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As long as you aren't afraid of Orochimaru strapping Sasuke to an operating table, I have no objections.
Over the past few years since returning to Konoha, Orochimaru has behaved himself quite a bit.
But do you really expect someone with darkness in their bones to reform in just a few short years?
Impossible.
In Tsunade's eyes, Orochimaru remains a dangerous element.
The kind of dangerous element who could drop a "big surprise" on you at any moment.
As for whether this "big surprise" would scare people, well—that depends on Orochimaru's mood.
In short, it's best to stay as far away from someone like him as possible when nothing's going on.
And yet, here's Kazuki, practically delivering Sasuke right into Orochimaru's hands. What's this supposed to be?
A door-to-door delivery service?
Orochimaru would absolutely be grinning from ear to ear.
"I believe he'll train Sasuke properly."
Kazuki was firm on this point. As long as Orochimaru wasn't stupid enough to try stealing Sasuke's body, everything else was negotiable.
Orochimaru was a madman—calling him insane wouldn't be an exaggeration.
But if you knew how to use him correctly, his abilities would never disappoint.
"Do as you see fit. If something goes wrong, don't come crying to me. I've warned you."
Since Kazuki was determined to trust Orochimaru, Tsunade had no choice but to let him have his way.
As for how things would turn out in the end, even she couldn't say.
All she could do was hope that Kazuki's confidence was justified—that Orochimaru wouldn't pull any stunts and would instead teach Sasuke properly.
After all, the incident with Nawaki had left a deep impact on Orochimaru.
At the thought of Nawaki, Tsunade's mood darkened slightly.
Fortunately, she quickly snapped out of it.
She wasn't the same Tsunade from back then. A sad memory like this couldn't break her.
Watching Tsunade regain her composure and dive back into her paperwork with renewed vigor, Kazuki understood—she had been thinking about Nawaki.
Nawaki's dream had been to become Hokage. Now, Tsunade had fulfilled that dream for him.
So she would carry out the rest of his goals as well—protecting the villagers, protecting the entire village.
Not wanting to disturb Tsunade while she was in high spirits, Kazuki quietly left the Hokage's office, gently closing the door behind him.
He motioned for Sasuke, who was waiting outside, to follow him.
Sasuke kept his head low as he trailed behind Kazuki, not daring to look up.
He was afraid others would see the swelling on his face and the dark circles under his eyes—it would be too humiliating.
Sasuke had a strong sense of pride. Unlike Naruto, who could run around the village without a care even after getting beaten black and blue, Sasuke couldn't stand the thought of being seen in such a state.
This isn't the way home…
As they walked, Sasuke realized they had unknowingly reached the outskirts of the village.
There were no houses around, only dense forests filled with the chirping of insects and birds.
"Sssss—"
As they stepped into the woods, a small white snake rose up and hissed at Kazuki.
Glancing at the serpent, Kazuki said:
"Tell Orochimaru to pause whatever he's working on. I need to discuss something with him."
Orochimaru?
The same Orochimaru who once kidnapped villagers for experiments and wanted to study the Sharingan?
Though shocked, Sasuke remained silent, obediently standing behind Kazuki.
The little white snake slithered away into the trees and vanished. Kazuki led Sasuke deeper into the forest until they stopped before an enormous tree—one so thick it would take four or five people to wrap their arms around it.
"Creak…!"
The tree trunk trembled as a concealed door slowly swung open, revealing a dimly lit passageway.
Kazuki stepped inside without hesitation, and Sasuke had no choice but to follow.
---
Deep in the underground laboratory, Orochimaru—dressed in his usual white lab coat—emerged from his workspace.
After receiving the white snake's message, he had set aside his current project.
Over the past few years in Konoha, Orochimaru had been on his best behavior, quietly conducting experiments in his lab and rarely venturing out.
Occasionally, he would stroll around the village wearing what he considered fashionable attire.
Who would've guessed that Orochimaru, of all people, had a penchant for dressing up in private?
The man loved draping himself in eccentric outfits, letting his long, straight black hair flow freely, and adorning himself with glittering earrings.
From behind, he could easily be mistaken for a beautiful woman.
But the moment he turned around, the illusion would shatter, leaving onlookers stunned.
"To what do I owe the pleasure, Kazuki? Is this an important matter… or have you brought me some new test subjects?"
Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed as he studied Sasuke, who stood stiffly beside Kazuki.
"Ah, if it isn't young Sasuke. Did you get into another fight with Naruto?"
Sasuke: "..."
He swore that if Kazuki weren't standing right there, he would've turned and bolted.
Orochimaru was just… unnerving.
"I'm here to deliver you a student."
Kazuki gave Sasuke a light push, sending him stumbling forward. The boy's bruised face twisted in shock.
Orochimaru wasn't faring much better—he thought Kazuki was joking.
Handing me the youngest son of the Uchiha clan as a disciple?
Are you serious?
But Sasuke… now, that was interesting.
As if struck by a delightful thought, Orochimaru's tongue slithered out to lick his lips.
"Wait here."
After instructing Sasuke to stay put, Kazuki gestured for Orochimaru to follow him into the lab for a private discussion.
"Then please make yourself comfortable for now, Sasuke."
With a smile that made Sasuke's hair stand on end, Orochimaru trailed after Kazuki into the lab.
Once the door closed, Kazuki cut straight to the point:
"How's the research on Obito's Sharingan going?"
"Fascinating, truly. If not for the bloodline restrictions, I'd be tempted to transplant one into myself."
Orochimaru's voice quivered with excitement.
Kazuki shook his head slightly.
Too narrow-minded.
Kamui's space manipulation was indeed mysterious and powerful, but at the end of the day, it was just another Mangekyō ability.
Once you figured out its weakness, even something as formidable as Kamui could be countered.
Kazuki casually took a seat on a chair beside the operating table, propping his feet up on the sterile surface.
"..."
Orochimaru nearly reminded him about hygiene—but held back.
He couldn't tell if Kazuki simply didn't care or was deliberately provoking him.
And Orochimaru wasn't wrong.
Kazuki was provoking him.
The snake Sannin had been too well-behaved lately, and that made Kazuki uneasy.
A little discipline and intimidation were necessary—otherwise, this serpent might try to slither out of control at any moment.
"Regarding the Sharingan, Obito's Kamui may be mysterious and powerful, but it's still just a Mangekyō technique. I've recently uncovered some… intriguing secrets. Kazuki might find them interesting."
"What secrets?"
This was exactly the kind of thing Orochimaru lived for.
Kazuki smirked but remained silent, watching as Orochimaru's grin slowly stiffened.
Kazuki didn't trust him. If Orochimaru wanted these secrets, he'd have to pay a price.
His expression turning serious, Orochimaru stated:
"I'll take Sasuke as my student and train him properly."
Kazuki raised an eyebrow but said nothing.