[This Chapter Is Sponsored by Jack Herd! Everyone, please thank him in the comment!]
In the Hidden Leaf Village's base in the Land of Whirlpools, the wind and snow were blowing fiercely. Inside the logistics medical ninja tent, Yakushi Nono and Yakushi Kabuto respectfully sat on the side.
"Lord Yoru."
Faced with their title, Uchiha Yoru shook his head and said, "There are no outsiders here; there are some things I need to make clear to you."
"Yakushi Nono, you've been here for so long, Danzo seems to trust you, but he's also wary because you know too many secrets. I think you should be aware of this."
Upon hearing this, Yakushi Nono revealed a gentle smile and nodded. She never complained about her fate; in comparison, her fate was much better than that of many ninjas.
"Lord Yoru, don't worry. I will take care of everything within the Root."
Looking at the two, Uchiha Yoru shook his head gently, "I think you might have misunderstood me. Both of you are from the Root, and I'm afraid I can't protect you anymore."
What's going on? Yakushi Kabuto, who had been calm, showed a hint of gravity in his eyes behind his glasses, while Yakushi Nono maintained her gentle smile, as if no news could disturb her.
"I have my sources of information. Someone will soon come to the front lines to replace me."
When Uchiha Yoru calmly uttered these words, Yakushi Kabuto was startled. His hand that was supporting his glasses trembled a bit, "Lord Yoru, are you saying!"
Yakushi Kabuto wasn't stupid; he knew nothing about this news. Could it be that the Root wasn't aware? No!
The Root must know. So, the Root is hiding this from them, even testing them.
"After someone comes to the front line to replace me, I can't protect you anymore, and you will be easily exposed. Right now, I offer you two choices."
Looking at the two, Uchiha Yoru appeared concerned, as if saying that if you've been on the front lines for so long and haven't accomplished the Root's mission, things won't be good for you when you go back, especially for Yakushi Nono.
"Although my teacher Orochimaru was expelled from the Land of Fire, he is still a strong ninja and used to value talents greatly. If you're willing, you don't have to worry about the curse marks from the Root on your bodies."
Uchiha Yoru tried to speak in a calm tone, softly adding, "I'll arrange an 'accident,' so don't worry, there won't be any trouble."
Currently, Uchiha Yoru is still the highest commander on the front lines, and his influence is significant. Yakushi Kabuto is naturally aware of this and is calmly contemplating the situation.
The Root! Although it's not bad, there's the curse mark on him, and his mission could go awry any day. Plus, there's the headmaster!
At this thought, Yakushi Kabuto looks determined and turns to the headmaster, saying, "Headmaster, you know too many secrets about the Root. Danzo won't trust you. Shall we go to Orochimaru-sama together?"
Yakushi Nono smiles gently and shakes her head, "What will happen to the children in the orphanage if I leave?"
This comment silences Kabuto. Yakushi Nono then shows a sincere smile, "Kabuto, you should go. The Root will only limit your talents. At least in Konoha, there will be one more person to take care of the orphanage."
"Headmaster, you!" Kabuto is filled with reluctance. He wants to stay and face things with the headmaster, but Yakushi Nono just smiles and shakes her head, "Kabuto, now's not the time to be willful. The chance to leave the Root is right in front of you. You're still young."
"Even though Orochimaru-sama has been exiled, Lord Yoru is still there. As long as there's hope, anything is possible in the future."
Yakushi Nono then looks at Uchiha Yoru, full of smiles but her wise eyes seem to know everything.
For the sake of the orphanage, she can't leave. But if she stays with the Root, Danzo won't let her go; she knows it, and so does he. The orphanage is her lifeline, and Danzo already has a grip on everything.
She didn't have a choice before, but now she has one, although it's not a big one. It's still better than having no hope. As the best spy, she sees everything Uchiha Yoru is up to and he makes no attempt to hide it.
Changes require sacrifices. She also doesn't know how long she can stay in the Root. If Kabuto now has another choice, she will naturally let him go.
"Headmaster."
Looking at Kabuto, Yakushi Nono smiles and shakes her head, "Kabuto, you're not a child anymore. Even the children at the ninja academy know not to put all their eggs in one basket. If you stay, the orphanage will have only one hope. But if you leave, the orphanage will have one more hope."
Perhaps Yakushi Nono wants Kabuto to stay far away from troubles and the stifling darkness of the Root.
Although Orochimaru isn't a good person, Yakushi Nono knows one thing clearly. Kabuto's greatest talent lies in medical ninjutsu, and he's not a bloodline ninja. Relatively speaking, Orochimaru-sama is probably interested in his medical talents.
After a long silence, Kabuto respectfully lowers his head and says in a deep voice, "Lord Yoru, take care."
As a wise ninja, Kabuto knew one thing clearly: only when Uchiha Yoru is safe, the Headmaster will be safe, and the orphanage will be safe.
Looking at Kabuto, Uchiha Yoru shook his head and sighed, "You all are sensible people, so I won't hide it. For executioners like us with blood-stained hands, there is no talk of being good people. I can say that I will do my best to ensure that the children in the orphanage won't starve, but you should also understand that too much is as bad as too little."
"No matter how powerful you become in the future, the orphanage should remain as it is. Struggling for sustenance will not draw attention, but living too well would be a sin."
Uchiha Yoru's meaning is simple: although I have the power to make the orphanage better, I won't do it; I am also doing this to protect the orphanage.
"Kabuto, in three days' time, in the afternoon, I will arrange for you to accompany a squad to the rear to treat the wounded. There will be ambushes by Mist shinobi."
Under Uchiha Yoru's flat tone, Yakushi Kabuto showed a smile that didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Leaving the Root was something he never dared to think about. He even thought he would never be able to leave this dark place. But suddenly, an opportunity came, yet he also had to leave Konoha.
"Konoha is already decaying; your departure might preserve a new spark."
Uchiha Yoru uttered sentimentally, and both fell silent. Yakushi Kabuto wasn't too concerned about reform; he only cared about the Headmaster and the orphanage. But now, it seems he has an urge to reform; if successful, he could return to Konoha, to bask in the sun at the orphanage.
"Thank you, Lord Yoru," Yakushi Nono thanked him on behalf of Kabuto, thankful for the opportunity to choose his fate, thankful for giving the orphanage another hope.
"Thank you, Lord Yoru," For Uchiha Yoru, Yakushi Kabuto is full of gratitude. He considers himself a small fry with small ambitions; not as great as the other, who wants to change all of Konoha. For such a great person, he only has admiration; mostly he just wants to live well.
But life is like this; he can't avoid it. Under the Headmaster's suggestive gaze, Yakushi Kabuto respectfully thanked him and left.
"I'll go and prepare."
As Yakushi Kabuto left, the wind and snow howled outside, leaving only the two looking at each other in the tent.
Looking at the walking witch, Yakushi Nono, Uchiha Yoru knew that he couldn't lie to people like this, just like Kakashi and his team.
For those who want to achieve great things, they need more talent under their command, and lies and deception are only temporary; only sincerity is eternal.
"You don't need to thank me; I merely want to keep a chance for myself to rise again. After all, no one knows whether tomorrow or accidents will come first, just like White Fang and Teacher Orochimaru."
With a self-deprecating smile, Uchiha Yoru didn't lie. If he really gets eliminated in this game, he can't rise again alone, can he?
Orochimaru is now a suitable candidate, fully capable of acting as his mentor outside Konoha. He needs talent, and Orochimaru also needs people, mutually beneficial.
"Since Root has sent you, this walking witch, I suppose Shimura Danzo is not just probing for simple information, is he?"
Uchiha Yoru calmly asked the question he had been wanting to know the answer to, as both sides had already been candid with each other.
Yakushi Nono lightly tucked her golden hair behind her ears. Dressed as a nun, and with a gentle smile, she gave off the feeling of a warm spring breeze.
"Lord Danzo wants to know if Lord Yoru has activated the Mangekyou Sharingan!"
Yakushi Nono's gentle tone made Uchiha Yoru reveal a hint of surprise, and then he became more serious.
"Why would Danzo suspect this?" At this point, he couldn't help but be cautious. Uchiha Yoru sank into deep thought, considering all the potential flaws that could have been exposed since he activated the Mangekyou, but he really couldn't figure out where he might have slipped up.
Yakushi Nono gently smiled, "Lord Yoru, your strength has increased too quickly. Especially in such a short time, you've been able to go head-to-head with well-known Mist shinobi like Suikazan Fuguki, and even had a fight with Lord Jiraiya."
"Also, the power of Lord Yoru's Sharingan seems to be stronger than that of the average three-tomoe Uchiha. According to Lord Danzo's speculation, activating the Mangekyou would lead to a surge in ocular power, even making the original three-tomoe eyes much stronger, and the bloodline evolution would also enhance the body."
Hearing Yakushi Nono's explanation, Uchiha Yoru showed a look of realization and silently sighed in relief. He couldn't underestimate anyone; after all, what ninjas excel at is intelligence analysis.
"So, how does Danzo plan for you to investigate whether I've activated the Mangekyou? Or rather, how do you plan to investigate?"
Uchiha Yoru looked a bit serious at this moment. If the suspicious Danzo decided to act, he would be unscrupulous, and Yoru really needed to be on his guard.
However, Yakushi Nono calmly said, "With the evolution of the Sharingan, special chakra will surge in the brain, affecting the optic nerves and causing changes in the eyes. This same special chakra will also strengthen the whole body. Some special techniques might be able to analyze the changes in Lord Yoru's body."
Outside, the blizzard howled, but inside the warm tent, a hand as warm as jade had already slowly touched a firm area.
Uchiha Yoru's face tensed instantly, looking at Yakushi Nono who had moved beside him, he frowned, "It's medical ninjutsu. Danzo wants you to use medical ninjutsu to analyze my body, and also to get close to me using your own body."
Dressed as a nun, Yakushi Nono's inherently motherly and gentle smile made Uchiha Yoru realize something, and he also felt secretly relieved. Fortunately, he knew the other party's weak point.
However, he still felt a surge of anger rise within him. Good for you, Third Hokage and Danzo, both of you are cut from the same cloth, both using such schemes.
"Lord Yoru, I can help you. If something happens in the future, the Uchiha clan is a big family with great responsibilities. I only ask that you could spare some donations for the orphanage, so that those children won't starve to death."
The pharmacist Yakushi Nono knows the situation of the orphanage better than anyone else. When she was sent out by the Root organization, she was a sacrifice and probably wouldn't survive in the long run.
After all, she knew too many secrets; it was only a matter of time. Now, what she can't let go of the most is the orphanage.
What the orphanage needs might be a significant expense for others, but for a wealthy family like the Uchiha, a little contribution is more than enough.
This is the gap between the wealthy and ordinary people, like a chasm.
Underneath his gentle smile, Uchiha Yoru allows the other party to do as they please. They need to feel secure, and likewise, he needs them to become a strong support for him.
She is the best spy at the Root, and also not weak. He can't afford to waste such a powerful force.
Under the dim candlelight, the tent is filled with a hormonal atmosphere, and the silhouettes overlap, seemingly enacting the most primal scene of human nature.
A soft and romantic body meets a potential physique that can compete with tailed beasts.
Pharmacist Yakushi Nono does her best, using all her means to analyze the other's physical capabilities, to complete the mission for the Root and also for the orphanage.
After a turbulent night, Yakushi Nono lies on the bed, her body limp, her face flushed with satisfaction.
Outside, the blizzard continues, the howling snowstorm masking the noise inside the tent.
"I'm leaving. Report these data truthfully, unlocking the Uchiha clan's Mangekyou isn't easy."
Refreshed, Uchiha Yoru picks up his scattered clothes, while Yakushi Nono, her face flushed, takes out a sealed test tube from her tool bag, then spits out... a liquid.
Looking at the precious research cells in the sealed test tube, Yakushi Nono pants weakly and says, "Lord Yoru, I'm afraid the Root needs me to send back some cells. Lord Danzo has already started to suspect me."
Although disgusted by Danzo researching his cells, Uchiha Yoru still nods in agreement, "Danzo really is a rat hiding in the sewer, disgraceful."
Unlocking the Mangekyou isn't easy; when Danzo wants to use these cells, Uchiha Yoru immediately thinks of poison and sneers. This person is really despicable, even thinking of researching targeted poison to restrain him.
[This Chapter Is Sponsored by Jack Herd! Everyone, please thank him in the comment!]
In the Hidden Leaf Village's base in the Land of Whirlpools, the wind and snow were blowing fiercely. Inside the logistics medical ninja tent, Yakushi Nono and Yakushi Kabuto respectfully sat on the side.
"Lord Yoru."
Faced with their title, Uchiha Yoru shook his head and said, "There are no outsiders here; there are some things I need to make clear to you."
"Yakushi Nono, you've been here for so long, Danzo seems to trust you, but he's also wary because you know too many secrets. I think you should be aware of this."
Upon hearing this, Yakushi Nono revealed a gentle smile and nodded. She never complained about her fate; in comparison, her fate was much better than that of many ninjas.
"Lord Yoru, don't worry. I will take care of everything within the Root."
Looking at the two, Uchiha Yoru shook his head gently, "I think you might have misunderstood me. Both of you are from the Root, and I'm afraid I can't protect you anymore."
What's going on? Yakushi Kabuto, who had been calm, showed a hint of gravity in his eyes behind his glasses, while Yakushi Nono maintained her gentle smile, as if no news could disturb her.
"I have my sources of information. Someone will soon come to the front lines to replace me."
When Uchiha Yoru calmly uttered these words, Yakushi Kabuto was startled. His hand that was supporting his glasses trembled a bit, "Lord Yoru, are you saying!"
Yakushi Kabuto wasn't stupid; he knew nothing about this news. Could it be that the Root wasn't aware? No!
The Root must know. So, the Root is hiding this from them, even testing them.
"After someone comes to the front line to replace me, I can't protect you anymore, and you will be easily exposed. Right now, I offer you two choices."
Looking at the two, Uchiha Yoru appeared concerned, as if saying that if you've been on the front lines for so long and haven't accomplished the Root's mission, things won't be good for you when you go back, especially for Yakushi Nono.
"Although my teacher Orochimaru was expelled from the Land of Fire, he is still a strong ninja and used to value talents greatly. If you're willing, you don't have to worry about the curse marks from the Root on your bodies."
Uchiha Yoru tried to speak in a calm tone, softly adding, "I'll arrange an 'accident,' so don't worry, there won't be any trouble."
Currently, Uchiha Yoru is still the highest commander on the front lines, and his influence is significant. Yakushi Kabuto is naturally aware of this and is calmly contemplating the situation.
The Root! Although it's not bad, there's the curse mark on him, and his mission could go awry any day. Plus, there's the headmaster!
At this thought, Yakushi Kabuto looks determined and turns to the headmaster, saying, "Headmaster, you know too many secrets about the Root. Danzo won't trust you. Shall we go to Orochimaru-sama together?"
Yakushi Nono smiles gently and shakes her head, "What will happen to the children in the orphanage if I leave?"
This comment silences Kabuto. Yakushi Nono then shows a sincere smile, "Kabuto, you should go. The Root will only limit your talents. At least in Konoha, there will be one more person to take care of the orphanage."
"Headmaster, you!" Kabuto is filled with reluctance. He wants to stay and face things with the headmaster, but Yakushi Nono just smiles and shakes her head, "Kabuto, now's not the time to be willful. The chance to leave the Root is right in front of you. You're still young."
"Even though Orochimaru-sama has been exiled, Lord Yoru is still there. As long as there's hope, anything is possible in the future."
Yakushi Nono then looks at Uchiha Yoru, full of smiles but her wise eyes seem to know everything.
For the sake of the orphanage, she can't leave. But if she stays with the Root, Danzo won't let her go; she knows it, and so does he. The orphanage is her lifeline, and Danzo already has a grip on everything.
She didn't have a choice before, but now she has one, although it's not a big one. It's still better than having no hope. As the best spy, she sees everything Uchiha Yoru is up to and he makes no attempt to hide it.
Changes require sacrifices. She also doesn't know how long she can stay in the Root. If Kabuto now has another choice, she will naturally let him go.
"Headmaster."
Looking at Kabuto, Yakushi Nono smiles and shakes her head, "Kabuto, you're not a child anymore. Even the children at the ninja academy know not to put all their eggs in one basket. If you stay, the orphanage will have only one hope. But if you leave, the orphanage will have one more hope."
Perhaps Yakushi Nono wants Kabuto to stay far away from troubles and the stifling darkness of the Root.
Although Orochimaru isn't a good person, Yakushi Nono knows one thing clearly. Kabuto's greatest talent lies in medical ninjutsu, and he's not a bloodline ninja. Relatively speaking, Orochimaru-sama is probably interested in his medical talents.
After a long silence, Kabuto respectfully lowers his head and says in a deep voice, "Lord Yoru, take care."
As a wise ninja, Kabuto knew one thing clearly: only when Uchiha Yoru is safe, the Headmaster will be safe, and the orphanage will be safe.
Looking at Kabuto, Uchiha Yoru shook his head and sighed, "You all are sensible people, so I won't hide it. For executioners like us with blood-stained hands, there is no talk of being good people. I can say that I will do my best to ensure that the children in the orphanage won't starve, but you should also understand that too much is as bad as too little."
"No matter how powerful you become in the future, the orphanage should remain as it is. Struggling for sustenance will not draw attention, but living too well would be a sin."
Uchiha Yoru's meaning is simple: although I have the power to make the orphanage better, I won't do it; I am also doing this to protect the orphanage.
"Kabuto, in three days' time, in the afternoon, I will arrange for you to accompany a squad to the rear to treat the wounded. There will be ambushes by Mist shinobi."
Under Uchiha Yoru's flat tone, Yakushi Kabuto showed a smile that didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Leaving the Root was something he never dared to think about. He even thought he would never be able to leave this dark place. But suddenly, an opportunity came, yet he also had to leave Konoha.
"Konoha is already decaying; your departure might preserve a new spark."
Uchiha Yoru uttered sentimentally, and both fell silent. Yakushi Kabuto wasn't too concerned about reform; he only cared about the Headmaster and the orphanage. But now, it seems he has an urge to reform; if successful, he could return to Konoha, to bask in the sun at the orphanage.
"Thank you, Lord Yoru," Yakushi Nono thanked him on behalf of Kabuto, thankful for the opportunity to choose his fate, thankful for giving the orphanage another hope.
"Thank you, Lord Yoru," For Uchiha Yoru, Yakushi Kabuto is full of gratitude. He considers himself a small fry with small ambitions; not as great as the other, who wants to change all of Konoha. For such a great person, he only has admiration; mostly he just wants to live well.
But life is like this; he can't avoid it. Under the Headmaster's suggestive gaze, Yakushi Kabuto respectfully thanked him and left.
"I'll go and prepare."
As Yakushi Kabuto left, the wind and snow howled outside, leaving only the two looking at each other in the tent.
Looking at the walking witch, Yakushi Nono, Uchiha Yoru knew that he couldn't lie to people like this, just like Kakashi and his team.
For those who want to achieve great things, they need more talent under their command, and lies and deception are only temporary; only sincerity is eternal.
"You don't need to thank me; I merely want to keep a chance for myself to rise again. After all, no one knows whether tomorrow or accidents will come first, just like White Fang and Teacher Orochimaru."
With a self-deprecating smile, Uchiha Yoru didn't lie. If he really gets eliminated in this game, he can't rise again alone, can he?
Orochimaru is now a suitable candidate, fully capable of acting as his mentor outside Konoha. He needs talent, and Orochimaru also needs people, mutually beneficial.
"Since Root has sent you, this walking witch, I suppose Shimura Danzo is not just probing for simple information, is he?"
Uchiha Yoru calmly asked the question he had been wanting to know the answer to, as both sides had already been candid with each other.
Yakushi Nono lightly tucked her golden hair behind her ears. Dressed as a nun, and with a gentle smile, she gave off the feeling of a warm spring breeze.
"Lord Danzo wants to know if Lord Yoru has activated the Mangekyou Sharingan!"
Yakushi Nono's gentle tone made Uchiha Yoru reveal a hint of surprise, and then he became more serious.
"Why would Danzo suspect this?" At this point, he couldn't help but be cautious. Uchiha Yoru sank into deep thought, considering all the potential flaws that could have been exposed since he activated the Mangekyou, but he really couldn't figure out where he might have slipped up.
Yakushi Nono gently smiled, "Lord Yoru, your strength has increased too quickly. Especially in such a short time, you've been able to go head-to-head with well-known Mist shinobi like Suikazan Fuguki, and even had a fight with Lord Jiraiya."
"Also, the power of Lord Yoru's Sharingan seems to be stronger than that of the average three-tomoe Uchiha. According to Lord Danzo's speculation, activating the Mangekyou would lead to a surge in ocular power, even making the original three-tomoe eyes much stronger, and the bloodline evolution would also enhance the body."
Hearing Yakushi Nono's explanation, Uchiha Yoru showed a look of realization and silently sighed in relief. He couldn't underestimate anyone; after all, what ninjas excel at is intelligence analysis.
"So, how does Danzo plan for you to investigate whether I've activated the Mangekyou? Or rather, how do you plan to investigate?"
Uchiha Yoru looked a bit serious at this moment. If the suspicious Danzo decided to act, he would be unscrupulous, and Yoru really needed to be on his guard.
However, Yakushi Nono calmly said, "With the evolution of the Sharingan, special chakra will surge in the brain, affecting the optic nerves and causing changes in the eyes. This same special chakra will also strengthen the whole body. Some special techniques might be able to analyze the changes in Lord Yoru's body."
Outside, the blizzard howled, but inside the warm tent, a hand as warm as jade had already slowly touched a firm area.
Uchiha Yoru's face tensed instantly, looking at Yakushi Nono who had moved beside him, he frowned, "It's medical ninjutsu. Danzo wants you to use medical ninjutsu to analyze my body, and also to get close to me using your own body."
Dressed as a nun, Yakushi Nono's inherently motherly and gentle smile made Uchiha Yoru realize something, and he also felt secretly relieved. Fortunately, he knew the other party's weak point.
However, he still felt a surge of anger rise within him. Good for you, Third Hokage and Danzo, both of you are cut from the same cloth, both using such schemes.
"Lord Yoru, I can help you. If something happens in the future, the Uchiha clan is a big family with great responsibilities. I only ask that you could spare some donations for the orphanage, so that those children won't starve to death."
The pharmacist Yakushi Nono knows the situation of the orphanage better than anyone else. When she was sent out by the Root organization, she was a sacrifice and probably wouldn't survive in the long run.
After all, she knew too many secrets; it was only a matter of time. Now, what she can't let go of the most is the orphanage.
What the orphanage needs might be a significant expense for others, but for a wealthy family like the Uchiha, a little contribution is more than enough.
This is the gap between the wealthy and ordinary people, like a chasm.
Underneath his gentle smile, Uchiha Yoru allows the other party to do as they please. They need to feel secure, and likewise, he needs them to become a strong support for him.
She is the best spy at the Root, and also not weak. He can't afford to waste such a powerful force.
Under the dim candlelight, the tent is filled with a hormonal atmosphere, and the silhouettes overlap, seemingly enacting the most primal scene of human nature.
A soft and romantic body meets a potential physique that can compete with tailed beasts.
Pharmacist Yakushi Nono does her best, using all her means to analyze the other's physical capabilities, to complete the mission for the Root and also for the orphanage.
After a turbulent night, Yakushi Nono lies on the bed, her body limp, her face flushed with satisfaction.
Outside, the blizzard continues, the howling snowstorm masking the noise inside the tent.
"I'm leaving. Report these data truthfully, unlocking the Uchiha clan's Mangekyou isn't easy."
Refreshed, Uchiha Yoru picks up his scattered clothes, while Yakushi Nono, her face flushed, takes out a sealed test tube from her tool bag, then spits out... a liquid.
Looking at the precious research cells in the sealed test tube, Yakushi Nono pants weakly and says, "Lord Yoru, I'm afraid the Root needs me to send back some cells. Lord Danzo has already started to suspect me."
Although disgusted by Danzo researching his cells, Uchiha Yoru still nods in agreement, "Danzo really is a rat hiding in the sewer, disgraceful."
Unlocking the Mangekyou isn't easy; when Danzo wants to use these cells, Uchiha Yoru immediately thinks of poison and sneers. This person is really despicable, even thinking of researching targeted poison to restrain him.
