Seven days after Minato's team departed from Konoha.
Inside the Hokage Tower, there was still no word.
"…Did they fail?"
The intelligence scroll sent back from the Fire–River border liaison point stated clearly:
No trace of Minato's squad had been found.
Border forces remained stationed strictly within Fire Country territory, avoiding any unauthorized crossings that might spark diplomatic conflict.
Unlike Loulan, which boldly crossed into the lawless zones of the Land of Rivers to harvest stone and brick, shipping everything back without restraint.
"White Fang."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
A white-haired man in ANBU attire appeared silently in the center of the office and knelt.
In truth, Hatake Sakumo was far more anxious than he let on—
his only son, Hatake Kakashi, was part of that missing team.
"Call Tsunade," Hiruzen said.
"I have a mission for her."
A year earlier, when the Surgeon—now publicly known as the All-Powerful Minister—had just appeared in Loulan, Tsunade had immediately requested to go there.
Hiruzen had refused.
Loulan's situation was unclear.
Its location lay within the Land of Wind, under that country's protection.
Sending Tsunade could easily escalate into a war between Fire and Wind.
No one expected that before Wind Country even reacted, Earth Country would strike first.
What followed shocked the entire shinobi world—
that incident dominated an entire issue of the Shinobi Times and sold out instantly.
From that day on, everyone knew of the All-Powerful Minister of Loulan.
The old title—Surgeon—was quietly forgotten.
But Hiruzen Sarutobi had not forgotten.
That man was very likely a contingency left behind by Lady Mito.
A contingency she never revealed—not even to Tsunade or Nawaki, not even on her deathbed.
Or perhaps… she had already set things in motion.
Like Nawaki's abduction years ago.
Piece by piece, Hiruzen reviewed every suspicious record:
The Senju Compound Incident — An elite ninja slipped past ANBU surveillance unnoticed.
Uzushio Outpost No.1 — A lone shinobi breached Mist's barrier, annihilated a Kirigakure squad in close combat, his taijutsu rivaling Might Dai's Eight Gates.
Rain Country Battlefield — A man walked through chaos without a single ninja sensing him, clothes spotless, as if strolling through a peaceful land.
Fire Daimyō Incident — Chakra threads and chakra scalpels used to massacre an elite noble unit.
Konoha Hospital — Suspected human experimentation… then disappearance. Completion, or abandonment.
Every report lay in Konoha's deepest archives.
Hiruzen had read them all.
And there was one constant—
Every major appearance coincided with changes in a single individual's body.
When Kaito returned to Konoha, Hiruzen had once suspected him.
The timing was too perfect.
But after Hyūga sensory specialists conducted prolonged observation—
Kaito's chakra reserves were confirmed.
Above genin.
Roughly jōnin-level at most.
Nothing more.
Kaito himself noticed the surveillance and adjusted his training accordingly, maintaining the image of an ordinary chūnin workload.
Danzo also learned of these results.
He immediately demanded Kaito's inclusion in the Wood Release Project.
Hiruzen refused.
Kaito was only a genin.
And Hiruzen understood Danzo's real suspicion—
That Kaito might be a successful product of the Surgeon's experiments.
A man who gained five chakra natures in an instant.
And then there was Kaito's appearance.
At twenty-five, he hadn't aged at all.
The probability that he had once been an experimental subject exceeded 90%.
Of course, Kaito himself knew none of this.
Even if he did, he would simply play along.
March arrived.
The next Chūnin Exams approached.
Ever since returning from Loulan a month ago, Kaito felt… different.
Maybe it was power.
Maybe age.
Maybe the quiet confusion that came with time.
On the observation platform above the Hokage Monument, Kaito stood silently.
"This doesn't feel like you."
Kaito didn't turn around.
"Orochimaru-sensei."
Orochimaru smiled faintly, stepping beside him, pretending to admire the view while carefully examining Kaito's face.
No change.
None at all.
Magnificent.
A gust of wind passed.
Kaito caught a drifting leaf.
A hole split its center—chewed through by insects, torn wider by the wind.
He held it before his eye, peering through the gap.
"Orochimaru-sensei," he asked calmly,
"Why did you come today?"
"To ask about Nawaki?"
"Or something else?"
"No," Orochimaru replied, folding his arms.
"I came because of your talent, Kaito."
"My… talent?"
"Don't you want to know the secret of your body?"
"Or why you haven't aged in seven or eight years?"
Orochimaru's gaze burned with possession.
Kaito flicked the decayed leaf into the air.
"No."
"I don't."
"Knowing wouldn't change anything."
"I traveled for four years," Kaito said softly.
"I saw many things."
"Future or past—I can't peer into them."
"But I'm alive."
"That's enough."
Orochimaru realized something then.
The killing intent—the ambition—had been worn away.
Just like Jiraiya.
"How dull," Orochimaru said coldly.
"You've become a dull man."
"Maybe," Kaito smiled.
"I was always just an ordinary ninja."
Then Orochimaru revealed it.
"The Wood Release experiments."
"…That's the First Hokage's power, isn't it?"
"The village is recruiting volunteers," Orochimaru said lightly.
"Subjects and researchers alike."
"Because of Loulan's All-Powerful Minister."
"Earth Country's thousand shinobi… erased."
"To remain the strongest village, Konoha must take extreme measures."
"For war?" Kaito frowned.
"No," Orochimaru corrected him.
"To prevent war."
"His technique covered five kilometers."
"And it may not even be his limit."
Kaito's face filled with fear and confusion.
"So I want your help," Orochimaru pressed.
"Become my assistant. I can give you Wood Release—perhaps even help you reach him—"
"…Sorry, sensei."
"I know about those experiments."
"I don't want my comrades to become test subjects."
Orochimaru was truly disappointed.
Weak. Afraid. Hesitant.
"This is regression," he said flatly.
"Perhaps," Kaito replied.
"Maybe I shouldn't have traveled."
"…Then I'd still be the same."
Silence.
Orochimaru turned away—
Then the stone platform cracked.
A giant snake burst forth and coiled around Kaito, crushing his limbs.
"Sensei…?"
"Kaito," Orochimaru said softly.
"If you'd just obey…"
Flash—
White light.
"Orochimaru!"
Jiraiya appeared between them.
"You've started attacking your own students now?!"
The snake loosened.
Kaito collapsed, gasping.
"Thank you, Jiraiya-sama."
Jiraiya stared at Kaito.
If he were the Surgeon, he'd have broken free instantly.
"So," Jiraiya roared, "even Nawaki doesn't matter to you anymore?!"
Orochimaru laughed quietly.
"Things once lost don't return."
"Even precious things rot with time."
"That's human nature."
He dissolved into falling leaves.
Later, Jiraiya reported everything to Hiruzen.
"Danzo couldn't wait," the Hokage said calmly.
"You're restarting that project?" Jiraiya asked bitterly.
"If not for Loulan," Hiruzen said,
"I would have stopped it."
"But now… I must let it continue."
"For Konoha," he concluded.
Jiraiya's world shattered.
"These are people! They have families!"
Hiruzen looked out the window.
"All sacrifices are necessary."
"…Even if they don't know the truth?"
Silence.
Hiruzen finally handed Jiraiya a scroll.
"Minato's team vanished in Loulan."
"You, Tsunade, Kaito, and Uchiha Mikoto will investigate."
"This matter—stay out of it."
Outside the office, Jiraiya stood still.
"The precious things rot with time…"
"Orochimaru."
"You might be right."
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