry Hizashi?"

Ayari simply replied, "What difference does it make? Whether I want to or not, does it change the outcome?"

She casually tossed the empty drink can into the trash bin nearby and shifted into a more comfortable position on the sofa.

"Does the outcome make any difference?"

Ayari's question left Ayano without an answer. How could Ayari possibly defy the clan's decisions?

"No matter what, I'm going to marry Hizashi, right?

I don't dislike him, and he doesn't dislike me. If we're getting married, then so be it," Ayari said plainly.

"There's no one in the clan more exceptional than Hizashi." Ayano could only respond.

Ayari, however, gave a sly smile. "Oh? Isn't Lord Hiashi more exceptional?"

Ayano couldn't help but laugh, realizing Ayari was joking.

"If you really want to marry him, I'll pass along your wishes."

As expected, Ayari pouted and rested her hands behind her head.

"Forget it. Compared to Lord Hiashi, I'd rather marry Hizashi."

As she spoke, her gaze grew somewhat unfocused.

Marriage, huh...

What she originally thought was something completely unrelated to her suddenly became her reality, and she felt completely unprepared.

Reality didn't give her any time to prepare.

But even if she had prepared, what difference would it make? She would still marry Hizashi, wouldn't she?

"Did you mention the wedding attire style earlier?"

"Mm."

"Do you have pictures? Let me see which options there are."

........

In the dimly lit underground chamber.

This was a secret research facility located outside of Konoha, filled with many strange and peculiar instruments.

When Danzo arrived, he saw Orochimaru fiddling with something.

"You sure have a lot of free time." Danzo spoke from behind him.

Orochimaru, holding a test tube, responded, "Lord Danzo, what do you mean?"

Danzo replied, "Hiruzen is about to find the person who informed the Iwa ninjas. Aren't you afraid of getting exposed?"

Orochimaru smiled faintly.

"What do I have to fear? Isn't everything here the work of your ROOT, Lord Danzo?"

Danzo sneered, "What, you think you can distance yourself from this?"

Orochimaru placed the test tube back on the metal rack, turned around, and smiled at Danzo.

"Lord Danzo, you're joking. I'm on the same boat as you now. How could I possibly abandon you? Besides, I can't do without you either."

Danzo furrowed his brows and said, "It would be best if you understand. What are your plans next?"

But Orochimaru turned the question back on him, "I wonder if Lord Danzo has any good suggestions?"

Danzo replied, "Find a scapegoat and push all the blame onto them. I've already chosen someone."

Orochimaru smiled again, "It seems Lord Danzo and I are in agreement. Once this matter is settled, we can both rest easy."

Danzo studied Orochimaru's enigmatic smile and after a moment of thought, continued, "Neither of us should get directly involved. I'll expose this person at the right time."

"Then I'll leave it to Lord Danzo," Orochimaru said.

"However, you also need to take the initiative with Kirigakure.

Defeating the Kiri ninjas will make it easier for you to rise to the position of Hokage."

Orochimaru, upon hearing this, didn't follow the conversation.

Instead, he said, "Actually, I'm not very interested in the Hokage position."

Danzo was taken aback and then frowned deeply. "What do you mean?"

He had gone to great lengths to position himself for the Hokage seat.

Orochimaru slowly said, "I've been thinking, perhaps I'm not cut out for this. If Lord Danzo were to become Hokage, wouldn't you do a better job than Sarutobi-sensei?"

Silence.

The two of them stared at each other, but Orochimaru's snake-like eyes made it impossible for even the shrewd Danzo to discern his true intentions.

Danzo calmly replied, "This is a critical moment. You'd better not cause any trouble, Orochimaru. The position of Hokage is yours to take."

End of chapter

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