Natsuhiko probably never imagined that, in the eyes of others, he now looked very much like a great villain.
Although he did indeed possess a truly wicked "villain" identity, within Konoha he had always presented himself as a bright, gentle, and upright figure.
He genuinely couldn't understand it. He hadn't even done anything yet, and still the Uchiha seemed convinced he was plotting something behind the scenes.
Even if he did have such intentions, shouldn't the Uchiha clan at least prove their value first?
Worrying before there was even anything worth worrying about—put kindly, it was being cautious in times of peace. Put bluntly, it was nothing more than foolish people inventing fears for themselves.
Of course, Natsuhiko was completely unaware of all this at the moment. Right now, he was standing alongside Kakashi, dealing with a captured Root operative.
Speaking of which, this particular Root ninja was both lucky and terribly unlucky at the same time.
Natsuhiko's orders had been clear: if they resisted, kill them immediately without hesitation.
But the order had only just been issued, and Kakashi's team likely hadn't received formal confirmation yet. That was the only reason this man had managed to survive.
Still, survival didn't always mean good fortune—especially when one possessed sensitive intelligence and had fallen into the hands of the ANBU.
That kind of situation was nothing short of miserable.
And this Root ninja was living proof of that.
Though still alive, he was now in Kakashi's hands—and Kakashi was not someone known for leniency, particularly when he believed his captive held valuable information.
"Commander, what brings you here?" Kakashi asked, somewhat puzzled. Then again, the entire ANBU belonged to Natsuhiko—there was nowhere he couldn't go.
"I came to see that kid, Hidan. Didn't expect to run into you here," Natsuhiko replied with a casual shrug before glancing at the prisoner. "Got anything out of him yet?"
"I just started. How could there be results already?" Kakashi shook his head helplessly, though his tone remained serious. "I was planning to use the Sharingan—after all, they're still a type of ANBU operative."
Using the Sharingan to extract intelligence was indeed an effective method, especially when combined with genjutsu. It was a tried-and-true interrogation technique.
But Natsuhiko remembered something—Root operatives often had cursed seals placed on their tongues.
Trying to force them to speak or write out information would likely trigger the seal, killing them instantly.
In that case, the interrogation would yield nothing at all.
Not that Natsuhiko particularly cared about whatever intelligence this man might possess—but since Kakashi had already captured him, it would be a waste not to make use of the opportunity.
With that in mind, Natsuhiko stepped forward. Under Kakashi's slightly puzzled gaze, he grabbed the man's face and forced his mouth open.
In the next instant, Kakashi's expression shifted.
There, clearly visible on the man's tongue, was a cursed seal.
"This is…?" Kakashi's voice carried a hint of surprise. He had completely overlooked inspecting the tongue.
He had checked for suicide poison, confirmed there was no brain seal, and even restricted the man's chakra. But he had never considered that the tongue itself might be sealed.
That was the problem with dealing with Root operatives—there were simply too many hidden precautions.
"It's a specialty of Root," Natsuhiko said calmly, shaking his head.
Without hesitation, he released his grip and delivered a sharp chop to the man's neck.
The Root operative immediately went limp, collapsing unconscious.
Only then did Natsuhiko turn back to Kakashi.
"Honestly, I don't think you should rush it. At the very least, wait until the interrogation unit removes the seal from his tongue."
"…Looks like there's no other choice."
Kakashi let out a quiet sigh, clearly disappointed. He had been hoping to extract some useful intelligence to make his investigation smoother.
After all, this matter involved the Uchiha, and Kakashi carried a certain sense of guilt toward that clan. It was precisely because of that feeling that he had thrown himself into this task with such determination.
In fact, it was that very sense of responsibility that had led Natsuhiko to entrust this mission to him in the first place.
Unfortunately, this time Kakashi would likely come up empty-handed.
"Alright, don't look so down. I have a new assignment for you."
Natsuhiko smiled faintly, turning as he began walking toward Hidan's cell. Kakashi followed immediately.
There was no longer anything to be done with the Root operative, and with Natsuhiko mentioning a new mission, Kakashi couldn't help but feel curious.
"What's the assignment, Commander?" he asked directly.
"Relax. I know you're concerned about the situation with the Uchiha, so this task will keep you closely involved."
As he spoke, the two of them arrived at the entrance to Hidan's cell.
"There's also a new directive. It should have been delivered to you by Sora or Renge, but since I've run into you, I'll tell you myself."
Natsuhiko's tone turned slightly colder.
"From now on, if you encounter Root operatives, capture them alive if possible. If not… eliminate them immediately. Understood?"
"Yes, Commander."
Kakashi nodded without hesitation. He had never had the slightest fondness for Root.
"And one more thing—this time, you'll be working with Pakura."
"I understand. I won't disappoint you."
Kakashi grasped the implication instantly.
Pakura had nearly been taken by Root agents not long ago. If Natsuhiko hadn't arrived in time, the consequences would have been disastrous.
Because of that, neither of them would feel the slightest mercy when carrying out this mission. Whether their targets were technically Konoha shinobi wouldn't even cross their minds.
Still, a faint concern lingered in Kakashi's heart—would such actions provoke dissatisfaction from the Third Hokage and the others?
But the thought passed as quickly as it came.
He was an ANBU operative. His duty was to trust the mission and the orders he was given.
And since this matter involved the Uchiha, he was determined to uncover the truth, no matter what.
Seeing Kakashi's resolve, Natsuhiko nodded in satisfaction before shifting his attention to the figure inside the cell.
Hidan had been imprisoned for quite some time. Though he didn't look particularly disheveled, his mental state had clearly deteriorated.
He seemed to sense someone approaching, but at first he didn't pay much attention.
That changed the moment he saw who it was.
The instant his eyes fell on Natsuhiko, his entire body trembled involuntarily. It was obvious—Natsuhiko had left a deep impression on him.
"Long time no see, kid."
Natsuhiko stood before the cell with his arms crossed, while Kakashi remained half a step behind him, silent and watchful.
"Y-you…"
Hidan swallowed hard, fear evident in his voice.
"What do you want this time…?"
"Let me ask you something." Natsuhiko ignored his reaction, speaking slowly and calmly. "Do you want freedom? Even if that freedom comes with certain… restrictions?"
Freedom was something precious to anyone—but for someone who had been deprived of it for so long, its value became almost immeasurable.
Hidan might still be young, but after being confined for so long, his desire to escape this tiny cell had grown into something overwhelming.
The moment Natsuhiko made his offer, Hidan agreed without the slightest hesitation.
He didn't even bother asking what had happened to his teacher. Perhaps the man had been released—after all, Hidan had overheard the negotiations between Natsuhiko and his teacher back then.
Or perhaps he was dead.
Hidan didn't trust someone like Natsuhiko enough to believe he would simply let an enemy walk away.
But none of that really mattered.
Someone else's freedom had nothing to do with him—because he himself had none.
Seeing how readily Hidan complied, Natsuhiko was thoroughly satisfied. Even if he knew the boy wasn't truly obedient, that didn't matter. What kind of place was the ANBU?
Disobedience wasn't frightening there. The instructors and operatives of the ANBU had more than enough ways to teach the unruly how to fall in line.
...
"Commander, why let him out?"
After leaving the prison and watching as Hidan was escorted away by other ANBU personnel, Kakashi finally voiced his confusion.
He clearly remembered that Hidan had been brought back by Natsuhiko himself. The boy had even had a teacher who escaped during the Nine-Tails incident.
There had been rumors about it within the ANBU at the time, but the organization had been thrown into chaos—after all, their commander had died, and everyone's attention had been focused elsewhere.
Because of that, no one had paid much attention to what happened to Hidan or his teacher.
Still, Kakashi had heard something.
Both the boy and his teacher supposedly possessed abilities close to immortality.
That information was classified at the highest level within the ANBU. Kakashi had only been able to access it because of his relationship with Natsuhiko—ordinary division leaders wouldn't have had that privilege.
Even so, he knew Hidan's abilities were far inferior to his teacher's. The boy hadn't truly mastered them.
Which only made Natsuhiko's decision all the more puzzling.
"He may not be much right now, but that doesn't mean he won't be in the future. Besides… I have all of his teacher's research."
Natsuhiko glanced at the now-empty cell before speaking with a faint smile.
"All of it?" Kakashi blinked, momentarily stunned. Then his expression turned strange. "Wait… don't tell me… that guy—"
"He didn't escape. He died."
Natsuhiko nodded calmly before turning to face Kakashi.
"To put it simply… he died by my hand."
That answer only deepened the odd look on Kakashi's face.
It wasn't that he cared about the death of a criminal like that. Having lived through war, he had long since cast aside unnecessary compassion. Protecting the village and his comrades—that was what mattered.
What puzzled him was something else entirely.
Wasn't that man supposed to be nearly immortal?
How, exactly, had Natsuhiko managed to kill him?
"Surprised?" Natsuhiko could tell what Kakashi was thinking at a glance, so he continued without waiting. "Actually, the credit goes to the Fourth Hokage."
"Sensei?" Kakashi's eyes widened. Minato had never mentioned this. "What did Sensei do?"
"Do you know why the Fourth had to go to Mount Myōboku to recover?"
Natsuhiko's tone turned serious as he looked directly at Kakashi. At that, Kakashi's expression shifted slightly.
Very few people knew the truth behind that matter.
Minato Namikaze had never spoken of it in detail, and even Kakashi—his own student—had never fully understood why his injuries had been so severe.
He had wanted to ask, but by the time he could, his teacher had already departed for Mount Myōboku.
And so, it remained an unsolved mystery.
Now, with Natsuhiko—the only person who had fought alongside Minato and helped defeat the Nine-Tails—willing to speak about it, Kakashi couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation.
More than that, he was eager to understand one thing above all—
How had that supposedly "immortal" man ended up dead at Natsuhiko's hands?
"Actually, it's quite simple. The Fourth Hokage used the Reaper Death Seal."
Natsuhiko spoke softly.
The moment those words fell, Kakashi's expression changed instantly.
"The Reaper Death Seal? That's impossible!"
He nearly shouted it out of reflex, only to immediately realize his volume and lower his voice again.
"Are you sure you're not mistaken? The Reaper Death Seal is—"
"A mutual death technique?" Natsuhiko shook his head lightly and patted Kakashi on the shoulder, lowering his voice as well. "There is no such thing as a perfect jutsu. If there's a way to cast it, there will naturally be a way to undo it."
He paused slightly at that point.
Then, for a brief moment, a faint smile appeared on his face—but something about it made even Kakashi feel a chill run down his spine.
"The Reaper Death Seal is no exception. It can be undone—but the method requires an extremely self-destructive ritual."
"When I discovered that the Hokage had used the technique, I immediately thought of a way to reverse it."
"So I took Tsugaya Hiro with me and promised him freedom if he followed my instructions."
"He agreed. He carried it out exactly as I told him. And I intended to keep my promise."
"But what I didn't expect… was that the technique would end up taking his life anyway."
Natsuhiko explained everything about Tsugaya Hiro in a calm, unhurried tone.
Kakashi listened intently. This was the first time he had ever heard so many details about what had happened during the Nine-Tails Incident.
More importantly, the Reaper Death Seal—this near-unsolvable, mutual-destruction technique—actually had a method of reversal. And that method was… chilling.
If Natsuhiko hadn't happened to capture Tsugaya Hiro, his own teacher might already have been dead.
Even though Tsugaya had ultimately died, the fact remained that it proved just how dangerous the reversal method was.
Even someone with near-immortal vitality was helpless when it came to attacks on the soul.
Still, in a way, this also confirmed something—so-called "immortality techniques" all had flaws.
As for how Natsuhiko knew the method to undo the Reaper Death Seal, Kakashi didn't question it much. After all, Natsuhiko was from the Senju clan.
"So… Commander, your plan is to train him and use his abilities?" Kakashi asked after piecing everything together.
Now that they had the secrets of the Jashin cult and knew how to counter them, training Hidan made sense.
While souls were troublesome, mental attacks were still viable. Destroying a person's mind was effectively the same as destroying their soul.
There were Uchiha members within the ANBU. If used properly, Hidan wouldn't necessarily be untouchable.
Even Kakashi himself possessed the Sharingan—he might be able to do it too.
"Yes, I do intend to use his abilities. But not in the way you're imagining."
After a moment of thought, Natsuhiko took out a scroll and handed it to Kakashi.
"This is top-level classified information. Even the Hokage doesn't know about it. It was originally something I obtained through… persuasion, let's say. But now, it seems it might actually come in handy."
"Even the Hokage doesn't know?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow and opened the scroll.
He began reading carefully.
But after only a few moments, his expression changed.
Inside the document was a technique—one that could bring the dead back to life.
Kakashi's body began to tremble uncontrollably. He had never imagined such a technique existed, let alone that it was right in front of him.
"This is…"
His voice quivered.
"What is this… exactly?"
"Do you remember our trip to the Land of Wind?" Natsuhiko said softly with a faint smile.
"That old woman Chiyo was, I have to admit, quite remarkable. I used information about the man suspected to be Sasori in exchange for a deal with her."
"And this technique… was part of that deal."
"Sasori?"
The moment Kakashi heard that name, a memory immediately surfaced in his mind—the mission where he and Natsuhiko had dealt with Lizardmaru, after which they went on to rescue division commander Kusunoki of the Third Division.
Back then, they had encountered that very puppet user.
That man's puppetry had left a deep impression on Kakashi, especially the puppet suspected to be the Third Kazekage himself. That eerie, uncanny presence had been impossible to forget.
So… that man was Sasori?
Kakashi's gaze narrowed slightly as his thoughts turned over rapidly. If it really was Sasori, then exchanging intelligence about him with Chiyo might actually yield something valuable.
After all, Sasori was Chiyo's own grandson.
But even so, Kakashi didn't truly believe Chiyo would easily compromise. He knew all too well how stubborn that old woman could be—after all, she had caused Konoha no small amount of trouble in the past.
It was hard to say whether the information she provided would be genuine.
Or perhaps Natsuhiko had offered her something even greater in return… or applied far greater pressure than Kakashi could imagine.
But regardless of which possibility was true, the fact remained—this information was now in their hands. And that alone made it worth attempting.
"I understand, Commander." Kakashi took a deep breath, his gaze turning serious. "I'll do my best to keep this confidential—"
"Not 'do your best.' You must."
Natsuhiko interrupted him, shaking his head as he looked directly at Kakashi.
"Kakashi, I trust you. You're one of my closest friends."
"I also hope you can trust me in return. Until I decide otherwise, this information must not be leaked. Not even a hint."
He paused slightly, his voice softening.
"And tell me… have you ever thought about bringing those who have already fallen into the Pure Land… back into this world?"
The words were spoken gently, almost tenderly—but the moment they entered Kakashi's ears, his entire body stiffened.
Bring the dead back from the Pure Land?
His breath hitched.
Then, ever so slightly, his body began to tremble. His eyes turned red in an instant.
He understood what Natsuhiko meant.
Even before this, a faint suspicion had already formed in his mind—but hearing it spoken aloud stripped away his remaining composure.
How could he not want it?
How could he not long for it?
Rin and Obito—both of them had died because of him… or at least, in ways tied to him.
He had desperately wanted to change everything. To atone. To bring them back. But he had never been able to do anything.
And now—
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to regain control. His expression slowly hardened, returning to that of a composed shinobi.
"Commander… that's an incredibly tempting idea," Kakashi said hoarsely. "But there's a very serious problem."
"I know what you're going to say."
Natsuhiko cut him off immediately.
"Rin's body was returned to Konoha, but she has been dead for far too long. The technique may not work on remains reduced to bone."
"Second, Obito's body was never recovered at all, making resurrection impossible in his case."
"And third… we cannot confirm whether this technique is even real in the first place. Am I correct?"
Kakashi fell silent, then nodded.
Natsuhiko had already considered every concern he might raise.
It was clear he had thought this through carefully and thoroughly. In that case, Kakashi decided it was best to simply listen.
He didn't know what solution Natsuhiko had in mind—but he could feel something deep inside him beginning to stir.
Even if it defied natural order… even if it was morally questionable…
Everyone had desires buried within their hearts.
And Kakashi was no exception.
Now, that desire had been ignited by Natsuhiko's words.
"There is a way to solve this," Natsuhiko said quietly. "And the key lies with Orochimaru."
Natsuhiko spoke calmly, his gaze fixed on Kakashi, his expression unusually serious.
"I know that Orochimaru has been working on a technique," he said slowly. "It's still in its early stages, but I'm certain of one thing—cloning."
The world of Naruto was, in many ways, absurdly inconsistent when it came to its technological development.
Electricity and communication technologies had already been established. Even certain aspects of biological science had clearly advanced.
And yet, in terms of warfare, they still relied on cold weapons. Kunai and shuriken remained the main tools of combat, as if firearms had never even entered the equation.
Of course, for shinobi, perhaps guns and artillery simply weren't a threat worth considering, which might explain why the world had remained stuck in this strange balance.
But regardless of how disjointed its technological tree was, Natsuhiko's ANBU intelligence division had indeed recorded something: Orochimaru had officially filed a report regarding a cloning project.
"The so-called cloning technique uses a person's genetic material to artificially construct a body that is nearly identical to the original," Natsuhiko explained slowly.
"Of course, there are still differences. Perhaps the stronger the genetic structure, the harder it is to perfectly replicate."
He spoke at a measured pace, as though organizing his thoughts while explaining.
That was the only explanation that made sense to him. Otherwise, why wouldn't Orochimaru simply clone the First Hokage's cells or similar material?
Of course, someone had attempted something along those lines before—Uchiha Madara came to mind—but whether that had been true cloning was another matter entirely.
"You mean…" Kakashi quickly grasped his intent, though his brow furrowed even deeper. "Because Rin and Obito's genetic strength isn't particularly high, we could use cloning to recreate their bodies?"
"But even so, those wouldn't be their original bodies," he added after a pause. "And whether your method can actually awaken them… that's still uncertain."
"That's why we need another technique to complement it," Natsuhiko replied with a faint smile.
"Edo Tensei. We use it to precisely summon their souls, and then find a way to anchor them."
"For example, with the Spirit Transformation Technique. We guide them into learning spirit-based techniques, maintaining a spiritualized state as they enter the bodies."
"Then, through the soul-connection property of the One's Own Life Resurrection technique, we leave a unique imprint on them—ultimately allowing them to fully return."
The true power of the One's Own Life Resurrection technique was not simply converting chakra into life force.
Although that alone was already extraordinary—an ability that bordered on the use of Yang Release—the most terrifying aspect was its ability to communicate directly with the soul.
There was undoubtedly a special connection between body and soul. Natsuhiko did not fully understand what that connection was, but he had witnessed its effects firsthand.
Whether it was when he once revived Minato Namikaze, whose soul instinctively returned to its body…
Or the severe rejection phenomenon caused by Orochimaru's Living Corpse Reincarnation technique…
All of it pointed to the mysterious interaction between soul and vessel.
Natsuhiko did not yet know whether cloned bodies and souls would also exhibit rejection—but that, too, was something that could be studied.
In his view, the rejection likely occurred because the body already contained a soul, forming a kind of imprint. That imprint rejected foreign souls, while simultaneously guiding its rightful soul back.
Therefore, if a cloned body were created without any consciousness—purely an empty vessel—then theoretically, there should be no problem at all.
It would be like constructing a house without assigning an owner to it. Only when the deed was signed and the name written down would the house truly belong to someone.
Kakashi listened intently to Natsuhiko's explanation. The more he understood, the more his heart wavered.
And yet, alongside that rising hope… came an equally heavy sense of difficulty.
So that's what Natsuhiko meant—he intended to cooperate with Orochimaru?
But with Orochimaru in his current state, how could there even be any real cooperation left?
"Then what about Orochimaru…" Kakashi hesitated as he spoke. To be honest, at this moment his heart was caught in an intense conflict, tangled with guilt.
The possibility of bringing Rin and Obito back—no matter what, he could not afford to miss it.
And yet, Orochimaru's actions had already crossed a line. He had severely endangered the village, and even the Uchiha were involved in the aftermath.
If Natsuhiko truly intended to let Orochimaru go, Kakashi wasn't even sure what choice he would be able to make.
That kind of inner struggle was suffocating, heavy enough to make him feel genuinely distressed.
So he chose to probe instead—he wanted to know what decision his closest friend would ultimately make.
"Orochimaru committed those extreme acts within Konoha. As ANBU, how could we possibly let him go?"
Natsuhiko raised an eyebrow, immediately understanding Kakashi's intent. He smiled faintly and patted Kakashi on the shoulder.
"Even the Fourth Hokage himself would never forgive him for that."
"But have you considered something else? Just what, exactly, gave Orochimaru the ability to reach this point alone?"
"You mean—"
Kakashi's eyes sharpened slightly, a glint of realization flashing through them. He instinctively glanced toward the doorway.
"Yamato said he was born inside one of Orochimaru's laboratories… and afterward, he was taken in by Danzo."
"So why Danzo, not someone else?" Natsuhiko's smile deepened.
His voice dropped lower, almost into Kakashi's ear.
"Even Danzo isn't that capable. I strongly suspect the Third Hokage was involved too. But keep that to yourself."
"Yes, Commander." Kakashi's expression turned solemn immediately. "But the Third Hokage…"
"Maybe he was deceived. But we can't confirm anything."
Natsuhiko could not afford to stain the Hokage's image too heavily. Some things, if spoken too openly, would cause undesirable consequences.
The Hokage was not someone whose reputation could be casually damaged. Once cracks appeared in that image, the impact on public trust would be immeasurable.
Especially with Hiruzen Sarutobi's carefully cultivated persona—kind, harmonious, yet capable of decisive action when the village required it—and the similar image maintained by Minato Namikaze, any scandal could become a devastating blow to the Hokage's authority itself.
And that was not a burden Natsuhiko intended to inherit when he eventually stepped into that position.
He glanced at Kakashi, who was still deep in thought, before continuing in a lower voice.
"But remember this. From here on out, there will be a great deal we need to do."
"Orochimaru cannot be allowed to remain in the village. He must leave Konoha. Even if he was cooperating with Danzo, the crimes he committed mean he cannot stay here any longer."
"Once he leaves, what experiments he conducts will no longer matter—as long as he does not target the people of Konoha or the Land of Fire."
"Beyond that, we will also need him as a shadow asset. Someone who can help us eliminate certain targets or matters we cannot openly handle ourselves."
"Finally, we need to establish our own research facility—one built entirely on people we can trust."
"I still have many questions about this technique. We will need verification and experiments to confirm its effects."
"And then there is that boy, Hidan. He still needs time to grow. He is also a key piece in this entire operation."
"Our responsibilities are heavy. Extremely heavy."
"If this succeeds, it won't just be Rin and Obito who gain a chance to return… but countless other shinobi of Konoha as well."
He looked directly at Kakashi.
"Do you understand, Kakashi?"