A Quiet Night Before the Storm

That night, a bright moon hung in the sky. After a few leaps, Kabuto Yakushi arrived at a courtyard.

Kabuto looked around and noticed a figure standing deep within the corridor. He seemed to have been concealed in the shadows for quite some time.

Kabuto walked over, dropped to one knee, and said, "Lord Orochimaru."

No matter the occasion, Orochimaru's face always carried a sinister charm, especially when he stared intently at someone.

Kabuto sensed something unusual in Orochimaru's gaze and wondered why Orochimaru was studying him so closely.

"Kabuto." After a long while, Orochimaru finally spoke. "How long has it been since I arranged for you to enter Konoha under the identity of Kabuto Yakushi?"

"About seven years."

"During these seven years, have you had any dealings with Danzo?" At that moment, killing intent flashed in Orochimaru's eyes.

Kabuto was startled. He did not know why Orochimaru would ask such a question. Was Orochimaru doubting his loyalty?

"Lord Orochimaru, do you not trust me?"

"Not at all." Orochimaru's sinister smile was always filled with confidence as he calmly said, "You are my right-hand man. Of course I trust you."

"Why bring up Danzo?" Kabuto hated that name.

"You became my right-hand man, helping me destroy Konoha and sever the Third Hokage's head. Wasn't your purpose to take revenge on Danzo?" Orochimaru continued, "To get rid of Danzo, Konoha and the Third must be destroyed first."

Hearing this, Kabuto finally relaxed. So that was what this was about. "That's right. That has always been my reason for following you, Lord Orochimaru."

Long ago, Kabuto had merely been an orphan. He was taken in by Konoha Village and later placed in the Konoha Orphanage.

His days at the orphanage had been the happiest of his life. The name "Kabuto" had been given to him by the orphanage director, Nonō Yakushi. Kabuto regarded Nonō Yakushi as the person he cherished most in his life, like his own biological "mother."

Later, Kabuto was trained by Konoha as a spy ninja. He spent years risking his life gathering intelligence outside the village, rendering great service to Konoha.

Because Kabuto had long been exposed to all kinds of classified intelligence and knew too many of Konoha's secrets, Danzo Shimura, one of Konoha's higher-ups, saw him as an unstable factor and decided to erase him.

From then on, Kabuto and Danzo Shimura became mortal enemies.

Back then, Danzo Shimura had sent Orochimaru to silence Kabuto. However, Orochimaru defied Danzo Shimura's order and took Kabuto in without permission.

Orochimaru deceived Danzo Shimura, claiming that Kabuto was already dead. Danzo Shimura believed him and stopped paying attention to the matter.

Unexpectedly, the bold and skilled Orochimaru brought the supposedly dead Kabuto back to Konoha, had him inherit Nonō Yakushi's surname, and renamed him Kabuto Yakushi. Under this new identity, he became a ninja of Konoha Village, though he was actually a spy Orochimaru had planted there.

As he recalled these past events, Orochimaru continued staring at Kabuto for a long time. Kabuto is an excellent spy. The new identity I arranged for him in Konoha actually had flaws, yet he managed to remain there for years without being discovered by the ANBU...

It was hard not to suspect that someone else might be backing Kabuto. After all, the finest spies were often double agents. Was Kabuto still working for Danzo Shimura?

Especially when Orochimaru recalled what the pale-skinned boy had said in the Forest of Death while Orochimaru was exchanging Karin for Sasuke: "The spy you planted within Konoha is actually the spy we planted beside you."

No matter how he considered it, those words pointed to Kabuto being Danzo Shimura's man, yet Orochimaru could not be certain.

"Kabuto," Orochimaru said, "what did you come to see me about?"

"The people of Sand Village have learned of the Fourth Kazekage's death."

Orochimaru was shocked. The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, had indeed died by his hand, and Orochimaru had been moving about Konoha Village disguised as the Fourth Kazekage. But this matter had been exposed far too soon.

"Faster than I expected." Orochimaru said somewhat disbelievingly, "Those fools from Sand Village discovered it so quickly? Leave this matter to me. Go keep an eye on Sasuke for me. Do not let Danzo's forces influence Sasuke, especially Naruto Uzumaki of the Nine-Tails. He is Danzo's man..."

"What?!" Kabuto Yakushi was equally stunned. Naruto Uzumaki was actually Danzo Shimura's man? The news was so shocking that his jaw nearly dropped.

Kabuto could not believe it. "Naruto cannot be Danzo's man."

I can hardly believe the Nine-Tails is Danzo's man either. I don't even want to believe that you, Kabuto, were sent by Danzo...

Orochimaru said, "I was able to obtain Sasuke from the Nine-Tails thanks to Danzo's tacit approval."

"..." Kabuto's pupils trembled. Naruto was actually Danzo's man. That meant Naruto was his enemy.

Kabuto turned and left, his heart exceptionally heavy.

Orochimaru did not forget to remind him, "Kabuto, you will keep a close eye on Sasuke for me, won't you? You would not want to kill Sasuke, would you?"

"..." Kabuto turned back and looked at Orochimaru, unable to understand what Orochimaru meant by that.

"If you kill Sasuke, you will stop my plan." Orochimaru made his meaning clear. If Kabuto was Danzo's man and wanted to betray him, all he needed to do was kill Sasuke to prevent Orochimaru's plan in Konoha from succeeding.

Kabuto did not answer. He did not know how to answer and simply left in silence.

Orochimaru watched Kabuto's retreating figure with a sly gaze before vanishing into the darkness.

When Orochimaru emerged from the shadows again, he had already taken advantage of the night to arrive at another stronghold in Konoha Village.

This was where the Sand Village ninja had gathered. As the host of the Chunin Ninja Exams, Konoha naturally had to arrange accommodations for ninja from other countries. These several buildings had been assigned to Sand Village's people for their temporary stay during the Chunin Ninja Exams.

Orochimaru slipped into Sand Village's stronghold under cover of darkness and easily captured several Sand Village ninja, but even through interrogation, he failed to obtain the information he wanted.

After taking down several Sand Village ninja in succession, Orochimaru could not help but begin doubting Kabuto Yakushi's words.

Kabuto had said that Sand Village's people already knew the Fourth Kazekage had been assassinated, but after this round of interrogation, Orochimaru discovered that Sand Village's people were still completely in the dark.

"Kabuto, have you truly betrayed me? Why would you tell me such a lie?" Orochimaru tossed aside the corpse in his hand and left without interest.

On the other side of Konoha Village, Naruto was sleeping soundly while Jiraiya stood guard outside the window.

Jiraiya looked at the Konoha Village peeping map in his hands, a smile never leaving his face. Glancing at the sleeping Naruto, Jiraiya thought of the disciples he had once taken in—of Nagato, and of Minato Namikaze. Joyful and painful memories intertwined within him.

At that moment, Jiraiya made a decision: he would take Naruto Uzumaki as his disciple.

Just then, Ebisu appeared before Jiraiya and respectfully said, "You must be Lord Jiraiya, one of Konoha's Three Legendary Ninja. I never expected you to return to Konoha. This is truly wonderful."

"What do you want with me?"

"Orochimaru has already returned to Konoha. The Third Hokage is advanced in years, and no one in all of Konoha Village can stand against Orochimaru. Now, only you, another of the Three Legendary Ninja, have the strength to oppose him."

"I only came back to Konoha to gather material for my novels. Do not get the wrong idea. I do not want to get involved in troublesome matters." Jiraiya continued, "I'm sorry for stealing your student."

"That is not important," Ebisu said. "Konoha needs your strength now."

"Handle it yourselves. Also, do not reveal my presence to the Third Hokage."