Orochimaru Squad's "Visit"

Uchiha Yuan had yet to adapt to his teacher Orochimaru's habit of appearing and disappearing without a trace.

Though he had quite a few secrets, as long as he did not actively reveal them, he did not need to worry about being exposed.

Lying on the stone bed with his eyes closed, pretending to practice the Spiritualisation Technique, Uchiha Yuan's thoughts churned.

In truth, intelligence was of paramount importance in battles between shinobi.

This clash with the Hidden Mist Village had brought out Kage Level powerhouses such as his teacher Orochimaru and Elder Danzo.

Though Orochimaru was a research-oriented shinobi, his combat strength could not be underestimated.

Elder Danzo was from the same generation as the Third Hokage. Even if he had spent these past years occupied with Hidden Leaf Village affairs, his skills could not have deteriorated much.

Orochimaru and Danzo appearing here together at least meant that the Hidden Mist Village would send Kage Level experts of its own.

So Isobu really was important.

Muttering to himself, Uchiha Yuan's mood grew increasingly heavy.

He actually had to get involved in a confrontation between Tailed Beasts and Kage Level shinobi. Just thinking about it made the future seem bleak.

Sure enough, was it all the fault of the Uchiha surname...?

Pulling his wandering thoughts back, Uchiha Yuan opened his eyes and found someone else inside the mountain cave.

His junior disciple Mitaraishi Anko stood with her hands behind her back, smiling down at him.

"Hehe! Uchiha Yuan! While you were hiding away in this mountain cave, I was already trading blows with Hidden Mist Village shinobi!"

Anko looked to be in good spirits, but there was a bruise on her forehead, bandages around her left wrist, and the scent of blood overwhelmed her naturally faint feminine fragrance.

Clearly, she had not gained much of an advantage in her fight with the Hidden Mist Village shinobi.

"Then you were one step behind me. Before you even fought the Hidden Mist Village shinobi, I had already taken out a Hidden Mist Anbu."

Uchiha Yuan raised his thumb and pointed it at himself.

"You're lying, right?!"

Anko froze for a moment, then suddenly remembered last night's commotion. Apparently, an infiltrating Hidden Mist Anbu had been killed on the spot.

The corpse had been in terrible condition, burned into charcoal.

The results did indeed resemble the Fire Release Ninjutsu the Uchiha Clan excelled at.

There were not many Hidden Leaf Village shinobi present who could easily kill a Hidden Mist Anbu, yet Uchiha Yuan insisted that he had done it. Anko truly had no way to refute him.

After all, during their several training sessions, she had never gotten the better of Uchiha Yuan. He had even looked as though he had never used his full strength.

"Did... did you really do it?"

Uchiha Yuan shot back without ceremony.

"Who else could it have been? You?"

Having suffered such a blow, Mitaraishi Anko instantly became like a deflated ball, all the joy draining from her body.

Uchiha Yuan could not be bothered with her.

The location of the mountain cave where he practiced had been specially arranged by Orochimaru.

His junior disciple being able to come here most likely meant their teacher Orochimaru had ordered her to look after his body while he used the Spiritualisation Technique.

A battle with the Hidden Mist Village was bound to break out before long, and Kage Level combat power like Orochimaru could not possibly spare attention to watch over him.

Yet his junior disciple had not mentioned it at all. She really was a hot-blooded, scatterbrained fool.

A mischievous urge suddenly rose in Uchiha Yuan. Using a pebble like a shuriken, he snuffed out the candlelight.

Within the pitch-black mountain cave, a pale white figure slowly emerged in the air.

Uchiha Yuan's soul stiffly shuffled toward Mitaraishi Anko, one step at a time, like an old zombie that had lain in a grave for a hundred years.

Anko's unfocused pupils were forcibly drawn into focus, while a gray figure that looked as though she had been frightened out of her wits gradually solidified.

A mournful wind howled past...

The fear on Mitaraishi Anko's face seemed to play out frame by frame, like an illustrated picture book.

By the time she screamed, Uchiha Yuan's soul had already slipped back into his body.

His mischief satisfied, Uchiha Yuan innocently asked, "Junior disciple, why are you screaming? Could the Hidden Mist Village shinobi have reached this place already?"

Yet his heart was filled with the exhilarating satisfaction of revenge.

Uchiha Yuan had suffered his junior disciple's swaggering ways for far too long!

Originally, Uchiha Yuan had thought that, since Mitaraishi Anko was the youngest in Orochimaru Squad, she had been specially assigned to look after him because it was not a particularly dangerous task.

But unexpectedly, they switched shifts the very next day.

When Hyuga Ryo arrived at the mountain cave carrying a bamboo basket, Uchiha Yuan had just woken up.

"Yuan-kun, good morning. You must be hungry, right? I brought breakfast especially for you."

"Morning, Ling~"

Uchiha Yuan had barely rubbed the sleep from his eyes when the rich aroma of meat caught his attention.

Shinobi carrying out missions usually survived on dry rations and plain water. Even an occasional proper meal depended on luck.

Hyuga Ryo smiled and shook the bamboo basket.

"It's half a charcoal-roasted rabbit. Anko, Ziyun, and I split the other half. This half was saved especially for you."

Uchiha Yuan instantly perked up. He had nearly vomited from eating so many dry rations; this half charcoal-roasted rabbit was an absolute killing blow.

His mouth watered, but he was not wearing any clothes, so Uchiha Yuan did not make any rash movements.

Seeing this, Hyuga Ryo smiled mysteriously.

"Ah, what a shame. Yuan-kun does not seem to like rabbit meat. Little rabbits are so tasty!"

Hyuga Ryo casually tore off half a rabbit leg and began eating it with obvious relish.

Taking advantage of the moment she turned around to wipe the grease from the corner of her mouth, Uchiha Yuan immediately put on his outer clothes and snatched the bamboo basket away.

There was not much of the delicious charcoal-roasted rabbit left...

After a simple breakfast to replenish his energy, Uchiha Yuan felt much more alert.

Of everyone in Orochimaru Squad, he had always found Hyuga Ryo the hardest to read.

For example, she was obviously a glutton, yet she always acted so reserved.

In many matters, she even displayed maturity and decisiveness that did not match her age.

Because of that, Uchiha Yuan had always felt that Hyuga Ryo was a scheming girl.

But he had to admit that, compared with Mitaraishi Anko, this shinobi from the Hyuga Branch Family was far more professional.

After they ate, she explained to Uchiha Yuan that she had been entrusted by Teacher Orochimaru to watch over him.

That put Uchiha Yuan's mind at ease, and he immediately entered a state of practicing the Spiritualisation Technique.

Neither he nor Hyuga Ryo was particularly talkative. She sat to one side, watching with great interest and occasionally keeping watch over the activity outside the mountain cave.

Uchiha Yuan, meanwhile, focused on his training.

This time, his soul remained outside his body for more than ten seconds—more than twice the three or four seconds he had used to frighten Anko last night.

Of course, that was the result of Uchiha Yuan deliberately holding himself back.

Then, he sharply sensed a violent fluctuation in Hyuga Ryo's chakra.

When Uchiha Yuan returned to his body and looked over, Hyuga Ryo was crouching in the corner with her back to him.

Two elegantly curved, astonishingly round full moons filled his vision. While Uchiha Yuan feasted his eyes, he also felt awkward.

Ever since he had raided Obito's base, one problem had continued to trouble Uchiha Yuan.

The living Demonic Statue Fragment could not be stored inside a Sealing Scroll at all.

With no other choice, Uchiha Yuan could only hide it in the pocket of his underwear.

That was partly for the convenience of chakra replenishment, and partly because the location was private and less likely to be discovered.

But he had not expected that, just as his soul left his body, the statue fragment hidden in his underwear pocket would suddenly begin stirring restlessly.

That had clearly caused Hyuga Ryo, who was watching nearby, to misunderstand.

Uchiha Yuan had the urge to cough up blood. His image had definitely collapsed in Ling's heart.

My innocence!

Uchiha Yuan pounded his chest with his fist.