Kawasaki chose his words carefully, saying little to the Iwagakure shinobi. Some matters were not suitable for the ears of the two people before him.
After receiving the letter, Kitsuchi did not linger. He and Kurotsuchi departed soon after. The situation between Konoha and the Uchiha was complex, and the newly established Land of Rice Paddies, led by its Otakage, was merely a puppet of the Uchiha. As for the letter Kawasaki had given him for Onoki, Kitsuchi didn't believe it could be more important than the intelligence he had just gathered.
After seeing off the Iwagakure delegation, Kawasaki picked up his brush again and wrote a letter to Mei Terumi. He revealed his plan to form an elite team, confident that Mei would understand his intentions.
Everyone else had left, leaving only Kabuto Yakushi. Since he was one of their own, there was no need for the distant formality he showed others.
"That was quite a performance," Kawasaki began with praise.
Kabuto pushed up his glasses. "It wasn't exactly an act. Everything I said was the truth."
Kawasaki nodded. Although Kabuto had not physically returned over the years, he had consistently donated to the orphanage through Uchiha channels, proving he had not forgotten his past.
"I didn't expect you to take so long learning Sage Mode." Kawasaki gestured for Kabuto to sit.
"Lord Kawasaki, I was already quite fast. Any faster would have required taking a shortcut," Kabuto replied, shaking his head. Mastering Sage Mode was no simple task; by any measure, he was a quick learner.
Kawasaki's mind wandered. Wasn't transforming into a serpentine form the shortcut? It seemed to involve being injected with natural energy by the White Snake Sage's fangs. But now was not the time to discuss it. "We'll talk about that later. Do you know that Orochimaru is having problems with his body?"
"What?" Kabuto's composure shattered. "What's wrong with Lord Orochimaru's body?"
It seemed Orochimaru hadn't even told Kabuto.
"Don't panic. Orochimaru has his methods. We'll contact him shortly."
Though he was now the Kage of a village, the news of Orochimaru's condition still flustered Kabuto. He only calmed down after Kawasaki's reassurance.
"What have you and Orochimaru been busy with recently?"
Kabuto frowned. "Lately, Lord Orochimaru has had me cultivating clones from his cells. He said they were for you."
Kawasaki nodded. These clones were originally intended for Minato. Artificially accelerated clones had short lifespans and were even prone to sudden death, but they made excellent vessels for the Edo Tensei. This was not an era where White Zetsu roamed freely, and living sacrifices were sometimes hard to find.
"Lord Orochimaru went to research the Dead Demon Consuming Seal. He mentioned he'd made a breakthrough and told me to come ahead, saying he would follow soon."
Kawasaki narrowed his eyes, wondering how Orochimaru planned to resolve his current trouble. "Contact Orochimaru immediately. Find out where he is."
"Yes, Lord Kawasaki!" Kabuto bit his thumb and began performing the Summoning Jutsu.
Several dozen miles from Konoha, in a hidden location, lay one of Orochimaru's abandoned bases. Years ago, while conducting his experiments, Orochimaru had built bases all over the continent, each dedicated to a different research project. But after Kawasaki "recruited" him, many of these facilities were gradually abandoned.
Orochimaru had just discovered a way to break the Dead Demon Consuming Seal when his body suddenly took a turn for the worse. He decided to rest at this old base for a while.
"Lord Orochimaru, should I treat you again?" Karin asked, holding up her pale white arm.
"Hah... hah..." Orochimaru gasped twice. "Karin, my body is fine. I just need some rest."
Karin's healing abilities were potent, but they were useless against soul rejection. Orochimaru had already received Kabuto's message yesterday and had sent back a solution. Now, all he had to do was wait.
Kimimaro pushed open the door to the outer room and entered. "Lord Orochimaru, Lord Kawasaki has succeeded the Uchiha as the new clan head. The Third Hokage personally went to the Uchiha to apologize and granted Fugaku Uchiha the position of honorary elder. However, Danzo broke out of prison and escaped. Obito and Zetsu aided him."
Orochimaru leaned back on the bed. "I see. Was the man you captured from Root?"
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru. He likely escaped during the chaos when Jiraiya attacked the Root headquarters. But he's gravely ill now. I fear he won't last much longer."
"Hah... hah... Let him be."
In another room within the base, Haku was feeding some medicine into Shin's mouth. Shin was only semi-conscious, swallowing the medicine in a daze.
Jugo stood at the doorway. "Haku, Lord Orochimaru is unwell. Why do you insist on saving this person?"
Haku spoke gently. "I'm just giving him some medicine. If he pulls through, we might be able to get some intelligence on Root from him in the future."
Jugo shook his head. He knew Haku's nature; he couldn't leave someone to die. In truth, it was Jugo who had brought Shin back. Since he could communicate with birds, he had discovered the unconscious Shin while on lookout as Orochimaru rested. He then carried him back to the base.
Back in the Uchiha district, the Otogakure delegation was supposed to have left after the ceremony. However, due to internal Uchiha matters, they seemed to still be lingering.
"Does our village have any residential information on Konoha shinobi?" Kawasaki asked Akira.
Akira thought for a moment. "We only have data from a few years ago. Much of it is outdated and likely useless now."
Kawasaki waved his hand. "It doesn't matter. Go ask Hayato Hyuga. While you're at it, find out the Hyuga clan's patrol routes for tonight."
"Understood!" Akira didn't waste words. He simply did as Kawasaki commanded. Thanks to his several interactions with Kawasaki, Hayato Hyuga had managed to secure a squad leader position in the Konoha Military Police Force. Whenever Kawasaki needed to cooperate with the Hyuga, he would go directly to Hayato for materials.
Before long, Akira returned with the latest shinobi residential information and the night's patrol routes.
"Find Mitarashi Anko's address. Also, get ready. You're coming with me."
"Understood!"
"Ahh... So refreshing..." Anko stood on her second-floor balcony after a bath, sipping a cold beer. Gazing at the brightly lit streets of Konoha, she felt a sense of disorientation. She had been determined to find Orochimaru and ask him why he had abandoned her all those years ago, but he never appeared.
*Gulp... Gulp...* She drained the can in two large swallows.
*Clink.* Anko opened another one. *Gulp... Gulp... Gulp...*
Drinking so heavily, Anko's face soon flushed, and her eyes grew hazy. Forget it, time for bed. She was even starting to see snowflakes. White... feathers...
*Thud...*
Anko collapsed onto the floor.
Kawasaki, disguised with a Transformation Jutsu, stood on a nearby rooftop. "Good. This is for the best." He was wrapped tightly in a cloak, looking every bit the part of someone up to no good. But because they had the Hyuga's patrol routes, they could afford to be this bold.
"Akira, add another layer of genjutsu. We don't want her waking up midway."
"Understood." Akira had also used a Transformation Jutsu, appearing as an ordinary villager. He approached Anko, pried open her eyelid, and activated his Sharingan. Anko's eyes went completely dim. Now, she likely wouldn't wake up even if they beat her.
"Let's go. No time to waste."
At Kawasaki's signal, Kabuto produced a sack, stuffed Anko inside, and casually slung her over his back. Kawasaki couldn't help but feel a flicker of admiration. This man was truly a professional when it came to this line of work.
With the Hyuga's patrol map, the three of them quickly neared the outer walls of Konoha. This next part would be tricky. The area was protected by a sealing detection barrier. To exit Konoha, one had to pass through designated points; otherwise, the barrier would be triggered. Furthermore, using any jutsu here would allow the user's chakra to be identified. Unfortunately for him, Kawasaki was a well-known figure, and his chakra signature was already on record.
Fortunately, Kawasaki had a plan. "Wait here a moment. When the water jutsu hits, ride the current out. This path will let you avoid all the patrols. Kabuto, you take Akira and go. My real body will be waiting for you on the way."
Kawasaki produced a map with the route clearly drawn. It was a copy of the updated Hyuga patrol routes and timetables he had Akira bring back. The Hyuga were practically allies at this point. *Rest easy, Hizashi. I will not let your son die meaninglessly in a group attack.*
"Yes, sir!" Akira responded out of habit, but Kawasaki quickly clamped a hand over his mouth. The man wasn't used to this kind of covert work; he still thought he was back in the Uchiha compound.
Kabuto simply nodded, indicating he understood.
Kawasaki leaped down and headed in a different direction. He dropped his disguise, revealing the one he had prepared. A rogue ninja wearing a Kirigakure forehead protector suddenly appeared before the gate.
"Who's there!?"
Kawasaki didn't answer, instead leaping into a nearby alley and beginning to form hand seals. "Water Style: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"
*Boom!* A massive torrent of water erupted from his mouth.
"Watch out!" The Anbu behind him were instantly on alert, taking defensive positions. They leaped to higher ground as the water surged. To use such a powerful water jutsu in a place with no natural water source meant the attacker was a master of the element. Water Style masters often altered the terrain to their advantage first. A jutsu of this scale suggested hostile intent.
"Signal for reinforcements!"
An Anbu behind him nodded, firing a signal flare into the sky. Nearby villagers panicked as the massive flood swept through the area. Some ran back to their homes, while others fled outward. In the chaos, several villagers were swept outside the walls. No one noticed that one of them was carrying a sack on his back.
Kakashi saw the flare in the sky and was immediately on guard. Seeing the water about to flood the main street, he quickly jumped down and formed hand seals. "Earth Style: Mud Wall!"
*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*
Six massive earth walls, each carved with a dog's head, slammed into place, sealing the alley completely and turning it into a watertight dam.
It was Kakashi. Kawasaki glanced at him, a little surprised. Without the Sharingan, his chakra reserves were much more substantial. To think he could use an Earth Style technique of this magnitude.
"Who are you!?"
"Surrender now!" the Anbu shouted, running across the surface of the rising water toward him.
However, Kawasaki simply clapped his hands together. *Poof!* The entire shadow clone vanished into thin air, and the conjured water disappeared along with it.
Kakashi leaped down beside the Anbu. "Any leads?"
"None. The target was using a Transformation Jutsu," an Anbu replied.
"Someone who can use such a powerful water jutsu in a dry environment should be easy to track. Collect a chakra sample and have the Cryptanalysis Team run a comparison. Search the area."
"Yes, sir!"
Kakashi nodded. Why create a distraction here? What was the objective? Security was already on high alert after Danzo's prison break. How could someone have found another vulnerability? Kakashi was deeply perplexed.
Soon, the Anbu who had fanned out returned to report that no important facilities in the vicinity were damaged. They had no idea who the attacker was or what their purpose had been. Of course, they didn't know that a Special Jonin had been abducted. Anko's residence was far from the village gate, and they never imagined someone could bypass layers of security just to kidnap one person, especially with patrol teams covering the outer perimeter.
Kabuto, with the sack on his back, broke into a sprint after leaving Konoha. If not for him pausing briefly to check the map, Akira would have been left far behind. Kabuto's speed was incredible, showing no sign of being burdened by the person he was carrying. Akira didn't know the exact nature of the relationship between Kawasaki and Kabuto, but he didn't ask. Kawasaki was the clan head now, his position within the Uchiha unassailable.
The two soon ran beyond Konoha's patrol range. Kawasaki was already waiting for them in a tree.
"Let's go. We don't know the extent of Orochimaru's situation. The faster, the better."
Kabuto nodded, though he was inwardly puzzled as to why Kawasaki would bring an Uchiha along. But out of trust for his lord, he said nothing.
At Orochimaru's abandoned base, beside Orochimaru's sickbed, Karin's eyes shot wide open. "It's Lord Kawasaki and Kabuto's chakra, along with two others I don't recognize."
Kimimaro's eyes lit up. "Karin, go inform Haku. Jugo, you stay here and look after Lord Orochimaru. Lord Orochimaru, I'm going to greet Lord Kawasaki."
"Ugh... urgh..." Orochimaru's condition had worsened. He could only manage a nod, unable to speak.
When Kawasaki's group reached their destination, they found Kimimaro already waiting.
"Lord Kawasaki!" Kimimaro called out, a hint of excitement in his eyes as he spotted them from a distance.
"We can catch up later. First, tell me about Orochimaru's condition." Kawasaki gently patted Kimimaro's head. Due to the growth-inhibiting medicine he had taken, Kimimaro hadn't grown an inch. He looked exactly the same as when Kawasaki had left.
As Kimimaro led them through a passage in a hollow tree and down into a secret tunnel, he explained, "Lord Orochimaru fell ill very suddenly this time. We had just arrived nearby when he collapsed. He quickly became bedridden and can barely use his jutsu."
Kimimaro guided them through a winding corridor, finally bringing them to a room where Orochimaru lay on a bed. His face was pale, he was drenched in sweat, and his entire body trembled intermittently.
Upon seeing Orochimaru's state, Kabuto dropped the sack containing Anko on the floor. A dull thud echoed in the room, and Kawasaki silently pitied Anko.
"Lord Orochimaru..." Kabuto rushed forward to examine him, his face etched with worry.
Despite his agony, Orochimaru managed to force a smile. "Heh... I'm... fine."
Kawasaki shook his head. He wasn't a medical ninja; there was little he could do to help. "Orochimaru, we've brought Anko."
Orochimaru nodded, a flicker of relief crossing his face at the sight of Kabuto.
Just then, Kawasaki saw Haku approaching from the side.
"Lord Kawasaki!" Haku, dressed in pure white with his black hair cascading down, ran over and hugged Kawasaki's arm tightly, his face beaming with joy.
Kawasaki patted Haku's head. "Alright, Orochimaru needs treatment now. You all wait for me outside."
Haku smiled and nodded, then left with Kimimaro, Karin, and Jugo. *Where are Kisame and Kyoko?* Kawasaki wondered, not seeing them anywhere. He decided he would ask after dealing with Orochimaru's situation.
Kabuto glanced at Akira, who was standing beside Kawasaki, confused as to why he was being allowed to stay. "Lord Kawasaki, this is?"
Kawasaki waved a dismissive hand. "His name is Akira. He might prove useful soon."
Kabuto nodded, not giving it much thought. He untied the sack on the floor and dragged Anko out. The power of Uchiha genjutsu was truly formidable; Anko was covered in bruises but still hadn't woken up.
Kabuto dragged her closer, preparing to use the Evil Releasing Method to extract the fragment of Orochimaru's soul. Since Orochimaru was still alive, he hadn't had Jugo place his genetic material on her Curse Mark.
Kabuto looked at Orochimaru, who, despite his ragged breathing, nodded in confirmation.
Kabuto formed the hand seals. "Evil Releasing Method!"
He slammed his palm onto the Curse Mark. A spectral image of Orochimaru emerged from it. This phantom saw the Orochimaru lying on the bed and remarked, "You still haven't reincarnated? What was I waiting for?"
The soul then flew toward the ailing Orochimaru on the bed, instantly merging with his body.
"Gah... Aaaargh!"
Like pouring water into hot oil, Orochimaru's chakra erupted violently. He let out a bloodcurdling scream...