A New Work Assignment

Orochimaru truly held quite a grudge against his teacher.

Fortunately, Orochimaru probably knew he was an adult. There had to be limits to badmouthing someone behind their back; he could not reveal his immature side in front of a youngster.

"Anyway..."

"My teacher is someone so kind that he is almost cowardly, unwilling to be tainted by darkness..."

"If you encounter the Third Hokage in Konoha, be sure to stay away from that old man. His mouth is best at bewitching people's hearts. People are always easily brainwashed by his sweet talk..."

But...

Lord Orochimaru...

You were also quite good at brainwashing people...

Akihara Kagura could not help grumbling inwardly.

"Perhaps..."

Orochimaru seemed to think of something and smiled faintly. "I need not worry about that either. Danzo would never dare let you get close to the Third Hokage..."

Orochimaru reached out and patted Akihara Kagura on the shoulder, a rare hint of seriousness appearing on his face. "Kagura, you are my most perfect creation. First Hokage Hashirama Senju was hailed as the God of Shinobi, and you have almost perfectly assimilated with his cells. You are the most talented child of this era..."

"..."

The youngster silently nodded.

He had known this even before the Wood Release experiment. Otherwise, why would he have dared to take the risk of undergoing human experimentation? But what about Danzo?

Fortunately.

Orochimaru had not forgotten Akihara Kagura's question. He casually spoke a few words about Shimura Danzō, seemingly not thinking much of his own investor.

Yet Akihara Kagura listened very attentively.

Shimura Danzō was his future boss!

Especially since this man was undoubtedly the most troublesome boss in Konoha. It was necessary to learn his boss's preferences in advance to know how to carry out his future work!

Shimura Danzō.

Konoha's Hokage Assistant.

An old man who was shortsighted yet brimming with ambition.

Because Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō had been comrades who entrusted their lives to each other in their youth, the Third Hokage was extremely indulgent toward Shimura Danzō. He granted Danzo considerable authority and secretly acquiesced to Danzo handling Konoha's dirty troubles.

"..."

Young Akihara Kagura felt that Orochimaru was being a little unfair.

The scant intelligence Orochimaru had provided was not even as much as he already knew. How was he supposed to carry out work in Konoha in the future?

Clearly.

Orochimaru had not noticed this.

Orochimaru believed that Young Akihara Kagura probably did not like gloomy old men like Shimura Danzō. He wanted more to talk with Akihara Kagura about several children he had his eye on in Konoha...

"Konoha has a very interesting child..."

"That little fellow displayed outstanding talent from a young age, and he happens to possess a Kekkei Genkai that is practically the natural enemy of Wood Release..."

"Who is it?"

Young Akihara Kagura was indeed somewhat curious.

Konoha in this era seemed to have quite a few geniuses. Any genius Orochimaru could not stop thinking about certainly would not be some ordinary nobody...

"Uchiha Itachi."

Orochimaru spoke a name familiar to Akihara Kagura and continued on his own. "That little fellow is a true genius. Even in an era of peace, his shinobi qualities and talent far exceeding those of his peers cannot be concealed..."

Orochimaru recalled once seeing young Uchiha Itachi training in a practice room, and he could not help marveling at the little fellow's talent. "That child... if it were him, perhaps he could awaken a higher-level Sharingan..."

"..."

Young Akihara Kagura's expression was somewhat strange.

However, as an employee, Akihara Kagura possessed excellent professional ethics. Seeing that Orochimaru could not stop thinking about that genius child, he took the initiative to ease his boss's troubles.

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

"Good."

Orochimaru gave the perceptive youngster an approving look.

Wood Release and the Sharingan were undoubtedly the two finest Kekkei Genkai.

If Akihara Kagura could truly bring Uchiha Itachi before him in the future, Orochimaru planned to have the two geniuses fight face-to-face. Whichever one won, he would take over that one's body...

As for whether Uchiha Itachi would agree to become a vessel, Orochimaru did not care. He only needed a glance to render Uchiha Itachi unable to move...

"..."

Young Akihara Kagura remained outwardly respectful.

If he could truly bring Uchiha Itachi before Orochimaru in the future, Akihara Kagura planned to have Orochimaru and Uchiha Itachi fight face-to-face, letting Lord Orochimaru recognize the power of the Sharingan and become completely obsessed with it...

Besides...

The system had determined that this was work requested by his boss.

System Prompt: New work assignment. Find an opportunity to bring Uchiha Itachi before Orochimaru.

This kind of work...

Akihara Kagura swore that he had to complete it properly!

Even if those two had met somewhere they should not have in the future, Akihara Kagura would still have to find a way to make them meet again!

Time passed a little too quickly.

Perhaps because Orochimaru was too absorbed in research and experiments.

Time passed a little too slowly.

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

On the fourth day.

Someone finally arrived at the base.

An old man leaning on a cane appeared outside the base. His head was wrapped in bandages, and one eye socket was even covered by bandages, as though one of his eyes had been slashed.

Two shinobi followed closely beside the old man, vigilantly surveying the surroundings, afraid that the old man might encounter danger within this base.

"Lord Danzō."

One of the shinobi looked over the rubble scattered across the ground and advised in a deep voice, "A fierce battle took place here not long ago. Perhaps Orochimaru encountered an enemy. We cannot stay here..."

"Not an enemy."

Orochimaru emerged with Akihara Kagura, smiling as he spoke. "Just a little commotion Kagura caused after the experiment succeeded..."

"..."

The two shinobi immediately stepped in front of the old man!

Although they knew there were dealings between the old man and Orochimaru, in terms of identity, Orochimaru was an S-rank missing-nin from the village!

His status as a missing-nin alone made Orochimaru a dangerous person!

"Stand down."

With a single sentence, the old man dismissed his subordinates. He looked up at Orochimaru and spoke slowly. "It has been a long time, Orochimaru. It seems... you have been doing well recently?"

The old man spoke at a somewhat slow pace, seemingly making others strain to hear his words in order to display his superiority.

Yet the old man soon revealed his nature. Without waiting for Orochimaru to answer, his gaze turned to Akihara Kagura, and he asked in a deep voice, "What you just said... the experiment succeeded? This child?"

"Correct. He is what you wanted."

Orochimaru's lips curled upward as he spoke unhurriedly. "Compared with the previous immature creation, Kagura's Wood Release is even more powerful..."

"Hand this child over to me."

The old man narrowed his eye, his voice carrying an unquestionable firmness. "Only Konoha... can wield the power of Wood Release."

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