After hearing Orochimaru's request, Shimura Danzō's face showed no expression.
It was as if the two of them had suddenly frozen in place, making no movements and saying nothing.
After a long while.
"I can grant your request."
"But..."
Before Danzō could finish, Orochimaru had already pulled a vial from his sleeve.
Inside, a cluster of active cells throbbed.
"Have you solved the problem with the cells' activity?"
Danzō jumped to his feet, visibly excited.
"I have."
"During this time, I've used it in experiments on living subjects. There haven't been any major problems."
"Once I've finished compiling the data, we can get started."
"It'll take no more than a year."
"So I hope you'll hand the kid over to me as soon as possible."
When Orochimaru finished speaking, he put the vial away again.
He stared at Danzō with an amused expression.
To Orochimaru, there was no need for any schemes.
With Shimura Danzō, it was simply a matter of putting his cards on the table.
He wanted Uchiha Sasuke.
Shimura Danzō wanted the techniques he had developed!
They were simply getting what they each wanted. The two of them had never been in a superior-subordinate relationship.
They hadn't before, and they certainly weren't now.
"I understand."
"I'll get him to you as soon as possible."
"He's just a child. You needn't worry."
"Root has the means to handle this."
Danzō put aside his resentment and spoke gently.
"Then I'll await your good news, Lord Danzō."
"I have some things to take care of in my lab, so I won't keep you company any longer."
After speaking, Orochimaru raised a finger.
A snake surged up from the ground and swallowed him. Then it turned into a cloud of white smoke and disappeared.
Bang!
Danzō slammed his hand down, smashing the table in front of him. He stood up, his face twisted with anger.
"My lord!"
Three members of the Root Organization appeared before Danzō at once.
All three wore fox masks, though the patterns on them differed slightly.
"This is the target."
"Find an opportunity to bring this kid here as soon as possible."
"Remember, don't let anyone else from the Uchiha find out. Leave no traces."
After speaking, Danzō tossed them Uchiha Sasuke's information.
Then he turned and left.
Danzō was in a particularly foul mood.
The three picked up Sasuke's file. Their expressions beneath their masks were somewhat odd.
But their mission wasn't to investigate why they had been given these orders. It was to carry them out.
After exchanging glances, the three vanished with the Body Flicker Technique.
Of course, Sasuke couldn't possibly know any of this.
Even as a transmigrator, he couldn't predict the butterfly effects caused by his arrival in this world.
After training, Sasuke returned to his room.
He had revealed more than enough information today.
But given the way Itachi and Shisui acted like a pair of blockheads, it probably wouldn't be a problem.
Besides, with Uchiha Shisui's abilities, investigating those matters wouldn't take long.
And now that the seeds of doubt had been planted, Shisui wouldn't be so easily ambushed by Danzō.
Next came his own training, along with infiltrating the other clans.
Infiltrating the old foxes would be difficult.
But infiltrating their children...
[Naruto: Yeah, that's right. This guy called Uchiha Sasuke is a kidnapper. He's led all of us astray.]
The next day.
After finishing their daily recitation of the Will of Fire with Lee and Naruto, the three agreed to go train at the public training ground after school.
"I have an announcement. Because of health reasons, Iruka-sensei won't be leading next month's field exercise outside the village. I'll be in charge instead."
"Today, we'll continue discussing some classic combat strategies..."
After Mizuki announced the news about the field exercise with a smile, he began the day's lesson.
"Sasuke, don't you think Mizuki-sensei is acting kind of strange?"
After class, Naruto sidled up to Sasuke and whispered mysteriously.
"Hm?"
Sasuke was taken aback.
Had Naruto finally started catching on?
Had he noticed something was wrong with Mizuki this early?
"His hand's injured."
"Should we go check on him?"
Naruto flashed a sunny smile.
Hearing that, Sasuke's face darkened.
As expected, this guy really was Naruto!
What had he been expecting?
"Have you been training enough?"
"You're the man who's going to become Hokage. If you don't work hard, someone will surpass you."
"Sensei must have his own reasons. We shouldn't bother him."
"And..."
After Sasuke's lecture, Naruto nodded in defeat.
The afternoon classes passed quickly.
Since Rock Lee was in a different year, the two of them went to the public training ground to find him.
Before long, the two arrived at the public training ground.
But today, besides Rock Lee, there was someone else—Hyuga Neji!
"Lee!"
Naruto dashed over without a care in the world.
He hadn't even noticed the newcomer.
"Huh?"
"Who are you?"
"Why are your eyes just like Hinata's?"
"Oh, right! Sasuke told me those are Byakugan... You and Hinata are both from the Hyuga Clan, right?"
Only after getting closer did Naruto realize there was someone else there.
"Hello, Uzumaki Naruto."
"And you, Uchiha Sasuke."
Neji watched Sasuke with a serious expression, a hint of fighting spirit in his eyes.
With just a glance, he even activated his Byakugan.
When he saw the enormous amount of chakra in Sasuke's body, he was surprised despite having been prepared for it.
He even noticed something else.
At that moment, chakra was constantly surging through Sasuke's body...
So this was the talented Uchiha friend Lee had mentioned?
"Hello, Hyuga Neji."
"Did you come to train with us?"
Sasuke greeted him openly.
He didn't take offense at Neji's rude behavior.
"Yeah."
"But if your performance is too poor..."
Neji didn't answer. He simply took the opening stance of Eight Trigrams Palm.
"Neji's really strong. Let's watch them fight."
"We'll go over there."
Lee led Naruto, who still had no idea what was going on, over to the rest area to watch.
"I don't think you'll be disappointed."
"But since this is a fight, let's wager something."
Sasuke's lips curved slightly as he took the opening stance of the Uchiha's Taijutsu.
"If you lose, you'll follow my instructions until you surpass me."
"If I lose, I'll do the same."
Sasuke laid out the terms of the wager.
"Fine."
"But I won't lose!"
As soon as Neji finished speaking, he vanished from the spot.
He was so fast that even Lee was surprised.
He hadn't expected Neji to have gotten even stronger.
Bang!
Sasuke raised his arm and blocked Neji's palm.
At the same time, Lightning Style chakra surged from his arm, canceling out the chakra infused into Neji's Gentle Fist.
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