Leaving the Orphanage

Outside the Konoha Orphanage, the children's laughter drifted through the air.

Yamanaka Santen and Gato stood not far away, their gazes sweeping over the carefree children.

With one hand on his hip, Yamanaka Santen said, "Mr. Gato, these children are war orphans from Konoha and the surrounding areas. Their backgrounds are clean, but whether they have ninja talent still needs further testing."

He was in charge of liaising with Gato this time, as well as handling the subsequent adoption procedures.

Yamanaka Santen was a Chunin of the Yamanaka Clan, fifteen years old. More than a decade later, during the Fourth Shinobi World War, he would form a team with Nara Sansho and Naoki to assist Kakashi in fighting the Impure World Reincarnation Zabuza and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

"It's fine. Honestly, requiring ninja talent was already rather strict of me." Gato wore a kindly expression, with none of the ruthlessness he displayed when dominating the business world.

"Then let's go pay the director a visit first." As Yamanaka Santen spoke, he headed toward the Orphanage.

Gato followed closely behind with a bodyguard.

As they approached the Orphanage, Gato's small eyes narrowed beneath his sunglasses, sweeping over every orphan as he searched for the target "that lord" had instructed him to find.

But after searching among the orphans for a long time, he still could not find the child "that lord" had described.

"Strange. Could he not be here?" Gato frowned to himself.

Suddenly, a lonely figure beneath a large tree in the distance caught Gato's attention.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, scattering patches of light across the grass. Beneath the shade, a child played alone with a doll in his hands, as though isolated from the world.

That indifferent expression and distant aura were practically identical to "that lord's."

Gato found himself walking over.

Click—

Menma had actually noticed Gato the moment he arrived, but to avoid drawing anyone else's attention, he had not deliberately guided Gato over.

Only after Gato stepped beneath the tree's shade did he slowly raise his head. His childish face held a calmness far beyond his years. "You're here. How are the preparations?"

That familiar tone reminded Gato of "that lord's" instructions.

"You will find a child named Menma at the Konoha Orphanage. He is a member of the organization and outranks you. Your task is to settle him properly."

Gato had originally assumed he would be a teenage orphan with exceptional ninja talent, which was why he had been recruited into the organization.

After all, "that lord" had personally destroyed half of Kumogakure, while Kakuzu, whom he had subdued, had displayed terrifyingly powerful combat strength while protecting him.

Yet the child before him looked only three or four years old, still full of childishness. In his hand, however, he gripped a dark red fox doll wearing an eerie mask.

Was he really the target "that lord" had told him to find?

Gato cautiously said, "The house and branch office have already been arranged."

"Let's go." Menma rose to his feet, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

"Yes." Gato was finally certain—this child really was the person "that lord" had sent him to find.

Outside the Orphanage.

"Menma!" Yunnai, the acting director of the Orphanage, stood with her hands on her hips beside Yamanaka Santen, her eyes filled with helplessness as she looked at Menma.

This child was always so withdrawn and unsociable. She could never stop worrying about him.

"So his name is Menma." Gato nodded to Yamanaka Santen. "I feel an affinity with this child. I'll take him."

Yamanaka Santen was slightly surprised. He had only just found the acting director, Yunnai, yet Gato had already found a suitable candidate.

His orange eyebrows rose slightly as he looked at the child beside Gato, who was holding the fox doll.

Yunnai hurriedly explained, "Menma became an orphan three years ago. He has a rather withdrawn personality, so I'm afraid he may not be suitable..."

Three years ago...

Upon hearing that, Yamanaka Santen recalled the terrifying orange-red Nine-Tails.

After that day, there had been many more orphans in the village.

Yamanaka Santen's attitude toward Menma could not help softening. He crouched down, took out a square chakra test paper from his pocket, and said to Menma, "Kid, give this a try."

Menma expressionlessly accepted the square chakra test paper and tried to channel fire-nature chakra into it.

Very quickly, the top of the paper began to burn.

"Fire nature, huh." Yamanaka Santen was not surprised. Most of the orphans here were war orphans from Konoha and the Land of Fire, so it was normal for them to have talent.

He rose and said to the acting director, Yunnai, "Then it'll be this child."

"But..." Yunnai was still worried. Menma was too young, and his personality was far too withdrawn.

"Aunt Yunnai, let me go." Menma looked up at Yunnai and spoke softly.

Although Menma was the youngest among the more than twenty children in the Orphanage, Yunnai felt as though she were looking into the eyes of an adult.

For some reason, Yunnai had always felt that Menma did not belong in the Orphanage.

In the end, Yunnai let out a deep sigh and led the children of the Orphanage in watching Menma leave.

"Menma! Remember to come back and visit us!" Aqi, the oldest among the children, shouted loudly.

The other children also waved one after another, their eyes full of reluctance.

Menma turned his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over Aqi and the other orphans as he recalled his promise with Yakushi Kabuto.

"I will," Menma answered softly.

After leaving the Orphanage, Gato and Yamanaka Santen took Menma to the administrative center beside the Hokage Office Building to complete adoption registration and other procedures.

With the Hokage's special approval, everything went smoothly, and the adoption procedures were completed in no time.

Gato brought Menma back to the estate he had just purchased in Konoha.

"Master!" The servants in the estate all bowed.

"Mm. You may all leave." Gato waved his hand.

The servants all withdrew.

Only Menma and Gato remained in the room.

"There's no need for so many servants. Leave two to handle daily needs." A voice that was both familiar and awe-inspiring to Gato came from the shadows.

Gato spun around sharply and saw the masked "that lord" slowly emerging from the darkness.

"I thought you would be faster. You kept me waiting so long." "Menma" looked at his original body and mocked him without restraint.

The original Menma said nothing to his clone. He merely looked at Gato and said, "You can leave first."

"Yes!" Gato respectfully accepted the order.

Just as he was about to leave, "that lord's" voice sounded from behind him again. "For any actions within Konoha, follow Menma's arrangements."

"Yes!" Gato bowed once more and slowly exited the room.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Gato quietly waited outside the door.

Inside the room.

"Alright, hurry up and release the Shadow Clone. Staying in that Orphanage was boring me to death." Clone Menma curled his lip.

The original Menma formed hand seals with both hands. "Release!"

Bang!

A cloud of smoke dispersed, and clone Menma vanished. A flood of memories poured into the original Menma's mind.

At the same time, Menma released the Transformation Technique and returned to the appearance of a three-year-old child.

"By my calculations, Orochimaru should be about to defect as well." Menma walked to the window and pulled it open.

From here, he could see the Hokage Office Building and Hokage Rock in the distance.

The Fourth Hokage's face on the monument stood out especially clearly in Menma's eyes.