The man who came after him was none other than Kakashi, driven mad by his shift-skipping subordinate.
That brat Uchiha Satoru vanished six days a week, and his remaining day was a day off.
Kakashi was at his wits' end.
When he received word that Satoru had skipped work again today, Kakashi set out to catch him without another word.
Following his ninja hound's nose, he tracked him all the way here.
How did these two end up together?
Kakashi had barely planted his feet before he spotted the habitual truant facing off against Orochimaru, one of the Sannin.
"Hey!"
"Kakashi!"
The guy up in the tree looked positively delighted, waving enthusiastically at Kakashi.
Hah.
You're having a grand old time, aren't you?
Kakashi's face twitched.
"What's your excuse today? Skipping work again?"
"Today?" Uchiha Satoru propped his chin on his hand and considered it for a moment.
"I took a wrong turn on the road of life, so this doesn't count as skipping work. At most, I'm late."
The road of life?
You've actually got the nerve to say that!
Noted. Definitely noted.
That's a pretty good excuse!
The corners of Kakashi's mouth kept twitching beneath his mask.
Looking at the man before him, he no longer had the energy to be angry.
Standing nearby, Orochimaru swept his gaze between the two of them a couple of times, a complicated look in his eyes.
Was this why he'd been so confident earlier?
Was it really a coincidence that Kakashi showed up to bail him out right after I cornered him?
Or had this brat planned even this?
Being seen through didn't alarm Orochimaru.
Instead, every cell in his body came alive, as though he had met someone who could match him across a chessboard.
Interesting.
It's been far too long since something suited my tastes this well.
The Sharingan's bloodline power is innate. Compared with that, a mind capable of seeing through everything is what truly makes someone covet it.
A body can be modified, bloodlines can be layered on, but no one can tamper with that ability to see through everything.
Uchiha Satoru, it doesn't matter if you refuse to admit it. You won't be staying in Konoha much longer anyway.
Deep down, you and I are the same.
Orochimaru's lips curled upward, and he turned to leave.
He didn't so much as lift his eyelids as he brushed past Kakashi.
There was no reason to spare another glance for a failed specimen with something forcibly grafted onto him midway through.
His time would be better spent pondering that fruit which had yet to ripen.
Ignored as though he didn't exist, Kakashi's exposed eye turned cold.
Is he looking down on me?
"Hey, Kakashi, I never knew you admired Orochimaru so much."
Uchiha Satoru jumped down from the tree, itching to run his mouth again.
Admire Orochimaru?
What nonsense are you spouting?
Kakashi shot him an icy look.
This useless subordinate!
Maybe I should just kill him!
Keeping him around is an eyesore anyway.
"Today's work."
"You're doing all of it yourself."
Kakashi tossed Uchiha Satoru a scroll.
The assignment was originally meant for a three-man team.
But Kakashi had made up his mind to pile a little extra onto this shirking brat.
Having said his piece, he turned and left as well.
Unlike the loafer before him, he had mountains of work to handle in the ANBU.
Uchiha Satoru turned the scroll over in his hands a couple of times, unable to muster any enthusiasm.
"The same old routine, over and over."
With a single glance, every detail of the mission was already etched into his brain.
"I should hurry up and get promoted to Jonin," he muttered.
Once he got there, he could dump all the work on his subordinates.
That settled it.
Uchiha Satoru clapped his hands together, his mind made up.
He would rack up achievements and climb the ranks as fast as possible, getting himself promoted to Jonin first.
When Orochimaru returned to his laboratory.
The two Root operatives were already standing there waiting again.
"Lord Danzo wants the data from this experiment." The voice behind the mask was ice-cold.
"Heh." Orochimaru scoffed.
"Wait a few more days."
"Lord Danzo said to bring it now." The masked man refused to give an inch.
Orochimaru said nothing. He simply stared at him.
His golden eyes flared, the killing intent within them painfully piercing.
Pinned beneath that oppressive presence, the masked man couldn't even catch his breath.
Not every piece of trash deserved his patience.
Useless people did nothing but take up space.
The chill on his face grew ever deeper.
Then.
Two screams tore through the pitch-black laboratory.
Orochimaru shifted his gaze away from the pair, a laugh escaping his throat.
"Danzo."
It would happen within the next couple of days anyway.
So blinded by ambition, without the ability to back it up, yet still coveting that seat...
Are all people like this?
Before you continue