As the days passed, the Third Shinobi World War continued unabated. But after the Sand Hidden and Cloud Hidden suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Mount Kikyo, both countries chose to hold back.
The war's brutality eased somewhat, but that didn't mean it was about to end. If anything, it was the calm before the storm.
Inside Orochimaru's laboratory in Konoha.
Bored, Hua Yue sat off to the side, watching Orochimaru's somewhat brutal dissection technique. In the end, he merely pursed his lips.
"Bored already? You don't seem like the type who can sit quietly in a laboratory. What made you come here all of a sudden?"
"Anko, go to the hospital and get me two more portions of the materials we used yesterday."
"Don't eavesdrop. Your senior and I have something to discuss, understand?"
The day before, Mitaraishi Anko had been formally taken on as Orochimaru's student. Now she looked between the two of them suspiciously, her small face troubled. As she left, a flicker of worry crossed her gaze toward Hua Yue.
"Oh, my. Is there anything wrong with watching one's teacher conduct an experiment? Or is this important laboratory off-limits to 'outsiders'?"
"You've got some nerve! You've been holed up at home ever since that day, refusing to go out and claiming you needed to recuperate because you'd overused your chakra. This is the first time we've seen each other since we parted that day, isn't it?"
His soul-piercing gaze fell on the others, who were already frozen stiff by his terrifying killing intent. Yet Hua Yue showed no reaction, as if his senses were dull.
"Is that so? My injuries may have been too severe, and I never had time to pay my respects. So, when shall we begin our lessons?"
"I've always admired you, Teacher Orochimaru. You must be the person in Konoha who knows the most forbidden jutsu, right?"
Orochimaru was displeased by Hua Yue's half-smile. His hand pressed a little harder, and flecks of blood spattered across the pale face.
"You want my forbidden jutsu? It's rare for someone with your eye for these things to find anything of mine worth wanting. Fine, you can have it."
A mottled, rusted key slipped from the mouth of the winding snake. The disgusting slime on it made him recoil.
"Learning forbidden jutsu takes far longer than you can imagine. I don't think you're the sort who'd be willing to lose yourself in jutsu."
"Heh, you read people well. I'll take my leave, then. Don't let me keep you."
After Hua Yue vanished, Orochimaru fell silent. He simply turned toward the doorway and asked softly, "Anko, where are the materials I asked for?"
"Teacher Orochimaru, why... do I feel like I never really knew Hua Yue at all?"
The scalpel paused for a moment, then landed precisely on the incision point once more. His movements were rough, yet he always maintained the most rational approach.
"That's the difference between talents. He's gifted, and very rational. He knows when to lie low and when to show his abilities to gain enormous benefits without crossing the line."
"Teacher, what do you mean?"
Still young and unable to understand the meaning behind Orochimaru's words, Anko looked confused.
"He... Uchiha Hanazuki. What do you think is the biggest difference between you and him? Your talent for ninjutsu? Your strength?"
"No. The biggest difference between you and him is your judgment of the situation in Konoha... no, in the entire Shinobi World."
"He deliberately spared Chiyo, the Kazekage's advisor. He could have killed the two remaining Sand Hidden Kekkei Genkai users, Rasa and Pakura, but he didn't seize the chance."
"Because the Sand Hidden still has the ability to defend itself, it hasn't been driven to stake everything on a full-on fight against Konoha."
Anko only half understood. She just felt that the friend who used to skip classes with her and eat dango was drifting farther and farther away, and her heart sank.
"Are you sad, Anko? With your talent, you probably can't catch up to Hua Yue. I'm more accurate than anyone when it comes to judging a ninja's talent."
With her eyes lowered, Anko suddenly smiled and spoke to herself.
"Even if that guy leaves me behind, I don't want to drift too far from him. Besides, Teacher Orochimaru is here. You're one of the Sannin, so you must know how I can catch up to him, right?"
At that moment, Orochimaru's smile seemed sincere. For some reason, the blood-soaked specimen before him quietly became an ominous eye that radiated evil.
Perhaps even I'm no match for him. Uchiha Hanazuki, that feeling was definitely not from an ordinary Sharingan. What was it?
Elsewhere, another story unfolded.
On the outskirts of Konoha, outside an old, dilapidated Orphanage.
A plump woman dressed as a nun was hand-washing the children's clothes. It was autumn, and the water was icy cold.
She had asked the director more than once to buy a washing machine, but the Orphanage's finances were so tight they couldn't spare the money. The director had recently taken in another child, and at this rate, they'd soon struggle to afford food.
Suddenly, a dark shadow blocked the last of the sunlight. The woman's warmth stolen away, she jerked her head up, fury practically blazing in her eyes.
She was about to start cursing, but the dark-red bandages around his legs and the understated, luxurious fabric made her swallow her words.
"Is Sister Nonō here?"
"Are you a ninja? The director's inside. Could it be that the village has finally sent us our allowance?"
The hope rising in her eyes was cut short by his reply.
"No, I'm not a ninja bringing your allowance. The people on the village's side handle that. I just have some business with Sister Nonō. Has the village's allowance not come in for a long time?"
The plump woman led the way, grumbling as she went.
"That's right! Every time we ask Lord Danzo to approve the funds, those ninjas just say it's wartime and money's tight. They won't give us even a little."
"When the director went to ask a few days ago, those people said a ninja had completed a mission that was far too difficult and had taken a 50-million-ryō reward. Konoha's funds are stretched thin."
"Do ninjas really make that much money? Honestly, if I were a few decades younger, I'd want to become a ninja and make money too..."
Hua Yue froze for a moment. What was going on? Hadn't he only received 5 million ryō? When had another zero been added?
Even including the cost of the Kusanagi Sword's materials, 30 million ryō would have been the most. Whose pocket had the rest of the money gone into?
Hua Yue lowered his head, lost in self-doubt. The plump woman leading him shouted, interrupting a question he'd probably never get an answer to.
"Director, we have a visitor!"
Nonō was mending clothes. She turned to look, and when she saw Hua Yue, her smile was warm and gentle.
"Hua Yue... that's your name, right?"
"Yes, Sister Nonō. I'd like to ask you for a favor. Think of it as a private commission. Please."
The sound of a pen moving across paper echoed through the old room. The plump woman had been watching him closely, and when she saw the hefty check, her eyes lit up. She hurried to whisper in Nonō's ear.
"Director, this child... could he be..."