Obito and Rin had gone to find Kakashi, while Naruto made his way to seek out Orochimaru.
With the familiar hum of the Flying Thunder God Technique (Hiraishin no Jutsu), a golden flash tore through space. Naruto appeared beside Orochimaru with a soft hiss, startling both him and Kabuto, who had been preparing lunch over a small fire.
"Na–Naruto," Kabuto exclaimed, adjusting his glasses in surprise. "You really are impossible to track!"
Naruto smiled sheepishly. "Heh, sorry about that."
Orochimaru, who was sitting on a stone slab nearby, turned his serpentine gaze toward the young Hokage-to-be. "Well, well… Naruto-kun, you truly can't wait, can you?" A sly grin spread across his pale face. "Don't worry, I've already acquired what you wanted."
He reached into his cloak and pulled out a sealed glass cylinder filled with preservation fluid. Inside floated a Byakugan, its pale pupil faintly gleaming.
"Here," Orochimaru said, holding it out.
Naruto took the container carefully, examining it under the sunlight before smiling. "Thanks, Uncle Snake."
Orochimaru's lips curved in amusement at the nickname. "I'm not entirely sure what you mean by 'purity,' but the eye's biological activity is excellent. If transplanted properly, there should be no complications."
Naruto nodded, sealing the container inside a scroll. "Honestly, I'm not too sure either. I just heard someone mention it. I'll have it checked by someone who'll know for sure."
Orochimaru's golden eyes narrowed slightly. "Ah… I suppose you mean that Ōtsutsuki on the moon, don't you? Kenito, was it?"
Naruto nodded slightly. "Yeah. He'll recognize its nature instantly."
"Come now, Orochimaru-sama, Naruto," Kabuto interrupted politely, carrying over the food. "Let's eat before it gets cold."
Naruto realized he hadn't eaten either and accepted the plate gratefully. The three sat together in an odd but familiar silence, the air thick with the scent of grilled fish and herbs.
As they ate, Kabuto glanced up curiously. "Naruto, something must've happened. You didn't even wait for us to return—you came to find us directly."
Naruto swallowed his food and replied, "It's not that I couldn't wait. I just need your help with something urgent. As soon as we're done eating, I'll take you both with me."
The tone in Naruto's voice carried quiet seriousness. Orochimaru tilted his head, studying him. "Did something happen in Konoha?"
Naruto waved a hand dismissively. "Not exactly bad news. Let me explain."
And so he did. Naruto detailed the events—Tsunade's decision to step down and her wish for Kakashi to succeed her. When he finished, Orochimaru gave a faint, nostalgic sigh.
"I didn't expect Lady Tsunade to resign so soon… and to appoint Hatake Kakashi, no less."
Kabuto blinked in surprise. "Naruto, given your strength and what you've done for the entire shinobi world, shouldn't you be the Sixth Hokage?"
Orochimaru's gaze lingered on Naruto as well, the question clearly echoing in his own mind.
Naruto smiled softly. "I've already experienced what it means to be Hokage. I understand the responsibility that comes with it. But right now… my mission lies elsewhere. I'm preparing for what's coming—the Ōtsutsuki clan. The threat that exists beyond our sky."
His expression hardened slightly. "Konoha deserves a Hokage who can give the village his full attention. Kakashi-sensei is perfect for that. For me… the future is my battlefield."
Orochimaru and Kabuto both nodded in understanding.
After a moment of silence, Naruto turned toward Kabuto and smiled faintly. "Kabuto… I remember you once said you had an older brother, and that your dream was to run an orphanage, right?"
Kabuto froze, his hand halfway to his bowl. Orochimaru turned to him with raised brows. "Is that true, Kabuto?"
Kabuto's face softened into a shy smile. "Yes… Naruto is right. I do have a brother who stayed at the orphanage. And yes, my dream has always been to one day run one myself."
He paused, eyes clouding with thought. How does he know that? he wondered. Then it struck him—Naruto, the reincarnation of Asura Ōtsutsuki, son of the Sage of Six Paths. Perhaps, he thought, it wasn't strange that Naruto could perceive what lay within a person's heart.
Orochimaru chuckled quietly. "Kabuto, I must admit I'm surprised. I thought your passion was to unravel every truth in this world with me. To think you harbor such a simple, human dream."
Kabuto looked at his master with a fond smile. "That's still one of my dreams, Orochimaru-sama. But the truth is endless—no matter how much we uncover, it will always continue. So, one day, I want to return to the beginning… to fulfill the dream I once had as a child. To rebuild the orphanage and care for children like me."
Naruto's expression softened. "Kabuto, you know the Edo Tensei, don't you? Then why not resurrect your old orphanage director? The one who raised you?"
Kabuto fell silent. Orochimaru watched him intently—it was the first time he'd ever seen Kabuto's usually composed face shift into something truly vulnerable.
After a long pause, Kabuto exhaled deeply. "I've thought about it before. But in the end, I realized… not all regrets need to be healed by reunion. Some things… are better left as memories. Sometimes, not seeing someone again can be its own kind of closure."
His smile was gentle, almost peaceful.
Naruto nodded slowly. "I see… maybe there's truth in that. I guess my understanding has always been more straightforward."
Kabuto chuckled. "That's just my view, Naruto. For someone like Kakashi, I doubt it's the same."
Orochimaru clapped his hands softly, breaking the reflective silence. "Well then, shall we go? Let's finish what you came here for."
Kabuto cleaned up the dishes while Naruto stood and placed his hands on both their shoulders. The next moment, a flash of golden light consumed the forest.
Hiss!
They reappeared in the Konoha Cemetery.
"Where's Sakumo Hatake's grave?" Naruto asked.
Orochimaru's expression turned distant. "I know where it is. I was there when he was buried."
He led them down a narrow path lined with weathered stones and quiet trees. As they walked, Naruto turned to Kabuto curiously. "By the way, Kabuto, during the Fourth Great Ninja War, why didn't you resurrect Sakumo Hatake?"
Kabuto sighed and shrugged helplessly. "Because after Orochimaru-sama resurrected the First and Second Hokage and caused the Third's death, Konoha's leadership formed a special Tomb Guard Unit. The security around this place became incredibly tight."
He smiled ruefully. "I tried, you know. But without knowing exactly where Sakumo's grave was, I would've had to dig through countless sites. Still, I managed to find a few others—Hiruzen's old allies, Dan, even Asuma."
Orochimaru smirked faintly at that.
Kabuto continued, "You don't know how careful I had to be. One wrong move, and the entire guard division would've swarmed me."
Naruto chuckled. "You really risked a lot for knowledge, didn't you?"
Before Kabuto could answer, Orochimaru stopped before a row of plain stones. "Found it," he said softly, pointing to an unnamed grave.
Kabuto frowned. "No wonder I couldn't locate it. There are so many unnamed tombstones here—how was I supposed to know which one?"
Orochimaru let out a quiet laugh. "When Sakumo committed suicide, the villagers cursed his name. To prevent further disgrace, Konoha's higher-ups buried him here under an unmarked stone. Only a few of us knew."
Naruto lowered his head solemnly. "Kabuto, it's time. Let's fulfill what you couldn't before."
Kabuto nodded and unsealed a large scroll. With a puff of smoke, a set of tools appeared—a shovel, ritual seals, and his summoning implements.
Just as he began to dig, several chakra signatures flared nearby.
"Hey! Who's desecrating the Konoha Cemetery?!"
A squad of Leaf shinobi appeared, landing with weapons drawn. Their eyes widened in disbelief at the sight before them—Naruto Uzumaki, Orochimaru, and the infamous tomb raider Kabuto Yakushi.
"Wait… Lord Seventh?!" one of them stammered.
Kabuto froze mid-motion, shovel in hand. Orochimaru chuckled darkly, his golden eyes glinting with amusement.
Naruto sighed. "This… is going to be a long explanation."
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