The bond between Shisui and Itachi ran deep. One could effectively say that Shisui was the one who guided Itachi onto his path; later, Itachi would become the primary inheritor of Shisui's will.
"Whenever you're away, I come here every day that I have time to wait for you," Itachi said with a small smile. "I wanted to see if you'd suddenly return."
Shisui's heavy heart lightened instantly. He reached out, pressing his hand against Itachi's head and ruffling his hair. "You really are a clingy brat, aren't you, Itachi?"
Itachi didn't pull away. Instead, he said, "I'll be enrolling in the Academy soon. I've been training on my own lately."
After saying this, Itachi looked intently at Shisui.
Shisui replied naturally, "I think you'll be a genius even more formidable than I am. Hahaha! You're definitely going to make quite a splash at the school."
Itachi remained silent, simply staring.
Shisui was momentarily baffled. What is it?
But he soon realized what the look meant and laughed. "It seems you're quite confident in your training. Hold on a second, let me go inside and change. Then we'll head to the woods behind the estate, and you can show me just how much you've improved."
Hearing those words, Itachi finally beamed and nodded happily. "Okay."
After a short pause, Itachi added, "Be quick, though. I need to be home before dinner. When Mother is cooking, I have to look after my brother."
"Oh, Sasuke?" Shisui smiled again. "How is he?"
"He's growing up healthy," Itachi replied, a gentle smile gracing his face.
"I'm envious. He's lucky to have an elder brother like you," Shisui said cheerfully.
"I hope I can be a brother he can be proud of," Itachi countered. "Just like you."
"Like me?" Shisui was slightly taken aback.
Itachi looked at him with total sincerity. "Yes. In my eyes, you are the brother who makes me proud."
Shisui dazed for a moment before a warmth spread through his chest. He nodded with a grin. "Well, I suppose that means I'm doing a pretty good job. Hahaha."
Soon, Itachi followed Shisui into the Uchiha estate...
…
Meanwhile, on the streets of Konoha.
Mitarashi Anko was standing in front of a fried dango stall, noisily telling the owner to hurry up. Beside her was Yuhi Kurenai. The two girls looked like the closest of sisters.
"Kurenai, have you still not made up with Asuma?" Anko asked casually while pestering the vendor.
Kurenai's cheeks flushed slightly, and she said bashfully, "I'm not making up with him."
"Eh? Is that so?" Anko blinked in surprise. "But I heard from Inoichi that Asuma is planning to leave the village."
"Leave the village?" Kurenai looked startled, clearly having heard nothing of this. She asked urgently, "Why? Biwako-sama is still recuperating, isn't she? Why would he leave now?"
"Biwako-sama's condition has stabilized; she's fine," Anko said matter-of-factly.
"Where is he going?" Kurenai pressed.
Anko looked at her friend skeptically. "I thought you weren't on good terms with him. Why the sudden concern?"
"Just tell me!" Kurenai demanded, ignoring the jab.
Anko rubbed her chin, thinking for a moment. "Inoichi said... it seems Asuma is going to the Fire Temple to become a monk? Tsk, tsk..."
Kurenai: ???
He's becoming a monk just because we had one argument?
Thinking of this, Kurenai couldn't wait a second longer. She turned to Anko and said, "Anko, eat by yourself. I have to find Asuma!"
Before the words had even faded, Kurenai turned and bolted.
"Hey! At least pay for your order!" Anko shouted at Kurenai's retreating back, exasperated.
"Put it on my tab! I'll treat you to barbecue next time!" Kurenai yelled back without turning around.
"Dammit, and she said they were breaking up," Anko grumbled.
However, a smile soon crossed her face. She only teased Kurenai because they were best friends. Once she finished laughing, Anko turned back to the vendor. "Boss, faster, faster! I'm starving to death!"
Suddenly, as if sensing something, she jerked her head around to look at the street behind her, her eyes searching for a specific figure. After watching for a long time, her expression turned slightly lonely.
"Was it just my imagination?"
…
At the same time, in a narrow alleyway at the corner of the street, the figure of Orochimaru turned to leave.
"She seems to be doing well," Orochimaru murmured softly.
Anko had been right; she thought she had glimpsed her sensei, Orochimaru, even if only for a split second. But when she looked again, he was gone. She assumed it was a trick of the mind, but in reality, Orochimaru had indeed been observing his disciple from the shadows.
"Orochimaru-sama, why didn't you choose to take her with you?" asked a youth wearing round-framed glasses at the alley's exit.
"Because I asked, and she had no intention of leaving the village," Orochimaru replied calmly.
"I thought a man like you wouldn't care about the will of others, Orochimaru-sama," the bespectacled youth said with a smile, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
Orochimaru looked at him, silent for a moment. "That is indeed a misunderstanding on your part. In most cases, I respect individual will, Kabuto."
Indeed, the bespectacled youth following Orochimaru was Yakushi Kabuto. Orochimaru had been in Konoha for two or three days; it had taken only a little effort to successfully sway Kabuto. Now, Kabuto had become his subordinate.
Of course, the two had known each other for a long time, but only now was Orochimaru officially taking him under his wing.
Kabuto remained silent for a while before saying, "Then I may have truly misunderstood you, Orochimaru-sama. My apologies."
"I don't mind," Orochimaru said indifferently.
Kabuto followed behind Orochimaru as the two moved through a series of secluded, intersecting alleyways. After walking for a while, Kabuto asked, "Orochimaru-sama, you still haven't told me what my next mission is. Do you need me to continue spying on Konoha, Root, and Danzo-sama? Or is there something else you require?"
"Are you anxious, Kabuto?" Orochimaru suddenly stopped and turned to look at him.
Kabuto's constant questioning and his eagerness to prove his loyalty signaled his unease to Orochimaru.
Kabuto froze, then lowered his head. His voice was muffled. "You could call it... being lost."
"Is that so?" Orochimaru chuckled. "Perhaps this new journey will help you find your direction in life."
Kabuto looked up. "What is this new journey?"
"You won't be staying in Konoha. Once I've finished what I came here to do, we will return to the Land of Rain. As you should know, I currently belong to an organization called the Yorozuya. Once we return, I will recommend you for membership," Orochimaru explained.
"And then? Who do I need to infiltrate? Whose intelligence do you need me to gather?" Kabuto asked after a moment's thought.
"No one. To be precise, everyone in the Yorozuya is currently busy with their own affairs, so we lack an intelligence management officer. That is the reason I came for you," Orochimaru said, his tone as cold as ever.
Kabuto looked surprised. He processed the information. "So, Orochimaru-sama, you mean... you came to find me because you want me to serve as the head of the intelligence department on your side?"
"Exactly," Orochimaru nodded.
"Truly nothing else?" Kabuto asked again, almost unable to believe it.
"I do not like repeating myself," Orochimaru said with a hint of impatience.
This left Kabuto stunned. It wasn't that the situation was too complex, on the contrary, it was too simple. When had Orochimaru become such a law-abiding fellow?
"As your guide, I'll give you one piece of advice, Kabuto," Orochimaru said, noticing Kabuto's contemplative expression.
Kabuto looked up. "Please, Orochimaru-sama."
"Do not underestimate the Yorozuya. Likewise, do not try to use the methods you learned in Root to deal with them, or you will regret it deeply," Orochimaru said with a wicked smile.
Kabuto felt a twinge of apprehension but quickly nodded. "Yes, Orochimaru-sama."
Then, Orochimaru's tone softened slightly. "Though... perhaps you will find yourself genuinely liking it there."
With that, Orochimaru turned and continued walking through the alley.
Kabuto watched Orochimaru's back with a strange feeling. It had been some time since he had seen this man. Now, Orochimaru seemed different from the man in his memories, different from who he used to be. Kabuto couldn't quite describe the change, but his keen intuition told him it was profound.
Thinking of this, Kabuto felt a spark of anticipation for this legendary "den of devils," the Yorozuya. A place that could change even a man like Orochimaru was certainly worth seeing.
However, Kabuto quickly composed himself and caught up. "Orochimaru-sama, what is our next move?"
"To see Danzo," Orochimaru replied with complete calm.
Kabuto: ???
You just finished recruiting me away from Root, and now you're taking me back to see Danzo? What kind of move is this? A provocation?
Or perhaps... he wants to use this to cut off my path of retreat to Root? Kabuto wondered.
After all, if Orochimaru took him to see Danzo, then as long as Danzo wasn't blind or stupid, he would realize Kabuto had chosen Orochimaru and betrayed Root. With Orochimaru there, Kabuto didn't think Danzo could actually do anything to him, but it would certainly mean he could never go back to his life as a Root agent.
Soon, standing by a trash bin, Orochimaru formed a hand seal. The wall next to the bin suddenly revealed a hollow opening.
No, the opening had been there all along; it had simply been obscured by an illusory barrier.
"Always with the same tricks in these filthy, repulsive places. Hmph. In the end, they are nothing more than rats that cannot stand the light," Orochimaru sneered, clearly disliking the squalid environment.
Despite his words, he stepped through the opening in the wall.