I've Got Your Back, Taking the Initiative

"Thank you for coming all this way to warn me, Kyu. But you didn't come just to warn me, did you?"

Orochimaru had actually noticed long ago that Anbu were investigating him, and he had already begun considering leaving Konoha.

Uchiha Kyu showed no embarrassment at being seen through and smiled calmly. "You do know me well."

"I came here for one thing only: work for me."

"Work for you?" Orochimaru looked at him in considerable surprise.

"That's right. Work for me."

Uchiha Kyu took a few casual steps, crouched by the water's edge, and scooped up water with both hands, letting it slowly run through his fingers.

"Hiruzen Sarutobi is already old. All that awaits you is a slow death."

"Given how well you know Hiruzen Sarutobi, you must also know that he can no longer protect you."

"I know you've already considered leaving Konoha. You're merely waiting for the right opportunity."

"But leaving Konoha was never your original intention. It's simply your only option."

Seeing Orochimaru stare at him with great interest, Uchiha Kyu chuckled.

"You don't need to look at me like that. Whatever you want, you won't face any obstruction from me. On the contrary, I'll help you obtain it."

Surprise filled Orochimaru's snake-like eyes. "Then tell me, Kyu. What is it that I want?"

Uchiha Kyu recalled words Orochimaru had once spoken in the original story.

"Life itself may hold no meaning. But only by continuing to live can one possibly find some enjoyment."

"So you seek immortality. You want to study every ninjutsu in the world and understand the meaning behind everything in this world."

"Your thirst for knowledge is the strongest I've ever seen. I think highly of you."

A trace of wariness flashed through Orochimaru's gaze as he looked at Uchiha Kyu.

Unless his memory had gone wrong, he had never said such things to anyone.

"You're becoming more and more interesting, Kyu."

Orochimaru forced a faint smile. Being understood this thoroughly was no good thing.

"You're afraid of what I might do to you."

Uchiha Kyu saw through Orochimaru's wariness and suddenly stepped closer.

The move startled Orochimaru into taking several steps back, mistakenly thinking that Kyu was about to attack him.

Uchiha Kyu found the sight rather amusing. There were not many people who could make Orochimaru this frightened.

"What I want does not conflict with what you want in the slightest. We are natural partners."

"Even the history recorded by my Uchiha Clan over nearly a thousand years will be open for you to read."

Uchiha Kyu had always been generous when recruiting talent. Aside from the Uchiha Clan's forbidden Sharingan techniques, everything else could be given.

As he spoke, Uchiha Kyu extended his hand to Orochimaru, his voice filled with sincerity.

"Whether you want to research immortality, Hashirama Cells, cloning, or anything else, I will support you with everything I have."

"Do I have any reason to refuse?"

Someone was willing to provide everything he needed for his experiments, so naturally Orochimaru agreed.

If he discovered that Kyu's words did not match his actions, Kyu would not be able to stop him if he chose to leave.

"In the Shinobi World, aside from my Uchiha Clan, no one would welcome a deranged scientist who enjoys studying ninjutsu, Kekkei Genkai, and corpses."

"They would be afraid that one day, your hands would reach for them."

After releasing his hand, Orochimaru asked with great interest, "Then aren't you afraid, Kyu?"

Feeling the slimy sensation in his palm, Uchiha Kyu washed his hands as he spoke.

"To become truly strong and fulfill the dream in my heart, if I were afraid even once, I never would have acted against Konoha's higher-ups to fight for the power that should have been mine."

"Since we've chosen to cooperate, I'll arrange for people to help you move everything from your laboratories."

Orochimaru looked puzzled. "Are we moving into the Uchiha Compound?"

"No, no, no... I doubt you would be able to adapt to the compound."

Uchiha Kyu wagged a finger at him. "The location is beneath the Uchiha Police Force Building."

"I've already prepared it for you in advance. You only need to move in your experimental equipment and the like, and you can use it immediately."

"It seems you were determined to secure our cooperation, Kyu."

Orochimaru was certain that if he had shown even the slightest unwillingness to cooperate, Kyu would not have continued speaking so pleasantly. He would have attacked directly.

A sharp glint flashed through Uchiha Kyu's eyes, and a hint of cunning appeared in his smile.

"I have a good way to drag Danzo down with us. There may even be a chance to eliminate Danzo completely and ensure you never have any future worries."

"You could even walk openly through Konoha as Orochimaru of the Legendary Sannin."

Even if he had not been helping Orochimaru, he still intended to get rid of Danzo. But saying it this way would make Orochimaru owe him a favor instead.

After Orochimaru agreed to cooperate with Uchiha Kyu's plan, the details they discussed left Itachi and Shisui, who had been standing by like invisible men, drenched in cold sweat.

Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui even held their breaths unconsciously. What the two were discussing sounded like treason against the village.

Everything proceeded very smoothly. After Uchiha Kyu and Orochimaru parted on pleasant terms, he left the place.

"Clan Head, is Lord Orochimaru really researching the First Hokage's cells?"

Uchiha Shisui found it difficult to believe. Orochimaru was the Third Hokage's disciple, after all.

"There is nothing in this world that is absolutely impossible. Reality is often far crueler than you imagine."

Uchiha Kyu could not help looking at the silent Uchiha Itachi.

The reason he had brought Itachi along was to let him gradually come into contact with Konoha's darkness and shatter the idealized image of Konoha in his heart.

"Itachi, is there nothing you want to ask?"

Kyu's question made Itachi raise his head. There was not much expression on his face. "There's nothing I want to ask."

Uchiha Shisui glanced at Itachi but said nothing either.

Uchiha Kyu laughed softly and did not press him further. Instead, he began speaking of things neither Shisui nor Itachi had ever heard before.

"Danzo is the root of Konoha's towering tree, absorbing every dark aspect. The side that absorbs the light is Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Hokage."

"So don't think Hiruzen Sarutobi is clean. Even chakra has yin and yang sides, let alone people."

"The brighter the light, the larger the shadow."

"Didn't Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage of old, personally kill Madara Uchiha, the only close friend he had since childhood?"

"I'm saying all this so that you two understand: in this world, there is no right or wrong, only positions and success or failure."

"Strength is only the foundation. Use your mind to wield your strength; do not let strength occupy your mind."

Uchiha Kyu's earnest words left the two of them thinking even after they returned to the compound.

His words had dealt an enormous blow to their values. It was only natural that they could not accept them all at once.