Py Transaction

Two months later—

At the Ninja Academy that morning, Sasuke had returned to school, but Lin Chuan was still absent. Many of the students realized that something was wrong.

Naruto especially noticed it. Lin Chuan had not brought him lunch for two months. Sometimes, Naruto forgot to bring instant noodles at noon and could only keep attending class on an empty stomach.

When he saw Sasuke back in class today, still wearing that same sour expression, Naruto immediately turned away and stopped looking at him. He only wanted to know whether Lin Chuan would come to school.

One day before this, Naruto had once again seen that old man Sarutobi bringing his living expenses. He had directly questioned him about where Lin Chuan from their class had gone.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had been momentarily stunned by the question. He knew that Lin Chuan and Naruto were friends, which was why little Naruto had asked about him. He also knew that Lin Chuan was in Root, and that he could not get him out of Root.

But he could not lie to little Naruto either, so he could only say that Lin Chuan was undergoing training and would not be returning to the Ninja Academy for the time being.

"Then when will he come back?" Naruto was still worried about Lin Chuan. Lin Chuan was his first friend, and the only one who brought him lunch. He did not want to lose that friend.

"I don't know either. I'll ask around for you when I have the chance," Hiruzen Sarutobi said, shaking his head gently. When Lin Chuan could leave Root depended on when he and Danzo would fall out completely.

The last time, he had been able to forcefully take Tenzō away from Root because Danzo had sent Tenzō to assassinate him. Danzo had truly been naive, giving him a reason to take Tenzō away.

But this time, what reason could he use to force Danzo to hand Lin Chuan over?

Moreover, whether Lin Chuan was valuable enough for him to break with Danzo was still under consideration.

Having received an uncertain answer, Naruto felt somewhat dejected. He still did not know when Lin Chuan would return to school, but he continued to hope for it every day.

However, when Iruka arrived, Naruto's face fell again. Lin Chuan probably would not be coming today either.

Iruka silently continued teaching. During roll call, he still called Lin Chuan's name, but Lin Chuan was not in the classroom—he was in the ANBU training class. Even after two months, Iruka still found it difficult to accept that.

After Sasuke had been back at school for a week, he too discovered that the top student in the class seemed to have vanished. No one even knew where the top student was, so didn't that make him number one?

Although being number one should have made him happy, he could not feel happy at all now. If his parents and brother were still alive, he would rather not have this first place.

"What a drag," Shikamaru muttered, stretching as the corner of his eye drifted toward Lin Chuan's former seat in the last row.

He had asked his father about Lin Chuan's disappearance, but his father's evasive refusal to speak had made him feel that something bad must have happened. Lin Chuan had definitely gone somewhere terrible, somewhere even his father did not want to mention.

No matter how much he pressed, though, his father refused to tell him. He only said that Shikamaru would understand when he grew up. So Shikamaru let the matter go. Losing a fairly good friend was quite a pity.

Meanwhile—

"Kabuto, this is a sealing scroll. It contains what he wants." One day, Danzo suddenly summoned Kabuto Yakushi and tossed a scroll toward him. As for the "he" Danzo mentioned, who else could it be besides Orochimaru?

Two months had passed since the night of the Uchiha Clan massacre. Their transaction needed to begin as soon as possible. Danzo did not want to keep waiting; he needed that technique.

"Yes, Lord Danzo." Kabuto Yakushi respectfully caught the scroll. He knew who it was meant for. The reason he had been able to return to Root was also because of that man.

After receiving the scroll, Kabuto Yakushi immediately set out. He planned to return before the end of the month, after all, the selection of those ANBU trainees had not yet ended. What he did not know when he left was that an ANBU squad was following behind him.

Kabuto Yakushi crossed the border of the Land of Fire alone with the sealing scroll and entered the Land of Rice Fields. A smile suddenly appeared on his lips when he noticed the little tails behind him. Danzo had sent them to follow him and locate Orochimaru's hideout. Only after shaking them off did he arrive at the Hidden Sound Village.

Entering Orochimaru's underground laboratory, he saw Orochimaru conducting research and took out the sealing scroll Danzo had asked him to deliver.

"Lord Orochimaru, this is the sealing scroll Danzo sent for you." Upon seeing Orochimaru, Kabuto Yakushi immediately dropped to one knee and offered up the scroll.

"Hehehe, Kabuto, you've worked hard." Orochimaru turned to look at Kabuto. His golden vertical pupils were somewhat chilling, while his face remained as pale and bloodless as ever.

"It was nothing, Lord Orochimaru." After returning from his undercover mission, Kabuto Yakushi had much intelligence he wanted to report to Orochimaru.

Orochimaru took the sealing scroll, read the transaction message Danzo had left inside, asking when his research would be complete, and suddenly laughed. "Hehehe, Danzo is getting impatient..."

"Lord Orochimaru, I saw many talented children in Root. Should we find an opportunity to..." Kabuto Yakushi was quite eager for the talents of Lin Chuan and the others. They would be perfectly suited for research.

One possessed the Yamanaka Clan's secret hereditary techniques, one possessed the Aburame Clan's poisonous insect techniques, one had considerable talent for Water Release, and one had considerable talent for Wind Release.

"No need. My research will soon succeed. When the time comes, I can have as many geniuses as I want." Orochimaru smiled and licked the corner of his mouth. Once his Cursed Seal research succeeded, even ordinary ninja would be able to use natural energy.

Allowing ordinary ninja to use natural energy would increase their strength, elevating Chunin to the level of Jonin and Jonin to the strength of a Kage. Wasn't that the very definition of genius research?

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru." Hearing Orochimaru's answer, Kabuto Yakushi gave up on his plans to kidnap Lin Chuan and the others. After all, if he kidnapped them, he would no longer be able to return to Root.

"This is what Danzo wants. Give him this scroll." Orochimaru took out another sealing scroll. Disdainful of what it contained, he casually tossed it to Kabuto Yakushi as though it were trash. It was merely a failed experimental product, but it happened to meet that schemer Danzo's needs. It was quite a profitable trade.

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru. I will personally place it in Danzo's hands." Kabuto Yakushi caught the scroll and tucked it into a hidden pocket inside his clothes.

"On your return, have Danzo find an opportunity to arrange for you to enter the Ninja Academy. Begin that plan now. Tell him it is my request." Orochimaru extended his long tongue to lick the corner of his mouth, revealing an excited expression.

Ever since Itachi had tricked him once, he had not developed any reverence for the Sharingan. Instead, his desire had only grown more intense. He craved a real body with the Sharingan even more.

In the scroll just now, Danzo had told him that Itachi's younger brother was still alive and attending the Ninja Academy. Seven-year-old Sasuke, Itachi's younger brother—he was simply the perfect vessel.

Once he perfected his research, Sasuke Uchiha would have grown up just in time. Then he could seize Sasuke's body and truly possess the Sharingan.

Hehehe, hehehehe—

Meanwhile—

The Root ninja searching for Kabuto Yakushi in the Land of Rice Fields found nothing. When the four of them met up, they all shook their heads lightly. They had failed to follow Kabuto Yakushi and had not found Orochimaru's hideout.

"If we can't find it, we'll report the truth..."

"Finding Orochimaru has never been something that could be done in a day or two..."

"Lord Danzo will understand..."

The four of them spoke one after another, settled on the explanation for this mission's failure, and silently returned to Root.

[Orochimaru]