Kabuto Yakushi, I'm Even More Jealous of You

Chapter 21: Kabuto Yakushi, I'm Even More Jealous of You Now

When someone is sad, it's easy to tell.

Akihara Kagura's expression was one of deep sadness as he recounted his story.

At this moment, the boy didn't seem like someone driven by jealousy and hatred, but simply like an abandoned child.

"..."

Kabuto Yakushi remained silent.

Kabuto Yakushi thought his own fate had been difficult enough.

In the past, to secure more funds for the orphanage and to ease Nonō's burden, Kabuto Yakushi had sacrificed himself, choosing to join the Root Organization and become a spy ninja living on the brink of death, with an uncertain future.

However, compared to Akihara Kagura...

Kabuto Yakushi felt incredibly fortunate.

His sacrifices had been worthwhile, and Dean Yakushi Nonō had always cared about him. In fact, this concern had even sparked jealousy in another child who shared a similar fate.

"I... I don't know."

Kabuto Yakushi lowered his head slightly, his expression filled with hesitation and unease. "In the past few years, I haven't received any news from the Director, nor have I seen her..."

Kabuto Yakushi paused, thinking for a moment, then felt he had to apologize to the boy. "I'm sorry, I never knew about this."

This felt like condescension from someone superior to someone inferior.

Kabuto Yakushi never considered himself superior.

But in front of this boy, forgotten by Director Yakushi Nonō, Kabuto Yakushi felt like a lucky person who had inexplicably received a treasure, while the boy was a diligent striver who desperately sought the treasure but gained nothing.

This made Kabuto Yakushi feel like a thief...

At this moment, a trace of guilt arose in Kabuto Yakushi's heart.

Even though he had done nothing to wrong Akihara Kagura, the excessive care from Director Yakushi Nonō had brought warmth and happiness to Kabuto Yakushi's heart, while also filling him with shame for this forgotten boy.

Despite feeling a bit ashamed and apologetic...

Kabuto Yakushi felt truly happy right now.

However...

One's happiness might be easily obtained, but protecting that happiness is not so easy; it often requires enduring hardships.

"You don't know anything."

A sarcastic smile touched Akihara Kagura's lips, as if he were looking at someone completely oblivious. "What a coincidence... Director Yakushi Nonō doesn't know anything either."

"What?"

Kabuto Yakushi's mind went blank, and he subconsciously pressed for an answer. "What do you mean? What do you mean Director Nonō doesn't know anything?"

"Kabuto."

Akihara Kagura posed a fatal question. "When you joined the Root Organization years ago, you were even younger than I am now..."

"Yet you spent over four years in the Root Organization. You must be thirteen or fourteen now, right? We all grow quickly, and our appearances change from when we were children... Do you remember how long you said it's been since you last saw Director Yakushi Nonō?"

"Since I joined the Root Organization..."

Kabuto Yakushi had a growing suspicion that he and Director Yakushi Nonō were caught in a conspiracy.

"So..."

Akihara Kagura looked at Kabuto Yakushi and asked, guiding him with his words, "Why don't you try to guess how Director Yakushi Nonō wants to see you?"

"Photos!"

Kabuto Yakushi's eyes turned cold, and he almost gritted his teeth as he spat out the answer. "Director Nonō must have requested photos of me after I grew up, but you had them give the Director fake photos..."

Kabuto Yakushi was a very intelligent person. He immediately recalled Akihara Kagura's mention of photos in Training Ground No. 9.

In an instant, Kabuto Yakushi understood the conspiracy targeting him and Director Yakushi Nonō. A single photo of him after he grew up could cause such problems!

"So smart, you guessed it again!"

Akihara Kagura looked at Kabuto Yakushi with admiration and then corrected him, "However, it wasn't me who provided the fake photos; it was Lord Danzō who gave the fake photos... I'm just a child, what authority do I have in the Root Organization?"

"That's not necessarily true..."

Kabuto Yakushi shook his head and replied, "All the ninjas in Root fear you, which proves that Danzō Shimura values you highly. He wouldn't oppose anything you wanted to do."

"Because you were jealous of Director Nonō's concern, you made Danzō Shimura give Director Nonō fake photos of me. That's perfectly normal..."

"Tsk..."

Akihara Kagura sighed and didn't refute, slowly continuing, "What you said is indeed partly true. Director Yakushi Nonō does care about you a lot and has been asking for your photos, wanting to know if you are safe..."

"Honestly..."

"She's always thinking about you..."

"But she never asked about me."

"To ensure Director Yakushi Nonō could continue to provide intelligence to the Root Organization, Lord Danzō gradually replaced all your photos with fake ones. The photos Director Yakushi Nonō saw started as fakes; she had no idea what you looked like."

If it ended here, it would be fine. All it would take is a fake to keep Director Yakushi Nonō providing intelligence to the Root Organization...

"However..."

"You, the real one, are still alive."

"Lord Danzō has also sent you out on dangerous missions time and time again, hoping you would perish during them, yet you've survived each time."

"You truly have a knack for survival..."

"Successfully completing missions one after another..."

"Finally, Lord Danzō recognized your talent and wanted you to become a spy who could serve the Root Organization forever. But then he discovered a problem."

"If he wanted you to continue staying in the Root Organization, you and Director Yakushi Nonō would eventually meet, and all the lies would be exposed then."

As Akihara Kagura said this, it suddenly added, "This isn't strange. Since it's a lie, it will eventually be exposed."

"But..."

"Lord Danzō does not make mistakes."

"Therefore, he will definitely deal with his own mistakes."

"So..."

Kabuto Yakushi pushed up the glasses on his nose and said in a low voice, "You don't want me to live to see Director Nonō, or you don't want Director Nonō to live to see me."

"That's what Lord Danzō originally thought."

Akihara Kagura crossed his arms and sighed, "Lord Danzō prefers you. Because he believes Director Yakushi Nonō has never been loyal enough, he's been thinking about when to kill Director Yakushi Nonō..."

"..."

Kabuto Yakushi's body trembled slightly.

This panic, the feeling of something most important to his life being out of his control, swept over his entire body.

Kabuto Yakushi dug his fingers deep into his flesh, a cold sweat slowly forming on his forehead. He felt as if he had guessed something. "Why... why are you telling me this? Do you... want me to kill myself now so Director Nonō can live?"

"That's what I originally thought."

Akihara Kagura raised its eyebrows and continued nonchalantly, "But I heard something... Dean Yakushi Nonō has always wanted to make a deal with Lord Danzō. She could do anything for Lord Danzō to get you out of the Root Organization, in exchange for your freedom."

"Kabuto..."

"I'm even more jealous of you now."

"Why didn't she ever think of saving me?"

"Why didn't she think of saving me when I was sent to the Root base, sent to be used as material for human experimentation?"

First update!

Beautiful processes are often painful