Night enveloped Konoha.
Takuno bid farewell to the warmth of the lights in Minato's home, which felt almost illusory, and slowly stepped onto the starlit path home.
A cool breeze blew, brushing against his clothes and bringing a touch of refreshing tranquility.
Having spent an evening in the peaceful, warm, and lively atmosphere of the Fourth Hokage's home, even someone as detached as he was couldn't help but have his tense heartstrings quietly tugged; he unconsciously relaxed, nearly immersing himself in that mundane stability.
However, though his steps were light, a sober coldness always lingered in his heart.
The layers of secrets buried deep within his heart were like an invisible chasm, quietly separating him from this rare warmth, destined never to truly integrate and remain a carefree bystander.
Nevertheless, Takuno didn't mind; instead, he felt a sense of natural relief.
Compared to blending into such an atmosphere, the fire of desire in his heart burned more intensely—it was the absolute pursuit of power.
Looking back at himself, although the path to the peak was covered in thorns, it was clearer than ever in his eyes.
What he lacked now was simply letting the waters of time flow quietly to temper his existing abilities to their limit.
He was certain that if he could thoroughly digest and master all the power he currently possessed, whether obtained through his own training or the rare items he had schemed for, the barrier standing before the threshold of Super Kage level would surely be broken by him.
If he reached this level of strength before the start of the original manga's plot, he would be invincible in the Shinobi World for a period of time!
Even if the Six Paths of Pain showed up, they wouldn't be able to do anything!
His steps grew lighter due to this burgeoning ambition, as if he were walking on clouds.
Furthermore, this visit had brought an unexpected surprise; besides the brief experience of tranquility in the Fourth Hokage's home, it was accompanied by an unanticipated, secret gain.
In the moment of an inadvertent touch with the still-young Sasuke, a microscopic trace of blood had quietly fallen under his control.
These few weightless drops of blood seemed to weigh a thousand tons; they represented the seeds of the power of Indra and Ashura's reincarnations, which had now fallen into his palm.
The next steps were crystal clear: after awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan, he could safely and perfectly integrate the cells containing these two supreme bloodlines into himself. This would be a crucial step on his path to ascending toward the Rinnegan!
His thoughts converged, returning to the present.
With the shadows of war temporarily receded, Takuno quickly resumed his regular pre-war life rhythm.
He was in no hurry to set out, whether to delve deep into the Land of Snow to continue exploring the mysteries of Kekkei Genkai, or to rush to the Land of Rivers to find Jugo, who possessed a special constitution, to attempt Sage Mode.
Right now, he had things he needed to master more urgently: the Yin Seal and Creation Rebirth!
He devoted himself entirely to the study of these two profound Medical Ninjutsu; additionally, his study of the Creation Rebirth Technique did not stop.
Although he might not need this power, since Tsunade had given them to him in their entirety, he had to learn them.
Not just for himself, but also for potential future inspections, or perhaps to put the Fourth Hokage's mind at ease.
Fortunately, his foundation paved the way for him.
The key to the Yin Seal lay primarily in the exquisite control of Chakra and the understanding of high-level Sealing Jutsu.
These two happened to be the areas he excelled in most, and his progress could be described as advancing by leaps and bounds.
In just a few short days, a light purple diamond-shaped mark quietly condensed on his smooth forehead, already containing extraordinary energy.
After calling upon the subtle Chakra within the Yin Seal to regulate his body, his appearance, as expected, became younger once again.
Looking at the changes in the mirror, Takuno nodded. This way, if his body underwent abnormal rejuvenation again during the process of using the Chimera Technique to fuse Kimimaro's Shikotsumyaku power in the future, the subtle changes brought about by the Yin Seal would serve as a perfect, logical explanation, saving much trouble.
In comparison, Creation Rebirth, an S-rank Ninjutsu, presented him with a greater challenge.
He was still adept at the Sealing Jutsu part, but the core difficulty lay in the vast and profound Medical Ninjutsu system.
He considered his attainment in Medical Ninjutsu to be proficient, but compared to a grandmaster-level figure like Tsunade who stood at the peak of the Shinobi World, the gap was still significant.
The mystery of regenerating the human body required an understanding of life and energy manipulation far beyond that of treating ordinary wounds.
Fortunately, he never lacked patience and resilience; the difficulties did not shake him.
Takuno calmed his mind and focused, studying, accumulating, and deducing bit by bit.
He believed that the time required to completely conquer the secrets of Creation Rebirth would certainly not be too long.
The obstacles on the road ahead were merely steps that had to be climbed on the way to the hall of power.
Takuno's private workshop was shrouded in a nearly stagnant silence, with only the faint rustle of paper occasionally breaking the quiet.
At this moment, the heavy wooden door was pushed open silently and then quietly closed. An Anbu Squad Leader, carrying the scent of travel, stepped into the room and stopped a few paces from the desk.
He respectfully reported to the figure sitting in the high-backed chair, whose face was covered by a mask symbolizing the sharpness of an "Eagle": "deputy commander-sama."
From beneath the mask came Takuno's voice, calm as a deep pool and without a ripple: "Is there progress in the investigation? The intruder who entered without a key yet managed to quietly break through Konoha's barrier, have his background and purpose been identified?"
Such sporadic incidents of breaking through the barrier were almost daily occurrences in Konoha, usually involving wandering ronin or merchants who had lost their way—
The process of identifying them wouldn't be too difficult.
But the Squad Leader bowed even deeper, his tone carrying a trace of imperceptible tension: "My apologies, deputy commander-sama, the target is extremely cunning, and no exact trace has been found yet. He... seems to possess extraordinary counter-reconnaissance abilities."
This was the only mysterious intruder recently who had left even the elite Anbu feeling helpless.
Takuno's gaze, hidden behind the mask, seemed to sharpen a bit.
The Squad Leader quickly added the only valuable clue so far: "However, when we retraced the tracks, we found that before leaving the barrier area, the target stayed in front of an abandoned orphanage for a considerable amount of time."
"An orphanage?" This unusual location allowed Takuno to keenly catch a connection. He imperceptibly raised an eyebrow, a hint of interest entering his voice as a vague outline of a certain intelligence expert flashed through his mind. "Are there any archive files on that orphanage?"
"Yes, milord, it has been prepared for you." The Squad Leader had clearly anticipated his superior's needs, immediately taking a scroll from his robes and presenting it with both hands.
Takuno unfurled and carefully read it; the files recorded the orphanage's dusty past.
Suddenly, his gaze seemed to be pinned down, freezing on two names: the director, Yakushi Nono, and one of the orphans, Yakushi Kabuto!
It really was them!
However, on this file, both were marked as missing, with the cause of disappearance noted as unknown.
After being taken by Root, they never appeared in Konoha again. Furthermore, when Root was being purged, these two were not found, so they were simply marked as missing, with the speculation that they had likely met with misfortune and died within Root.
Takuno's thoughts spun in an instant. Calmly, he rolled the scroll back up and placed it on the desk, issuing his command concisely and steadily: "I see. I am aware of this matter."
"Continue the search. Once there are clearer clues, report immediately. The target has not taken any dangerous actions yet, so there is no need to disturb the Fourth Hokage-sama for now."
"Understood, milord!" The Squad Leader's tense nerves finally relaxed slightly. The pressure of days of fruitless effort gave way to a sense of relief at having provided an update. After bowing, he quietly withdrew from this office that symbolized Konoha's darkest secrets.
After the soft click of the door closing, only a new rhythm remained in the empty room: Takuno's long fingers tapping the cold tabletop rhythmically.
This tapping exposed the fluctuations of his inner thoughts.
Quite an unexpected turn. That old fox Danzo died earlier than I anticipated. So, was Yakushi Nono performing a spy mission for Root before Danzo's death?
Takuno's train of thought was exceptionally clear.
It's very likely. After all, when Danzo used Yakushi Kabuto as a hostage to force Nono out of retirement back then, the rogue ninja Orochimaru was also present as a witness.
This means that the point in time when the "the Wandering Miko," Yakushi Nono, resumed her old profession was very likely within the same year as the Nine-Tails' attack, perhaps even during that delicate period after the disaster when Konoha was rebuilding everything—
So, the question is, did that suspicious old man Danzo already sniff out something unusual after the Nine-Tails catastrophe?
He hurriedly dispatched a top spy like Nono to gather intelligence; which hidden village was the target?
Could it be that he was wary of Iwagakure, which had committed various crimes during the Third Great Shinobi War and seemed most likely to take advantage of the situation?
Looking at it this way, it seems he actually cared about Konoha for once before he died.
And since Nono was sent on an undercover mission, her "adopted son," the exceptionally gifted Yakushi Kabuto, must also be lurking in some dark corner right now, using another false identity to weave an intelligence network for Root—
"Yakushi Nono... Yakushi Kabuto..." Takuno repeated the two names in a low voice, mulling them over.
Regarding the former, he felt no ripples in his heart; an excellent spy was rare but not unique.
However, the latter name, "Kabuto," was entirely different!
That kid possessed more than just a decent talent for espionage; his extraordinary research talent was the true treasure. And most importantly, once controlled by Orochimaru, his loyalty would not be an issue.
So, could he bring this future super-genius under his wing before Orochimaru truly noticed and recruited Kabuto?
This thought was like a spark struck in the dark!
Moreover, I currently hold a potential trump card that could play a decisive role: Yakushi Nono!
With this key figure whom Yakushi Kabuto regarded as his birth mother, his loyalty would be almost within reach.
In this way, not only would a top-tier future researcher be acquired to share much of the research pressure, but it would also save him a vast amount of time!
A genius scientist who combined intelligence, research, and medical abilities—a top-tier talent who could be firmly bound by "emotion and duty"!
If this "investment" succeeded, its value would be immeasurable!
Takuno's decision was formed in an instant.
For this unpolished, priceless gem, he had to find that key node, Yakushi Nono, at the fastest speed and before anyone else in the Anbu did!
Takuno's figure darted quickly through Konoha's streets and alleys, his destination clear: the brand-new orphanage that housed many orphans.
He knew very well the purpose of the "the Wandering Miko" Yakushi Nono's return to the village.
She most urgently wanted to contact was certainly the "Root" organization she once belonged to, in order to relinquish her duties.
However, "Root" no longer existed in Konoha's shadows; her search was destined to be in vain.
Aside from "Root," the only thing that could tug at this master spy's heartstrings was the orphans she once regarded as her bonds.
Unfortunately, since Nono's mysterious disappearance, the meager funds supporting that simple orphanage had been completely cut off, and the old site had no choice but to close.
Fortunately, under the benevolent rule of the Fourth Hokage Minato, the large number of war orphans who suddenly emerged after the Nine-Tails' attack had a new home.
A larger, better-equipped official orphanage had been established to take in all the children with no one to rely on.
A small private orphanage like the one Nono ran naturally lost its necessity, and the remaining children were properly transferred to this new home.
Knowing Nono's excellent intelligence-gathering abilities, Takuno concluded that finding the location of this new orphanage would not be difficult for her.
At this moment, he stood quietly in a concealed spot on the outskirts of the orphanage.
With a thought, the powerful sensory secret technique "Kagura Mind's Eye" instantly activated. An invisible force spread out like spilled mercury, and the Chakra traces of everyone within a radius of several hundred meters were clearly reflected in his mind.
In the sensory web, besides the faint Chakra of ordinary villagers and orphans, he also captured several familiar and experienced Chakra fluctuations, his direct Anbu elites.
Clearly, his subordinates were no mediocre bunch.
After finding nothing at the abandoned orphanage site, they quickly grasped the key point: rather than searching for a needle in a haystack, it was better to wait for the prey by shifting their surveillance focus to these children.
Thus, an invisible net had already been quietly cast, waiting for the target to appear.
A glimmer of appreciation flashed in Takuno's eyes.
With this group of well-trained Anbu alone, this stakeout might actually have worked if not for his intervention.
However, for the sake of his future key piece, Yakushi Kabuto, he could not let the "the Wandering Miko" return to Konoha's embrace again.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched the corners of Takuno's mouth.
He skillfully covered his face with his signature fox mask and continued to maintain the powerful perception of Kagura Mind's Eye. His consciousness sank into that "vision" outlined by Chakra, where every unusual presence was as distinct as a flickering candle flame.
Time passed quietly in a state of high concentration, and the boredom of waiting gradually spread.
Not until the last rays of twilight began to fade did that incredibly condensed Chakra, one that seemed to blend into the shadows yet was strikingly prominent, finally emerge like a phantom on the edge of his perception!
The target's objective was extremely clear, heading straight for the orphanage building; she used textbook-level concealment techniques to perfectly avoid every node of the Anbu's defenses.
This scouting skill, moving freely and mysteriously before the very eyes of the "hunters," silently proclaimed its owner's identity: the "the Wandering Miko"!
Takuno's gaze pierced through the shadows of his mask, locking precisely onto that invisible position, a silent whisper rippling from behind the mask.
"Found you!"