Shihara Hidezawa

"Is that you, the brat from the Orphanage who was brought into Root back then?"

Orochimaru stared at Hidezawa's face in surprise for a moment before breaking into an amused smile.

"If I remember correctly, your name is Shihara Hidezawa, right?"

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru. Lord Danzo sent me to see you."

Hidezawa nodded. Though it was rather absurd for Orochimaru to point out that he was from Root while he stood among an Anbu squad.

Still, he had an even more absurd identity.

He was a transmigrator!

In his previous life, he had been a seasoned office drone with decent pay and little work—someone who drank a little after getting home and coasted through workdays.

He still remembered the night before he transmigrated. He had met a female college student at a karaoke bar.

She said her family was struggling: her father was seriously ill, her mother had lost her job, her younger brother was still in school, and she needed tuition too.

Wanting to do a good deed, he had intended to get to know her more deeply. Who could have guessed that he would transmigrate after merely taking a brief nap while waiting for her to finish showering?

The timing of his transmigration had not been too bad, and he did not need to worry about the Third Shinobi World War. But Konohagakure's iron fist soon taught him how to behave.

After becoming an orphan and being taken in by Yakushi Nonō, he not only witnessed Obito, that "filially devoted disciple," sending the Fourth Hokage and his wife off to the afterlife.

He had also witnessed Danzo coming to the Orphanage to take people away.

What he had never expected was that, while he was merely planning to watch the show, Danzo took a liking to him when Yakushi Kabuto "volunteered himself."

Though he had not been sent to infiltrate another village, Root had never been a place for people to live.

Danzo had always used the most traditional methods to train Root members.

Rather than lecturing them, he preferred to strengthen their firsthand understanding with his fists, achieving spiritual elevation through physical means.

Under such harsh conditions, and with thoughts of the future, Hidezawa's mindset gradually changed.

"If I don't strangle that bastard to death, how the hell am I supposed to live?"

For the sake of his own life, Hidezawa resolved to get rid of Danzo. It was at that very moment that his transmigrator's benefit arrived.

"Since you are from Root, then..."

Orochimaru looked at Hidezawa with amusement, though he had not forgotten the most important matter.

"Did you bring what I wanted?"

"Of course I would not dare neglect Lord Danzo's task."

Hidezawa immediately took out a scroll and tossed it to Orochimaru.

Although Orochimaru had defected, Danzo's support for him had never stopped. Hidezawa had come to deliver supplies.

Orochimaru easily caught the scroll and began examining it carefully. Hidezawa glanced around before silently opening his own panel.

Shihara Hidezawa

Body Comprehensive Quality: LV6

Chakra: LV6

Abilities: Water Release LV5, Earth Release LV6, Taijutsu LV5, Sealing Technique LV5, Unowned Cursed Seal, omitted

Free Points: 5

Hidezawa's cheat had no artificial intelligence, and its operating rules were extremely simple. Put simply, missions would manifest as system quests, and completing them would earn rewards.

No matter how he completed them,

the rewards were all over the place—jutsu, money, even ninja tools.

Of course, the most important rewards were Free Points, which could be obtained based on mission difficulty!

Free Points could be added to his attributes to improve them, though each level required more points than the last.

For example, improving an LV6 ability required six Free Points.

This mission had not actually been very difficult, but its rewards made him especially happy. Apart from the Free Points, he had also obtained an Unowned Cursed Seal.

"If I remember correctly, Cursed Seals were developed by Orochimaru through research on people like Jugo, who were born with the ability to incorporate natural energy into their bodies."

Natural energy was Sage Art. Even if it was an experimental product developed by Orochimaru, Hidezawa was still thrilled.

After all, his system did not offer rewards such as Kekkei Genkai or the Sharingan.

At first, he had been quite puzzled. But after looking into it further, he became utterly dejected.

Simply put, his body's ancestors could not exactly be called nobles or high officials—rather, they had been workhorses for generations.

Bloodlines had nothing to do with him, and bloodlines were not among the system's possible rewards. It seemed that all he could become was a pure Numerical Monster.

Take his Body Comprehensive Quality, for instance. It was an aggregate of strength, speed, reaction time, mental power, and more.

Every two levels corresponded to a ninja's general strength. LV6 was within the jonin range—and a fully developed jonin with no weaknesses!

Chakra naturally referred to the amount of Chakra he could produce, though that attribute was interconnected with his Body Comprehensive Quality.

After all, producing Chakra required the combination of physical energy and spiritual energy, while Earth Release and Wind Release represented the strength of his ninjutsu.

Most importantly, based on what he understood, his growth seemed to have no limits!

Of course, that was a matter for later. Right now, he desperately needed this cheat to help him escape Danzo.

Following Danzo was a dead end!

"Not bad."

While Hidezawa was checking his panel, Orochimaru finished examining the scroll and looked at him with amusement.

"But I am curious about something. You are currently attached to the Anbu because of Shisui Uchiha?

Also, why did you come to my laboratory in this manner? Isn't that somewhat discourteous?"

Orochimaru knew a little about Shisui Uchiha joining the Anbu even after leaving Konohagakure. After all, he had nearly become Hokage.

As for this operation...

"It was Jiraiya, Lord Orochimaru."

Hidezawa spoke softly. Orochimaru immediately showed a look of realization. If Jiraiya had noticed something, then Hidezawa and the others' actions were indeed "reasonable."

"As for me, it is indeed as Lord Orochimaru said."

"I see."

Disdain appeared on Orochimaru's pale face as he gently shook his head.

"Danzo probably cannot bear to part with those clan ninja under his command, while you are a commoner from the Orphanage. To him, you are the best choice.

But placing someone from Root in the Anbu to monitor Shisui Uchiha—that really is his style."

Hidezawa pursed his lips. In truth, he was dying to leave Root, but he could not say that aloud.

"Danzo is still the same as ever, and my teacher is still just as hypocritical. Danzo is merely his glove for handling dark matters. Do you think my teacher does not know what Danzo does?"

Orochimaru paid no attention to Hidezawa's silence and continued with a scornful laugh.

"My teacher is becoming increasingly hypocritical and cowardly. He is unwilling to touch even the slightest darkness."

No, what's the point of telling me all this?

Even if you're trying to brainwash and sow discord, isn't this a little too obvious?

Hidezawa could not help complaining inwardly. Orochimaru was exceptionally skilled at luring people in.

These seemingly casual complaints, mixed with all sorts of shocking revelations, could easily make some ninja suspicious.

At any other time, he would have gladly spouted countless conspiracy theories and debated with Orochimaru. Having read plenty of novels in his previous life, he knew exactly how to do it.

His LV5 Sealing Technique had not been upgraded for nothing. He was not bound by the Cursed Seal at all!

But Uzuki Yugao had gone to fetch reinforcements, and if she returned to find him chatting nonsense with Orochimaru, would that not be disastrous?

"Alright, go back."

Orochimaru seemingly did not wish to say much more. He understood well enough when to stop.

"But let me give you a small reminder: you had better leave some marks on yourself. Otherwise, it will be difficult to explain certain things. Do you need my help?"

"Thank you for your kindness, Lord Orochimaru, but I can handle it myself."

Hidezawa hurriedly shook his head. He did not want Orochimaru touching him; who knew whether the man would leave something behind?

Orochimaru did not care. He turned and walked toward the laboratory exit, but after taking a few steps, he suddenly looked back with a smile.

"You had better hurry. Your teammates will not be able to hold on much longer."

New author, new book. Please keep reading and add it to your collection.