Third Hokage walked to the low table, naturally pulled out the chair and sat down.
Menma also sat down again, maintaining a silent and respectful posture, like an ordinary Konoha Orphanage boy.
Naruto excitedly opened the wrapping rope of the gift box.
"Naruto, Menma." Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the two children and spoke in a gentle tone, as if he was talking about family matters.
"Time flies so fast. In the blink of an eye, you are almost five years old." He paused and his eyes flickered between Naruto's excited little face and Menma's calm expression before continuing to speak slowly.
"In another year, it will be time to go to school."
Naruto raised his head suddenly, not even paying attention to the half-opened gift. His blue eyes instantly burst out with astonishing light, almost jumping up. "Ninja Academy? Really Third Hokage Grandpa? I can become a ninja? Great! I want to go!"
Naruto passed by the Ninja Academy more than once and saw the joy of the students there playing together during school and after school. I was very envious.
He also wants to make friends with other people his own age.
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and nodded, and then turned his eyes to Menma, who had been sitting quietly. His smile was still warm, but there was a trace of imperceptible inquiry and consideration deep in his eyes. "Where is Menma?"
This taciturn but extremely precocious black-haired boy who grew up in Orphanage, in Anbu Intelligence Division's report, whether in Orphanage After being adopted by the big businessman Gato, his life patterns and daily routine were ordinary. Menma raised his head and faced Third Hokage's gentle but implicitly scrutinizing gaze.
There was no wave on his face, and his voice was clear and calm. "Ninja Academy? It's not bad to be a ninja, but you can't just deal with money in the future, that would be so boring."
Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed.
The big businessman Gato was busy doing business outside and only came back to Konoha once or twice a year. After the child showed his boredom with doing business, Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to train him to become a ninja.
A Konoha Ninja who is deeply influenced by Will of Fire.
The smile on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face deepened a little, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes relaxed, and he was quite satisfied with this answer, "Yes, very good."
He patted Naruto on the shoulder and nodded to Menma: "Then, it's settled, I'll send you to the Ninja Academy in one year. Especially you, Naruto, please don't make trouble in class again!"
"Hey, I know, Grandpa Third Hokage!" Naruto scratched his head in embarrassment and giggled.
Third Hokage sat for a while and chatted with Naruto about some trivial gossip, mostly asking about his daily life and situation. Occasionally, he also asked Menma a few gentle words. The topic always revolved around the daily life of the two children.
Menma's answer is still concise and formal,
Although they behave more maturely, in Konoha, there are many such mature orphans who were forced to grow up after losing their relatives due to the war.
Therefore Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't care.
Under the warm yellow light, the atmosphere seemed cheerful.
It wasn't until the tea in the cup bottomed out that Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly stood up.
"Okay, old man, I won't disturb you two little guys from watching the New Year's Eve." He picked up the pipe placed aside.
"Remember, you have to work hard in the new year." He finally took a deep look at Naruto and Menma, his eyes still gentle.
"Thank you Lord Hokage, please walk slowly." Menma stood up respectfully and said goodbye, "Third Hokage Goodbye, grandpa!" Naruto waved vigorously.
The door was gently closed, cutting off the wind and snow outside the house, as well as the departing figure with the invisible Coercion.
The room became quiet again, leaving only the warm aroma of ramen soup.
Naruto was still immersed in the great excitement of being able to go to the Ninja Academy, chirping.
Menma sat down again and picked up the cup of tea that had already cooled down, but did not drink it.
He turned his head slightly, his eyes falling on the snowy night scene outside the window.
Menma's fingertips lightly traced the wall of the cold tea cup, and the corners of his mouth raised a slight arc, with a cold meaning.
He spoke in a low voice, his voice as light as a sigh, drowned in the excited words of Naruto.
"Konoha 56, what big event will happen?"
Deep in the heart of Star City, the cold alloy tunnel went downwards, finally reaching a vast space shrouded by a high-strength barrier.
This laboratory was built under the personal supervision of Guren, who owns Crystal Release Kekkei Genkai under Orochimaru. It was renovated based on an original underground facility of Star City. It has now become a collaborative laboratory for research by Asura and Orochimaru.
The pale shadowless lamp illuminated everything in detail, and the air was filled with disinfectant water, culture fluid and a faint but lingering smell of blood. It was so cold that it seemed to freeze the breath.
In the center of the laboratory, Kaguya Kimimaro was lying quietly on the operating table glowing with cold metal light.
The young man was thin and his skin was a sickly, almost transparent bluish-white color. Fine beads of sweat slid down his forehead and got into his silver-white hair.
He was only wearing a simple white lab coat. Under the open skirt, his chest rose and fell slightly with his breathing. You could see several light pink surgical marks that had not yet completely healed. The most eye-catching thing was the slightly bulging, brand-new eye sockets under his closed eyes.
Orochimaru is standing next to the operating console.
He was still wearing his iconic loose kimono, with Shimenawa tied around his waist, and his long black hair was scattered freely.
At this moment, his long and narrow golden vertical pupils, shining with an inhuman desire to explore, were staring closely at a special syringe in his hand.
Inside the syringe, blood from the Kimimaro brachial vein is slowly being drawn.
The blood showed a strange color under the strong light. It was no longer pure red. Occasionally, an extremely weak bone particle as big as a needle tip could be caught and passed by.
"Amazing harmony-." Orochimaru's hoarse voice sounded in the silent laboratory, with unabashed admiration.
"Such a violent and unruly bloodline power can achieve such a delicate balance after being implanted with Byakugan. Sir Asura, your methods surprise me every time."
His eyes lingered greedily on Kimimaro's closed eyes and face, as if he could penetrate the flesh and look directly at the transplanted pair of Byakugan from Hyuga Main House.
A few steps away from the console, a figure stood as still as a ghost.
His whole body was shrouded in a wide black robe, and his face was covered with the iconic, expressionless white Three-Eyed Fox Mask, which is exactly the Shadow Clone of Menma.
Behind the white Three-Eyed Fox Mask eye holes, his eyes were as calm as a deep pool, reflecting everything on the operating table without any ripples.
In response to Orochimaru's admiration, Shadow Clone just nodded slightly, as a response.
"Kaguya Clan's·Shikotsumyaku"Kekkei Genkai Disease, its essence is that the power sleeping deep in the blood is awakened, which causes the Yang Release in the body to become unbalanced and unable to withstand this power." Menma's voice came out through the mask, low and steady, without any emotional fluctuations, as if stating a cold formula,