Gentō spent the next month taking it easy.
He handed all the administrative work of the Konoha Military Police Force over to Fugaku.
Even though Konoha's crime rate remained sky-high, what did Fugaku being run ragged have to do with him?
He either sought out Kurenai for an "in-depth exchange" on genjutsu, with each session lasting well into the night.
Or he trained Pakura, gradually shaping her into a capable secretary.
Yes, capable in every respect.
Occasionally, he also checked on Koboku Yanō's construction progress.
The vacant lot in the compound had been fenced off, and the clanging of construction rang out all day.
Passing Uchiha clansmen would crane their necks for a look, curious about what was being built inside.
But the craftsmen kept their lips tightly sealed. Whoever they asked would only shake their head.
That only made everyone more curious.
Gentō offered no explanation. He merely smiled and said,
"Once it's finished, I guarantee you'll be astonished."
That day, Gentō had just finished inspecting the site with Pakura.
Koboku Yanō had assured him that the first building would be finished within the next few days.
The others would take a few days longer.
Gentō immediately began looking forward to it.
Gentō was considering heading home to continue "training" Pakura when someone suddenly appeared before him.
It was a female ninja who looked about Shisui's age, twelve or thirteen.
She wore a tight black outfit over a mesh bra that hugged her newly developing figure.
Below her short skirt were a pair of pale legs, with ninja sandals on her feet.
Her dark purple hair was tied in a high ponytail, and her bangs covered half her face. The visible eye held a roguish glint.
She planted both hands on her hips and lifted her chin.
"Gentō, my teacher wants to see you!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the system's voice rang out in Gentō's mind.
[Ding! Suitable female ninja for dual cultivation detected.] [Name: Mitaraishi Anko Kekkei Genkai: heavenly cursed seal Strength: Chunin Overall rating: A-Rank]
Gentō froze for a moment.
Mitaraishi Anko?
Of course he knew her. Orochimaru's disciple, the mature woman in the original story who loved eating dango.
But now... isn't she far too young?
He looked at the little girl before him, who had yet to grow into herself, and inwardly shook his head.
At twelve, she would still be a middle schooler on Blue Star.
Granted, in the Ninja World, twelve-year-olds went to war, and marrying and having children at that age was hardly unheard of.
But he had memories of Blue Star, after all. He still needed to have some boundaries.
Wait a couple of years. Let her grow up first.
"Your teacher... is Lord Orochimaru, one of the Sannin?"
Anko nodded.
Gentō narrowed his eyes.
Orochimaru wanted to see him?
What was he after?
He considered it. With his Mangekyō Sharingan, even if Orochimaru had something underhanded in mind, he might not be able to do much to him.
"All right. Lead the way."
He wanted to see exactly what Orochimaru was planning, too.
Anko led Gentō and Pakura out of the village.
The three traveled through the woods for half an hour before reaching a familiar place-the Forest of Death.
Without stopping, Anko led them deep into the forest, finally coming to a halt before a moss-covered boulder.
She pressed a hand against the rock. A gap suddenly opened in the ground, revealing a flight of stairs leading down.
"Please."
Gentō glanced at the pitch-black entrance and stepped inside.
The stairs were long, and the farther they descended, the colder and damper it became.
Dim oil lamps stood at intervals along both sides of the passage. Their flickering flames stretched the shadows long.
An indescribable smell filled the air, something like chemicals mixed with the stench of decay.
They rounded a corner, and the space before them suddenly opened up.
It was a vast underground space. Recesses had been carved into all four walls and filled with glass jars of every size.
The dull yellow light shone on the jars, revealing the things soaking inside.
Human arms, eyeballs, and organs he could not name floated in pale green liquid.
Several iron beds stood in a corner, their surfaces stained dark brown.
Various tools hung on the walls-hooks, tweezers, and saws, all gleaming coldly under the light.
Gentō's eyelid twitched, but he did not stop walking.
They crossed the area and passed through another corridor before finally reaching the innermost room.
It was brighter than the area outside, with more lamps burning on all four walls.
A man stood in the center.
He wore a grayish-white kimono secured at the waist with a purple rope sash. His collar hung wide open, exposing his pale chest.
His long black hair reached his waist, and his skin was almost sickly white.
His face was strikingly handsome, with narrow eyes and brows and thin lips curved in a faint, ambiguous smile.
Most striking of all were his eyes: golden, slit-pupiled, and snakelike. His stare sent a chill down one's spine.
"Gentō, you came after all."
Orochimaru's voice was low and hoarse, with an indescribably sinister softness.
Gentō stopped before him and swept his gaze around the room.
"Lord Orochimaru, I saw quite a few things on the way here. These experiments... are expressly forbidden in Konoha."
Orochimaru gave a quiet laugh. His smile was cold, utterly devoid of warmth.
"Mundane rules mean nothing to me. You're an intelligent man, Gentō. I believe you can understand."
Gentō said nothing.
He did admire Orochimaru.
The man was intelligent and exceptionally skilled at scientific research. Many of his ideas were far ahead of their time.
Strictly speaking, he was not a bad person, either. It was simply that many of his ideas were unacceptable in this era.
But when dealing with someone like him, one had to stay constantly alert against being bitten in return.
Gentō could not be bothered to beat around the bush. He asked directly,
"What did you wish to see me about, Lord Orochimaru?"
Orochimaru stared at him, his golden slit pupils motionless.
"I'm very interested in the Uchiha's Sharingan. I'd like to study it."
Gentō raised an eyebrow.
"Don't you know I'm the Uchiha Clan Head? Aren't you afraid I'll turn against you for saying that to my face?"
The smile at the corners of Orochimaru's mouth deepened.
"If someone as rigid as Fugaku were Clan Head, I would simply abduct a few Uchiha clansmen in secret and take my time studying them. But with you, I'm willing to try discussing it. And I believe you have your own ways."
Gentō neither agreed nor refused.
Seeing this, Orochimaru extended his tongue and licked his lips.
It was long and thin, like a snake's forked tongue.
"Experiments can help us uncover the secrets of kekkei genkai. I can share the results of my research with you as well."
"How do I contact you?"
Orochimaru's eyes lit up.
He took a scroll from his sleeve and tossed it to Gentō.
Gentō caught it and unrolled it. It contained a Summoning Technique formula.
He nodded and put the scroll away.
"All right. I'll be leaving, then."
With that, he turned and left with Pakura.
Anko stood in a corner, watching Gentō's back disappear down the corridor.
She bit her lip, walked over to Orochimaru, and spoke softly.
"Teacher... I... I don't want to take part in these experiments anymore..."
Orochimaru turned his head, his golden slit pupils settling on her.
His gaze was icy, devoid of emotion.
A chill ran down Anko's back, and every hair on her body stood on end.
Before she could react, her neck suddenly grew hot.
The heat spread rapidly, like a red-hot branding iron pressed against her skin, like countless needles piercing her blood vessels.
"Aah!"
Anko's legs gave out, and she dropped to her knees.
Clutching her neck with both hands, she curled forward like a shrimp, trembling all over.
Sweat burst from her skin and streamed down her cheeks.
"No... please... it hurts..."
She curled up on the floor, her teeth chattering. She tried to scream, but no cry came out; only broken syllables escaped her throat.
"Hot... so hot... Teacher... I was wrong..."
Orochimaru looked down at her, his expression unchanged.
Only when Anko's struggles began to weaken did he slowly speak.
"You are my most perfect test subject. So..."
He paused, bent down, and leaned close to Anko's ear.
"I don't want to hear those words again."
Meanwhile, it was already late at night when Gentō returned to the Uchiha Compound with Pakura.
Moonlight spilled across the stone-paved path. Everything around them was silent.
Gentō had just slipped his hand around Pakura's waist, not yet having a chance to do anything, when a voice suddenly came from behind him.
"Lord Gentō."
Shisui stepped out of the shadows and dropped to one knee.
Two people lay on the ground beside him, their hands and feet bound. They were facedown and motionless.
"These two tried to abduct Uchiha clansmen just now. I caught them."
Before you continue