Uchiha Yoru said helplessly, "So that's why you deliberately tried to curry favor with the Third Hokage?"
"Mm, that's exactly right."
As he spoke, Orochimaru lazily picked up the last deep-fried octopus leg, gently placed it into his mouth, and smiled with satisfaction.
"This tempura is excellent. Make me some more."
"This is deep-fried octopus leg, not tempura! And seriously, Orochimaru, how can you eat so much?"
"My, my. You used to call me Lord Orochimaru. Now you're calling me by my name directly. It seems your confidence has grown quite a bit."
"I suppose so."
"No, Orochimaru. You came to my house first thing in the morning. Fine, you ate and drank your fill—but now you're making sarcastic remarks. What exactly are you here for?"
"Hmph. That little incident last night... you were the one behind it, weren't you?"
"It wasn't me." Yoru answered with complete confidence.
"Really?"
"I wouldn't lie to you."
Uchiha Yoru placed the freshly fried fish onto a plate and carried it to the table.
Without caring how hot it was, Orochimaru grabbed a piece with his fingers and bit into it with an audible crunch while carefully studying Uchiha Yoru.
He could clearly sense that Yoru's attitude was completely natural. There wasn't the slightest hint that he was lying.
And that was indeed the truth.
What did the tabby cat's actions have to do with Uchiha Yoru?
As for pressing the matter further, Orochimaru had no intention of acting so rashly. Simply sitting here, he could already sense a faint yet unmistakable threat to his life.
It wasn't because Uchiha Yoru harbored killing intent toward him.
Rather, it was the White Phosphorus Serpent's instinctive warning against powerful enemies, proving that Uchiha Yoru's strength had already reached the point where he could threaten Orochimaru's life.
Of course, that was merely the White Phosphorus Serpent's intuition.
Orochimaru himself dismissed it completely.
In the entire shinobi world, there were quite a few ninja capable of defeating him.
But someone who could truly threaten his life?
Such a person simply did not exist.
After eating several more pieces, Orochimaru was surprised to discover...
He was full.
His body had already become something beyond human. Like a giant python, he could go an incredibly long time without eating—or consume an enormous amount of food in a single sitting.
His appetite was terrifying, and he almost never experienced the feeling of fullness.
Yet today, after eating only one plate and a few extra pieces of fried meat at Uchiha Yoru's house, he already felt completely satisfied.
That could only mean one thing.
This meat was extraordinary.
Orochimaru picked up another piece and slowly placed it into his mouth, chewing with deliberate care.
The meat was rich with fat.
Its texture was soft, dense, smooth, springy, yet completely lacking the fibrous strands typical of muscle.
He couldn't identify what creature it came from.
But as he chewed...
He gradually tasted a faint trace of chakra.
And not ordinary chakra.
After a moment of hesitation, Orochimaru asked,
"This is... Tailed Beast chakra?"
Uchiha Yoru had already been mentally prepared from the moment Orochimaru began chewing so carefully.
But hearing him identify it immediately still left him astonished.
He raised his thumb in admiration.
"Amazing. I processed it this thoroughly, and you still recognized it. Impressive."
Now it was Orochimaru's turn to be shocked.
"It's really Tailed Beast meat?"
Yoru shook his head.
"Of course not. It isn't a Tailed Beast."
"It's an octopus from the Eastern Sea. Somehow, despite not being a Tailed Beast, it contains the Eight-Tails' chakra."
"So that's why you chose to station yourself on that island back then... and why the Tiger Unit has remained at sea all this time."
"Exactly."
"Not bad."
Orochimaru never asked for a share.
It was undoubtedly a priceless resource.
But it already belonged to someone else.
And its owner possessed both considerable personal strength and a powerful organization.
He had no intention of taking such a risk for it.
As long as their relationship remained good, he could always obtain some through trade if the need arose.
That was far safer than trying to seize it by force.
Seeing that Orochimaru was nearly finished eating, Uchiha Yoru finally got to the point.
"So, what brings you here?"
"I have a favor to ask."
"Please."
"In two days, I'll be heading to the Land of Rain to inspect the battlefield. It'll take several days."
"And?"
"In reality, I have another matter to handle while I'm there."
"I'll leave behind a very special clone to manage my official duties. There won't be any issues with the work itself."
"But... the clone's combat strength is a serious problem."
"I need a sufficiently powerful bodyguard."
Yoru pointed at himself.
"You want me to protect your clone?"
Orochimaru nodded.
"Other than you, I can't think of anyone suitable."
Yoru asked in confusion,
"Orochimaru, you have plenty of subordinates. Quite a few of your trusted followers are powerful ninja. Why do you need me?"
Orochimaru sighed helplessly.
"I do have many subordinates."
"And many powerful ninja."
"But there aren't many who can quietly accept me taking on private work."
"The problem is... my requirements for this bodyguard are extremely high."
"The clone I'm leaving behind is very special. It's strong enough to deal with ordinary jōnin."
"But the Land of Rain's situation is incredibly complicated."
"The possibility of encountering a Kage-level attacker isn't low."
"So I need someone powerful enough... and someone capable of keeping my secrets."
Yoru spread his hands helplessly.
"A bodyguard who can hold off a Kage-level ninja... and also keep your secrets."
"It really does sound like I'm the only one who fits."
"That's fine."
"So what's my payment?"
Smiling, Orochimaru replied,
"You'll naturally receive the mission record and the mission reward."
"But I doubt those alone would interest you."
"So I've prepared these."
He took out a stack of blank papers and a scroll from inside his robe, placing them gently on the table.
"The scroll records several flaws in Konoha's barrier system."
"You'll be able to leave and return to the village through these routes without anyone noticing."
"As for this stack of mission forms..."
"I've already signed and sealed every one of them."
"The mission contents have also been specially marked as classified."
"You may fill in the dates whenever you like."
"Well?"
Uchiha Yoru smiled.
He immediately reached out and put both items away.
"Lord Orochimaru."
"When shall we depart?"
"I have no problems on my end."
"I can begin the mission at any time."
Orochimaru looked at him with obvious disdain.
"You... the moment you're satisfied with the benefits, you immediately start addressing me respectfully again?"
Yoru paid no attention whatsoever to the ridicule.
"Of course."
"A generous employer like you deserves my utmost respect."
Faced with someone this shameless, even Orochimaru could only shake his head helplessly.
Standing up, he said,
"The day after tomorrow."
"Nine o'clock in the morning."
"Oh, and today's breakfast was excellent."
"I hope I'll have another opportunity to taste your cooking."
Yoru grinned so broadly that his eyes disappeared.
"No problem at all."
"As long as you're as generous as you were today, my home will always welcome you."
"My dining table is your dining table."
Orochimaru: "..."
Only after watching Orochimaru leave did Miwa Masayo, who had been lying on the dining table the entire time, finally speak.
"Did Orochimaru really not realize that I was the one who started the fire by the river, meow?"
"Who can say?"
"Orochimaru's thoughts are even harder to understand than a woman's."
Uchiha Yoru sat down and began eating his own breakfast.
"Just like today."
"I never expected him to reconcile with the Third Hokage at this point in time."
Miwa Masayo immediately became interested.
Her four paws moved in sync as she slowly walked over to him.
"Will Orochimaru reconciling with the Third Hokage affect you, Yoru, meow?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Because before, you said that Orochimaru and the Third Hokage would eventually come into conflict."
"You planned your future strategy based on that."
"No need to worry."
"Reconciliation is merely one of Orochimaru's temporary strategies."
"He has no intention of compromising with his teacher."
"Meow? Why?"
"Recently, Orochimaru has suppressed his teacher too thoroughly."
"The Third Hokage hasn't had any opportunity to demonstrate his own abilities."
"And that's a bad thing."
"No matter how well Orochimaru performs, if nobody serves as a comparison, people will eventually become accustomed to it."
"They'll start believing that Orochimaru performing this well is only natural."
"And besides..."
"Orochimaru has already done far too much."
"If he keeps going, sooner or later he'll inevitably make mistakes."
"Making mistakes isn't even the biggest issue."
"There are also decisions that benefit the majority while harming a minority."
"There are decisions that bring tremendous long-term gains but require everyone to endure suffering in the present."
"Those are situations where you've clearly done the right thing... yet people still resent you."
"If enough resentment accumulates..."
"The Third Hokage could seize the opportunity, ruin Orochimaru's reputation, and drive him away."
"Even if everyone regrets it later... what would be the point?"
"Just look at Sakumo Hatake."
"Not long ago, Konoha's situation deteriorated so badly that countless people began reminiscing about Konoha's White Fang."
"But does that mean anything to a man who's already dead?"
Miwa Masayo shook her head.
"So... by easing relations with the Third Hokage, Orochimaru is actually preparing to deal with him instead, meow?"
Yoru clapped in admiration.
"Very smart, Rika-chan."
"Exactly."
"Orochimaru truly is clever."
"He keenly realized the danger he was in."
"So he made what can only be called an open strategy."
"He pulled the Third Hokage and his former teammates onto the stage so they could perform alongside him before all of Konoha's ninja."
"As the saying goes..."
'Compare goods and one gets thrown away. Compare people and one dies from the comparison.'
"With the disappointing performances of the Third Hokage's trio serving as the backdrop..."
"Orochimaru can use that contrast to prove to every ninja in Konoha that he's the best candidate to become Hokage."
Miwa Masayo sighed in amazement.
"I can't believe even something as heartwarming as repairing the relationship between teacher and student is secretly filled with calculations."
"Humans... are really terrifying, meow."
"Haha."
"The people standing at the very top of humanity are indeed terrifying."
"Especially Orochimaru."
"His goodwill is never truly pure."
…
Uchiha Yoru quickly finished breakfast, cleaned everything up, then headed to the Study Group together with Uchiha Shisui, who had come looking for him.
The moment he appeared before the young Uchiha members...
Even after such a long period of discipline training...
A collective cry of despair still echoed throughout the training ground.
"We're doomed!"
Yoru sneered.
"Heh."
"So I'm not welcome?"
"Looks like I'll have to increase today's training volume."
The single sentence made every Uchiha gasp in horror.
They began pleading in panic.
"Please don't!"
"Have mercy!"
"Big Brother Yoru! Big Brother! You're our big brother! You can't be this heartless!"
Despite the chaos of their voices, not a single Uchiha left his position.
No one even looked around.
The concept of discipline had finally been deeply engraved into every one of their hearts.
Yoru nodded in satisfaction.
"Very well."
"In consideration of everyone maintaining discipline..."
"We'll be doing Training Package Number Three today."
Whoosh—
Several hundred people simultaneously released long sighs of relief.
The sound merged into an audible gust of wind.
Everyone froze.
The first to burst into laughter was Uchiha Tomono, grandson of Elder Uchiha Kumaichirō.
Soon afterward...
Everyone else began laughing as well.
The tense atmosphere on the training grounds vanished completely.
Uchiha Yoru normally had an exceptionally high threshold for humor.
A scene like this wouldn't have amused him at all.
But considering the younger members' feelings...
He deliberately laughed.
As a result...
The laughter only became louder.
With everyone's spirits lifted, Uchiha Yoru officially began today's training.
At his side ran the newly five-year-old Uchiha Shisui.
Yoru asked,
"So?"
"Doesn't everyone train much more effectively when they're happy instead of gloomy?"
Shisui struggled to keep pace while answering between heavy breaths.
"Big Brother Yoru is right."
"Everyone's emotions are very high today."
"They're motivating one another."
"They're all running much faster than usual."
Yoru praised him.
"Very smart, Shisui."
"You should understand now."
"Individual cultivation and group training aren't the same."
"Individual cultivation emphasizes calmly perfecting every movement."
"But for group training..."
"Discipline comes first."
"Spirit comes second."
"I understand, Big Brother Yoru."
"The day after tomorrow I'll be leaving Konoha on a mission."
"I'll be gone for several days."
"While I'm away... you'll lead everyone."
"Yes!"
Suddenly, Yoru thought of something.
"Shisui."
"If I leave the Study Group to you..."
"Will it interfere with your classes at the Ninja Academy?"
Shisui shook his head.
"The Academy only teaches very basic knowledge."
"The training intensity is also extremely low."
"For me, it's just a waste of time."
"So I submitted an application."
"I've been exempted from physical training and combat classes."
"I only need to take the examinations."
"So there won't be any scheduling problems."
Yoru frowned.
"Shisui."
"If you do that..."
"You'll spend much less time with your classmates."
"Won't it affect your relationships with them?"
Shisui answered indifferently,
"I don't get along with those little kids."
"Ever since school started, we've never really had anything to talk about."
"So it won't make any difference."
Yoru stroked his chin without saying anything.
Making friends had nothing to do with age.
Shisui's talent was simply too extraordinary.
Under Yoru's guidance, his psychological maturity had developed at an astonishing pace.
He couldn't get along with children his own age.
Yet he interacted exceptionally well with adolescents around twelve to fifteen years old—those in the middle of their rebellious phase.
This wasn't something Yoru wanted to interfere with.
Nor was there any need to force Shisui to make friends his own age.
If fortune allowed him to encounter another genius of similar age, that would naturally be ideal.
If not...
It didn't matter.
Yoru was completely confident.
Under his guidance, Uchiha Shisui would never become like Uchiha Itachi—left alone to struggle with philosophical dilemmas until he trapped himself inside a dead end and eventually transformed into a cold-blooded madman.
Then again...
Perhaps Uchiha Itachi himself had always been fundamentally flawed.
An ordinary person...
Even an ordinary genius...
No matter what horrifying dilemma they encountered...
Would never lose their basic sense of logic.
Someone like Itachi...
Who spread all of his kindness throughout the entire shinobi village...
Concentrated every ounce of familial affection solely upon his younger brother...
Then bestowed the cruelest malice and brutality imaginable upon his own blood relatives and clansmen...
No matter how one looked at it...
That wasn't a line of thinking any human brain should be capable of producing.
So...
Should he simply eliminate the child before that ever happened?
Yoru shook his head, dismissing the sudden thought.
If he killed Uchiha Itachi now simply because of crimes he had not yet committed in the future...
Then he himself would probably be one of those whose mind had already gone wrong.
Better to wait.
After Itachi actually committed those crimes...
Then he could deal with him.
That wasn't for Uchiha Itachi's sake.
It was for his own psychological well-being.
As someone pursuing immortality, Uchiha Yoru had to protect his own state of mind with great care.
Through relentless high-intensity training, every young Uchiha eventually collapsed from exhaustion.
Only after seeing results that satisfied him did Uchiha Yoru finally announce the break—
And the feast.
"I've brought meat sent by the Tiger Unit!"
"The same kind of meat where one meal equals the effects of five days of training!"
"Today..."
"I'll personally cook everyone a pot of stewed meat!"
The Uchiha who had been lying on the ground pretending to be dead instantly sprang back to life.
They leaped to their feet, cheering enthusiastically while loudly praising their older brothers in the Tiger Unit—and their Study Group President standing before them.
They had already tasted those astonishingly enormous octopus legs before.
Just one modest piece was enough to fill them completely.
Even more importantly...
It noticeably increased both their physical strength and their chakra.
It was practically food fit only for the gods of legend.
The fact that their older brothers had transported it all the way back from the front lines moved them deeply.
And then there was the President's cooking...
Just thinking about it made them drool.
That evening, while everyone was enjoying the feast, Uchiha Ayumi quietly arrived at the Study Group and handed Uchiha Yoru an investigation report.
Yoru gave it a brief glance before putting it away.
"I'll read the full report after I get home."
"For now..."
"Give me the summary."
"Tell me about Uchiha Obito's experiences over the past year."
"And then tell me your opinion of him."
Ayumi nodded.
"Yes."
"Uchiha Obito spent this entire year on the Land of Rain battlefield."
"The squad he belongs to performed fairly well."
"They were also quite lucky and completed a considerable number of missions successfully."
Just then, Uchiha Shisui brought over a bowl of meat soup and placed it in front of Ayumi.
He hurriedly thanked him.
"Ah, thank you, Shisui."
Yoru smiled.
"It's octopus leg."
"A rare ingredient even in Konoha."
"It tastes best while it's still hot."
"Eat first."
Ayumi took a bite.
His eyes immediately lit up.
"It's delicious!"
He swallowed the octopus meat in just a few mouthfuls, drained the soup in one gulp, wiped his mouth, and declared,
"Finished!"
Then he continued,
"Uchiha Obito's strength is actually fairly good."
"But his personality has serious problems."
"And there's something wrong with his brain too."
"He's completely unreasonable."
"Fortunately, his teammate—and squad leader—has enough authority to keep that idiot under control."
"Otherwise, he would've encountered fatal danger on the battlefield long ago."
Uchiha Yoru smiled faintly.
"So that's how it is."
"It seems Shinichi has been working very hard."
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