After encountering the little white snake, Uchiha Shunichi had spent over a week in relative idleness.
During this time, some interesting events occurred.
Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki had begun their daily training. While most of the time it was Sasuke teaching Naruto, it still piqued the curiosity of many at the academy.
Sasuke's personality, however, was far from that of someone genuinely benevolent, eager to teach others.
Shunichi watched this scene cautiously, anticipating a visit from Root or the Anbu.
To his surprise, no one came. Neither Root nor the Anbu seemed concerned, as if Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others truly didn't mind the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki forming a friendship with the remaining members of the Uchiha clan.
In reality, this outcome made sense.
After all, only two children remained in the Uchiha clan, and friendships between kids are peculiar, unpredictable things.
Beyond these surprises, Shunichi also saw some progress in the cultivation of Naruto's cells in his laboratory.
The progress was minor, but remarkably, the lab mice transplanted with Naruto's and Sasuke's cells had survived.
When the first mouse made it through its second day, Shunichi replaced its cage with a far sturdier one and injected it with triple doses of anesthetic.
Since this first successful test subject was hard-won, Shunichi couldn't bring himself to destroy it immediately.
Even such a small experiment could potentially lead to mutations…
As a result, Shunichi found himself running to the lab frequently these days.
"Shunichi, are you going to the lab again tonight?" Sasuke asked curiously after finishing his meal, noticing Shunichi's hurried steps.
"Yes. If my guesses are correct, the initial formulas for enhancing my body should now be ready for development," Shunichi replied with a nod.
Although his research currently focused on two individuals' cells, he had no plans to suppress them just yet.
His goal was to experiment with derivatives—substances that could awaken human potential, as well as compounds to supplement his own body's nutrition.
More specifically, Shunichi was using the aggressive tendencies of Naruto's and Sasuke's cells to stimulate the mice, then testing various potentially effective compounds on them.
This explained why Shunichi had been so busy lately.
However, as he stepped outside, he instantly sensed someone else approaching. This presence bore no killing intent, but a faint trace of malice lingered.
Without hiding his abilities, Shunichi called out: "Who's there?!"
From a nearby shadow, a young figure emerged—a boy wearing round glasses, smiling gently.
"Impressive reflexes! Don't worry… I'm just passing by, no ill intentions," Kabuto Yakushi said, adjusting his glasses.
"Passing through this desolate place? Quite the coincidence," Shunichi replied, his tone tinged with sarcasm.
"Looks like I've been spotted… Heh, just kidding. Actually, a certain important person asked me to deliver something to you. He's quite interested in you," Kabuto's expression shifted slightly.
Shunichi's mind raced with guesses. He still couldn't tell whether Kabuto was acting for Danzo or for Orochimaru.
"What is it?" Shunichi asked cautiously.
Kabuto wasted no words. He produced a scroll and tossed it to Shunichi.
"This is from that person. He said not to disappoint him. As for what you promised, he'll come to collect it himself."
With that, Kabuto handed over the scroll and turned to leave, seemingly in a rush.
Shunichi watched him go and suddenly said, "If you ever meet a blonde woman in the future, even if she's an enemy, don't kill her—or you'll regret it."
After speaking, Shunichi headed straight for his laboratory.
Even now, he hadn't figured out exactly who sent Kabuto—but the odds favored Orochimaru, though Danzo couldn't be ruled out.
Kabuto paused, puzzled, a faint smile curling at the corners of his mouth as he watched Shunichi leave.
Acting as a go-between for Root and Orochimaru, Kabuto knew many secrets. He didn't care much for uncertain advice, but he never forgot it.
...
Inside the lab, everything remained as before. On the surface, it seemed like no one had visited, but Shunichi knew Anbu members came periodically to check.
He didn't care about that.
Living in Konoha, there were very few things he could truly hide. As long as he refrained from human experimentation, Hiruzen Sarutobi would likely be pleased with what Shunichi was currently doing.
After all, in Sarutobi's eyes, Shunichi was an eccentric genius. With his personality, Sarutobi could easily manage him.
Though Sarutobi's abilities as Hokage were mediocre, his talent for controlling people was exceptional.
Despite being arguably the worst Hokage in history, he erased the legacies of the first and second Hokage through pure political skill, eliminating threats without bloodshed.
Konoha now lay firmly in Sarutobi's hands.
He was not a great Hokage—some even called him indecisive and weak—but he was an outstanding politician. Frankly, being the village leader seemed almost beneath him.
Shaking his head, Shunichi set aside these thoughts and retrieved the storage scroll given by Kabuto, pulling out numerous books and experimental materials.
Upon seeing the materials, Shunichi immediately realized they all came from Orochimaru.
Though he regretted not meeting Orochimaru in person, the priceless resources and experimental materials delighted him.
What he lacked most were these foundational resources. With Orochimaru's materials, Shunichi believed he could make rapid progress.
Suppressing his excitement, Shunichi began studying immediately.
Orochimaru, as expected of Konoha's renowned scientist, had provided even basic beginner materials that solved many problems Shunichi had long struggled with.
He also realized that some of his own ideas could be implemented more conveniently than he had imagined…