I Was Also an Adopted Child

"Kabuto Yakushi."

"That surname sounds a little familiar."

Akihara Kagura spoke as he waved his hand.

The great trees in this forest were all controlled by Akihara Kagura's chakra. The branches binding the bespectacled young man slowly loosened and carefully set him down on the ground.

"...Thank you."

Kabuto Yakushi sincerely thanked him before asking, "As I recall, Root doesn't allow us to use our real names. We can only use code names..."

"Only Lord Danzō is allowed to call me that."

Akihara Kagura cut him off and said carelessly, "I guess Lord Danzō is getting old and can't remember that many names..."

"Besides..."

"Didn't you use your real name too?"

"We're different."

Kabuto Yakushi slowly shook his head.

He had spent years working outside as a spy. He did not need to forget his name, and he even had a special code name. Otherwise, people might uncover something suspicious.

"Your name is Kabuto Yakushi, right?"

"I remember there's an orphanage director named Yakushi Nonō..."

Akihara Kagura controlled a tree to make himself a swing. Sitting on it leisurely, he knowingly asked, "What is Yakushi Nonō's relationship to you?"

"The director..."

Kabuto Yakushi hesitated for a second. He decided it did not matter that Akihara Kagura knew about this and explained, "Yakushi Nonō was the director of the orphanage that adopted me."

"What a coincidence."

Akihara Kagura nodded and immediately began making things up. "I was also adopted by Dean Yakushi Nonō. Were you adopted by her too, then raised by Lord Danzō?"

"...Yes."

Kabuto Yakushi slowly lowered his head.

If being raised meant being trained as a spy from childhood and ordered to wander through different countries gathering intelligence...

Was this youngster who called himself Lord Kagura also an orphan adopted by the director, forced by Danzō to become a tool? Had he nearly forgotten the director who had adopted him?

That made sense.

Not everyone remembered their childhood.

Especially not in a cold, heartless organization like Root.

Kabuto Yakushi raised a hand and pushed up the glasses on the bridge of his nose.

He had managed to stay strong all these years because of these glasses, which had always accompanied him. Dean Yakushi Nonō had given them to him.

For Kabuto Yakushi, the warmest period of his life had been at Konoha Orphanage. There, he had met the warmest person in his life, someone who treated him like a mother.

His name, his life...

Everything had come from Dean Yakushi Nonō.

"We were both adopted by Dean Yakushi Nonō."

Akihara Kagura seemed pleased by their meeting. After thinking for a moment, he asked curiously, "We were both raised by Lord Danzō, yet we never met before!"

"Because we each had our own missions."

After answering, Kabuto Yakushi continued, "This meeting was only a coincidence. Perhaps in the future... we may never have another chance to meet."

"Yeah."

Akihara Kagura sighed, looking somewhat helpless. "Lord Danzō is about to send me on a mission too."

"Oh?"

Kabuto Yakushi instinctively showed a trace of surprise, then casually pressed on, "Is there anything I can help with?"

As a spy, Kabuto Yakushi instinctively wanted to investigate intelligence, especially since Akihara Kagura did not seem like an ordinary child.

This youngster...

If he had not seen wrong...

Could he actually use Wood Style Bloodline ninjutsu?

"First, I have to finish the Chunin Ninja Exams."

Akihara Kagura did not care about the intelligence he might have leaked. He even voluntarily revealed more. "After I pass the Chunin Ninja Exams, I'll be sent out on a dangerous mission. After all, I possess the power of Wood Style. Lord Danzō definitely won't send me on ordinary missions. I'll probably die while carrying one out..."

"Maybe we really won't see each other again..."

After saying that, Akihara Kagura looked at Kabuto Yakushi. "If you're still alive and see Dean Nonō in the future, help me tell her that the happiest day of my life was the day she adopted me and brought me back to the orphanage. I never forgot it..."

"..."

Kabuto Yakushi fell silent.

What this youngster had said was also what he wanted to say.

"I'm sorry."

Akihara Kagura looked at Kabuto Yakushi, a faint loneliness in his expression. "Since childhood, I was taught to uphold the will of Root. I couldn't think about people from my past, nor could I use my old name. I wasn't even allowed to keep a photo of the director. I can barely remember what she looks like..."

"It's all right. The director definitely won't blame you."

Kabuto Yakushi took a photograph from his pocket and comforted him. "I happen to have a photo of the director here. You can take a look..."

It was a photograph wrapped in plastic.

The plastic was somewhat worn, but the photo inside still looked brand-new. It was clear that its owner had protected it very carefully.

The photograph showed a blond woman in glasses, smiling. She seemed to have encountered something that delighted her so much that her eyes had nearly curved shut.

"Thank you."

Akihara Kagura slowly lowered his head.

"You're welcome."

Kabuto Yakushi reached out and patted his shoulder, saying softly, "Unfortunately, I only have one copy. If you're not in a hurry, maybe I can help you make another."

"Thank you."

"I'll give you one of my photos then too."

With his head lowered, Akihara Kagura thanked Kabuto Yakushi in a low voice. "If one day I die and you're still alive, remember to give my photo to the director too..."

Akihara Kagura took a deep breath and continued, "Let her see what I looked like after growing up. Help me tell the director that I joined Root willingly. At least it could help everyone at the orphanage live better lives, and I never blamed her..."

"She won't blame you."

Kabuto Yakushi quickly shook his head. Those words seemed to be what he wanted to say too. He hurriedly defended the gentle, kind director who had been like a mother to them. "She definitely won't blame you. How could the director blame us?"

As though he had remembered something, Kabuto Yakushi took out a photo of himself from his pocket and handed it to Akihara Kagura. "This is my photo. If one day I die during a mission while you're still alive, please help me tell the director too..."

"I understand what you mean!"

Akihara Kagura swiftly accepted his photo.

"..."

Kabuto Yakushi felt that something was a little strange.

"Right."

After putting away the photo, Akihara Kagura reminded him, "Don't let anyone else know about this. The will of Root does not permit us to..."

"Kou!"

A voice suddenly interrupted their conversation.

A Root ninja entered the forest. He glanced at Akihara Kagura sitting on the swing, then at Kabuto Yakushi standing beside him.

"Kou, Lord Danzō..."

"Who allowed you to call me Kou?!"

Akihara Kagura abruptly raised a finger. Countless vines and tree roots burst from the ground, binding the Root ninja and hanging him from a tree!

"How many times have I told you? What are you supposed to call me?"

"...Lord Kagura."

The Root ninja called out reluctantly before continuing, "Lord Danzō wants you and Kabuto to report to his office immediately."

"Who knows whether you're telling the truth?"

Akihara Kagura snorted before looking at the somewhat stunned Kabuto Yakushi. "These people always like to issue orders in Lord Danzō's name. They must have forced you to train with me too, right?"

"Don't be afraid."

"I'll go back and teach them a lesson for you."

"..."

Kabuto Yakushi felt somewhat uneasy.

Kabuto Yakushi now understood why the Root ninjas at the base kept passing the responsibility around, with none of them willing to train with this youngster.

This youngster did not seem to be having such a terrible time in the Root Organization...

Second update!

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