Deep in the forest, a small snake slid silently through the undergrowth, tongue flicking. Nearby, a lone figure moved with practiced stealth.
Hatake Kakashi had returned.
Underground Research Facility.
"Heh… seems a little bug has wandered in," Orochimaru said softly, lips curling as he sensed movement above. His tongue brushed across his lips in amusement.
Uchiha Yoru merely shrugged, smiling faintly.
"That's probably Kakashi."
Orochimaru glanced at him, intrigued. Yoru's certainty caught his attention.
Yoru said nothing more.
From his perspective, Kakashi's situation was strange from the start. Leaving ANBU so cleanly made no sense. The Third Hokage had relied on Kakashi for years in the future. Someone like that didn't get set aside without reason.
Might Guy provided a convenient cover, but that very neatness was suspicious. Guy was straightforward, easy to read. Kakashi wasn't.
Which meant Kakashi was likely here on the Hokage's orders.
"Orochimaru-sensei," Yoru said calmly, "let him investigate. Organ cultivation and transplantation are classified, but they're still legitimate Root projects. Nothing illegal."
Burying everything too deeply only ensured disaster when secrets eventually surfaced. Better for this kind of technology to be quietly known among elite shinobi, unspoken but understood.
Orochimaru chuckled.
"You're thinking more like a politician every day, Yoru-kun."
His student's growth pleased him. Strength aside, Yoru's instincts were sharp, his judgment pragmatic. The Uchiha clearly hadn't neglected his political education.
Orochimaru needed assistants like that.
"Sensei, here's the latest trial data."
A young boy appeared beside him, pushing up his glasses as he handed over a report. He couldn't have been more than thirteen.
Yakushi Kabuto.
Orochimaru skimmed the document, then smiled in satisfaction.
"Excellent. Yoru-kun, the talent you recommended is impressive. Kabuto's medical aptitude rivals Kakashi's overall ability."
Kabuto dipped his head modestly. "You're too kind, Orochimaru-sama."
Even now, his skill stood out. Though still young, Kabuto had already begun to shine in medical ninjutsu, earning Orochimaru's trust as a research assistant.
Kakashi and Kabuto had more in common than either realized. Both were prodigies stalled by circumstance, forced into shadows too early. Now, in different ways, they were starting over.
"As long as I can be useful," Yoru replied with an easy smile.
At the moment, Orochimaru's situation was ideal. One student handled political maneuvering, another supported experimentation, and a third would eventually inherit his techniques.
Even sidelined by the village, he lacked nothing.
"Yoru-kun," Orochimaru said later, accepting a sealed scroll, "this month's funding?"
Yoru nodded. "All accounted for."
Orochimaru's smile widened.
"You're becoming frighteningly capable."
He knew exactly how Yoru acquired those resources and didn't care. Research required money. The village's hypocrisy wasn't his concern.
As Kabuto busied himself recording data, Yoru seized the moment.
"Orochimaru-sensei, I've been having trouble refining a technique…"
What followed was less a conversation and more a masterclass.
No matter the topic, Orochimaru understood it. Chakra flow, jutsu design, elemental interaction. Especially innovation. Compared to him, the Hokage's reputation as a "professor" felt shallow.
Yoru laid out his ideas freely.
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed.
"Interesting. Very interesting. I wouldn't have thought of that approach."
Then came a familiar, unsettling sound.
Orochimaru's throat shifted, and a scroll slid from his mouth. Yoru caught it without hesitation, flicking away the lingering saliva without a second thought.
A lightning symbol was stamped across the scroll.
"These are my notes on Lightning Release," Orochimaru said. "Study them carefully. They'll help refine your Chidori-based techniques. Especially your idea of borrowing from natural phenomena."
Yoru bowed deeply. "Thank you, Orochimaru-sensei."
With a mentor like this, struggling alone made no sense. Yoru provided the ideas. Orochimaru accelerated them into reality.
It was efficient. Elegant.
As he left, Yoru smiled with genuine respect.
This wasn't manipulation.
This was instruction.
And in the shinobi world, that made all the difference.