Selling Intelligence on Yakushi Nonō

Within the forests along Konoha's border, an underground laboratory.

"The poison-based abilities passed. However, its form is extremely unstable and requires further research."

Uchiha Yoruro, dressed in a white lab coat, calmly watched the huge, ugly White Snake inside the cultivation vessel. He shook his head as he reported the test data.

Especially after this White Phosphorus Great Snake had grown a thick head of black hair, its appearance had become even more revolting. Its body constantly shifted within the nutrient solution, and its snake scales were actually composed of countless White Snakes.

Inside the brightly lit underground laboratory, enormous glass vessels stood neatly in rows, each containing a gigantic, ferocious, hideous White Snake.

"Hehe, it's all thanks to you, Lord Yoru. Otherwise, we wouldn't have obtained these experimental results so quickly."

With his distinctive hoarse laugh, Teacher Orochimaru accepted the report Uchiha Yoruro handed him. Looking at the great snakes in the cultivation tanks as though they were works of art, he revealed a perverse smile.

Uchiha Yoruro discreetly surveyed his surroundings. This should be the laboratory Kakashi and Yamato had investigated in their youth in the anime. After all, the project here was exactly the same as the giant snake monsters they had encountered.

Noticing something, Teacher Orochimaru gave a soft sound of surprise before smiling. "There's still one failed specimen, isn't there? Since it's so unstable, leave it here."

Hearing Teacher Orochimaru's muttering, Uchiha Yoruro smiled knowingly and nodded. "As you command, Teacher Orochimaru."

Uchiha Yoruro narrowed his eyes with a smile and formed hand seals. Boar—Dog—Rooster—Monkey—Ram. Summoning Jutsu!

The white smoke unique to the summoning technique dispersed, revealing several thick great snakes. Following their instincts, they slithered toward the cultivation tanks and smashed them open with their heads. As large amounts of nutrient solution spilled out, the White Phosphorus Great Snakes inside seemed to remain asleep. Then, a horrifying scene unfolded.

Teacher Orochimaru watched with an interested, hoarse laugh as the great snakes opened their jaws and began devouring the test subjects directly.

"Hehe, without Lord Yoru, this experiment would have wasted at least another two months."

Hearing Teacher Orochimaru's praise, Uchiha Yoruro smiled. "It's only what I should do, Teacher Orochimaru."

Then, amid Teacher Orochimaru's hoarse laughter, a White Snake suddenly crawled out from his shoulder. It slowly slithered before him, opened its mouth, and regurgitated a syringe of serum.

Uchiha Yoruro accepted the syringe with a puzzled expression, while Teacher Orochimaru gave a wicked smile. "Hehe, consider it a reward from your teacher. This is serum extracted from the most venomous great snakes in Ryūchi Cave."

At those words, Uchiha Yoruro immediately smiled. How could he not know what this was? In the original story, Teacher Orochimaru's terrifying ability to resist countless toxins—even modifying his body into a White Phosphorus Great Snake—had initially relied on this very thing.

With this serum, he might not be immune to every poison in the Shinobi World, but at least more than ninety-eight percent of poisons would no longer affect him.

He rolled up his sleeve and injected it without hesitation. Though he felt nothing at all, Uchiha Yoruro was still delighted. "Thank you, Teacher Orochimaru."

Sure enough, Teacher Orochimaru was absolutely the most generous one around. Following Teacher Orochimaru had been the right choice.

"Teacher Orochimaru, is the research here going to be terminated?"

Uchiha Yoruro voiced the doubt in his heart. After all, this research base was already completely deserted. He had merely followed orders, coming here every day to conduct inspections, produce detailed reports, and submit them.

Teacher Orochimaru truly deserved his reputation as the person with the most research bases and hideouts in the Shinobi World. Yoruro had seen three bases in the border region alone. This particular base was clearly dedicated to researching the White Phosphorus Great Snake.

It was also the earliest foundation for the jutsu Teacher Orochimaru would later use to transform into a White Phosphorus Great Snake, and even into the Eight-Branched Serpent.

Looking over the laboratory, Teacher Orochimaru showed a rare hint of sentiment. "Thanks to the financial support from your Uchiha Clan. But perhaps because of that, some people in the village have begun to grow dissatisfied."

Uchiha Yoruro froze upon hearing this, silently mulling it over. The plot really had begun to change. With the Uchiha Clan defecting to Teacher Orochimaru's side, along with the Hyuga Clan drawing closer, dissatisfaction with Teacher Orochimaru had already begun to spread through the village.

As though he had seen through Uchiha Yoruro's concern, Teacher Orochimaru revealed an eerie smile. Licking his lips, he laughed hoarsely. "But it doesn't matter yet. The unrest at the border hasn't been settled, after all. Certain people are still reluctant to let me go."

The instant he heard that, Uchiha Yoruro began analyzing it in his mind. After the Nine-Tails' Rampage, the borders of the Land of Fire had remained unstable. Therefore, they needed Teacher Orochimaru. Once things stabilized, internal conflict would begin!

After all, once the village was stable, they would need to choose the Fifth Hokage. Before taking office, the Third Hokage had campaigned on the claim that these were extraordinary times and that he would only serve temporarily.

The Fifth Hokage! As he thought of that, Yoruro, who knew the future, understood one thing even more clearly: Danzo's ambitions would never allow someone as powerful as Teacher Orochimaru to become the Fifth Hokage. And there was also the Third Hokage!

He did not know what Hiruzen Sarutobi himself was like, but what about the Sarutobi Clan? In the original story, the Sarutobi Clan's strength had been extremely striking. They were practically an army unto themselves, and not even the Hyuga Clan had been that powerful.

With so many clan members, how could they possibly watch helplessly as their clan head, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stepped down from the pinnacle of power once again?

"Teacher Orochimaru, the Great Elder sent word that the leader of Root seems very dissatisfied with you."

It was obvious that Teacher Orochimaru would be forced to defect before long. Naturally, Uchiha Yoruro intended to fleece him hard at the very last moment.

As though he had seen Uchiha Yoruro's confusion, Teacher Orochimaru casually smiled. "There are some matters in the village that you haven't had access to, so naturally you don't know about them. Root is a department no weaker than the Anbu. It handles certain unsavory missions for the village, such as these experiments."

Uchiha Yoruro wore an enlightened expression, as though saying, So that's how it is. Yet inwardly, he muttered, Danzo may not be a good person, but Teacher, aren't you making your profiteering a little too obvious? With so many experimental bases, it was clear that he was also using Danzo's support to serve himself.

But every man for himself, or heaven and earth would destroy him. In that regard, he and Teacher Orochimaru were the same kind of people.

"Oh, right, Teacher. The Great Elder said that Root's legendary ninja codenamed the 'Wandering Miko' has left Root. She is now the head of an Orphanage, and her name is 'Yakushi Nonō.'"

To snatch chestnuts from the fire, to profit from both sides, Uchiha Yoruro delivered this information with a solemn expression, feeling not the slightest shame over using an Uchiha Clan elder as a weapon.

He had always been working tirelessly for the Uchiha Clan's future. Surely, once the elder learned of it, he would readily understand such a small sacrifice.

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