Although it currently seemed like he was living under someone else's roof...
Shibuki and Orochimaru were diametrically opposed, and the Hidden Waterfall Village was completely different from the forces under Orochimaru's command. To put it bluntly, if Menma truly wanted to win over the ninja of the Hidden Waterfall in the future, it was achievable. If he was a bit ruthless, operated with precision, and used the right methods, making Shibuki a figurehead wasn't entirely impossible.
But with Orochimaru, that was a fantasy.
Every single person under Snake Uncle's command had their loyalty maxed out. If Menma tried to win them over, Orochimaru might find out the moment he made a move.
Therefore, Menma never had any thoughts of seizing Orochimaru's power. He always regarded Orochimaru merely as a springboard, an ally with whom he could share mutual benefits.
"That is completely fine. Do you need help in other areas? For example, personnel assistance?"
Shibuki waved his hand, speaking nonchalantly.
"Heh, I don't need that for the time being. Oh, I might need Shibuki-san to provide a larger venue, some necessary research equipment, and some basic supplies, if possible."
"That's no problem at all. Make a list later, and I'll have Jun-san and the others prepare it. As for the venue, there's a currently abandoned training ground in the northern part of the village. I'll designate it directly for your use, Menma-kun!"
For Shibuki, these were just minor requests, just as Mizuno Satoru had said.
Menma's arrival was a gamble for their Hidden Waterfall Village. The risk they had to bear naturally lay in Menma's identity.
Whether as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, a rogue ninja from the Hidden Leaf, or the son of the Fourth Hokage, any of these identities could easily attract the attention of the entire ninja world. Once the fact that Menma had joined the Hidden Waterfall Village was exposed, and if their ninja village hadn't yet acquired the power to withstand the entire ninja world, it would be a catastrophe.
For now...
Among the Five Great Ninja Villages, even the weakest Hidden Sand was not something the Hidden Waterfall could compare to. The number of ninja simply wasn't on the same level.
If the Hidden Sand truly disregarded everything and mobilized its troops, even ignoring border defenses elsewhere, they could still muster an army of ten thousand ninja. That was an existence the Hidden Waterfall could only look up to in despair.
Needless to say for the Leaf, Cloud, and Stone.
Shibuki could see the risks involved very thoroughly and clearly.
But similarly...
Menma's joining brought immense benefits.
Although the Nine-Tails had never fought in the ninja world in the past... judging from the performance of other Tailed Beasts, especially the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki of the Cloud Village, and given that Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju were no longer around, the Nine-Tails was inevitably the strongest existence.
Not to mention Menma's own talent and aptitude.
In the past, the Hidden Rain could barely sit on equal footing with the Five Great Ninja Villages just because of Hanzo of the Salamander alone—at least not easily threatened, possessing significant autonomy. And now, if Menma could truly grow into a perfect Jinchuriki...
Combined with Fu in their own village, the Hidden Waterfall truly had hope of becoming the Sixth Great Ninja Village. In the world of ninja, the strength of one person could genuinely bring about a qualitative change for a ninja village—provided they were strong enough.
Moreover, no matter how you looked at it, Menma didn't seem to be alone. He appeared to have a small force of his own. From Jun's brief report earlier and the meeting at the main gate...
Shibuki could judge the strength of Tayuya, Suigetsu, and the others.
Shibuki didn't know that these people weren't Menma's subordinates, but Orochimaru's.
"Then I thank you, Shibuki-san."
Menma bowed slightly in return, smiling.
"Wait a moment, then go coordinate with Jun-san, Karin," Menma said, turning to look at Karin.
"Mhm, don't worry, Menma. I know," Karin nodded heavily.
Still the only existence Menma could trust infinitely at present, Karin knew Menma's plan best.
The Hidden Waterfall Village.
This was their true foothold and starting point.
Although the current Karin was far from being able to stand on her own, she was at least much more mature and steady than at the beginning.
Menma could already rest assured leaving many things to Karin to handle.
"Then, please excuse us, Shibuki-san!"
After confirming some other issues with Shibuki...
Menma stood up and bid farewell.
"Mhm!"
With Shibuki nodding in return...
Menma took Karin and left the administration hall together.
In the following days...
Menma wasn't in a hurry to leave. After all, he was now considered a member of the Hidden Waterfall Village. Menma definitely had to attend Elder Mizuno Satoru's funeral, although he still needed to operate under the disguised identity of "Accelerator."
The Waterfall ninja attending the funeral also got to know Menma, this powerful new member, for the "first time."
The battle a few days ago had been witnessed by all these Waterfall ninja. For now, excluding Fu, Menma—this "latecomer"—could already be considered the strongest existence in the Hidden Waterfall Village.
These Waterfall ninja naturally held different attitudes toward Menma's joining. Some even speculated about Menma's arrival with the utmost malice.
But regardless...
None of these people showed it on the surface. Everyone wore a mask of welcoming Menma's arrival.
Menma knew this clearly himself.
He wasn't surprised or anxious at all. Integration didn't happen overnight; it required taking things one step at a time!
Wait until Mizuno Satoru's funeral was over.
The entire Hidden Waterfall Village seemed, at least on the surface, to return to its former calm and harmony. Everyone returned to their respective duties.
Under Shibuki's arrangement...
Menma and Karin also obtained a house for the two of them, along with an exclusive area connected to it, and a laboratory complete with various research equipment. After all, it was a ninja village with deep foundations.
Back then, being able to be allocated the Seven-Tails by the First Hokage...
One reason was that the Hidden Waterfall had sufficient power; the other was naturally because the Hidden Waterfall had sufficient financial resources.
Of course, the two complemented each other.
Otherwise, if the Seven-Tails had been allocated to the Hidden Sand, it might not have ended up in the Hidden Waterfall's hands. Of course, this was also because the Hidden Sand was too poor to handle two Tailed Beasts, which gave the Hidden Waterfall an opportunity.
But from this point, it could be seen that the Hidden Waterfall was a wealthy existence in the ninja world.
Even declined to its current state...
Providing Menma with some necessary supplies and equipment was still effortless.
After everything was settled...
Menma planned to return to the Land of Tea to have a more important negotiation with Snake Uncle.
"Karin, I leave the setup of the laboratory to you for now. Just like before, the focus is currently on cell activation and physical enhancement experiments. Don't worry about resources and materials; even if they are special, I will get more from Orochimaru-san. Prepare everything first. When I come back, we can proceed with the next step of testing."
At the main gate of the Hidden Waterfall Village.
Menma looked at Karin, who was already wearing a Waterfall forehead protector, and spoke softly.
"Mhm, don't worry, Menma. I will definitely have everything ready."
Karin nodded, her small expression very serious.
"I trust you to get it done. Then!"
Menma smiled and nodded.
"Let's go!"
Immediately after, with a burst of chakra from the soles of his feet...
He sped rapidly toward the south of the village.
Suigetsu, Tayuya, and the others followed close behind, leaving together.
Only after Menma's back completely disappeared from view did Karin step back into the village.
Unlike her timid and weak self at the beginning...
The current Karin was already striding forward on the path to becoming independent.
Next was truly about carving out her own path.
Karin knew too well how important the things she was responsible for were to Menma!
Traveling south all the way, retracing their original route, Menma and his group...
Consumed even less time than at the start.
By the time Menma returned to Orochimaru's exclusive stronghold in the southern region of the Land of Tea...
Orochimaru, far away in the southern lands, had already received the corresponding news days ago. After all, among the group following Menma out, except for Suigetsu—who obeyed outwardly but not inwardly—the rest were die-hard loyalists of Orochimaru.
Menma's actions in the Hidden Waterfall Village, and the final result...
Orochimaru naturally learned of them in the shortest possible time.
Menma didn't, and couldn't, stop these people from reporting. He would still need Orochimaru's strong assistance in the future. If possible, Menma was willing, and should say he hoped, that this alliance relationship could continue. There were few allies as reliable as Orochimaru in the ninja world.
Of course, provided you met Orochimaru's standards.
Otherwise...
Plotting with a "snake" was equally a high-risk endeavor.
"Heh, although I was well aware of Menma-kun's capabilities, I didn't expect it to be handled so cleanly and neatly. It seems the Hidden Waterfall Village is about to fall into Menma-kun's control soon."
In that familiar dim room.
With that familiar pale face and hoarse tone.
On the main seat, Orochimaru looked at Menma with an indescribable expression, chuckling low.
"Orochimaru-san really overestimates me. That is one of the top existences below the Five Great Ninja Villages. Control? Easier said than done. I've merely taken a small step forward."
Menma replied breezily.
"But this step is the most critical one. I believe in Menma-kun's ability."
Orochimaru seemed 100% confident that Menma would successfully control the Hidden Waterfall Village, his revealed smile hiding deep, special meanings.
"Then I'll borrow Orochimaru-san's auspicious words."
Menma replied in a flat tone.
"So, Menma-kun came back this time to say goodbye?"
It was clearly a question.
But Orochimaru spoke with a tone of certainty.
"Mhm. I've disturbed Orochimaru-san for so long; it's time. Staying longer might disturb Orochimaru-san. Of course, this is merely a physical departure. I believe the relationship between us will remain unchanged. As long as Orochimaru-san has a need, and it is within my capabilities, I will definitely not decline—whether in research, facing the Leaf, or dealing with the Akatsuki."
Menma straightened his body, looking at Orochimaru with burning eyes, and spoke solemnly.
Hearing Menma's words, Orochimaru narrowed his eyes slightly, smiled noncommittally, and didn't say much.
Menma wasn't surprised at all.
If Orochimaru were the type to be easily influenced or persuaded by others, he wouldn't be Orochimaru.
Don't look at how easily Menma seemed to persuade Orochimaru before.
That was because the conditions and intentions Menma proposed aligned with Orochimaru's interests. Once friction arose between them, Menma had no doubt that this Snake Uncle would attack him ruthlessly.
Remember, this guy could even harden his heart against his own teacher.
A mere Menma... if not for the Reaper Death Seal, the Nine-Tails chakra, and most importantly, the relationship between the Sharingan and the Rinnegan... let alone now, back in the Leaf, Menma would have only been treated by Orochimaru as a disposable item, discarded directly after use.
So, no matter how much or how beautifully he spoke, it couldn't compare to the actual benefits he could bring out. That was the most important thing.
Orochimaru was a realist, far more practical than Menma. As for why he turned into an idealist later in the original story... that was probably because after "dying" once, his life insights changed.
At least the current Orochimaru was still that gloomy Snake Uncle.
Therefore, Menma was well-prepared.
"This is part of the Nine-Tails chakra promised to Orochimaru-san earlier. I think it should be enough for Orochimaru-san's research. In this scroll, there is other intelligence Orochimaru-san would be interested in recorded. If there is a suitable opportunity in the future, I will bring Seven-Tails chakra for Orochimaru-san. Again, Orochimaru-san, our alliance can continue. This is the most beneficial approach, whether for Orochimaru-san or for me."
Menma took out a regular scroll and a sealing scroll from his chest, throwing both toward Orochimaru.
After catching them backhanded...
Ignoring the sealing scroll for now, Orochimaru opened the regular scroll first. The moment he saw the content recorded inside...
Orochimaru's gaze hardened involuntarily. A special gleam flowed from the depths of his snake-like pupils.
Orochimaru chuckled low: "Menma-kun truly brings me a great surprise every time."