"I'm leaving first, Kiyoshi."
Mikoto waved.
She still needed to survey the nearby area for a while, to make the intelligence more complete, so she could report it to Fugaku.
"Alright."
Kiyoshi watched Mikoto leave, and only after her figure completely disappeared did he close the gate.
Back in the inner room, Kiyoshi picked up the genjutsu scroll to examine it.
By evening, Kiyoshi finally grasped the basics.
"You have obtained the trait: [Pure Genjutsu Scholar (White)]."
[Trait: Pure Genjutsu Scholar (White).]
[Requirement: Learn one pure genjutsu technique.]
[Progress: 1%.]
[Effect: Your genjutsu foundation is solid, enhancing any genjutsu you use by 5%.]
[Note: Can advance later.]
"Pure genjutsu?"
Kiyoshi was momentarily stunned.
He had just been studying "Illusion·Not Here Technique."
It seemed that the previous "Lightning Release·Blazing Flash" used Lightning Release as a medium, so it didn't count as pure "Yin" chakra-driven genjutsu.
"First, raise the trait progress to 100%."
Kiyoshi thought silently.
Only when it reached 100% and showed as complete would the subsequent advancement path of the trait appear.
He had a premonition that completing it might allow fusion with the previously obtained genjutsu traits, creating a green trait.
With all conditions met, he could then fuse it into a blue trait!
......
The next day.
Kiyoshi checked the trait panel; progress had reached 75%.
He wondered if having this trait would also boost his Sharingan.
After all, it said any genjutsu would be enhanced by 5%.
"Hey!"
While shopping for groceries on the street, Kiyoshi heard someone calling him.
Turning around, he saw a girl with short purple hair calling out.
"What's the matter?"
Kiyoshi addressed the short-haired girl in front of him.
"You bumped into my dango."
Mitarashi Azuki said, pointing to the dango that had fallen from the skewer.
Kiyoshi looked down and saw a red dango squashed on the ground.
"You were walking too fast."
Kiyoshi said casually.
This Mitarashi Azuki had dropped the dango by walking too fast herself; who could she blame?
"Who told you to walk so slowly?"
"..."
Kiyoshi thought for a moment, realizing it was indeed because he had stopped suddenly while lost in thought.
He stared at the girl, who was shorter than him, and after a moment of contemplation, felt she looked familiar.
"I can compensate you. What's your name?"
"I'm Mitarashi Azuki!"
Azuki patted her flat chest and said loudly.
It was clear she had an optimistic personality.
Compared to Akane Yuhi, who was bold but ladylike, Mitarashi Azuki seemed much wilder.
"Hurry up and pay me back for my tricolor dango. I still have urgent business at the Uchiha clan!"
Azuki said.
One of the legendary Sannin, Orochimaru, had asked her to deliver a message, which thrilled Azuki.
After all, this was a figure rarely seen in the village.
"What business do you have at the Uchiha?"
Kiyoshi frowned slightly.
Since when had Orochimaru been in contact with the Uchiha?
"I'm looking for a guy named Uchiha Kiyoshi. Orochimaru asked me to bring him back."
Mitarashi Azuki said, then shook her head: "Stop digressing, hurry and pay me back for the dango."
"I am Uchiha Kiyoshi."
Kiyoshi's heart stirred, realizing the seed he left in Orochimaru's mind had blossomed.
From the fact that Orochimaru would accept Kabuto, it was clear he lacked an excellent assistant and had sent the invitation for that reason.
A talent like himself, Orochimaru would surely extend an olive branch.
"You are… Uchiha Kiyoshi?"
Azuki was stunned.
She hadn't expected the person she randomly ran into to be Uchiha Kiyoshi.
She rubbed her eyes and examined Kiyoshi with her brown eyes.
Sure enough, she noticed the Uchiha clan emblem on him.
"Then let's go. Accompany me to see Lord Orochimaru, and on the way, pay me back for the tricolor dango."
Azuki couldn't stop thinking about the dango.
"Eat less."
Kiyoshi shook his head.
Azuki was a rare, oddly-shaped female ninja; perhaps due to slacking off, she had gained weight in middle age, once a beautiful girl.
It would be more fitting to call her Mitarashi Sweet Potato at that time.
"Hey, don't you want to pay me back?"
Azuki raised her brow.
"What if we delay Lord Orochimaru's business?"
Kiyoshi invoked Orochimaru.
Hearing his name, Azuki's desire for the tricolor dango immediately lessened.
"Alright then."
She nodded, like a frostbitten eggplant.
The two walked ahead, taking half an hour to reach a seemingly ordinary building.
Upon opening the door, a faint medicinal smell filled the air, cold and pungent.
Under dim lighting, there were many bottles and jars, along with numerous biological specimens and various experimental tools.
"Hoho, long time no see, Kiyoshi."
In the innermost room, a pale-skinned man sat, holding a test tube containing a faintly glowing green liquid under the light.
"Long time no see, Lord Orochimaru."
Kiyoshi nodded.
Inside his sleeve, a white snake coiled around his arm seemed to sense something, restless and uneasy.
Kiyoshi extended his other hand into his sleeve, gently soothing the white snake.
Though Orochimaru, who had not yet defected, would be safer than his future self, he was, after all, someone who would do anything in pursuit of truth.
To obtain the power of "snakes," he had developed a series of snake techniques, experimenting on countless snakes.
It was natural for the white snake to sense the scent of its kind.
"You've raised a summon beast, Kiyoshi-kun."
Orochimaru looked at Kiyoshi, his golden vertical pupils landing on the white snake in Kiyoshi's left sleeve.
"That's right, Lord Orochimaru."
Kiyoshi lifted his sleeve, revealing the white snake, whose scales appeared even whiter under the lab lights.
"Such a rare summon beast, and Kiyoshi-kun obtained it."
Orochimaru smiled, showing some surprise.
He realized this young man might be unexpectedly compatible with him.
Kiyoshi's reaction to Orochimaru's expression was as anticipated.
Orochimaru, not only named after snakes, was obsessed with researching them.
Later, he even modified his body to be half-human, half-snake.
"Eh, your summon beast looks like Lord Orochimaru's preserved snakes."
Mitarashi Azuki exclaimed in astonishment.
She had escorted Kiyoshi the entire way but hadn't noticed the white snake he carried.
"That's a protective charm."
Orochimaru explained to Azuki.
"Kiyoshi-kun is lucky to get this. Was it given by Yano U?"
"Yes, by Teacher Yano U."
It was normal for Orochimaru and Medical Ninja Yano U, both part of the ANBU Root, to share some intelligence.
"Hoho, I see. Let's move on. The reason I called you is to know your future plans. Once you become a Chunin, your world will be even broader."
(End of Chapter)