Inside the Ninja Academy dormitory in the Star City.
After the dormitory supervisor blew the lights-out whistle, the room, which had been noisy all day, gradually quieted down.
Eleven-year-old Yakushi Kabuto sat on his bed, using the faint moonlight from the window to read a basic book on Medical Ninjutsu.
He wore round-framed glasses, and the calm, reserved look behind the lenses contrasted sharply with the excited children around him who were whispering amongst themselves, unable to sleep.
Yakushi Kabuto looked up at the clock on the dormitory wall. "At this time, everyone in the Orphanage should be asleep."
"Dou, aren't you asleep yet? You have to get up early for training tomorrow!" a child of similar age whispered a reminder.
"Okay, I'll go to sleep right away," Dou replied softly, closing the book.
He took off his glasses, carefully placed them and the book back on his pillow, then lay down and closed his eyes.
However, his thoughts were far from over; he was still thinking about his friends at the Orphanage and his foster mother, Yakushi Nonō.
A little over a month ago, he had just finished his undercover mission in Sunagakure and barely escaped back to Konoha after being hunted down by the Sunagakure ninja.
But without getting a moment's rest, they received new mission orders.
Infiltrate the newly established Land of Stars, posing as an orphan to enter the Ninja Academy and gather intelligence.
Danzo personally confessed, especially regarding the powerful Uchiha Clan with the Mangekyō Sharingan, and the mysterious " Asura."
No information should be overlooked.
During the year or so that Yakushi Kabuto served as a spy, he not only gained a deep understanding of the situation in Konoha, but also investigated the situation in Sunagakure. At such a young age, his knowledge of the Shinobi World surpassed that of most ordinary ninjas.
He knew perfectly well how powerful the Uchiha Clan of Konoha was; they were a force that every ninja village feared.
During the year that Yakushi Kabuto infiltrated Sunagakure, he never heard of any powerful clans with Kekkei Genkai the Sunagakure, and even the successive Kazekage were all commoners.
Therefore, the appearance of a powerful Uchiha outside Konoha, although Yakushi Kabuto was not yet aware of the seriousness of the matter, had already vaguely sensed a dangerous aura.
"Since the Uchiha entered the Star City, I haven't heard any information about the Uchiha." Kabuto silently sorted through the intelligence in his mind.
Although he couldn't find out any information about that powerful Uchiha, Yakushi Kabuto knew it was because he was just a "war orphan from Kumamoto Castle."
He had already planned to demonstrate his talents after entering the Ninja Academy, gradually gain the trust of the Ninja Academy's higher-ups, and find ways to obtain more intelligence.
Yakushi Kabuto had long been accustomed to this kind of life, accustomed to playing different roles, and accustomed to hiding his true self.
Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, a dark shadow flashed past the window, instantly putting his nerves on edge.
The figure moved with incredible speed, almost blending into the night, but Kabuto's keen senses and his instincts as a spy allowed him to catch a glimpse of that fleeting moment.
That was a familiar boy, it seemed to be Menma?
Yakushi Kabuto suddenly opened his eyes. Almost instinctively, he sat up, picked up his glasses and put them on. He carefully pressed himself against the window, trying to see where the figure had gone.
However, only the bright moonlight and swaying tree shadows remained outside the window; everything returned to calm, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.
"Impossible! Could I have seen wrong? No... no..."
Dou was filled with doubts, but his cautious nature as a spy made him unwilling to overlook any detail that might be missed.
Any clue, however small, could be the key to exposing yourself!
The Yakushi Kabuto back and saw that the other children in the dormitory were fast asleep, their breathing rising and falling, occasionally accompanied by a few whispers or even soft snoring.
He cautiously approached the window, gently opened it, and quietly slipped out.
Yakushi Kabuto moved like a ghost through the newly built Ninja Academy complex, his eyes behind his glasses scanning every corner and every shadow with vigilance.
But nothing was found.
The night was deep, and apart from the chirping of insects and the sound of the wind, everything seemed so peaceful.
"Was I really just too nervous?" A flicker of self-doubt crossed Yakushi Kabuto's mind.
In the end, he had to give up the search, quietly returned to his dormitory, and lay back down on his bed.
But the fleeting figure from just now, and the scene of parting with everyone at the Orphanage gate more than a year ago, are still vivid in my mind.
Outside the Ninja Academy dormitory.
The Menma, appearing in its true form, floated in the air, hidden beneath a dark cloud, overlooking everything below.
His Mind's Eye of the Kagura sensed the chakra fluctuations of Yakushi Kabuto, and he placed his right hand on his chin, deep in thought.
The Yakushi Kabuto is here means that Danzo, that old bastard, has already taken notice of the Land of Stars. He probably learned about the powerful Uchiha ninja in the Land of Stars from his friend Hiruzen Sarutobi.
He even told Danzo possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Given Danzo's greed, he would definitely keep an eye on this Uchiha outside, and might even do what he did to Nagato back then. "Hmph, that old Danzo." If he personally leads a team to ambush Uchiha Hikari, Menma won't act like he did with Nagato before he fully mastered the Rinnegan; he'll make Shimura Danzō doesn't return alive!
"However, since the plot regarding Yakushi Kabuto's infiltration has changed, we can't let Yakushi Nonō continue to infiltrate Iwagakure." Menma's eyes deepened.
Yakushi Nonō is considered Menma's adoptive mother, and Yakushi Kabuto also made a promise with Menma.
If we could rescue Yakushi Nonō from Danzo's clutches and bring her under his wing, having her manage the Ninja Academy, train medical ninjas, or even cultivate spies, she would be an excellent teaching talent.
"And Kabuto—" Menma was still quite concerned when he thought of Yakushi Kabuto's abilities.
It would be a waste for Yakushi Kabuto not to be a double agent, and his talent in ninjutsu was also quite high. When he participated in the Chunin Ninja Exams Konoha Year 63, he was about nineteen years old and already possessed the strength of Elite Jonin.
He had been infiltrating Konoha as a Genin, simply because he was Orochimaru's spy.
This can be seen in the battle between Yakushi Kabuto and Tsunade Shizune. Although Tsunade hadn't fought for many years and still Hemophobia,
She didn't manage to summon any spirits, but even if her strength has declined, she still has at least the strength of Elite Jonin. Moreover, Shizune is also a Jonin, although she specializes in Medical Ninjutsu.
After Orochimaru's death, Yakushi Kabuto 'Orochimaru most capable assistant, inherited most of Orochimaru's legacy. He also gained Orochimaru's power through cell transplantation and other means, and trained in the Sage Mode of Ryūchi Cave. In terms of combat power alone, he is at least Kage Level.
Finally, with the addition of the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he alone possesses the strength to challenge the Five Great Nations.