"Excellent!"
"One thousand laps around Konoha running on my hands, complete!"
"As a reward, another thousand laps!"
Uzuki Yugao had her arm linked through Shihōin Naraku's as the two enjoyed a sweet stroll through the streets.
Then they spotted a figure coming toward them, running on his hands.
Might Guy!
He was still wearing that green outfit of his and could hardly have stood out more.
No one in Konohagakure found his strange clothes and behavior unusual anymore.
After all, scenes like this appeared every so often.
Why only every so often? Naturally, it was because Might Guy went away on missions. He was a jonin of Konoha too, with plenty to do.
Although they all knew one another well, Shihōin Naraku really did not want to greet Might Guy right now. It was a little embarrassing, especially while he was out shopping with Uzuki Yugao.
But Might Guy did not care. The moment he spotted Naraku, he greeted him enthusiastically.
"Hey! Naraku!"
"...Guy."
Naraku raised a hand in greeting with some resignation. "How has your body been lately..."
Still upside down, Might Guy immediately came closer and gave Naraku a thumbs-up, a glint flashing across the white teeth showing in his smile:
"Excellent!"
"Your medicine is incredible, Naraku."
"Could you stand up properly before talking to me?"
Shihōin Naraku's expression darkened. "I don't want to stare at your crotch while we chat."
"No problem!"
Might Guy made an exaggerated leap, struck a pose in midair, then landed.
"You really do look well. I can tell from how lively you are."
"It's all thanks to you, Naraku!"
Might Guy tilted his head toward the sky at a forty-five-degree angle, his wide eyes shining, then shed tears with tremendous exaggeration, not forgetting to give Naraku a thumbs-up.
"All right, all right. As long as you're fine."
"Keep training. I've got something else to do."
Naraku really did not want to chat with Might Guy on a street full of people coming and going.
"Understood!"
"I'll always support you two!"
Might Guy swayed extravagantly, wildly waving a flag he had produced from who knew where.
Even Uzuki Yugao was left speechless by this over-the-top display, and she hurriedly pulled Naraku away.
Only once they were far from Might Guy did the two let out a simultaneous sigh of relief.
"Why is Might Guy so enthusiastic toward you?"
That scene had truly been excessive. Although Uzuki Yugao did not know Might Guy well, she knew Naraku must have done something.
"I just helped him with a little something."
Naraku said no more, and naturally, Uzuki Yugao did not ask further.
At that moment, no one in the entire Shinobi World understood better than Naraku just how powerful the Eight Gates Formation was!
Naturally, Naraku had wanted to learn the Eight Gates Formation from Might Guy very early on. Might Guy was a very straightforward person: as long as someone wanted to learn, he was willing to teach.
Unfortunately, Naraku's talent lay in his mind rather than his physique. As a result, although he had learned the Eight Gates Formation, he could only open the first gate, the Gate of Opening!
So Naraku could only give up on the prospect of nearly kicking the story straight to its ending with a single kick.
However, as a comrade and friend, he had not simply taken advantage of Might Guy. Instead, he had done him a great favor.
Shihōin Naraku had helped Might Guy improve the precious medicinal formula he needed for his Taijutsu training.
Why did Might Guy train in Taijutsu year after year, to the point that his training could even be called brutal?
It was because Might Guy needed to train his body until it could withstand the terrifying strain brought on by activating the Eight Gates Formation.
Without training the body to a certain level, never mind unleashing great power, merely opening the Eight Gates would cause the body to collapse.
Might Guy's long years of Taijutsu training had inevitably left him with many hidden injuries. Of course, he had a medicinal formula passed down through his family to help his exhausted body recover.
Shihōin Naraku had helped him further improve that formula, allowing his body to recover faster and better after prolonged training.
This had been an enormous help to Might Guy.
That was why Might Guy had always been grateful to Naraku.
"The people who returned to the Anbu from Root have indeed gathered together."
"The Moon Team led by 'Moon' and the Three Team led by 'Three' are both made up entirely of Root members."
"Everyone actually knows they secretly obey Danzo's orders."
"But as long as they complete the missions assigned by Lord Hokage, Kakashi Hatake has never commented on it."
Uzuki Yugao told Naraku all the Anbu intelligence she knew.
As it happened, these two teams made up of Root ninja had been assigned to serve under Naraku.
"I'm not like Kakashi..."
Shihōin Naraku looked at the scroll in his hand. Learning the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal really was rather troublesome.
Indeed, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi had still handed over the entire Sealing Jutsu for the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal to Naraku.
For now, however, Naraku did not need to master the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal completely. He only needed to learn how to undo it.
Konoha's medical department.
Shihōin Naraku looked thoughtfully at the documents in his hands.
"Elder Mitokado Homura and Elder Utatane Koharu have already gone to the hospital to visit several nobles from the Land of Fire who came to the village to recuperate."
"Yashiro Ao has only just returned to the Medical Emergency Response Unit and hasn't made any further moves. He is paying close attention to the department's flow of funds, but he can't interfere for now."
"Sir, your instructions...?"
A ninja from the Medical Emergency Response Unit stood before Naraku, reporting on the changes in the medical department over this period.
This was already the fourth medical ninja to appear before Naraku.
Although he had been removed from his management position in the Medical Emergency Response Unit, Naraku already had every change under his control.
"All right, you can go."
"Have Kabuto Yakushi keep a close eye on Yashiro Ao!"
"Yes!"
Watching the ninja leave, Naraku began to think.
The two elders still care about their connections with the Land of Fire. Yashiro Ao intends to find Danzo some funds to develop Root first.
There should not be any major problems now. With Kabuto Yakushi watching, nothing unexpected would happen for the time being.
Indeed, Kabuto Yakushi was Naraku's subordinate.
Or rather, in this Naruto world, Kabuto Yakushi had been trained by Naraku. All of his Medical Ninjutsu had been learned from Naraku.
Kabuto Yakushi possessed a talent for Medical Ninjutsu, an exceptionally outstanding one at that, so even though Danzo and Orochimaru still stood behind him, Naraku did not mind.
As long as he completed the tasks Naraku assigned, Naraku did not care whose man he was.
And Kabuto Yakushi had indeed not disappointed him, providing him with a great deal of help throughout the process of taking control of the Medical Emergency Response Unit.
A forest in the Land of Grass.
The dense trees blocked the sunlight, leaving the surroundings somewhat dim.
Somewhere within this forest lay a hidden base.
Thud-
A muffled sound came from underground.
Soon, a man with pale skin, long hair, and snake-like pupils emerged from an extremely well-concealed entrance.
Orochimaru!
Orochimaru, one of the Sannin renowned throughout the Shinobi World, had appeared here!
He moved hurriedly and soon left, but returned not long afterward and stepped into the base once more.
"Hehehe..."
"Good, very good!"
Cruelty gleamed in Orochimaru's snake-like eyes, and a feverish expression filled his pale face.
"The test subject's condition has improved tremendously!"
He did not even glance at the test subject before him, which had already lost its life, instead scanning back and forth over the experimental data in his hands.
Soon, Orochimaru's subordinates cleaned up the somewhat disordered laboratory, and the ruined test subject was dragged away as well.
"What a pity. I should have taken Naraku with me when I left."
"Tsunade wasted that child's talent..."
Before you continue