Gargantua and Pantagruel

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"Hmm~ I trust that you all have it under control. Well then, let's go."

Hinata raised an eyebrow slightly—she was genuinely looking forward to this. Whether it was Naruto and Sasuke overcoming their issues to work together, or someone else stepping in to replace one of them, the possibilities were all interesting.

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Scene Three of Tales of the Fox's Words: Manjushage.

In the land of the underworld, beyond the River of Forgetfulness, there blooms a flower called the Manjushage—the red spider lily. Its petals open as its leaves fall, its leaves sprout only after the flowers have withered. Flowers and leaves, forever unable to meet, eternally separated across time.

For any soul crossing the River of Forgetfulness, all they see is a field of endless crimson—a sea of spider lilies, guiding the dead forward. Legends say their fragrance holds a mysterious power, capable of awakening memories of past lives. Because of their fiery red hue, they are known as the "Flame-Lit Path," the only splash of color along the long road to the afterlife.

Once a soul crosses the river, they leave behind all memories of their past life. Everything they once were remains on the other shore, and they follow the flowers' guidance toward the underworld.

But for Saryu, this sight of the river and its flowers was one he had seen countless times. And each time, among the forgotten memories, there was always a lingering shadow—an image he could never truly erase. A figure that had once stood by his side.

"Have we… met before?"

With this uncertainty in his heart, Saryu looked at the fox spirit before him and asked. The sight of them stirred something painful deep within him—a scar left behind by something lost, something he couldn't remember.

"You don't need to think too much about it, my lord. Just knowing that we are here, together in this moment, is enough."

The fox spirit gazed at Saryu with deep emotion. Yes, from their very first life, they had always been each other's destined partners, hadn't they?

If love meant sacrifice, then once upon a time, a young shepherd boy had traded his most precious bamboo flute to save the life of a little fox. Was that not a sacrifice?

If love meant never giving up, then after a thousand years of painstaking cultivation, the little fox had finally found the shepherd boy once more. Was that not unwavering devotion?

The Manjushage, a flower that represents a love filled with despair, a sorrowful longing for one another, and an unbreakable vow of protection from afar. Perhaps, it was the perfect symbol of the love between Saryu and the fox spirit.

On the side, behind the camera, Kakashi silently held his breath. After a quick glance around, the elite jonin discreetly formed a seal.

"Wind Release—Gentle Breeze Technique~"

With the aid of the jutsu, a perfectly timed gust of wind swept through the room. The vibrant red spider lilies on the windowsill swayed elegantly, and the sheer curtains danced as if they had a life of their own. Amidst the flowing scenery, Saryu and the fox spirit finally embraced each other tightly in the center of the room. They leaned in, lips just barely touching, as if seeking to confirm each other's presence in the most intimate way.

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"Hmm~~ truly perfect~~ but… now I'm curious."

Lying on her stomach on the veranda, Hinata frowned slightly as she watched the scene inside.

"I really want to know… who this passionate couple actually is."

"That's not the important part~ The important part is that we pulled it off~"

Shikamaru, also watching the scene, nodded in satisfaction.

"Plan—successful."

"Shikamaru, I brought back the thing you asked for. Hm?"

Just then, as if to remind Shikamaru that schemes always come with consequences, a cold, irritated voice rang out from the entrance.

Sasuke stood at the door, casually tossing an umbrella up and down in his hand, his face showing clear impatience.

"Why does a film shoot even need an umbrella? Also, have you all decided on the casting—"

He trailed off mid-sentence, his eyes narrowing as he caught sight of the pair still holding each other in the center of the room.

"What… did I just walk into?"

"Sa… Sasuke-kun?!"

The two figures in the center froze as if they had been struck by lightning. Then, as if electrocuted, they sprang apart instantly, eyes filled with sheer panic.

"Who are you?!"

"Uh…"

Shikamaru gulped, his survival instincts kicking in. He began to slowly inch away, but before he could escape, a pale hand seized the back of his collar.

With a completely blank expression, Hinata held onto his shirt and raised an eyebrow, wagging her finger at him.

"Shikamaru~~ I don't mind you using strategies, but as a man, you should at least have the courage to take responsibility for the consequences."

"Hey, hey, come on—I was helping the production, wasn't I?"

Sweating nervously, Shikamaru tried to argue, but inside the hall, the real chaos was about to unfold.

Saryu and the fox spirit quickly undid their transformation jutsu, and as the smoke cleared—

Two pairs of wide, horrified eyes met.

Not Saryu. Not the fox spirit.

But—

Sakura and Ino.

"Wide Forehead?!"

"Ino-pig?!"

The two girls stared at each other in shock, their faces pale. There was no doubt about it—the intense kiss just now had cost both of them their first kiss.

"Damn it… my first kiss… I was saving it for Sasuke-kun…!"

Sakura clenched her fists, her eyes filled with frustration as she glared at Ino. But Ino wasn't doing any better—her blue eyes were slightly teary as she turned to look at Shikamaru in Hinata's grip, veins popping on her forehead.

"I don't know exactly what happened… but I do know who I should blame!"

"Good, girls! But make sure not to hurt him too badly. He makes the most money out of all of us, so I suggest non-violent punishment methods."

With no hesitation, Hinata lifted Shikamaru by the collar and handed him over to Sakura and Ino. There was nothing to say—sure, it was all for the sake of the film project, but the fact that Shikamaru had set up his own teammates like this made it impossible to let him off the hook.

"Damn it—Shikamaru! Don't worry! We've been learning medical ninjutsu~ you won't have any visible scars~!"

Already in full rampage mode, Sakura and Ino grabbed the sweating Shikamaru and dragged him into the room. Judging by their expressions, he was about to receive some… private disciplinary action.

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First, Shikamaru tricked the main target—Sasuke—into leaving by telling him they needed an umbrella for the shoot and sending him off to buy one. Then, Shino told Sakura that she would be playing the fox spirit's role.

Ino, who had missed the first opportunity, felt like something was off, but her competitive nature got the better of her. At that moment, Naruto, disguised as Sasuke, approached Ino and told her they were testing a role swap. Ino would play the male lead, while "Sasuke" would play the female lead. If "Sasuke" could act well in the female role, they would give the lead role to him instead of Sakura.

Thinking she had turned the tables, Ino let her guard down in her excitement. And that was how she and Sakura—who was already dazed from the romantic scene—ended up sharing a passionate, mistaken kiss.

"Man, that was brutal… but I have to say, the filming turned out amazing. The intensity, the emotions in their eyes—absolutely flawless."

Watching the playback, Hinata stroked her chin in satisfaction. Then, for the first time in a long while, the Byakugan girl burst into laughter.

"Just as I expected! Our work will dominate the entire ninja world! Ahahaha~!"

She laughed alone for a while, then suddenly stopped, slapping the tatami beside her. Her sharp gaze swept over her teammates, making Kakashi and Naruto flinch. Immediately, they understood her message and hurriedly joined in.

"Ahahaha~! That's right!"

"Accountant, give us a market update."

Nodding in approval, Hinata turned to Shikamaru, her voice clear and serious.

"I need to decide whether to push forward while we have momentum or take a break to keep the audience hooked."

"Hmph… Based on my calculations, our potential and sales are way ahead…"

With a bandage on his face, Shikamaru grumbled as he sat cross-legged, looking like he had just been forced into a painful agreement.

"Most of the other productions this season have been crushed by the success of Fox's Tale, so…"

"Ah~ Excellent. That means we should take a week off to let the competition breathe a little."

Before Shikamaru could finish, Hinata made her decision.

"But since we'll be returning with a special edition, I want to make it grand. That means a deluxe, extended version in two weeks! Ino, Sakura, Shikamaru—you'll all have new roles, so I expect you to master your scripts and character profiles within that time. Everyone else, get ready! We need to be in top condition for the next shoot. Alright—dismissed!"

With Hinata's decision made, the crew members scattered. Ino, Sakura, and Shikamaru exchanged skeptical looks as they flipped through their scripts. Since they were taking a break, they could go back to their normal lives for a while.

However, two people remained—Sasuke and Naruto.

Sasuke stayed because this was his house, while Naruto simply had nowhere else to go.

"Ah~ You two are smart for staying. I actually have something to discuss with you."

Hinata casually blew on her nails before looking up.

"How's your Seiken training coming along?"

"I can punch through an inch-thick iron plate now."

Sasuke smirked, clearly more interested in discussing combat than anything else.

"I've also mastered Aragami Bite and Solitary Execution. I was actually about to ask if you had any new techniques to teach."

"Ah~ I can punch through an inch-thick iron plate too! As for techniques… uhh, I got no problems there, either!"

Naruto, hands behind his head, quickly followed up. But the lack of confidence in his second statement was obvious. Hinata simply shook her head, unwilling to argue. He would get stronger eventually.

"Good! I've actually designed three special ninja gauntlets based on the Seiken manual. They'll be completed in two weeks. According to the guide, if you can wield them properly, it means you've officially passed the second stage of training. If not… then you'll have to continue refining your skills."

Clenching her fists tightly, Hinata stood up. "So, you two better make sure to perfect your second-stage training in these two weeks! Otherwise, you'll just embarrass yourselves later!"

"Tch! You don't have to tell me!"

"Yeah! I'll definitely pass the second stage!"

Hinata had indeed commissioned the creation of special ninja tool gloves capable of absorbing chakra and manifesting corresponding attributes. However, she knew that tools were only a supplement—without true strength, no matter how good the equipment, it was useless.

So, with the two-week deadline set, the three of them returned to their iron sand training. The training was undeniably painful and monotonous, but for taijutsu, patience and persistence were the most important things.

Of course, the world didn't stop just because Hinata and her team were focused on training. Outside, changes were already taking place.

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"Hokage-sama, this is the latest issue of their work. Please review it."

Handing over the newest unreleased volume of Fox Tale, Kakashi spoke in an unusually serious tone. "From my observations, the kids really are just filming a production. The content doesn't involve any leaks about Konoha, nor is there any disrespect toward the previous Hokage. It's a proper and commendable team effort."

"Hmm… You've worked hard, Kakashi. So, this is the new issue before it hits the market—huh?! What is this?! A kissing scene?!"

The Third Hokage's voice suddenly grew stern. "Kakashi! You know they're still just kids, right?! How could they be filming something this inappropriate?!"

"Please rest assured, because..."

After glancing around, Kakashi leaned in and whispered the truth into the Third Hokage's ear. "That kid, Shikamaru, tricked the two girls into being each other's stunt doubles for the kiss scene. So, technically…"

"Ah… I see."

The Third Hokage's tense expression softened, and he nodded approvingly. "As expected of Shikaku's son—he really has a remarkable talent for strategy."

Seeing that the Third seemed satisfied, Kakashi hesitated for a moment before delivering one last piece of information. "However, Hinata has other plans, so she decided to put the series on hold for a week."

"What?! Ahem—I mean, do you have any idea what she's up to?"

The Third Hokage instinctively stood up but quickly coughed to cover up his reaction. "You understand, don't you? The ones who really need protection are Hinata and her group."

Shikamaru and the others came from clans in Konoha, but they weren't from families influential enough to shift the village's political balance. Even if someone targeted them, it wouldn't have any major impact.

But Hinata, Sasuke, and Naruto were different.

Hinata belonged to the Hyuga Clan, which, after the Uchiha were wiped out, was the most powerful clan in Konoha. If something happened to her, the Hyuga's stance on many matters could shift dramatically.

Sasuke was the last surviving member of the Uchiha, inheriting their Sharingan.

And Naruto—he carried the most powerful tailed beast, the Nine-Tails, within him.

Any one of them was an extremely valuable target.

"You don't need to worry. I have my shadow clones keeping an eye on them at all times. Nothing will happen."

Kakashi's dedication to his mission was unwavering—this was the duty of an elite jonin.

"Hmm. Then I'll be counting on you, Kakashi. Until they graduate, I need you to watch over them."

The Third Hokage lifted his head to look at the portraits of the past Hokage on the wall of his office. His wrinkled face held a hint of anticipation.

"No matter what happens, if those three truly learn to trust each other, they might just become the brightest spark of the new era."

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The morning wind swept over the silent cliffside. As a country surrounded by the sea, the Land of Hot Water carried the salty, fresh scent of ocean spray. For those unaccustomed to coastal living, the humid and warm climate could be unbearable. It wasn't exactly an ideal place to stay.

Yet, sitting at the cliff's edge, the young man seemed completely unfazed. His head was lowered, eyes shut, as he sat in stillness. The black cloak with red clouds draped over him made his presence even more mysterious, but the deeply scratched-out Konoha forehead protector on his head served as a clear warning—he was a rogue ninja.

"Hmm~ So this is where you are, Itachi-san. I guess this kind of climate doesn't suit someone used to living on land, huh?"

With steady footsteps, a tall figure approached the young man. Compared to Itachi, this newcomer's presence was far more intimidating. His shark-like facial features, sharp teeth, and small, beady eyes made him look almost inhuman.

"Kisame, you sure took your time this time."

Itachi slowly opened his eyes, his dark gaze carrying a hint of displeasure. But the man called Kisame just smiled casually.

"Ahh, Itachi-san, you can be so strict sometimes. You weren't in the fight, so you wouldn't know, but those guys actually had some skills. Took a little longer than expected."

There wasn't much else to explain—these two were none other than Akatsuki's members, Suzaku and Nantō. The former was Uchiha Itachi, a rogue ninja from Konoha and Sasuke's only biological brother, wanted for massacring his entire clan. The latter was Hoshigaki Kisame, a rogue ninja from Kirigakure, once one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, now wanted for betraying the Mizukage.

"You talk too much... Now that the mission is done, let's leave."

Standing up, Itachi pulled his gaze away from the distant ocean. As an Akatsuki member, he had completed all the tasks assigned by the leader—there was no reason to stay in this remote seaside nation, the Land of Hot Water.

"Come on, no need to rush~ I found something interesting this time."

Kisame slung his beloved sword, Samehada, onto his back and pulled a bloodstained book from his ninja pouch. Judging by its condition, it had probably belonged to one of the unlucky victims earlier.

Kisame wasn't exactly a book lover, but when traveling got boring, he didn't mind picking up something to pass the time.

"This is the best-selling book in the Land of Fire right now. I even saw an ad for it in the last town. Might as well take a look."

Casually wiping the bloodstain off the cover, Kisame followed alongside Itachi, flipping through the pages with interest.

"Hmm… nice-quality paper. Oh~ the introduction says: 'A love story spanning a thousand years, woven with the purest emotions between humans and yokai.' Hmm~ a story where a yokai is the main character? That's pretty rare. Sounds interesting."

"I didn't take you for someone who enjoys that kind of book."

Itachi's voice was indifferent—he had no interest in the book. He already carried too many burdens.

"Hah~ I know enough about humans. In the end, it's all just betrayal and lies. It's all an illusion. But yokai? That, I don't know much about. Learning something new can't hurt. Besides, do we even count as humans anymore? Maybe in our next life, we'll be yokai, huh? Ahahaha~"

Laughing as he spoke, Kisame continued reading, occasionally making comments.

"Oh~~ a fox yokai searching for their lover from a thousand years ago? Yeah, humans don't have that kind of patience or loyalty. Not bad~"

That line caught Itachi's attention for a brief moment. Loyalty and patience… how long could he endure? No, he didn't need a thousand years. Just four more years… if he could last that long, Sasuke would be strong enough.

Kisame had clearly gotten absorbed in the story. Despite his rough exterior, the rogue ninja from Kirigakure was flipping through the book with genuine curiosity, fully immersed.

Then, Itachi's gaze unintentionally swept across the pages of the book.

For a split second, his eyes narrowed sharply, and his footsteps came to an abrupt stop.

"Kisame... give me that book."

His voice was sudden and firm.

Kisame, caught off guard, blinked in surprise. His sharp-toothed mouth twisted in confusion.

"Itachi-san? You wanna read it too?"

"Stop talking nonsense."

Itachi's eyes shifted into the crimson three-tomoe Sharingan, and Kisame, though reluctant, handed over the book with a shrug.

"Alright, alright~ no need to get worked up. Here you go."

Itachi immediately flipped through several pages—not looking at the characters, but at the backgrounds.

Even after all these years, he recognized the setting instantly. There was no mistake.

This was his old home. The Uchiha compound.

Which meant… this book had been filmed inside the Uchiha district in Konoha.

Realizing this, Itachi's eyes landed on the male lead of the story, a character named "Saryu."

Now that he had a suspicion, it didn't take long for him to confirm it.

The look in those eyes… it was far too familiar.

He knew exactly who the actor playing "Saryu" was.

"..."

For a few seconds, Itachi was silent. Then, with a sharp snap, he closed the book and spoke decisively.

"Kisame, where can I buy the next volumes of this?"

"Huh? Oh… Probably only in bigger cities. Says here it's a limited edition. Hmm, the capital of the Land of Hot Water is just up ahead. They should have it."

Kisame tilted his head slightly. As an S-rank rogue ninja, he could easily tell that something was off with Itachi. But there was no need to point it out.

"Itachi-san, you're actually going to buy the next parts? Well, that works for me—I was getting into it too."

"Urusai."