The moonlight was cold and desolate as Orochimaru moved quietly through a secluded forest within Konoha.
His expression remained calm, as though the encounter with that mysterious figure not long ago had left no mark on him at all.
But inwardly, things were far from so simple.
He could clearly feel it—his situation had grown complicated… and troublesome.
That brief clash had undoubtedly drawn attention, especially from someone as perceptive as Natsuhiko.
A battle in such a location, combined with the fact that Orochimaru had taken hold of that experimental subject… there was no way Natsuhiko would let it pass without suspicion.
And reality proved as much.
Though he couldn't see anyone around him, he could sense it—the faint, ever-present feeling of being watched.
Whoever was tracking him was well-trained, leaving behind no obvious traces.
But a shinobi like Orochimaru would never be completely unaware. He simply chose not to acknowledge it.
He could more or less guess who it was.
ANBU.
After all, aside from them, who else would dare to operate in such a manner within Konoha?
The truth was, the internal situation of ANBU was far more complicated than most people imagined. Or rather… the entire state of Konoha itself had become increasingly intricate.
Still, Orochimaru didn't dwell on it too much. Perhaps that encounter with Natsuhiko had truly shaken him.
For the first time, he felt it clearly—there were limits to what he could achieve within Konoha.
The dream he once held as a Konoha shinobi had already been extinguished over a year ago, when Minato Namikaze officially became the Fourth Hokage.
What remained now was a different kind of ambition—something greater, more profound.
At least, that was how he saw it.
He did not want to be bound by anyone, yet he also had no intention of openly turning against Hiruzen Sarutobi… not yet.
"At the very least… I need to fully grasp the power of the Senju clan. Only then can I ensure those people will truly fear me."
As he walked, his thoughts churned quietly.
That unexpected encounter with Natsuhiko had left a deep imprint on him—one he could not ignore.
Having suffered such a crushing defeat, Orochimaru naturally had to find a way to respond.
If those people feared Wood Release—feared Natsuhiko's power—then there were only a few paths he could take.
The first was to win Natsuhiko over.
To reach some form of agreement, to secure protection.
It was the simplest method, and the one that could yield results the fastest.
The second was to uncover the secrets of Wood Release himself, allowing him to stand against them with his own strength.
This path was far more difficult—perhaps even impossible within his lifetime.
But Orochimaru was Orochimaru. No matter how difficult the road, he would never abandon it.
As for the third option…
The Impure World Reincarnation (Edo Tensei).
Orochimaru did not believe Natsuhiko's Wood Release could compare to that of the First Hokage.
If he could summon the First Hokage through that forbidden technique, it would become his most effective means of self-preservation.
Of course, the first option was the least reliable in his eyes.
From a positional standpoint, he and Natsuhiko were practically enemies already.
Otherwise, why would he be under investigation by the ANBU?
Moreover, the things he had done would inevitably provoke Natsuhiko's anger. When that time came, his situation would become truly dangerous.
In reality, he only had two viable paths—and fortunately, they did not conflict with each other.
He could study Wood Release while also researching the Impure World Reincarnation… or focus on mastering the Impure World Reincarnation first, then use the First Hokage to uncover the secrets of the Wood Release.
Either way, both approaches were acceptable.
"Still… my grasp of the Impure World Reincarnation isn't sufficient yet," Orochimaru mused.
"Even if I succeed in summoning someone, they may not obey me completely—or worse, refuse to reveal anything at all."
"And then there's the issue of control precision… as well as the necessary materials."
"It seems my primary focus should remain on cellular research and Wood Release. The Impure World Reincarnation will have to come second."
After a brief moment of contemplation, he arrived at his conclusion.
In truth, this was not the first time he had thought through these possibilities.
Ever since that overwhelming defeat at the hands of Natsuhiko—cloaked in the power of the Nine-Tails—he had been revisiting these questions again and again.
There was no denying it.
That battle… had left a deep and lasting impression on him.
In every aspect—speed, strength, perception—he had been completely overwhelmed. No matter what he did, it had felt like a child's game in the eyes of his opponent.
Worse still, that man hadn't even taken him seriously. He had watched with indifference… as if Orochimaru's life and death were entirely within his control.
It was an unbearable feeling.
"Orochimaru-sama."
As Orochimaru stepped into the laboratory, the Root shinobi stationed there immediately bowed their heads in greeting.
Orochimaru merely glanced at them without a word.
He could tell at a glance that these were newly recruited members—still little more than reserves who had been gathered under Danzo's command.
Ever since Danzo had been stripped of his position, his authority had diminished significantly. Even so, his methods remained effective enough to gather a new group willing to follow him.
But compared to the previous generation, their quality and strength were clearly lacking.
Thinking back, the friction between Root and ANBU had seemingly begun when Natsuhiko started asserting his power within ANBU.
Back when he was still a Division Commander, he had personally killed his own Root teammate—Aburame Tatsuma, a loyal and capable shinobi.
Orochimaru still remembered him well… though the man had been dead for quite some time now.
"Root really isn't what it used to be," Orochimaru thought to himself as he walked deeper into the lab. "I wonder if it will ever return to its former state."
But just then, a sudden fluctuation of chakra rippled from above the laboratory.
In an instant, the Root shinobi stationed inside became alert, rushing out toward the surface.
Orochimaru remained where he was, silently observing, his brow furrowing slightly.
He said nothing.
He simply waited… for the outcome that would confirm his suspicions.
Before long, the commotion subsided, and a Root shinobi quickly returned, kneeling before him.
"Orochimaru-sama, it appears to have been ANBU," the man reported in a low voice. "They were very cautious and have already withdrawn. Should we shut this place down?"
"Shut it down?" Orochimaru let out a soft laugh, licking his lips as he turned to leave. "There's no point in that anymore."
"Unless… you intend not to report this to Danzo. Would you?"
"…My apologies, Orochimaru-sama." The shinobi kept his head lowered, his tone emotionless. "I serve Danzo-sama. I cannot conceal this from him."
"Exactly," Orochimaru replied with a careless smile. "So whether we shut it down or not makes little difference."
He waved a hand dismissively.
"Go on. Report everything to Danzo properly."
With that, he said nothing more.
Because by now, he had already guessed the outcome.
After all, Orochimaru was a man who had once come close to becoming Hokage. His analytical and logical abilities were never in question.
Natsuhiko might be young, but someone who could rise to the position of ANBU Commander was anything but simple.
And if he wasn't simple, then every move he made must carry intent.
Putting himself in Natsuhiko's position, Orochimaru asked himself—
What would he do?
The answer came quickly.
If he were dealing with someone like Danzo, he would first analyze his personality and methods. With access to ANBU's vast intelligence network, such information would be easy to obtain.
Once he understood Danzo's nature, he could then manipulate events… setting things in motion so that his enemies would turn against themselves.
Orochimaru had long known that the rumors about him circulating in Konoha over a year ago had not been a coincidence.
It had never been something so simple.
But his nature was prideful—if he had done something, he would not deny it. If he hadn't, he wouldn't bother refuting it either.
Now, it seemed Natsuhiko intended to use that very incident… or rather, to exploit Danzo's suspicious and stubborn personality.
After all, Natsuhiko had that experimental subject in his possession.
And this matter… was something Orochimaru could never completely distance himself from.
He didn't want to be abandoned, nor did he want to be entangled in this mess. In truth, all he needed to do was something simple.
If he let the old rumors resurface—let them spread like wildfire once more—then the situation would only grow larger and more chaotic on its own. And with Danzō already stripped of his position, there was no way he could interfere anymore. In the end…
"What a clever move. Even if I tried to expose this, you'd probably just fan the flames yourself and let the rumors run rampant, wouldn't you?"
For some reason, Orochimaru's lips curled into a cold, eerie smile, as if he had just found something genuinely amusing.
"Then let's see how it plays out," he said softly, a trace of anticipation in his voice. "This might actually turn out to be a good thing for me… so…"
As the thought crossed his mind, his gaze drifted to the Root ninja from earlier. The smile at the corner of his mouth deepened, growing more inscrutable.
"Is it already done?"
...
Early the next morning, Natsuhiko looked at Kakashi standing before him and gave a satisfied nod.
Kakashi's ability and efficiency when it came to handling tasks were beyond question. Besides, this hadn't been a particularly difficult mission—just something to draw the attention of Root and possibly Orochimaru, then withdraw quickly. For a seasoned ANBU operative, that much could be executed flawlessly.
Under normal circumstances, Natsuhiko wouldn't have required Kakashi to report in person. But what Kakashi needed to report went far beyond that.
With a casual wave of his hand, every ANBU operative stationed in the office silently withdrew. The internal affairs division was still expanding, and for now, Natsuhiko had only recruited a handful of shinobi from the Senju clan. There would be time to broaden recruitment to other clans in the future, but at this stage—while the ANBU was being rebuilt and expanded—absolute loyalty was essential.
Only after the room had been cleared did Natsuhiko lower his voice and ask, "So… did he make any unusual moves?"
"No, Commander," Kakashi replied promptly, his gaze turning colder. "I stayed on him the entire time, observing from the shadows. He hesitated a bit, but in the end, he didn't act. Still… I can't say with absolute certainty that he didn't use some more covert method to do something."
Natsuhiko nodded thoughtfully as he listened. It was a fair and objective assessment—after all, the one Kakashi had been monitoring was Antelope.
Natsuhiko had no intention of acting against Antelope lightly, and he had already told Renge that this would be a test—one to determine whether Antelope could be of use to him. But that didn't mean he would trust the man. Antelope's stance was far too ambiguous, and a single misstep could easily bring trouble upon Natsuhiko himself.
Surveillance, then, was necessary. It was part of the test.
"I see, Kakashi." After a brief moment of thought, Natsuhiko smiled faintly. "By the way, I heard you haven't taken a break in quite some time. Is that true?"
"Commander!" Kakashi immediately lifted his head. "This is a critical period for the ANBU, I—"
"You're on leave now. Approved by me. And you don't need to call me 'Commander,'" Natsuhiko interrupted with a light chuckle. "Work needs balance. If you keep pushing yourself at this pace, both your body and mind will eventually give out. That's not worth it."
As he spoke, Natsuhiko stood and walked over. Without warning, he reached out and removed Kakashi's mask.
Caught off guard, Kakashi froze, unsure what expression he was even supposed to wear. Thankfully, the cloth covering the lower half of his face spared him from complete embarrassment.
After placing the mask back into Kakashi's hand, Natsuhiko smiled gently.
"Spending too long in the ANBU will change you. Darkness needs light to be dispelled—and right now, you need a normal environment to help you regain yourself, even if just a little."
His gaze softened.
"I don't want my friend to become someone else because of the assignments I gave him. If that happens, I won't be able to forgive myself. And the Fourth Hokage wouldn't forgive me either… let alone those who are already resting in the Pure Land."
After finishing his words, Natsuhiko simply smiled at Kakashi. In contrast, Kakashi fell into a long silence.
Only after quite some time did he finally lift his head. His eyes curved into crescents, the tension in them softening into something far more relaxed. "I understand, Captain Natsuhiko. I'll head back and get some rest."
"Go on," Natsuhiko replied with a nod, his smile still gentle. "Take this time to reconnect with our old classmates. Relax a little, rediscover those ordinary but beautiful moments… because once you're done resting, you'll be diving back into even busier work."
"Yes, Captain." Kakashi nodded with a faint smile, then put his mask back on and quietly left the office.
Work needed balance—there was no doubt about that.
Even those people from Natsuhiko's previous life—the ones he thought deserved to be strung up on lampposts—had the sense to give at least one day off per week instead of pushing some absurd "007" schedule (24/7). Of course, "996 (9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week)" had been bad enough already… and he himself had suffered under it.
Now, as the Commander of the ANBU, he certainly had the authority to enforce a 996 schedule—or even a relentless 007 routine—on all its members if he wanted to.
But he had no intention of turning the entire organization into a chorus of resentment. Instead, he planned to have the secretariat properly study and establish a reasonable rest system.
After all, with such a large number of ANBU personnel, it was essential to ensure that some remained on duty at all times while others rotated off for rest. In a sense, it was a mathematical problem.
Unfortunately, Natsuhiko had been a humanities student in his previous life. His mathematical ability was so poor that even a middle school teacher would probably have been driven to despair—let alone a high school one.
The ninja academy in this world did teach some calculations, but most of it revolved around things like wind resistance or the angle at which a kunai should be thrown.
To Natsuhiko, that seemed largely unnecessary. In his view, those were matters of personal skill—things that could be refined through practice even without precise calculations.
"Alright… Kakashi's matter is settled. As for the leave system, I'll leave it to Sora and Renge to figure out. They were top students back at the academy, after all."
Stretching lazily, Natsuhiko left behind a shadow clone along with a trace of the Nine-Tails' chakra before vanishing instantly using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Work-life balance wasn't just something he preached to Kakashi—it was something he intended to practice himself. As a leader, he had to set an example. When it was time to rest, he would rest properly.
Besides, what he was about to do was no trivial matter—it concerned the improvement of his own strength.
With a faint ripple of chakra, Natsuhiko had already left Konoha behind, arriving deep within a dense forest.
His gaze swept across the lush greenery. After confirming that the sealing techniques he had set up around the area were intact, his eyes settled on a towering tree before him.
He wouldn't dare cultivate anything like this within Konoha itself, so he had deliberately chosen a location far away—yet still within the sensing range of his Flying Thunder God. This forest met all his requirements perfectly, and more importantly, there were no nearby paths that would bring people here by accident.
Looking at the massive tree, Natsuhiko raised an eyebrow slightly.
Inside it, he had sealed the entire arm of Obito. It had been left to incubate for quite some time now, yet there had been no reaction whatsoever—so much so that he had begun to suspect something had gone wrong.
However, starting from last month, he had begun to notice something strange: an unusual chakra had started to emerge from within the tree.
It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. And yet, despite its strangeness, it didn't feel dangerous.
More than that, this chakra seemed to attract animals from the surrounding area—a detail that immediately put him on guard.
To investigate, Natsuhiko had even used a small lizard to communicate with the nearby animals. Their responses had been vague, yet strangely consistent.
They all spoke of a peculiar force—something gentle and compelling—that drew them in without resistance.
As a ninja, Natsuhiko remained wary of anything unusual. If it could attract animals, then there was no reason it couldn't attract humans as well.
"…But this isn't life force. So why is it drawing them in?"
Standing before the towering tree, Natsuhiko found himself pondering the question once again.
It wasn't the first time he had thought about it.
Yet as he felt the strange chakra radiating from the tree, he couldn't help but sink back into deep contemplation.
There was a certain pull in that power for Natsuhiko as well—but it was faint, almost negligible.
It was clear to him that this wasn't the life force unique to Yang Release. As someone capable of manipulating vitality itself, he was intimately familiar with the essence of life. What he felt now was something entirely different—just a subtle tug, nothing more.
Unable to make sense of it, Natsuhiko could only wait in silence.
Judging by the chakra currently emanating from the tree, it likely wouldn't be long before something extraordinary took shape within it. And for some reason—perhaps intuition, perhaps something deeper—he had a strong feeling that whatever was being nurtured inside might prove immensely beneficial to him.
Turning his head, his gaze shifted to another tree nearby.
Inside that one, he had sealed the chunk of flesh he had recently obtained from Hashirama Senju. Yet, much to his frustration, even after all this time, there had been no reaction whatsoever.
Faced with this situation, Natsuhiko could only come up with two possibilities.
The first was that he had already absorbed part of Hashirama's power, and further progress simply wasn't possible.
The second was that, much like Obito's arm, it required a longer period to ferment and fully integrate.
But without a definitive answer, all he could do was wait.
There were no better options.
After all, his system wasn't exactly a conversationalist.
"Then again… if it were sentient, I'd probably have to be a lot more cautious," Natsuhiko muttered to himself. "Who knows whether it would end up controlling me instead?"
Having read countless novels in his previous life, he had seen more than enough stories where protagonists eventually turned against their systems—and vice versa.
It wasn't a situation he wanted to find himself in. Once you became enemies with your system, there was no guarantee that everything it had given you wouldn't simply be taken back.
That kind of outcome… wasn't something he even wanted to imagine.
In comparison, a system without sentience—purely mechanical, unchanged from the moment he obtained it—was far more reassuring. It simply performed its function, offering its abilities without interference, without hidden motives.
"…Forget it. Seems like I came at the wrong time today, even if the chakra here has already grown this dense."
After observing for a while longer, Natsuhiko shook his head slightly and prepared to leave.
From the night of the Nine-Tails' attack, when he obtained Obito's arm, to several months later when he secretly acquired Hashirama's cells and flesh, time had passed quietly. Without anyone really noticing, Konoha had entered its forty-eighth year—and now, the summer breeze had begun to stir.
Natsuhiko would never forget the turmoil of Year 47, but he also found himself looking forward to what lay ahead in Year 48.
In the original story, no one really knew what happened during this period. But for Natsuhiko, that very calmness was a blessing.
As for when exactly Orochimaru would defect from Konoha—there had never been a clear answer.
Even as a transmigrator, Natsuhiko didn't know.
But that didn't mean he couldn't influence the outcome.
For example… he could ensure that Orochimaru left the village within this very year.
With that thought in mind, Natsuhiko quietly activated his chakra. Some things couldn't be rushed—whether it was the "seed" he was waiting for, or Orochimaru's eventual fate.
Yet just as he was about to leave, his expression suddenly froze.
The massive tree, which had been steadily releasing chakra all this time… had abruptly gone still, as if everything within it had come to a complete halt.
...
"This is absurd! No matter what, I will never agree to this!"
Inside a concealed meeting room of the Uchiha clan in Konoha, the atmosphere was as noisy and chaotic as a bustling marketplace.
But to Uchiha Shin, it felt nothing short of a farce.
He sat there in silence, watching those who shouted at him—people who loudly proclaimed that the "honor of the Uchiha must not be tarnished."
His face remained expressionless.
Yet deep within, a cold sneer had already begun to spread.
What a bunch of ignorant fools.
Couldn't they see the state Konoha was in now?
Putting everything else aside, the ANBU alone was enough to wipe them out without leaving a trace. And the commander of the ANBU was none other than Natsuhiko of the Senju clan—a prodigy who wielded Wood Release.
A boy who had risen to the position of ANBU Commander at just thirteen or fourteen years old. Ruthless in his methods, brilliant in mind, and powerful enough to contend with the Nine-Tails itself.
The very fact that someone like him was willing to cooperate with the Uchiha clan proved that he genuinely sought stability for Konoha—and that he intended to reclaim what rightfully belonged to both their clans.
But if anything were to go wrong in this fragile arrangement, he might tolerate it for now, handling the situation in his own way. Yet once he finished resolving things…
For the Uchiha, it would be nothing short of annihilation.
Uchiha Shin did not dare underestimate Natsuhiko in the slightest.
Every time he met that young man, no matter how highly he had already judged him, he would always come away with the same realization—he had still underestimated him.
At first, he had thought Natsuhiko was merely a squad leader. Then, in the blink of an eye, he found himself surrounded by ANBU.
Later, he assumed Natsuhiko was just a capable division commander—a bridge between the Hokage and the Uchiha.
But he had been wrong again.
That same young man had not only ignited ambition within him, but had also shown the Uchiha a path forward.
Then came the Nine-Tails incident.
Through that disaster, Shin finally understood just how vast Natsuhiko's capabilities and vision truly were.
And when they met again—when he learned that Natsuhiko had already become the head of the ANBU—the shock he felt was beyond words.
A person like that… if he ever turned against the Uchiha, he would undoubtedly find an opportunity to strike.
And even if no such opportunity presented itself, he was more than capable of creating one.
Shin had no doubt that if Natsuhiko chose to oppose them, he would apply relentless pressure on the Uchiha, pushing the clan's dissatisfaction to its limits.
And once that resentment combined with the hawkish faction within the clan…
The result would almost certainly be the emergence of coup intentions.
And the moment such intentions surfaced, the clan's destruction would follow in an instant.
"Enough. Quiet down."
Just as the room reached its peak of chaos, Uchiha Fugaku—who had remained silent until now—finally spoke.
His gaze settled on Uchiha Shin, who sat there expressionless. After a brief pause, Fugaku spoke in a calm, measured tone.
"The Third Elder's proposal is indeed reasonable. However, the Second Elder is also correct—Uchiha must uphold Uchiha's pride. On this matter, I cannot support you. I hope you will reconsider carefully."
"…Clan Head, there is nothing left to reconsider."
Shin let out a faint sigh. Fugaku's stance disappointed him deeply.
It wasn't that the clan head's decision was entirely wrong—after all, he was trying to maintain balance within the clan.
But it was precisely this constant pursuit of balance, this obsession with superficial harmony, that had led the Uchiha to their current fractured state.
However, Uchiha Shin had already made up his mind—and it went far beyond the matter being discussed today.
He had resolved to remove Uchiha Fugaku from his position as clan head.
"Clan Head, forgive my boldness, but I have a question."
Rising to his feet, Shin looked at Fugaku with a calm, indifferent expression.
"Is the Police Force the Uchiha's Police Force… or Konoha's Police Force? And regardless of whose it is, do you truly think it's appropriate for a single department to be filled with two opposing voices constantly at odds with each other?"
"What exactly are you implying?"
Fugaku's expression darkened slightly, and a trace of vigilance appeared in his eyes as he looked at Shin.
He hadn't forgotten the scene from the night of the Nine-Tails incident, when Shin had rallied support with a single call.
Nor had he overlooked what Shin had been doing over the past several months—quietly drawing in and supporting those at the bottom of the clan. Those who had long been dismissed as having no future… even those who had been sent to the battlefield as expendable cannon fodder.
There was something deeply unsettling about his actions.
"My meaning is very clear, Clan Head."
Shin shook his head slightly, letting out a faint sigh.
"If you believe the Police Force belongs to Konoha, then there is nothing wrong with me recruiting civilian shinobi from the village."
"And if you believe it belongs to the Uchiha—and accept that differing opinions can exist within it—then the restructuring of the Second Division is our internal matter. It does not contradict your stance in the slightest."
His words left everyone in the room stunned.
Some even showed flashes of anger on their faces.
No one had expected Shin to speak so bluntly, so decisively. What exactly was he thinking?
For a moment, the entire meeting room fell into an eerie silence.
Only the sound of Shin's footsteps echoed as he walked away, a reminder that time had not stopped.
By the time he reached the door, Fugaku finally came back to his senses. The caution in his eyes had already turned into something far more dangerous.
"You're certain… that this is the path you want to take?"
Shin paused, but did not turn around.
"Clan Head, everything I've done is within the rules. Or are you planning to provoke our dissatisfaction?"
...
"…It stopped?"
Natsuhiko turned back in surprise, the chakra that had already begun to circulate within him coming to an abrupt halt.
There was a saying—good timing often mattered more than skill. Even games relied on luck, let alone reality.
And at this moment, Natsuhiko felt that his luck was exceptionally good.
He hadn't expected that just as he was about to leave, something like this would happen. Had he been even a second later, he might have missed it entirely and been forced to wait who knew how long before noticing the change.
With that thought, he turned back and walked toward the tree again, his gaze locking onto the one that contained Obito's arm.
Now, the tree no longer emitted that strange, alluring force. It appeared completely ordinary—just a towering, unremarkable tree like any other.
To Natsuhiko, it seemed likely that the White Zetsu power within had been fully absorbed, resulting in this transformation.
With that in mind, he didn't hesitate any longer. Slowly, he reached out and placed his hand against the trunk.
In that instant, the system within his mind responded.
And the answer it gave… left Natsuhiko utterly stunned.
...
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