New Work Task

Chapter 4: A New Work Assignment

Orochimaru really held quite a grudge against his teacher.

Fortunately, Orochimaru probably remembered he was an adult and that badmouthing someone behind their back had its limits—he couldn't show an immature side in front of the boy.

"Anyway..."

"My teacher is a man so overly kind that he's almost cowardly, unwilling to touch the darkness..."

"If you run into the Third Hokage in Konoha, make sure to stay far away from that old man. His mouth is best at manipulating people; folks always get brainwashed by his sweet talk..."

But...

Lord Orochimaru...

You're pretty good at brainwashing others too...

Young Akihara Kagura couldn't help but complain inwardly.

"Perhaps..."

Orochimaru seemed to think of something, a faint smile curling at his lips: "I don't need to worry about that either. Danzō would never dare let you get close to the Third Hokage..."

Orochimaru reached out and patted Akihara Kagura on the shoulder, a rare seriousness coloring his expression: "Kagura, you are my most perfect work. The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, was hailed as the God of Shinobi, and you have almost perfectly assimilated with his cells. You are the most gifted child of this era..."

"..."

The boy silently nodded.

He had already known this before the Wood Release experiment—otherwise, why would he have dared to risk accepting human experimentation? But what about the matter of Danzō?

Fortunately.

Orochimaru hadn't forgotten Akihara Kagura's question. He casually chatted a bit about Shimura Danzō, seeming to look down on his own investor.

Yet Akihara Kagura listened very seriously.

Shimura Danzō was his future boss!

Especially since this guy was undoubtedly the most troublesome boss in Konoha—finding out the boss's preferences in advance was essential for how to carry out future work!

Shimura Danzō.

The Hokage Assistant of Konoha.

An old man with short-sighted vision yet boundless ambition.

Because the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Shimura Danzō had been teammates who shared life-and-death bonds in their youth, the Third Hokage treated Danzō with great leniency, granting him considerable power and tacitly allowing him to handle Konoha's dirty and troublesome affairs.

"..."

Young Akihara Kagura felt Orochimaru was a bit ungenerous.

The little information Orochimaru had shared was even less than what he already knew—how was he supposed to carry out his work in Konoha in the future!

Clearly.

Orochimaru didn't notice this.

Orochimaru thought young Akihara Kagura probably wouldn't like a gloomy old man like Shimura Danzō. He was more interested in chatting with Kagura about some children he'd been watching in Konoha...

"There's a very interesting child in Konoha..."

"That little one has shown outstanding talent since childhood and happens to possess a Kekkei Genkai that is a natural enemy to Wood Release..."

"Who is it?"

Young Akihara Kagura was indeed a bit curious.

In this era of Konoha, there seemed to be quite a few geniuses in the village. A genius that Orochimaru couldn't stop thinking about surely wasn't some run-of-the-mill type...

"Uchiha Itachi."

Orochimaru uttered a name that sounded familiar to Akihara Kagura, continuing on his own: "That little one is a true genius. Even in times of peace, his ninja aptitude and talent far surpass those of his peers..."

Orochimaru recalled a time he'd seen young Uchiha Itachi training in a practice room and couldn't help but marvel at the child's talent: "That child... if it's him, he might be able to awaken a higher level of Sharingan..."

"..."

Young Akihara Kagura's expression was a bit strange.

But as a worker, Kagura had strong professional ethics. Seeing Orochimaru so fixated on that gifted child, he took the initiative to help his superior solve the problem.

"If Lord Orochimaru wishes to see Uchiha Itachi again, I will find an opportunity in the future and find a way to bring him before you..."

"Good."

Orochimaru gave the perceptive boy an approving look.

Wood Release and the Sharingan were undoubtedly the two finest bloodlines.

If young Akihara Kagura really could bring Uchiha Itachi before him in the future, Orochimaru planned to have the two geniuses fight face-to-face—whoever won, he would take over that body...

As for whether Uchiha Itachi would agree to become a vessel, Orochimaru didn't care. He only needed one look to render Itachi immobile...

"..."

Young Akihara Kagura's expression remained perfectly respectful.

If he really could bring Uchiha Itachi before Orochimaru one day, Akihara Kagura planned to have Orochimaru and Uchiha Itachi fight face-to-face, letting Lord Orochimaru recognize the power of the Sharingan and become utterly obsessed with it...

Besides...

The system had identified this as a task assigned by a superior.

[System Prompt]: [New work task: Find an opportunity to bring Uchiha Itachi before Orochimaru.]

This kind of task...

Akihara Kagura swore he would complete it properly!

Even if those two had already met in some inappropriate place in the future, Kagura would have to find a way to make them meet again!

Time passed a bit too quickly.

Perhaps it was because Orochimaru was too absorbed in his research experiments.

Time passed a bit too slowly.

Perhaps it was because Akihara Kagura was too eager to head to Konoha.

On the fourth day.

Finally, someone arrived at this base.

An old man leaning on a cane appeared around the base. His head was wrapped in bandages, even covering one eye socket, as if an eye had been gouged out.

Two ninjas clung tightly to the old man's side, their expressions wary as they surveyed the surroundings, afraid the old man might encounter danger inside the base.

"Lord Danzō."

One of the ninjas observed the rubble-strewn ground and spoke in a low, persuasive tone: "A fierce battle took place here not long ago. Perhaps Orochimaru encountered an enemy. We cannot stay here..."

"It's not an enemy."

Orochimaru emerged with Akihara Kagura, a full smile on his face as he spoke: "It was just a little commotion caused by Kagura after the experiment succeeded..."

"..."

The two ninjas immediately blocked the old man's path!

Though they knew the old man had dealings with Orochimaru, by identity, Orochimaru was an S-rank missing-nin of the village!

Even just as a missing-nin, Orochimaru was a dangerous figure!

"Stand down."

The old man barked a single command to dismiss his subordinates, then raised his eyes to look at Orochimaru, speaking slowly: "It's been a while, Orochimaru. It seems... you've been doing well lately?"

The old man's speech was deliberately slow, as if to force others to strain and catch every word, thereby asserting his superiority.

But soon he revealed his nature. Without even waiting for Orochimaru's reply, his gaze shifted to the boy beside him, and he asked in a deep voice: "What you just said... the experiment succeeded? This child?"

"Indeed. He's what you want."

Orochimaru's lips curled into a smirk as he drawled: "Compared to the last immature piece, Kagura's Wood Release is far stronger..."

"Hand this child over to me."

The old man narrowed his eyes, his voice carrying an unyielding resolve: "Only Konoha... can wield the power of Wood Release."

Please collect!