Anko's Dango

"The Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal..."

"Once you reveal anything about Root, your body will become paralyzed and unable to move. It also carries an offensive Cursed Seal."

"When the offensive Cursed Seal activates, it will directly destroy the brain..."

"It seems Danzo thinks highly of you..."

The moment Kato Xu opened his eyes, he realized he was lying on an operating table. His head was secured, his mouth forced wide open. Yet he felt nothing, as if he had been anesthetized.

Deep Snake Eyes stared at his extended tongue with the indifference of a cold-blooded creature.

"Kato-kun, having your life controlled by someone else must not feel very pleasant..."

Orochimaru slowly administered a vial of medicine into his mouth. The paralysis in his body gradually eased, and sensation slowly returned, though his speech was still somewhat slurred.

"Root... for the village... willing... to die..."

"There are probably three ways to remove the Cursed Seal. It seems Kato-kun would not be interested in any of them."

Orochimaru glanced back at Kato Xu, silently observing the data displayed on the instruments. Once he saw that everything was normal, he prepared to leave.

"Lord Orochimaru, please address me as 'Wei.' Root shinobi have no past, no names, only codenames."

Kato Xu rose and knelt on one knee. He extended his senses to their limit and detected no presence other than his own and Orochimaru's, but he still could not afford to let down his guard.

"How interesting... Kato-kun's concern for his own life has given me an entirely new impression."

Orochimaru licked his lips. A trace of peculiar interest appeared in his vertical pupils as he chuckled softly, his deep eyes seeming to see through every one of Kato Xu's disguises.

"Read these scrolls as soon as possible..."

Orochimaru left behind a large number of scrolls, then vanished from this strange place.

Only then did Kato Xu slowly rise and examine his surroundings.

Although every corner of the room was unusually bright, there was a faint dampness in the air. The flow of air through the vent overhead told Kato Xu that this was still some kind of underground chamber.

The walls and floor of the entire underground room were made of sturdy stone bricks, so flat that they even carried a hint of smoothness.

Various special devices were arranged around the room, with all kinds of cables connecting them to the hospital bed in the center.

It was Kato Xu's first time seeing such modern equipment and instruments, and he was mildly surprised.

Is this Orochimaru's laboratory? No wonder he had that peculiar... scholarly air about him...

Although he had received very little information in Root, he knew that apart from Konoha's Haku Fang, the most prominent figures now were the Three Sannin. Among them, Orochimaru was highly regarded by many and was a strong contender for the position of Fourth Hokage.

He just had not expected that someone as insignificant as himself, who had survived Root by treading carefully, would have a chance to be noticed by Orochimaru, one of the lofty Three Sannin.

"The Spirit Transformation Technique..."

Aside from the ordinary taijutsu and ninjutsu that everyone else possessed, the Spirit Transformation Technique was his only unique ability. In present-day Konoha, apart from him and Kato Yuan, no one else could use it.

The Kato Clan's Spirit Transformation Technique had been passed down for centuries, gradually improving their bodies through constant cultivation.

Without the Kato Clan's bloodline, even if others obtained the secret technique, it would be difficult for them to master it. Moreover, this secret technique involved manipulating the soul and was extremely dangerous. Some hidden techniques could only be passed down orally.

Yet even during the chaotic Warring States era, the Kato Clan had never been in such a miserable state—precarious and nearly extinct. This was the first time...

So that was why I was given this "opportunity"...

Guessing that Orochimaru wanted to use the Spirit Transformation Technique for something, Kato Xu opened the scrolls Orochimaru had left for him.

Illustrated Guide to the Human Meridians, Cell Theory, Systematic Anatomy, Colored Atlas of Human Anatomy, Hemostasis Technique, Healing Technique...

"And the Mystical Palm Technique..."

Besides these basic medical books, the only thing that pleasantly surprised Kato Xu was the Mystical Palm Technique. The renowned Mystical Palm Technique was Princess Tsunade's most widely known signature skill.

Kato Xu had seen this ninjutsu in Root before, but there were very few users. Though he had long coveted this versatile ninjutsu capable of quickly treating external wounds, he had never had the chance to learn it.

This was a life-saving skill.

"However, before learning the Mystical Palm Technique, I need to master the Chakra Scalpel..."

From the many books Orochimaru had left him, he roughly understood that Orochimaru intended to train him into an auxiliary tool, perhaps even involving him in matters related to the soul in the future.

But that was still far away. For now, he only needed to stay close to Orochimaru and be a perfect tool.

"And to learn the Chakra Scalpel, I must first learn the Healing Technique and Hemostasis Technique..."

"To learn the Healing Technique and Hemostasis Technique, I need to understand the structure of the human body and its meridians..."

Kato Xu read through the scrolls Orochimaru had left him bit by bit, only then realizing that not a single one of the books was useless.

After roughly skimming through the material he needed to learn, Kato Xu realized there was far, far too much to study.

Starting with human meridians and cell theory, then continuing until he mastered the Mystical Palm Technique, it would probably take at least several years...

"Orochimaru probably will not give me that much time..."

Although today was his first time meeting Orochimaru, he could sense the cold indifference hidden beneath those Snake Eyes. Orochimaru certainly would not leave him much time...

"Still, becoming a medical ninja..."

"What an unimaginable path..."

Kato Xu sighed softly, opened the topmost scroll, and began studying in silence. He started with the simplest material and gradually immersed himself in the scrolls, forgetting the passage of time.

The entire afternoon slowly passed.

Fortunately, he had learned related knowledge in Root before, so none of this was particularly difficult for him. It was merely more systematic.

"Knock, knock..."

The crisp knocking pulled Kato Xu out of the scrolls. Before he could respond, the laboratory door opened. A six- or seven-year-old girl stood boldly at the entrance, looking at Kato Xu with a hint of hostility in her eyes.

"Kato Xu?"

"There is no Kato Xu here. There is only the Root shinobi 'Wei'..."

Kato Xu glanced at the little girl by the door and answered casually.

He continued reading on his own and ignored her after that, but his attention remained fixed on the little girl at the entrance.

The habits he had developed in Root made him seem to possess some of a Root shinobi's gloominess. He was habitually aloof, but never careless.

The first lesson Kato Xu had learned upon becoming a shinobi was how to be indifferent. During these past three years, he had experienced the cruelty of the Shinobi World all too clearly.

"Are you the genius Orochimaru-sensei mentioned?"

"You don't look like much..."

The little girl circled around him, looking unconvinced. Hearing her words, Kato Xu's heart stirred, and he examined her more carefully.

Orochimaru's disciple? She seemed... a little silly and Haku-sweet?

"My name is Anko. You have to call me Boss Anko, understand?"

Anko carried a basket with water and a lunch box inside. She placed it in front of Kato Xu and seemed to be waiting for his response.

"Okay, Boss."

Kato Xu did not look at her again. His eyes remained on the book as he silently committed its contents to memory. Ever since cultivating the Spirit Transformation Technique, he had clearly felt his spiritual energy rapidly increasing. His mind was becoming clearer and his memory better and better.

"Hey, you're so perfunctory!"

Anko huffed and placed the lunch box on the table, then casually flipped through the books on it.

"These all seem to be books for medical ninja... Are you planning to become a medical ninja?"

"If you're a medical ninja, then I suppose it's not impossible..."

Kato Xu glanced at Anko, unsure what she was thinking. However, the hostility she had carried when she entered seemed to have gradually weakened.

"Fine, it's decided. I'll allow you to join Orochimaru-sensei and me as a medical ninja."

"Okay, thank you for the trouble."

Kato Xu chuckled softly and casually went along with her, then ignored the somewhat innocent and lively child again.

"Little Brother Kato, wait for me to bring you a lunch box tomorrow..."

Anko seemed rather pleased. Not minding Kato Xu's tone, she ran out with abandon.

"Little Brother Kato..." Hearing that form of address, Kato Xu could not help but laugh. He stopped thinking about anything else and turned his attention back to the book.

The laboratory was quiet. Kato Xu stretched, opened the lunch box, and estimated that at his current pace, he could finish reading through these medical fundamentals in about half a month. Then he could begin trying to learn the Hemostasis Technique and Healing Technique, though he had never practiced either of them.

"Why is it all dango?"