Better to Stay in the Shadows

Boom!

The Rasengan struck the Tanuki's stomach. Before he could even scream, the high-speed swirl of Chakra shredded his organs.

Yan shoved forward, blasting the corpse into a tree.

At the same time, the pain of his severed arm snapped the Rat out of the Genjutsu. Seeing his companion dead, he formed Hand Seals with his feet and ignited the Explosive Tags on his body.

Bang!

When the blast cleared, nothing remained of the three attackers.

Yan had already grabbed Obito and leaped clear of the explosion.

From the moment the Genjutsu took hold to the end of the fight, barely ten seconds had passed.

Yan turned toward Obito, his blade dripping blood.

Obito was about to speak when a glare from Yan's Sharingan plunged him into a Genjutsu.

In the illusion, it was not ANBU blocking their path, but a long-haired man in a Black Robe with a huge Gunbai on his back.

The man's face gradually merged with the figure Obito had seen earlier in Red Armor.

Obito cried out in terror.

In reality, Yan watched Obito collapse under the Genjutsu. Then he called toward Orochimaru's hiding place:

"Aren't you coming out? Is it Orochimaru or Jiraiya?"

Clap, clap.

Orochimaru emerged, applauding with a smile.

"Such impressive strength, Yan."

The applause stopped abruptly. Orochimaru raised his fingers one by one.

"Opening the Two-Tomoe Sharingan at five. Extraordinary talent."

"Using special training to win over your peers."

"A peculiar Secret Technique."

"How many more secrets are waiting to be uncovered, Yan?"

This is trouble. My Sharingan's been exposed. Who knows how the Third Hokage will react?

Yan frowned. Danzo had put him in a dangerous position.

A Secret Technique could go unreported. Every technique had a weakness.

But for a child from a clan prone to extremism to awaken the Sharingan at five and keep it secret showed a clear lack of trust in the Hokage.

"Orochimaru, how many pairs of eyes are watching us here?"

Orochimaru smiled at the blunt question and pointed to himself.

"Right now, I'm Teacher Sarutobi's only pair of eyes here."

Once Yan was sure the Crystal Ball was not watching, he asked:

"Do you want to know the secret of eternal life?"

"Homura Uchiha and Obito Uchiha were attacked on their way home. I killed one assailant, and Homura Uchiha ambushed and killed another with the Rasengan, a Hand-Seal-Free Ninjutsu he created himself."

"The last one killed himself when he saw the fight was lost. His brain was too badly damaged to extract any information."

Orochimaru stood before the Third Hokage, solemnly delivering the account he and Yan had agreed on.

Obito, meanwhile, had already been taken home by ANBU.

Fugaku had assumed Danzo would learn what had been said at that meeting. But no ruler would allow someone else's spies to act unchecked.

The Third Hokage had kept Danzo from learning about it, so Danzo had never expected Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, to be at Yan's side.

The Third Hokage had also used the attack to test whether the Uchiha were hiding anything from him. What he had not expected was for Orochimaru to switch sides.

After hearing Orochimaru's report, the Third Hokage nodded. A trace of sorrow passed through his heart.

Danzo, have you really gone this far?

He pushed the thought aside and addressed Yan.

"I'll investigate this as quickly as I can and give you an answer."

Yan nodded without taking it seriously. Without evidence, there was no chance of removing Danzo.

"Third Hokage, may I teach the Rasengan to my classmates?"

The Third Hokage froze, moved.

The boy had just survived an attempt on his life, yet he was still thinking of how to help his companions.

Danzo, you nearly destroyed Konoha's future!

The Third Hokage collected himself and answered warmly.

"Of course. It's a Ninjutsu you created yourself. Sharing it with the village is a contribution. If you're willing, I'll have someone record it on a scroll right away and credit you with an S-rank mission."

"Teacher Sarutobi, Yan's performance today has already shown he's a capable ninja. I can't let talent like his pass me by. I'd like to take him as my student now."

Orochimaru's request caught the Third Hokage off guard. Then he smiled.

"Of course. Yan, would you like that?"

Yan nodded firmly.

The Third Hokage looked at them with relief. After all these years, Orochimaru had finally moved past Nawaki's death.

After a few more minor matters, the Third Hokage had Orochimaru take Yan to record the Ninjutsu.

In the corridor, Yan crossed paths with Danzo, whom the Third Hokage had summoned.

Danzo saw Yan unharmed with Orochimaru beside him and immediately understood what had happened.

His expression did not change as he passed them.

"It really is more comfortable staying in the shadows~"

Yan's seemingly random remark reached Danzo's ears, throwing his stride off for a moment.

Orochimaru smiled without a word. After he and Yan finished recording the Rasengan,

they left the Hokage building. Orochimaru looked at Yan.

"I'll find the answer to that question."

With that, he left, probably to bury himself in the Laboratory.

What Yan had asked him earlier was:

"Legend says the Sage of Six Paths once connected ordinary people through Chakra. How did Chakra make that possible?"

Orochimaru's first thought on hearing the question had been information.

Information allowed communication, and communication allowed connection.

The state of the soul or body was itself a kind of information. If Chakra could carry information, then a person might be able to preserve their Body Information through Chakra.

But proving it would take extensive experiments.

And so Orochimaru had helped Yan conceal what happened and taken him as a student.

Night had fallen, and a bright moon hung high overhead.

Yan walked through the moonlight and opened the front door.

Before he could speak, he was pulled into a gentle embrace.

Yan rested a hand on Mikoto's back and patted it softly.

"I'm home, sis."

Fugaku sat in the living room and breathed a sigh of relief. Mikoto was not quick-tempered, but ever since she had heard Yan had been taken to the Hokage's Office and had not come back, she had refused to speak to him.

Mikoto fussed over Yan, afraid he might have been hurt.

Only after making sure he was all right did she lead him inside.

"You must be hungry. There's some food left, but never mind—I'll make you something fresh. What would you like?"

Fugaku opened his mouth several times to say he was hungry too, but never found an opening.

Once Mikoto went into the kitchen, Fugaku gave up on a late-night snack.

He composed himself and asked:

"Orochimaru wasn't there?"

Yan shook his head. "He was. He just saw I could handle it and didn't step in."

Yan told Fugaku what had happened, including Orochimaru taking him as a student. Fugaku's expression grew stranger with every word.

You awakened the Two-Tomoe Sharingan at five and developed an A-rank Hand-Seal-Free Ninjutsu yourself?

Then you fought three Root members, each at least Chunin level, and killed them all?

How are children your age supposed to compete with that?

Even as he marveled at Yan's talent, Fugaku pieced together the Third Hokage's plan.

He had deliberately kept Danzo unaware of Orochimaru's presence. If Danzo made a move, it would prove he no longer respected the Hokage's authority, giving the Third Hokage grounds to rein him in.

At the same time, he could see whether the Uchiha were hiding anything from him. Orochimaru had been a safeguard against both Danzo and the Uchiha.

But the Third Hokage was getting old. He had never imagined his own student would be won over.