Because of that thought, when Kabuto Yakushi received Shisui Uchiha's message telling him that he was needed as an assistant for a highly classified research project, the feeling in his heart could even be described as secret delight.
Being allowed to come into contact with a project of a higher secrecy level meant that the Fourth Mizukage's trust in him had risen another level compared to before.
And that trust was extremely important for him if he wanted to climb to the top of Kirigakure's medical-nin system.
But Kabuto Yakushi had never imagined that when he followed Shisui Uchiha to the Fourth Mizukage Rei Kaguya's laboratory with his heart full of ambition and energy, the person who came to receive him—the one in charge of this new project—would be someone he never could have expected.
One of Konoha's former Sannin.
A veteran Root member who knew his true identity.
The current S-rank missing-nin—
Orochimaru.
W-What is going on?
Why is Orochimaru here?
Has my identity been exposed?
A storm surged through Kabuto Yakushi's heart. Almost instinctively, he slowed his steps, wanting to create even the slightest chance to escape from a dangerous shinobi like Orochimaru.
But when the corner of his eye caught sight of Shisui Uchiha walking beside him, that thought silently died.
He could not escape.
He was only a brat who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy. Even if he risked his life, he could not possibly defeat an enemy above chunin level.
And whether it was Orochimaru or Shisui Uchiha, both were existences whose strength far surpassed the jonin rank. If these two people, who were right beside him, truly wanted to take his life, he might not even know when death descended.
Since resistance was impossible, he might as well first see what the other side was planning.
After calming himself slightly, Kabuto Yakushi's gaze shifted toward the other two figures already inside the laboratory.
A tall, full-figured young girl.
That was Orochimaru's disciple, Anko Mitarashi, who had defected from Konoha with him.
A person soaking in nutrient fluid, gaunt and unconscious.
That was Hyuga Makoto, a member of Konoha's Hyuga main family, now being squeezed dry by Kirigakure as a tool to obtain the Byakugan.
???
The simple yet complicated composition of the five people inside the laboratory made several huge question marks appear over Kabuto Yakushi's head.
Orochimaru and Anko Mitarashi were Konoha missing-nin.
Hyuga Makoto was a trophy Kirigakure had taken from Konoha.
Shisui Uchiha was a surrendered captive who had changed his status as a trophy by becoming the Fourth Mizukage's disciple.
As for himself, he was a spy sent by Konoha to infiltrate Kirigakure, only to be forgotten for various reasons.
What was this?
Some kind of Konoha shinobi meetup?
Looking at the confusion and incomprehension that Kabuto could no longer hide from his face, Orochimaru gave a gloomy smile and spoke unhurriedly.
"Since everyone is here, it is about time I explained the contents of the project the Fourth Mizukage entrusted to me…"
Three scrolls flew out from Orochimaru's sleeve and landed precisely in the hands of Shisui Uchiha, Anko Mitarashi, and Kabuto Yakushi.
After roughly browsing the contents, Shisui Uchiha shook his head with a bitter smile. He was the first to voice his thoughts.
"The Fourth really did it after all… I knew it. With his personality, there was no way he would place all hope of obtaining the Byakugan and Sharingan's power on me and Hyuga Makoto alone."
"You only realized that now, Shisui?"
Anko Mitarashi, who had already witnessed Rei's ideas in this area during the development of various specialized Cursed Seals, rolled her eyes and spoke in the tone of someone with experience.
"Didn't the Fourth tell you long ago that he wanted to use the Byakugan and Sharingan in fields outside of war? If he had never considered a method close to mass production, then relying only on you and Hyuga Makoto to operate everything would be too extravagant even by the Fourth's level of willfulness…"
"I know, but… but this idea is still too bold."
Shisui Uchiha looked toward Hyuga Makoto, whose face was sallow inside the nutrient fluid. He seemed to want to speak, but stopped himself.
"The Fourth Mizukage's ideas have always been bold. Otherwise, he would never have climbed onto a position coveted by countless people at such a young age."
Orochimaru chuckled and took over the conversation.
He turned his head slightly and looked at Kabuto Yakushi, who could not stop trembling because of the words recorded on the scroll. Then, as usual, he licked his lips with that astonishingly long tongue and asked in a calm voice, "What about you, Kabuto?"
The moment his voice fell, Anko Mitarashi and Shisui Uchiha both turned their gazes toward Kabuto Yakushi, the only person in the laboratory they had not interacted with much, and the only "Kirigakure" shinobi by birth.
They wanted to hear what this genius boy, whom Orochimaru had specifically requested from Rei, thought of the project.
"I, I…"
Kabuto Yakushi felt deeply uncomfortable under their stares. Cold sweat kept pouring from his forehead and back. He was afraid that one careless statement would cause the other three people present to discover something.
But the time left for him was not very generous.
After thinking it over, he could only brace himself and say, "This is not something the current me is qualified to evaluate… Whether it is the Fourth's unconstrained concept, or this Lord Orochimaru's logically rigorous argument, both are existences far beyond my current level of understanding. I do not believe judging whether something is feasible or not while knowing nothing is something that should be encouraged."
"Being able to admit your own ignorance is an excellent virtue, Kabuto."
Orochimaru walked in front of Kabuto with a smile on his lips.
He stretched out a hand to him and spoke in a rarely gentle tone.
"However, you do not need to belittle yourself. The more clearly someone recognizes their own ignorance, the more devout and focused they can remain when facing knowledge… I have high hopes that you will become an excellent assistant, Kabuto."
"Th-Thank you for your high opinion…"
Kabuto Yakushi reached out helplessly and shook Orochimaru's hand.
While sighing inwardly that the other man's body temperature was still as cold as back then, he answered carefully.
"Mmm, Orochimaru-sama! Shouldn't I be your first assistant for this experiment?"
Anko Mitarashi puffed out her cheeks and snorted angrily at Orochimaru.
"Look at me. Look at me, come on…"
Orochimaru looked at Anko Mitarashi with a subtle expression.
"I can tell that during these two years in Kirigakure, your heart has become much broader than before, Anko…"
"Ehehe Orochimaru-sama, saying that makes me a little embarrassed"
Like a little girl who had been praised, Anko Mitarashi proudly puffed out her chest, which could already sway.
Looking at her movement, the corner of Orochimaru's mouth twitched. He turned around, afraid that Anko's overly carefree and stupid expression, which seemed to have forgotten his usual style of doing things, would make him do something that would cause Rei Kaguya to punch him hard.
"Enough. Shisui Uchiha, if the Fourth Mizukage allowed you to come see me, that should mean he has tacitly allowed you to participate in the experiment as well. Take a test tube from the rack over there, collect some of your blood, then we will begin."
"W-Why start with me?"
Shisui Uchiha stepped back instinctively. His gaze fell on the test tubes on the rack labeled with the words "Hyuga Makoto."
"As experimental material, hasn't Hyuga Makoto's blood already been collected?"
"His body is too depleted. The quality of his blood is very poor. He needs to recover in nutrient fluid for some time first… Besides, there are also some things I just heard from Rei Kaguya that I want to verify."
Orochimaru summoned a giant snake and took a scroll marked with the character "First" from its mouth.
His expression remained calm.
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