"Good morning, Commander."
"Morning, Sora. You too, Renge."
Inside the ANBU office, Natsuhiko greeted them with a relaxed smile.
Perhaps it was because he had spent a month and a half wandering outside, enduring harsh conditions, but now that he had returned to Konohagakure, the sense of comfort was undeniable.
More importantly, the gains he had made during that time… were more than satisfying.
Thinking back to his final clash with Obito Uchiha, Natsuhiko couldn't help but feel a hint of amusement. After Black Zetsu had retreated early, Obito had been left without guidance.
Taking advantage of that, Natsuhiko had exploited the blind spot in his vision, hiding a shadow clone underground in advance.
Then, he deliberately mimicked the actions of Minato Namikaze, provoking Obito just enough to make him lose his composure.
And as expected—
Obito had taken the bait.
In doing so, Natsuhiko had essentially recreated Minato's method of dealing with him. Even without the Flying Thunder God Technique, his speed under the Nine-Tails' chakra mode was still astonishing enough to leave anyone speechless.
After losing his right arm, Obito had clearly lost any desire to continue the fight. He had simply glared at Natsuhiko with burning hatred before his body twisted and vanished into space.
Only after carefully scanning the surroundings for quite some time did Natsuhiko finally move.
He sealed away the half of White Zetsu's body that remained—along with the severed right arm Obito had left behind—before swiftly departing from Kirigakure.
To be honest, this time…
He had thoroughly offended Obito.
And not just Obito—what he had done to Kirigakure was nothing short of catastrophic.
Even without complete intelligence, Natsuhiko could easily imagine the aftermath.
After all, the battlefield had been within the village itself. Even if it had been near the outskirts, his Tailed Beast Bomb had been aimed directly toward the Mizukage's building.
That area was densely populated—whether civilians or shinobi, there had been no shortage of people.
And as for the central district?
That was where the village's higher-ups resided.
If luck had been on his side… he might have even wiped out a number of Kirigakure's leadership.
On top of that, the clash of Tailed Beast Bombs between him and the Fourth Mizukage had caused destruction on an unimaginable scale.
Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—the number of shinobi who had rushed in as reinforcements had not been small. Even if Kirigakure didn't maintain a massive standing force, the number of active-duty ninja was still substantial.
It was precisely because of them that the shockwaves from that collision had been contained.
Otherwise, if the impact had spread into the village center…
The consequences would have been far worse than mere casualties.
Even so, what Kirigakure had suffered was no longer just a simple defeat.
The political implications alone were enough to inspire despair.
The Mizukage's building, now reduced entirely to ruins, dealt a devastating blow to the village's authority and stability. Combined with the heavy loss of life, it was entirely possible that, if the other four great villages acted together, Kirigakure might even be pushed out of the ranks of the Five Great Nations.
In a way, they should be grateful to Obito.
If not for his policy of isolation—effectively cutting the village off from the outside world—Natsuhiko's actions would have spread across the entire shinobi world through espionage networks by the very next day.
"…Looks like I'll need to be more careful if I ever go back there again," Natsuhiko thought to himself. "Whether it's my real identity—or that persona."
Even though his attack had left the people of Kirigakure utterly stunned, stoking hatred was something every village excelled at—especially in the face of humiliation and crisis.
Such hatred could be used to redirect internal conflict, to fuel the desire for revenge among shinobi.
And in some ways, this world reminded him of a country from his previous life—one known for selectively forgetting its own history.
Konoha itself was a perfect example.
Just look around the village now…
How many people still spoke of Hashirama Senju or Madara Uchiha anymore?
Not to mention anything else—even matters concerning the Second Hokage were rarely spoken of in the village anymore.
If, in the end, everything Natsuhiko had done was reduced to nothing more than the devastation he caused to Kirigakure and a deep-seated hatred that demanded his death, then the next time he went after the Six-Tails, what awaited him would likely be relentless vengeance—an enemy that would fight him to the very end.
After all, it was easy to guard against attacks in the open, but far harder to defend against those hidden in the shadows.
Natsuhiko understood this better than anyone.
No matter how strong one became, a well-placed ambush could still be fatal. That was the reality of being a shinobi.
It wasn't that he ignored incoming attacks during battle—it was simply that, while in the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, his defensive capabilities were elevated to an entirely different level.
But he couldn't remain in that state at all times.
Even Naruto Uzumaki, the first to truly master that power, hadn't lived his life in a constant state of combat readiness.
Maintaining such a condition indefinitely would place an immense strain on both body and mind.
Stretching lazily, Natsuhiko let his thoughts drift back over everything he had gained in the past month and a half, and a faint smile once again tugged at the corners of his lips.
First, by sheer chance, he had obtained a Byakugan from a main branch member.
Then, he had captured that boy—Kimimaro.
The Byakugan, as one of the core powers of the Ōtsutsuki clan, possessed a unique evolutionary potential. From what he understood, whether it was the Rinnegan or the Tenseigan, they could all be considered derivatives of the Byakugan in some form.
The Tenseigan was easier to comprehend—it was directly tied to the power of Hamura Otsutsuki, a transformation born from the Byakugan itself.
As for the Rinnegan—and even the Sharingan—they could also be seen as mutations stemming from that same origin.
When Hagoromo Otsutsuki witnessed the death of his loved one, he awakened a Mangekyō-level Sharingan instantly, skipping the usual stages of evolution. From there, he leapt directly to the Rinnegan.
Even among the various Ōtsutsuki that Natsuhiko vaguely remembered from his past life, no matter how strange or distorted their eyes appeared, their essence could still be traced back to the Byakugan.
In that sense, the Byakugan could be considered the fundamental source of all ocular powers in this world.
Yet over time, the bloodline of the Hyuga clan had gradually diluted.
Their connection to the Ōtsutsuki lineage had weakened, and their use of the Byakugan had become increasingly limited—focused almost entirely on taijutsu. As a result, they found themselves in an awkward position, neither truly weak nor exceptionally strong.
And even within taijutsu, much of their inherited knowledge had been lost.
Just compare Kaguya Otsutsuki's Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack to the Hyūga clan's Eight Trigrams Palm—
The gap between them was nothing short of heaven and earth.
Of course, Natsuhiko couldn't help but wonder whether the Hyūga had lost more than just techniques.
Perhaps what they lacked was a specific bloodline—one capable of fully activating and sustaining the true power of the Byakugan.
After all, the fusion of the Uchiha and Senju bloodlines could recreate the power of the Sage of Six Paths.
And considering the abilities displayed by Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, didn't that suggest another possibility?
Perhaps the Byakugan could be combined with the Shikotsumyaku—the bone-manipulation ability—to recreate a more fundamental form of Ōtsutsuki power. From there, it might be possible to nurture and awaken the deeper potential hidden within the Byakugan itself.
Natsuhiko didn't have definitive answers.
But he could experiment.
With his unique ability to extract and cultivate "seeds," he could obtain the purest forms of these powers—ones that could integrate seamlessly into his own body.
And honestly…
He was quite looking forward to it.
If such a fusion truly succeeded, what kind of extraordinary abilities might he awaken?
"…But that's a matter for later."
For now, all he needed to do was wait—wait patiently for the results to take shape.
With a faint smile, Natsuhiko took a document from Sora's hands, lowered his gaze, and began to read.
After returning to Konohagakure, Natsuhiko felt an unmistakable sense of ease settle over him.
Perhaps it was simply because this was his territory—only here could he truly relax and let his guard down. Even though he hadn't yet completely secured Konoha in his grasp, he was confident that day was not far off.
Aside from the comfort of being back, there was also the matter of the White Zetsu bodies he had planted along with the Byakugan.
This time, the materials he had obtained were of exceptional quality—one was a White Zetsu arm, and the other was half of Black Zetsu's body.
Natsuhiko wasn't entirely sure whether these remnants were from those specially cultivated specimens associated with Madara Uchiha—the ones capable of using Wood Release—but regardless, anything utilized by those two was bound to be extraordinary.
More importantly, the moment he obtained them, he could clearly sense it—
The chakra and vitality contained within these samples far exceeded anything he had acquired before.
They were on a completely different level.
Without hesitation, he had implanted them into the tree as well—choosing the thickest and most robust section for the process.
Although there had been no immediate reaction, he could already feel chakra quietly brewing within.
That alone was a good sign.
Given enough time, he was certain he would harvest exactly what he wanted.
Of course, where there were gains, there were also complications.
And that complication was none other than Kimimaro.
There was no doubt in Natsuhiko's mind that the boy possessed immense potential. The problem was… he was still only three or four years old, and his bloodline had yet to fully awaken.
Worse still, his childhood had been nothing short of miserable.
When Natsuhiko had taken him away—using Mei Terumi as leverage—the boy had been locked inside a dog cage.
Even now, Natsuhiko found it difficult to comprehend.
How could a child who carried what was likely the last trace of the Shikotsumyaku—the Kaguya clan's bloodline—be treated in such a way?
"…Could it be," he mused, "that although they are all Kaguya, their bloodlines have deteriorated to the point where they've lost their power entirely?"
"Even their clan head… perhaps he no longer possessed that strength. And so when someone like Kimimaro appeared, bearing that bloodline, he became an anomaly—someone who didn't belong."
"Or maybe… that clan head intended to break him completely. To tame him like a beast and turn him into a loyal hound."
In the end, Natsuhiko let the thought go.
There was no point dwelling on it.
What mattered was that the boy was now in his hands.
The real issue lay in how to handle him—and in the fact that his bloodline activation was still far too weak.
Yes, Kimimaro could already produce bone structures, but their fragility was laughable.
Compared to the version in Natsuhiko's memory—whose bones could clash head-on with ninja weapons—this child's bones were so brittle that Natsuhiko could crush them with his bare hands, without even using chakra.
Even so, Natsuhiko had still planted them.
He simply didn't hold much expectation for the outcome.
After some thought, he concluded that bringing the boy back to Konoha was the best option.
Ideally, he would arrange for someone trustworthy to "coincidentally" discover and bring him in.
This task, he decided, would be handled by the internal affairs division—most of whom were from the Senju clan. While he didn't fully trust them, they were still more reliable than most.
"Commander, you seem to be in a good mood today."
Just as Natsuhiko's thoughts began to drift while reading the document in his hand, Sora's voice broke through.
"More or less. I'm usually in a good mood."
He turned slightly, offering her a faint smile.
"Oh, and when it's just the two of us, you can call me Natsuhiko. We're classmates, after all—no need to be so formal."
"I'm afraid I can't agree to that."
Sora smiled back, but shook her head gently.
"We may be classmates, but within the ANBU, rank must be respected. After work, I can relax a bit… but during duty, I can't afford to be careless."
She paused briefly before adding with a teasing note,
"Renge does the same, doesn't she? She calls you 'Commander' while on duty too—and she's your fiancée."
"…Fiancée, huh."
Mentioning fiancée brought a faint shake of the head from Natsuhiko, though there was no real dissatisfaction in his expression.
"An arranged fiancée system that exists purely to preserve clan bloodlines, without regard for emotional foundations between the two people involved… strictly speaking, I don't really like it."
"But it exists, so it must have its own meaning. And since I'm also a beneficiary of it, perhaps I'm not in a position to complain."
"Does that mean… Natsuhiko doesn't like Renge?"
"It's not that," he replied calmly. "Renge is a good woman. She handles household matters well and is also capable with administrative work. I simply don't like the system itself."
He spread his hands slightly, as if to close the topic. Even though he had been the one to bring it up, he clearly had no intention of going deeper into it.
Renge was indeed a good woman—there was no question about that. Even if she was a little cold, that coldness did nothing to overshadow her strengths. On top of that, her appearance also happened to align with Natsuhiko's preferences.
But at this stage of his life, what he was pursuing made him surprisingly indifferent to whether a woman was beautiful or not.
More importantly, as someone who had come from another world, he simply wasn't very receptive to the idea of an arranged marriage in the first place.
However, Natsuhiko's thoughts were not something Sora could fully understand.
She glanced at him with a hint of surprise, a subtle thought forming in her mind—still vague, still unshaped, but quietly stored away without being spoken.
With a soft smile, she shifted her gaze to the documents on the desk.
"Actually, Commander, you could change things if you wanted to. With your position, you're someone who can make decisions anywhere you go."
"But for now, you should probably focus on the report. This matter is… quite significant."
"Mm."
Natsuhiko nodded with a light smile and lowered his gaze, beginning to read seriously.
But after only a short while, his brows lifted slightly.
The report was about Orochimaru.
...
Deep within his laboratory, Orochimaru was quietly observing a young boy sealed inside an experimental container—one of his many test subjects.
Ever since being defeated by the man who wielded the Nine-Tails' power, he had become intensely focused on researching the power of Hashirama Senju.
At the same time, he had been continuously studying and refining the Edo Tensei.
However, he had discovered something crucial.
The jutsu itself was simple to learn—but extremely difficult to perfect to its fullest potential.
Orochimaru was confident he could summon the First Hokage, but even if he succeeded, the summoned version would not necessarily possess its full strength. In that case, what was the point?
As his research deepened, he gradually realized that to truly summon a "perfect" version of the individuals he desired, he needed to further investigate the fusion of Hashirama's cells.
Only by solving the problem of those cells—by ensuring that the vessel itself possessed a compatible structure—could he bring forth a version of Hashirama close to his true power.
And beyond that, even if he succeeded in summoning them, if his own strength was insufficient, he would not be able to control them.
In the end, everything circled back to Hashirama's cells once again.
And so Orochimaru was forced to calm himself and devote himself fully to research.
If he mastered those cells, he would be able to create better vessels.
And by understanding them completely, he could also strengthen himself.
Only then would he be able to control the legendary figures he summoned.
Fortunately, Orochimaru was nothing if not a genius.
The cells of Hashirama Senju were extremely aggressive, so he needed a way to suppress their effects. And when he thought back to that chaotic era, there had been only one man who could stand on equal footing with Hashirama—
Madara Uchiha.
That led Orochimaru to a hypothesis:
Was it possible that only the power of the Uchiha could suppress the power of the Senju?
With that idea in mind, he began his experiments.
Quietly, he captured a member of the Uchiha clan—an act that was hardly difficult for him, especially with Danzō Shimura secretly assisting in the shadows.
With that backing, the matter became even less troublesome than expected.
Danzō Shimura had been relieved of his official position, but that did not mean he had lost his influence. His network of connections, political leverage, and lingering authority still remained intact in one form or another.
No matter how much Orochimaru might disdain cooperating with him, he would never hesitate to make use of whatever advantages Danzō could still offer.
This time, however, what Orochimaru was doing was no longer driven purely by curiosity. It had gradually turned into something closer to self-preservation.
He looked at the boy sealed within the experimental container and gave a satisfied nod—only for his expression to change almost immediately.
Within the vessel, the child's body had finally reached its limit. Branch-like growths suddenly erupted from his flesh, spreading rapidly until his entire body was overtaken.
"…Failed again, huh?"
Orochimaru's expression quickly returned to calm. Without hesitation, he picked up a pen and began carefully recording the results.
"The onset of cellular runaway occurred faster than expected. Complete collapse within one week."
"So the sensitivity is higher than anticipated… it seems Hashirama Senju's cells really do have an unpredictable reaction when paired with Uchiha blood."
"Additionally, the subject managed to persist for a considerable amount of time before failure."
He paused briefly, his gaze growing sharper as his thoughts deepened.
The further his research progressed, the more he felt as though he was inching closer to truth itself.
"Then…"
He continued writing.
"Hypothesis one: ordinary Uchiha blood cannot withstand this level of power. It may be necessary to further suppress Hashirama's cells in order to continue experiments."
"Hypothesis two: the Uchiha subjects previously obtained were of insufficient quality. Higher-grade specimens are required—for example, shinobi who have already awakened the Sharingan."
"Both hypotheses can be tested in parallel, but the issue is…"
His pen slowed, and Orochimaru frowned slightly.
Experimental materials were always the most troublesome part.
Neither the remains of Hashirama Senju nor members of the Uchiha clan were easy to obtain.
He still had fragments of Hashirama's body, but as his experiments deepened, even he could not say how long those supplies would last.
The only fortunate aspect was that he could use them freely without restriction.
But when it came to Uchiha subjects—especially high-quality ones—the situation was far more complicated.
In Orochimaru's estimation, at the very least, he needed subjects who had awakened the Sharingan. And if he wanted stable experimental efficiency, then three-tomoe Sharingan users were ideal.
But for the Uchiha clan, Sharingan users were already rare. Those who possessed three tomoe were essentially treasured assets of the clan.
More importantly, their combat strength was not to be underestimated. Even Orochimaru could not confidently say he would be able to defeat them without risk.
Just then, the lab door was pushed open. A man walked in quickly.
Orochimaru glanced at him briefly and showed no reaction. After all, the only person who would enter this place so casually was Danzō.
Danzō walked straight up to him, his eyes scanning the records on the table before speaking in a low voice.
"…Failed again?"
"Experiments rarely succeed on the first attempt," Orochimaru replied indifferently, gathering his notes and setting them aside. Only then did he finally turn his attention fully to Danzō.
"However, I've already found a direction. I believe things will become much simpler from here on."
"A direction?" Danzō's voice darkened, laced with dissatisfaction. "That so-called direction of yours is nothing short of suicide."
"Do you understand how tight the situation outside is right now?"
"Helping you capture a single Uchiha child was already troublesome enough. And now you want more? You're even setting your sights on three-tomoe Sharingan users?"
Danzō had naturally seen Orochimaru's notes. And precisely because he had seen them, his displeasure had only deepened.
This man was becoming more and more excessive—the demands of his experiments were escalating with every passing step.
Attacking the Uchiha and using them for experiments—Danzō Shimura had no particular objection to that.
In fact, he had always harbored dislike, even outright disgust toward that clan. So psychologically, he felt no burden at all regarding such actions.
But with the outside world already buzzing with rumors and scrutiny, suggesting something so reckless at this moment… it was practically suicide.
"Whether an experiment is conducted is my decision. Whether it is carried out is yours."
Orochimaru's tone remained completely flat, as if he were discussing something utterly irrelevant.
"I only handle the experiments and report the results. As for whether to proceed further, that's your concern, not mine."
"This is only the first time I've used Uchiha subjects, but I've already obtained quite interesting results."
"Whether to continue deeper into this line of research—that is your choice."
"You…"
Danzō's expression shifted slightly. He stared at Orochimaru for a long moment before finally lowering his voice.
"Are you certain about this? I don't want any accidents. You should understand—I'm not in a position where I can easily manipulate the Uchiha right now."
"And your own situation is far from stable either."
"The data is right here," Orochimaru replied calmly. "Even if it failed, it's still far more valuable than anything we had before."
Without another word, he turned and walked toward the exit without looking back.
"I've already said it: I decide the direction of the experiment. You decide whether it proceeds. That is all."
"I understand."
Watching Orochimaru's departing figure, Danzō finally gritted his teeth and spoke.
"Fine… but you must understand something."
"If this is exposed, you will be the only one to bear full responsibility. And you will have to bear everything."
"Heh…"
Orochimaru licked his lips faintly, completely unconcerned as he continued walking out.
Responsibility? What did it matter?
He had long stopped caring about such trivial things.
And there was one thing he hadn't bothered to tell Danzō at all—
Whether Danzō agreed or not, he was going to proceed anyway.
...
"Missing Uchiha clan member… suspected involvement of Orochimaru?"
Natsuhiko tapped lightly on the desk, reviewing the report.
This incident had not been known to him beforehand—in fact, even the Uchiha themselves had been unaware of it.
According to the investigation, a young Uchiha had gone out on a mission, completed it successfully, and then vanished afterward.
Vanished—yes, officially classified as "missing."
He had completed his mission, and although the village had not initially logged the return properly, the mission client later sent back confirmation records. That inconsistency became the key clue that exposed the issue.
More importantly, the boy's name had also been listed in the return records as having come back to the village.
That detail alone caused the Uchiha clan to erupt in outrage.
This could only mean one thing: a clan member had disappeared inside the village itself.
For the Uchiha, that was unacceptable.
And with rumors now circulating about Orochimaru's involvement, their anxiety only deepened.
The clan had already begun protesting to the Third Hokage, while simultaneously organizing their own search teams across the entire village.
It was precisely because of these movements that the ANBU finally picked up on the situation—and this report eventually landed on Natsuhiko's desk.
Frankly, he was slightly confused.
In the original timeline, Orochimaru's interest in the Uchiha had only been sparked after witnessing Uchiha Itachi's performance. But now, Itachi didn't even possess the Sharingan yet—so why had things escalated this early?
"Your clan head's son… he's called Uchiha Itachi, right?"
"Yes," Sora nodded, though she looked slightly puzzled. "Why do you ask?"
"I heard he's a genius," Natsuhiko said casually. "With the clan dealing with this situation, make sure your people keep an eye on him."
Then, after a brief pause, he asked the real question.
"By the way… does Uchiha Itachi already have his Sharingan?"
"I'll inform the clan," Sora replied after thinking for a moment. "But as for the Sharingan… he probably hasn't awakened it yet."
"If he had, I don't think the clan head would have kept it hidden."
From a political standpoint, a child displaying such extraordinary talent would undoubtedly bring great benefits to his father.
From a family perspective as well, it was something worth being proud of.
Natsuhiko nodded slightly. Sora's analysis aligned almost perfectly with his own thoughts.
Although Uchiha Fugaku was a relatively reserved man, as the clan head he had to think and act in ways befitting his position.
Moreover, within the Uchiha clan, awakening the Sharingan was unquestionably a source of pride. There was no reason to conceal such a thing.
Since there was no information about it within the clan, it was safe to conclude that Uchiha Itachi had not yet awakened his Sharingan.
And if that was the case, Natsuhiko could more or less rule out the possibility that Orochimaru's actions were directly related to Itachi.
Then what exactly is the reason?
He tapped the desk lightly again, his expression turning slightly more contemplative.
At this point, he even began to question whether the culprit behind this incident was truly Orochimaru at all.
But after careful consideration, the intelligence provided by the ANBU was still reliable. And in the entire Hidden Leaf, Orochimaru still seemed to be the only one with both motive and capability.
With that in mind, Natsuhiko decided to continue treating Orochimaru as the primary suspect.
If it really was him, then this incident would essentially amount to a direct "severing of an arm" against the Third Hokage.
He suddenly realized that, lately, he seemed to have developed a habit of "cutting off people's arms."
Obito Uchiha had already had his metaphorical arm cut off twice by him, and although he hadn't physically severed Orochimaru's arm during their confrontation, driving Orochimaru out of the village could certainly be considered severing an arm of Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Still, when he thought about it carefully, sometimes severing someone's "arm" was far more terrifying than killing them outright.
The Sand Village's methods were even more ruthless in that regard—leaving an enemy alive while stripping away everything they relied on for revenge.
It was a method Natsuhiko could not help but appreciate.
"Have more people investigate Orochimaru, and also re-examine all areas previously restricted by the ANBU."
After sorting through his thoughts, he gave the order directly. Sora immediately picked up her pen and began recording everything seriously.
"Those areas… I've passed by them with Kakashi before, but we were stopped by Root operatives."
"According to ANBU records, those places are suspected hidden laboratories."
"As for what exactly is being done there, we don't know—but it's time we find out."
He paused briefly, thinking it over once more before continuing.
"And if you encounter members of Root interfering with the investigation, subdue them directly."
"If they resist, eliminate them on the spot. Do not show any mercy."
Even though he still wore a faint smile, the killing intent in his words was unmistakable.
"Those Root agents are not on the same side as us. I assume you're aware they've even attacked our ANBU base before."
"If they were willing to go that far, then we have no reason to hold back either."
"I understand," Sora replied faithfully, recording every word.
Then she offered a suggestion.
"In that case, I recommend assigning Captain Kakashi and squad leader Pakura to this operation."
"Those two?"
Natsuhiko nodded slightly after hearing her proposal.
"That's a good choice. Send them both."
Kakashi Hatake and Pakura would not hesitate if things came to a fight—that much he was certain of.
Now, he just needed to confirm whether Orochimaru was truly the one behind it.
And if he was…
Then when Hiruzen Sarutobi eventually attempted to rebuild Root, Natsuhiko would make sure he didn't even have a single capable veteran left to rely on.