Soon, Orochimaru shook his head helplessly and sighed.
"Unfortunately, the Hokage has ordered me to be ready to head to the battlefield in the Land of Rivers at any time," he said.
"Otherwise, I would have loved to study this matter carefully."
He turned his sharp gaze toward Kazuyama and asked, "Kazuyama, do you want to go to the battlefield in the Land of Rivers with me? After all, the mission involves going up against Rasa. Do you want to fight him again?"
Kazuyama shook his head. Orochimaru assumed he was declining the proposal, but Kazuyama's next words caught him off guard.
"Sensei, I'm in the ANBU now," Kazuyama replied. "I don't get to decide which battlefield I go to." His voice carried a tinge of nostalgia as he added, "If this were the old days, I would have gone to the Land of Rivers with you without hesitation. But now… I can only follow Lord Hokage's orders."
Hearing this, Orochimaru's eyes narrowed slightly as realization dawned. His disciple was part of ANBU, a unit that directly answered to the Hokage. Naturally, Kazuyama had to act in line with his superior's decisions. Orochimaru couldn't help but feel a faint pang of regret.
"This war will be no small matter," Orochimaru said, his tone shifting to a rare note of seriousness. "No matter where you're deployed, you must exercise caution. Especially on the battlefield in the Land of Grass—there, Iwa has dispatched two Jinchūriki. Their forces will be overwhelming. If you find yourself in danger, do not hesitate to retreat."
Kazuyama was momentarily taken aback. Orochimaru seldom expressed such concern, which made his words all the more striking.
"Hehe," Orochimaru chuckled at Kazuyama's reaction. "Don't look so surprised. I'm just pleased you didn't try sneaking into my lab to steal anything."
Kazuyama's lips twitched in disbelief. Steal? Who even thinks about doing that? Not with all the traps and seals you've put in place, Sensei.
Orochimaru smirked, walking toward the console to continue his experiments. His focus now clearly on his work, Kazuyama knew it was time to leave. Bowing respectfully, he turned and exited the lab.
Unexpectedly, the moment Kazuyama left, Orochimaru paused, setting aside the tools in his hands. His expression turned cold and calculating as he stared at the research before him.
"The first phase of cultivation is complete," Orochimaru muttered to himself. "Next, I'll need to find Danzō. With the successful cultivation of Tailed Beast cells, even Hashirama's cells should soon become viable…"
Meanwhile, outside the lab, Kazuyama walked slowly along the road, refraining from using the Flying Thunder God technique this time. His thoughts churned with unease.
Cultivating Eight-Tails cells…
There was no way he believed Orochimaru was interested in creating a Jinchūriki.
Cells… Tailed Beasts… Could it be?
A realization struck him, and his expression darkened. This is only the first step—testing the methods to cultivate the First Hokage's cells. With the success of cultivating Tailed Beast cells, he'll move on to Hashirama's cells…
His mind buzzed as pieces fell into place.
"And now, he's involving Danzō..." Kazuyama murmured to himself. A heavy feeling settled in his chest.
Sensei… Is it really wise to strike a deal with a tiger?
…
When Kazuyama Gekkō returned home, he was immediately greeted by Pakura's furious attack. She lashed out with a flurry of blows, venting her frustration on him without hesitation.
Kazuyama, knowing better than to resist, simply sighed inwardly. After all… what else can I do? He let her hit him a few times and endured it. Once the storm of her punches subsided, he could only accept his fate quietly.
Later, after the evening meal, the two left the house together, heading toward the Hatake Clan residence. Kazuyama had a task to complete—he needed to pay back the money he had borrowed from Sakumo. Pakura, having heard about this debt, insisted on accompanying him to ensure it was settled promptly.
When they arrived, they were greeted by Sakumo's warm, familiar smile.
"What? Kazuyama, you've actually come to pay back the money?" Sakumo said with a teasing grin.
Kazuyama's mouth twitched in response. He couldn't help but think how different Sakumo felt these days. Ever since he stepped down from his position, there was something lighter about him, almost like he was a new person.
"Here, I'm returning your money," Kazuyama said, handing over the repayment.
Sakumo accepted it with a nod, then glanced toward the courtyard.
"Huh? Kakashi is home today."
Kazuyama followed his gaze to see Kakashi training in the yard. The boy noticed their arrival and quickly stopped to greet them, though his mood seemed subdued.
"He just passed the Chūnin exam," Sakumo explained. "It happened a few days after you went on your mission."
Kazuyama raised an eyebrow in mild disbelief. "A 6-year-old Chūnin? That's terrifying."
Pakura, standing to the side, regarded Kakashi with a flicker of surprise in her eyes. She hadn't expected someone so young to achieve so much.
"Not good enough! I'll strive to become a Jōnin as soon as possible! By then, I'll make my name known throughout the Ninja World, just like my father!"
Thanks to his intervention, Sakumo Hatake had survived, and Kakashi's heart hadn't closed off. This was the real Kakashi—cold and composed, yet full of drive and enthusiasm.
"Not bad, you have ambition," Kazuyama said approvingly.
Then, with a mischievous glint in his eye, he added, "Tell me, how's your training with the One Thousand Years of Death coming along?"
The moment those words left his mouth, Kakashi's face fell. His usual calm demeanor was replaced by one of exasperation.
"Can you not bring up the One Thousand Years of Death…" Kakashi muttered, his tone pained.
Kazuyama couldn't hold it in any longer. Seeing Kakashi's miserable expression, he burst out laughing.
"Alright, Kazuyama, there must be something else you wanted to ask me."
Sakumo patted his son's shoulder before turning his attention to Kazuyama.
"Well... we can't just stand here and talk."
The three of them sat down, while Kakashi continued practicing in the courtyard.
"War is probably coming..."
"Where do you think you'll be going to fight?" Kazuyama expression grew unusually serious. The Third Shinobi World War loomed ahead, and it was unlike any war he had known. After all, he—a tiny butterfly—had already caused ripples.
"Who cares? It doesn't matter which battlefield I go to," Sakumo replied calmly. "Besides, I probably won't even see the battlefield unless the pressure on the frontlines becomes unbearable. Until then, it's better to let the younger generation have their chance to prove themselves."
As Konoha's White Fang, Sakumo Hatake had earned the right to speak with such confidence. He was unbothered by where he might be sent, secure in his strength and skill. In his mind, Konoha's younger generation was formidable—fighters like Kazuyama, Minato, and Fugaku were more than capable of bearing the burden. Not to mention legends-in-the-making like Orochimaru and Jiraiya.
Sakumo placed a hand on Kazuyama's shoulder and said with deep concern, "You young people are the future of Konoha. You must shoulder the responsibility of protecting the village and its people."
Kazuyama gave him a helpless glance and responded, "You don't need to remind me. I'm already in the ANBU. I know what's expected of me."
"Alright, let's go. It's been a while since we had any rest, and who knows? We might get a mission tomorrow," Sakumo said.
The rare downtime was appreciated, especially with the new year approaching. The five great ninja villages had gone eerily silent, no one willing to make the first move to shatter the fragile peace.
Kazuyama took advantage of the quiet, spending time with Pakura and joking around while taking things easy. Since his promotion to ANBU, he no longer worried about the Ninja Academy, and he cherished this brief calm. These fleeting moments of tranquility, he knew, were merely the calm before the storm.
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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