Kabuto and Orochimaru

Sandaime and Yakushi Tenshin emerged from the examination room.

After they came out, a small head poked out from a nearby corner.

He saw his adoptive mother looking radiant, more beautiful and dazzling than ever.

"..."

Kabuto could now be considered an outstanding Medical Ninja. He knew a thing or two about when people—especially women—would look so radiant.

Coupled with the fact that Lord Third and his adoptive mother had been alone in the same room for so long...

That meant the rumors might be true. The director and Lord Third really had... And Lord Third seemed remarkably vigorous for his age, leaving the director quite satisfied as well.

So...

Was Sandaime going to become his adoptive father?

Kabuto quickly shook his head. Given Lord Third's status, at most he probably treated his adoptive mother as a secret lover.

Had she been coerced?

It did not seem like it. The way his adoptive mother looked at Lord Third was filled with genuine respect—one could even call it longing and admiration.

In other words, the director had done it willingly.

Since the director had been willing, Kabuto had no right to object.

Sigh!

He let out a sigh.

Thinking it over carefully, the director giving herself to Sandaime was not necessarily a bad thing.

From now on, both the director and the Orphanage would have a solid patron to rely on.

Of course, what mattered most was that the director could be happy.

"The one watching from behind?" Sandaime quietly asked Yakushi Tenshin beside him.

"He is a child I adopted. His name is Kabuto."

"Kabuto?"

An ancient samurai helmet was called a kabuto.

It was likely meant to express the hope that he would protect himself.

"That is quite a nice name."

"He is an outstanding child too. I believe he will surpass even me someday," Yakushi Tenshin said with a beaming smile.

Sandaime smiled and nodded as well.

But he did not take it too seriously. In the eyes of a mother who loved her child, the child was always exceptional, so there would inevitably be some bias.

That child named Kabuto was probably truly talented, but better than Yakushi Tenshin?

Sandaime did not think so.

There were truly very, very few people in this world more outstanding than Yakushi Tenshin.

Hm?

"Orochimaru?"

"Sensei." Orochimaru greeted him with a smile.

Then he looked at Yakushi Tenshin.

Yakushi Tenshin immediately bowed.

"Lord Orochimaru."

"So it is Nonō."

Of course, he knew this female ninja—Konoha's finest intelligence ninja, a former Root elite codenamed the "Wandering Miko," and a Medical Ninja second only to Tsunade in Konoha.

He had even received some of the important intelligence gathered by the Wandering Miko.

In Orochimaru's eyes, she was indeed one of Konoha's rare elite talents.

Whether in Medical Ninjutsu or intelligence-gathering ability.

Orochimaru had always treated exceptional talent rather well.

Especially since he was now the Hokage—well, the future Hokage, but there was not much difference.

After glancing at Yakushi Nonō, Orochimaru could not help looking at Sandaime again, wondering whether the rumors were true. Did Sensei really have something going on with Yakushi Nonō...? As Sensei's disciple, he knew just how lecherous Sensei was deep down. In some ways, he was just like that fool Jiraiya.

And Yakushi Nonō truly was a stunning beauty who naturally inspired affection and familiarity at first sight.

After losing Biwako, the elderly man who had been left alone and heartbroken had received care from such a young, beautiful woman with a maternal air. His parched heart had begun to pound again, filling with life once more, and so the old bull had taken a bite of tender grass...

Such disrespectful thoughts about his teacher were turning through Orochimaru's mind, but naturally, he did not show them.

"Orochimaru, what brings you to the hospital?"

Orochimaru smiled at Yakushi Nonō... and then at the area behind her.

"I came for him."

Sandaime and Yakushi Nonō realized something and turned around, looking at the head poking out from the corner behind them.

The head quickly withdrew.

Nonō immediately grew tense.

"Lord Orochimaru! Kabuto is not a spy!"

"I know. If he truly were a spy, there would be no need for me to come personally."

Nonō let out a breath. Her nerves had made her muddleheaded. Just as Orochimaru said, there would have been no need for him to come in person.

"Then, Lord Orochimaru, why are you looking for Kabuto?"

"I wish to take Kabuto as my disciple," Orochimaru said bluntly.

Nonō was surprised for a moment, then was not all that surprised.

She knew Kabuto's talent.

Kabuto's talent might not make him one of the strongest people at the very top, but it was certainly the kind of talent Lord Orochimaru liked best.

It was not strange for Orochimaru to value Kabuto.

Sandaime, meanwhile, was somewhat surprised as well. It seemed he had truly underestimated that child, Kabuto.

"It would be Kabuto's honor to become Lord Orochimaru's disciple," Nonō hurriedly said.

She knew this was an opportunity.

An opportunity that could give Kabuto a bright future.

After all, Lord Orochimaru was the confirmed Fifth! The disciple of the Fifth Hokage—what an exalted status that would be!

Though such an exalted status also meant trouble, and meant he would be drawn into the whirlpool of power in the future.

But in this cruel world, if one had an opportunity and did not fight for it, one would often receive only an even crueler outcome.

She understood that very well.

So she would not let Kabuto's opportunity slip away!

"Kabuto."

She waved toward him and called out.

Kabuto poked his head out again. Seeing the director beckoning him over, he stepped out from the corner and walked up to Orochimaru and Sandaime.

"Lord Third." He respectfully addressed Sandaime first.

After all, Sandaime was still the current Hokage.

"Lord Orochimaru."

He had met Orochimaru before.

It had been on the night of the Nine-Tails' Rampage, when he had personally treated Lord Orochimaru.

He still remembered that while receiving his treatment, Lord Orochimaru had said, "You may not be a ninja, but you are quite skilled with Medical Ninjutsu..."

"The director taught me."

"Your name is Kabuto, right? Do you want to become a ninja? I think you would become an outstanding ninja."

"..."

"You definitely will."

"I have no such intention..."

Back then, he could be said to have refused.

Because Lord Orochimaru had given him an uneasy feeling.

And now, Lord Orochimaru had appeared before him once more.

He still felt somewhat uneasy.

Orochimaru looked at him with a smile and said, "I told you that you would become an outstanding ninja."

"Lord Orochimaru, I..." He lowered his head, unsure what to say for a moment.

Just then, a somewhat pale hand settled on his head, making him freeze in surprise.

"You are my disciple now."

"?"

He looked up in astonishment. The hand was still rubbing his head.

At the side, Sandaime asked, "You made a special trip out here just to take on this disciple?"

"I stopped by to take this disciple, and afterward, I will take in another disciple I have already selected."

Sandaime understood. Orochimaru's journey this time was primarily for political purposes.

Taking Kabuto, who had caught his eye, was merely something he did along the way.

He took a drag from his pipe.

"Orochimaru, what else are you after?"

He noticed that Orochimaru had looked at Yakushi Nonō again.

Orochimaru beckoned.

A short figure wearing a mask and Anbu attire instantly appeared behind him and dropped to one knee.

Sandaime looked at the child.

"He is?"

Orochimaru gave his teacher a somewhat strange look. In his view, Sandaime should have known about this hidden secret of Root.

Or perhaps his teacher was deliberately pretending not to know.

After all, politicians did indeed need to learn how to pretend not to know.

So Orochimaru said, "He is Kinoe, a Wood Release test subject."

Nonō's expression changed. She knew the significance of Wood Release!

"Nonō, I want to place Kinoe in your care."

"...You want me to train him?" That was Nonō's first instinctive reaction.

After all, she had been a Root elite.

"No, I mean care for him. Help him emerge from his psychological trauma as much as possible. Let him become a qualified..." At this point, Orochimaru looked at Sandaime, then continued with a smile, "Konoha ninja with the Will of Fire."

Sandaime silently smoked.

Then he asked, "Orochimaru, have you discussed this with Homura and the others?"

"Of course. I have already spoken with the Council Elders. Seniors Mitokado and Utatane also approve of what I am doing."

"And then you will head to the Uchiha Clan?"

"That is right."

Orochimaru nodded.

Sandaime silently smoked again.

He knew that Orochimaru was using this matter to obtain the support of Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, Konoha's two senior elder advisers.

After all, Wood Release was far too important to Konoha!

Orochimaru was willing to give up exerting personal influence over a Wood Release Ninja and let the Wood Release Ninja become the village's ninja in exchange for support for completely placating the Uchiha Clan.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu would be tempted as well. They had witnessed the power called Wood Release, instinctively equating that power with invincibility.

And besides gaining that support, Orochimaru had probably used this to secure other support as well, maximizing his gains.

"Then, Orochimaru, I wish you success on this journey."

"Sensei, I will gladly accept your blessing."

Orochimaru answered with a smile, patting Kabuto on the head.

"All right, Kabuto. Come with me and meet your other companion."