Leaving that laboratory which resembled a large human prison, Amado walked along the silent corridor and returned to his personal bedroom located on the upper floor.
The arrangement here was simple, with only the most basic bed, desk, wardrobe, and a large bookshelf taking up an entire wall, stuffed with various obscure texts on biology, genetics, physics, and even some involving the occult.
He locked the door behind him, walked to the desk, and slowly sat down.
The desk was very tidy, with only a computer in sleep mode, a few pens, and a simple wooden photo frame.
Amado reached out and picked up the frame.
Inside the frame was a somewhat old photograph.
The photo was taken in a sunny park, with swings and a slide visible in the distance.
A little girl with brilliant golden long hair, pale purple eyes, and a smile as warm as sunshine was nestling in the arms of a young man with a gentle smile on his face.
That was his daughter, Akebi.
His fingertip, extremely gently, traced the smiling face of his daughter in the photo. Even the cold lenses of his goggles could not completely block the pain and longing revealed in his eyes.
The only trace of warmth in this cold room seemed to emanate from this old photograph.
He maintained this posture for a long, long time.
Finally, as if he had made a certain decision, he gently placed the photo frame back on the desk, facing up, so that his daughter's smile could still be seen.
Then, with great solemnity, he slowly removed the white laboratory gloves he always wore on his right hand.
Under the glove was a hand with slightly pale but well-maintained skin.
Amado's gaze fell on the back of his own right hand.
There, the skin was smooth and unremarkable, without any scars or marks.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
The Chakra within his body began to be slowly guided in a special way, converging and injecting into a specific location on the back of his right hand.
Soon, with the continuous injection of Chakra, a faint light seemed to shine through the skin on the back of his right hand.
Then, on the skin's surface, three black marks arranged in a 'V' shape, as if awakened from sleep, little by little emerged!
The instant the marks completely appeared, Amado felt his consciousness suddenly sink!
As if pulled by an invisible force, peeled away from the shell of his body in the real world!
As his vision went dark, all his senses faded and blurred in an instant.
He felt like he had fallen into a swift river composed of pure Chakra and information flow, rapidly falling towards some unknown abyss...
After an unknown amount of time, when Amado's consciousness broke free from the rapid descent of weightlessness and regained perception, he found himself standing in a blue space.
Beneath his feet was calm, rippleless shallow water, clearly reflecting the starlight.
Looking up, he saw an infinitely extending, pure blue starry sky that was breathtaking.
Countless stars of varying brightness and size hung silently. The entire world was boundless and vast, giving an unreal feeling.
"So this is... the mental space connected by the mark?" Amado instinctively pushed up the orange goggles on the bridge of his nose, his sharp gaze behind the lenses sweeping around.
"You are Amado?"
Just then, a clear, cool voice suddenly sounded behind him.
Amado's body stiffened. He had completely not sensed anyone approaching!
In this mental domain that was completely unfamiliar to him and beyond his control, this loss of control made him extremely uneasy.
He spun around, his movements slightly hurried due to alarm.
Standing on the water a few steps behind him was a young girl.
She looked about fourteen or fifteen years old, tall and well-proportioned, wearing a dark blue high-collared coat and black, open-toed Ninja boots that covered her calves.
Her sleek, jet-black medium-short hair fell loosely behind her head, and she wore a golden hairband on her forehead.
Her appearance was extremely beautiful, her delicate face carrying a valiant and dignified authority. But the most striking thing was her eyes, which were calmly watching Amado… deep black, still as an ancient well, as if capable of reflecting the deepest parts of Amado's heart.
The girl's arms were casually crossed over her chest, her posture carrying the steadiness and scrutiny of someone who had held a high position for a long time.
Amado quickly suppressed his startled expression, but his brow furrowed slightly.
He remembered clearly that when Shura had implanted the mark into his hand three years ago, he had said that when Amado understood Jigen's deception and decided to seek cooperation, he could directly contact Shura through this mark.
But now, a strange girl appeared?
"The one I want to see is Shura," Amado said in a deep voice, his tone carrying a hint of caution.
He needed to confirm the other party's identity and authority.
The cooperation with Shura concerned his lifelong pursuit, as well as the future fate of himself and his daughter Akebi. He could not allow any mistakes or disrespect.
Faced with Amado's implicitly questioning attitude, Hikari's proud demeanor did not change in the slightest.
She simply raised her chin slightly, and in those calm black eyes, a magnificent color suddenly lit up!
Hum—
A vast Ocular Power quietly spread with her as the center!
The background color of her eyes instantly turned pale red, and layers upon layers of pale purple concentric rings emerged and rotated.
And on the innermost two rings, six pitch-black patterns, shaped like tomoe and also like spreading branches, slowly coiled and bloomed as if alive!
The Six-Tomoe Rinnegan!
"Your situation has already been informed to me by Shura-sama." Hikari's voice remained clear and cool, but because of those eyes, it gained an added captivating oppressiveness.
"Tell me the information you need to convey, and your requirements. I will relay them to Shura-sama."
The slightest trace of disdain Amado had felt due to her youthful appearance vanished in an instant upon seeing these eyes, replaced by intense shock!
These eyes…
He recognized them!
After all, Amado was ostensibly a scientist from the Amegakure, owning a biotechnology company that provided considerable ninja tools to the Amegakure and even the Akatsuki. Naturally, he had also seen Konan and Pain, and had seen Pain's eyes!
Legend had it that these were the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths, possessing the power to control life and death!
Jigen had also shown strong interest in those eyes, but had refrained from taking action due to lying dormant and not wanting to get involved in Ninja World's conflicts.
And the Rinnegan possessed by this young girl before him seemed even more powerful than Pain's Rinnegan!
The six slowly rotating tomoes emitted an oppressiveness that made one's soul tremble, making Amado almost afraid to look directly into them.
'One of Shura's subordinates... actually possesses such power?' Shocking waves surged in Amado's heart.
He had originally thought that only Shura himself possessed the terrifying strength to counter Jigen. He never imagined that under his command there would also be a Ninja possessing the legendary Rinnegan!
This greatly boosted his confidence in cooperating with Shura.
Amado once again took a deep look at Hikari's beautiful and resplendent eyes, as if trying to confirm more information from them.
Finally, he nodded heavily, removed his orange goggles, rubbed his somewhat tired brow, as if taking off some heavy disguise.
Before this young girl with the Rinnegan, any disguise or probing seemed superfluous.
"I understand." Amado's voice returned to calm and orderly.
He quickened his pace, saying: "Not long ago, a guy calling himself 'Otsutsuki Urashiki' appeared in the laboratory where Jigen and I were located."
He paused, then began to describe in detail: "His appearance features are light blue long hair tied in a high ponytail, and he wields a red Chakra fishing rod as a weapon."
"His personality is frivolous and cynical, but he doesn't seem to have much respect for Jigen. He has mastered extremely advanced Space-Time Ninjutsu, coming and going without a trace."
"He sought out Jigen, and—" Amado's tone became even more grave. "He invited Jigen to cooperate during the 'Third Stage of Chunin Exams of the Konoha Village'..."
....
Meanwhile, Konoha Village, afternoon.
With only one day left until the third stage of the Chunin Exams, Konoha had reached its peak of foot traffic.
On the main street, people were packed shoulder to shoulder, the noise boiling over.
Wealthy merchants from the major cities of the Land of Fire, nobles from surrounding countries who had come for sightseeing or business opportunities, lingering Ninja and accompanying personnel from various Ninja Villages, and villagers taking advantage of the festive atmosphere...
A diverse stream of people intertwined, crowding the wide streets.
The air was mixed with various food aromas, the scent of powder, sweat, and excited chatter.
Shops along the street were decorated with lanterns and banners reading [Celebrating the Chunin Exams' Finals] and [Konoha Welcomes You], their business several times more booming than usual.
Stalls selling specialty products, snacks, ninja tools, and souvenirs were crowded, with the sounds of hawking and bargaining endless.
Menma walked alone through this sea of joy, forming a subtle sense of alienation from the surrounding hustle and bustle.
He wore a black tracksuit easy to move in, his hands in his pockets, his pace steady, his gaze calmly sweeping over the excited or curious passersby.
Before long, he stopped under the sign of a three-story building in the middle of the main street.
[Afternoon Time] Tea Restaurant, a small shop known for its exquisite tea snacks and quiet atmosphere. The window seats on the second floor presumably had an excellent view.
He went upstairs and indeed saw many customers, mostly travelers.
Fortunately, a small table by the window was still empty.
Menma walked over and sat down, ordering a cup of the signature milk tea and a few uniquely shaped pastries from the sweet-smiling waitress.
While waiting, he turned his head and looked out the window.
His gaze swept over the surging crowd below, over the distant flags of various countries and celebratory streamers, and finally, settled on the Hokage Rock.
First Hokage Senju Hashirama, Second Hokage Senju Tobirama, Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, Fourth Hokage Namikaze Minato.
The four giant stone faces appeared particularly clear and solemn under the afternoon sunlight.
They silently looked down upon the prosperous village below, their gazes as if piercing through time and space, witnessing Konoha's birth, growth, wounds, and continuation.
Menma's gaze lingered on the Fourth Hokage's rock face for an exceptionally long time.
'Seeing the village you once risked your life to protect about to suffer a heavy blow... Father, will it pain you?' Menma was actually quite curious.
Back then, when Minato learned that Menma was preparing to use Orochimaru's Konoha Crush Plan to cause trouble, he did not stop him, only letting out a deep sigh.
The Konoha Crush Plan was not only Orochimaru's revenge but also the moment Menma was preparing to declare war on the entire Ninja World!
Urashiki's appearance also made Menma realize that the Space-Time anomalies caused by him as the butterfly had already deviated this world too much from the original plot. The threat of the Otsutsuki Clan was imminent.
Menma could only accelerate his actions, moving forward the Fourth Great Ninja War, originally planned to begin in three years.
"Sir, your milk tea and pastries. Please enjoy." The waitress's soft voice interrupted Menma's thoughts.
"Thank you." Menma withdrew his gaze and nodded politely to the waitress.
After the waitress left, Menma picked up a small rabbit-shaped cream cake topped with strawberries and held it up before his eyes.
Whoosh!
A small red figure darted out from his short hair like lightning!
Its target clear, its little claws precisely snatched the small cake, and then with a 'whoosh' it shrank back into Menma's hair, leaving only a faint Chakra fluctuation and a faint, satisfied 'smacking' sound.
The corner of Menma's mouth slightly upturned, revealing a helpless yet doting smile.
This little one's obsession with sweets was truly etched into its soul.
Picking up the cup of warm milk tea, Menma took a shallow sip.
'Tomorrow is the third exam.'
'I wonder how that kid Naruto's special training with Jiraiya is going?'
'Has he mastered the Rasengan?'
'And Sasuke, he should be training with Kakashi now.'
'I hope they can perform well in tomorrow's match, and I also hope... they will have enough strength to protect themselves in the coming storm.'
"Sorry to bother you." Just as Menma was sipping his milk tea and his thoughts were drifting away, a gentle, appropriately polite voice sounded beside his table. "All the other tables are full. May I share this table with you?"
Menma looked up.
Standing by the table was a young man in his early twenties with a gentle, scholarly air.
He wore ordinary black-rimmed glasses, his eyes behind the lenses slightly narrowed with a friendly smile.
His light gray short hair was somewhat disheveled, and he wore the forehead protector of Kusagakure on his brow.
Yakushi Kabuto.
"Sure, have a seat." Menma's gaze met the other party's smiling eyes behind the lenses, then he calmly nodded.
"Thank you." Kabuto politely thanked him, pulled out the chair opposite, and sat down. His movements were natural, as if he really were just an ordinary tourist who couldn't find a seat.
The waitress soon arrived. Kabuto picked up the drink menu on the table, looked it over carefully, and ordered a cup of tea: "A cup of oolong tea, please. Thank you."
During the brief silence while waiting for the tea to arrive, neither spoke first.
Menma continued to look out the window, while Kabuto took out a booklet that looked like a travel guide from his bag and flipped through it casually. The atmosphere was harmonious and calm.
However, this calm was soon broken by a commotion outside the window.
A slightly noisy clamor came from the other end of the street, growing closer.
A team of about twenty Ninja, wearing uniform black outfits and the forehead protectors of Otogakure, with cold and stern expressions and steady steps, were escorting a lavishly decorated deep purple palanquin carried by four strong men, slowly approaching.
The palanquin's curtains were drawn low, concealing the interior.
And on the periphery of the Otogakure's Ninja team were about ten Konoha's Ninja, dispersed in front of and behind the team, responsible for clearing the way and maintaining order, their expressions serious, clearly attaching great importance to this group.
The crowd on the street was drawn by this spectacle, stopping to watch, pointing, and discussions arose.
"Look! That's the Otogakure's team, right? Who's in the palanquin? Such a grand display?"
"I heard it's the Daimyo of the Land of Rice Fields himself, coming to watch the ceremony!"
"Land of Rice Fields? The Daimyo of that small country? Konoha is making such a big deal?"
"After all, he is a Daimyo. And he married the third princess of the former Daimyo of the Land of Fire. Still, respect needs to be given..."
By the window, Kabuto's gaze moved away from the booklet in his hand. Through his lenses, he calmly glanced at the passing team outside the window, the corner of his mouth curling into a slight smile.
He picked up the freshly served oolong tea and gently blew on the steam.
Then, as if talking to himself, in a voice only audible to his tablemate, he softly uttered a sentence:
"It seems he is ready."
Menma continued to look out the window. His Mind's Eye of the Kagura had long clearly perceived that from within that palanquin emanated an extremely familiar, cold, sticky Chakra.
Orochimaru.
Unlike in the original work, where he impersonated the Fourth Kazekage, in this Space-Time, Sunagakure and the Land of Wind were already history. So Orochimaru changed his identity, choosing to disguise himself as the Daimyo of the Land of Rice Fields, who had close ties with the Otogakure.
With a Daimyo personally present on such a grand occasion, even Konoha had to provide the highest level of reception. This undoubtedly provided him with an excellent opportunity and identity cover to approach the Third Hokage.
Menma did not respond to Kabuto's words. He simply picked up his milk tea and took another sip.
The two understood each other without words, an unspoken understanding permeating the air.
The aroma of tea and milk mixed in the air. The noise outside the window gradually faded as the team moved away.
Menma and Kabuto quietly enjoyed their refreshments, like strangers sharing a table, with no further communication.