The Next Morning,
Andrew was reading the message from Pakura about Land of the Waves. She didn't meet any resistance, and there wasn't even any ninja village. It was easy to take over - she had even started making them work.
Woodworks would be popular; now that there was a kid on the way, Andrew was thinking about creating an industry that would help him. Something to leave for the kids and grandkids behind, to keep them safe.
But just as he thought about that, an unexpected guest visited him, "Nonoa?"
"I saw Kabuto." She said in a soft voice, sitting in front of him.
"Where?" Andrew leaned in with interest.
"He came here for Chunin exams."
"Do they expect that no one would know about him?" Andrew wondered, rubbing his chin.
"That's great," He said, "Why didn't you go talk to him?"
Nonoa didn't talk, just looked down, "He's lost...I have seen that face before...It's all my fault...it's because I didn't recognize him..."
Andrew leaned back, closing his eyes. He found Kabuto in that one month she was searching, but when he met the boy, he came to the same conclusion as Nonoa.
There was a big problem; if it were any other year, he would have helped him, but he was barely as strong as a Jonin, and he couldn't take a risk with his kid.
But there was something that ticked him off, Tsunade's words..."Hah...I am such a mess..."
He stood up, "I'll go see him."
Nonoa's eyes shined a little, "You can help him?"
"Yeah, I think...Itachi taught me something nice. Let's hope I don't regret this."
He turned into mist teleporting, reaching the Forbidden Forest's entrance.
He was jumping up on the big trees in the forest, looking for Kabuto. He used Haki to expand the area of the search.
Many teams came into his view, but the forest was too big, and he had to watch so closely since everyone was hiding using their tricks.
Andrew finally found something that looked like a lead; a kid was sitting in the bushes watching for other ninjas.
His teammates weren't there.
Andrew stood on one of the tree branches, looking at the kid, "Kabuto..."
He said, causing the kid to jump up and take a few steps back, "The Outsider."
"Oh, is that the name Orochimaru gave me?" Andrew asked with a smile over his face.
Kabuto's expression didn't change, "I don't know what you are talking about."
"That night, when you thought you killed your mother. I saw Orochimaru take you. It's just that I had priorities - saving your mother came first."
Kabuto's eyes twitched in doubt.
Andrew sat on the branch, "Kid...your mother is alive...why not go see her?"
Kabuto took a breath, "I don't need to...I don't need her."
He disappeared, showing a few kunai against Andrew, appearing behind him and slashing towards his neck.
'Iron.'
Neither his medical technique nor the kunai damaged Andrew, but his t-shirt was torn apart.
He grabbed Kabuto's hand, throwing him down on the floor, there was smoke, and a log appeared in Kabuto's place.
Andrew picked the kunai that had dropped in his lap and threw them towards the bushes.
Kabuto jumped up, running towards the distance.
Andrew teleported the next moment, appearing on Kabuto's head, standing on him, "Kid, come with me quietly."
Suddenly, there was a kunai that went through Andrew's back. Andrew looked back - there was Sharingan in his eyes which turned white.
The next instant, it was as if the time turned back; Andrew was sitting on the branch, his red eyes staring down at Kabuto.
"What?"
Outside the genjutsu,
Andrew stood in front of Kabuto, sighing, "Man, being late cost me an eye."
The last time he didn't want to interfere but just watched, and now that he did decide to change his old decision, he had to lose an eye for it.
Andrew put his hand on Kabuto's shoulder, teleporting him to his secret chambers.
Now that this was done, there was something else that he had to wait for.
Orochimaru would be curious where Kabuto went and who knew what the kid would decide to do once he was back to normal.
"Orochimaru..."
He walked out of the forest, getting back to where the civilization was - looking at the Hokage Office in the distance, Andrew rubbed his chin.
[A/N: If you want to read advance chapters then join my patreon. It will help me a lot if you guys support me!
Link : www.patreon.com/HolyPeak]
He popped over to the Hokage's office to see Minato, also asked something, "Hey, do I have to give these Chunin exams to become a Chunin?"
Minato had a happy smile when he said, "Yes."
"Can I do it alone?"
His smile became even happier, "No!"
"Uhh...So...Kabuto's back?"
"Oh, you caught him?" Minato because serious.
Andrew narrowed his eyes, "Had to Izanami him...now just have to wait for the boy to come out of it."
Minato leaned back, looking at Andrew's eyes, one of which was dull, "So, you have a teammate then."
Andrew sighed, "I need one more...know anyone?"
Minato thought, sincerely, "Is Shizune a Chunin?"
"Yeah."
"Then I am out of ideas."
Andrew remembered something, "Ah, there's Izumi Uchiha; I think she's a genin."
Minato curled his lips in disappointment, "Then just wait till Kabuto's out of the genjutsu...Eh..."
"You want to put me out of my comfort zone?"
Minato sighed, "You'd never stop being lazy without that."
"Heh..." Andrew laughed, going outside, "Whatever."
But it didn't go like planned; it took more than a month for Kabuto to come out of the genjutsu, and even then.
"He left..." Nonoa said, leaning against the wall.
Andrew patted her shoulder, "Good left or bad left?"
"Good left," Nonoa said with a smile.
She wiped away her tears, "Thank you."
Andrew patted her head, "Yeah...anytime."
Nonoa looked back, leaning up to kiss him, but Andrew put a hand on her lips.
"You are a smart woman...too smart..."
Nonoa put her hand on his, "And you don't like this kind of exchange?"
"Yeah, not a fan of mechanical sex."
Nonoa smiled, putting her head on his shoulder, "But that's all I could give you."
"Then there's no need." He said, kissing her head, "Even without all this... I would have helped the orphanage."
Nonoa kissed his cheek, "I think I understand...even with all your flaws..."
Andrew smiled, "Now, don't make me blush."
Orochimaru's Hideout,
Orochimaru was working on a woman lying on the table. He had a few sharp tools in his hand when he stopped.
"I thought you were caught."
"I was," Kabuto said, coming out of the shadows.
"And?"
"He used Izanami on me."
"What's that?"
"It's a Jutsu that traps you in an infinite genjutsu, with an escape route built in it. I found my real self."
Orochimaru looked back, smiling, "Then, why are you back here?"
Kabuto adjusted his glass, "To learn...to become stronger. One day, I want to run that orphanage. Help others as Mother helped me, but I can't do anything without power. The only one that could teach me is you."
Orochimaru laughed, licking his lips, "Although you are different, I don't dislike you. But, why should I teach you?"
Kabuto narrowed his eyes, "He put me in a lab, with machines and computers far more advanced than our time. I took the blueprints for every object there. I propose an exchange of knowledge."
After reading it, taking out one of the scrolls, which Orochimaru picked up in doubt, interest appeared in his eyes, "Fascinating!"
He looked up, staring at Kabuto, "What if I decide to kill you?"
Kabuto curled his lips, sweat dripping from his cheek, "He decided to sacrifice his eye to save me. He is trying to win mother's affection; if you killed me...he would have a reason to kill you. You are still under his Genjutsu's effect - you wouldn't even know when you'd be dead."
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, "Yeah...about that...It won't be long before I find a way to break that genjutsu. Let's say - you can stay alive until then. Now come, help me."