"Hokage-sama, you have to give us an explanation!"
The four shinobi of the Mist, led by Yagura, stood fuming with anger.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was left utterly speechless. Ryoma had suddenly appeared, caused chaos, and then vanished—leaving nothing but a mess in his wake.
The Hokage Building had collapsed. People were injured. Someone had even been trampled into paste.
Ryoma… are you here just to cause trouble?
Hiruzen coughed into his hand and said, "And what explanation do you expect from me? You're the ones who wrecked the Hokage Building, and I haven't even started questioning you yet!"
Yagura snapped, "Naruto-sama, this wasn't our doing!"
"What? Are you saying the Hokage Building collapsed on its own?"
"You're the one whose shadow clone caused this!"
Yagura's accusation left the Third Hokage stunned for a moment, but the old man quickly regained his composure. He raised a brow, utterly shameless.
"I didn't see anything. What I saw was you four standing around. If anything, it's you who owe us an explanation."
At that moment, Ryoma strolled in.
"That's him!" Yagura pointed angrily.
Hiruzen gave Ryoma a deadpan look, but the man only grinned. "Leave this to me, Hokage-sama."
He stepped right in front of Yagura.
"First of all, that was just my shadow clone. Not my responsibility."
Hiruzen almost choked. This guy is even more shameless than me.
Yagura's eyes nearly bulged out. What kind of thick-skinned nonsense is this?
But Ryoma carried on as if nothing was wrong. "Second, it was you who attacked my clone first. It only counterattacked in self-defense. Therefore, you're responsible for the damage to the Hokage Building. Compensation is due."
"Naruto-sama! Is this how Konoha treats its guests?"
Sarutobi chuckled and said, "Ryoma-kun is correct. We in Konoha respect order and responsibility. This is his matter, not ours."
And with that, he turned and walked away.
The Mist shinobi looked at each other in disbelief. This… this is a Hokage?
Then Ryoma pulled out a ledger and said coolly, "The damage is estimated at five million ryō."
"Five million?!" Yagura's jaw dropped. "Why don't you just rob us outright? A mansion in Kirigakure costs half a million at most!"
Ryoma smirked. "And can the houses in your isolated, backwater island village compare to the heart of the continent—Konoha, the greatest Hidden Village? Of course the price is higher."
The Mist shinobi could only grind their teeth. Fighting was one thing, but this man's words cut sharper than blades.
"You don't want to pay?" Ryoma's smile sharpened. "Then perhaps I should turn Yagura over to the black market. His bounty is thirty million ryō."
The room went still. Yagura clenched his jaw but remained silent. The other three erupted in curses.
"What do you mean by this threat?"
"If this is Konoha's so-called diplomacy, then we'll fight you to the death!"
The air thickened instantly, heavy as ink. Ryoma's gaze fixed on them, suffocating.
"You want a fight to the death? Then come."
The shinobi who had just spoken suddenly screamed as wood bindings erupted around him, cocooning him like a rice dumpling.
"Yagura-sama!"
The two others looked to their leader in desperation.
Ryoma ignored them. "Pay the damages, and you may leave. Refuse, and none of you will."
"You—!"
Ryoma's eyes narrowed. "Or do you really want to fight to the death?"
The two immediately backed away, fear plain on their faces, while their trapped comrade whimpered helplessly.
Yagura drew in a long breath. "…Our Hidden Mist came to Konoha in good faith."
"Then show me your sincerity," Ryoma said flatly.
Under his overwhelming presence, Yagura had no choice but to sign a series of treaties—peace, cooperation, and education exchanges.
From that year onward:
Kirigakure would send school-age children to attend Konoha's Academy.
The Bloody Mist's brutal "Bloodline Purge" policies were to be abolished.
Joint Chūnin Exams would be held.
Kirigakure would pay Konoha ten million ryō annually in tuition for its students.
And, on top of that, one million ryō each year for fifty years as "repairs" for the Hokage Building.
In exchange, the Mist would be allowed to take back the body of the Third Mizukage.
But Ryoma, of course, made sure Orochimaru had already collected enough blood and tissue samples.
On their way out of Konoha, Yagura's subordinates turned on him in fury.
"Yagura, how could you sign such a humiliating treaty?"
"You've disgraced the Mist!"
"Are you afraid of Konoha?"
Yagura only smiled coldly. "Do you really think we had a choice? Refusing would have doomed us all."
"Hmph! What, was he really going to kill us?"
"We are shinobi of the Mist! We do not fear death!"
"Today, you've shamed our entire village!"
Yagura sneered. "Is that so? Suiton: Water Prison."
The three were instantly trapped in spheres of water, thrashing helplessly as their air ran out.
"Yagura-sama, forgive us!"
"We were wrong!"
He ignored their pleas. "Suiton: Water Severing Wave."
A high-pressure stream sliced cleanly, and three heads rolled across the ground, eyes wide in disbelief.
Yagura exhaled slowly and left alone. When I return, I'll say Konoha killed them and forced me into this treaty. I endured humiliation, but at least I returned the Mizukage's body.
...
In his laboratory, Orochimaru watched the Mist shinobi take the Mizukage's corpse with visible reluctance.
Ryoma asked casually, "Well? Did you learn anything?"
Orochimaru licked his lips. "Not much in such short time. But I secured plenty of blood and tissue samples."
Ryoma sweatdropped.
Then Orochimaru's snake-like eyes glimmered. "Ryoma-kun… how about giving me a sample of your blood?"
"Get lost."
"Hehehe."
Of course, Orochimaru didn't dare to make a move against Ryoma now. He could only chuckle and prepare to leave.
"Wait."
Ryoma suddenly stopped him.
"I'll be taking her with me."
Orochimaru frowned. "But I haven't taken any blood samples yet."
"It would be best if you didn't."
"Just a small vial, how about that?"
Ryoma glanced at Terumi. She shook her head furiously.
"You see? She doesn't agree."
Orochimaru sighed. "…Very well."
He no longer dared to push Ryoma. Immortal Wood Release isn't something to take lightly.
Even his own teacher had said Ryoma's current combat strength was likely the highest in Konoha. Under such circumstances, Orochimaru wasn't foolish enough to test him.
[Ding! Three choices have appeared!]
Option 1: Refuse all contact with Orochimaru.
Reward: Secret Ninjutsu – Heaven Curse Mark!
Option 2: Use force to compel Orochimaru's aid.
Reward: Secret Ninjutsu – Earth Curse Mark!
Option 3: Help Orochimaru rebuild his laboratory.
Reward:Gain his friendship and access to the Orochimaru Knowledge Database(updates synchronously!).
In essence, it was a choice between short-term gain and long-term benefit.
Orochimaru at this stage hadn't yet fully developed the Heaven and Earth Curse Marks. By choosing Options 1 or 2, Ryoma could learn them earlier than anyone else.
Tempting.
But the knowledge database was even more valuable.
The research of Orochimaru himself! A living, ever-expanding repository of science and jutsu that would grow as Orochimaru's own work advanced.
That's like making him my tool, working overtime to keep my database updated.
The thought alone made Ryoma grin.
"Orochimaru, I'll help you establish a new laboratory."
The moment he made his choice, countless fragments of advanced knowledge flooded his mind—genetic modification, cloning, cell transplantation, even embryonic concepts of mecha technology.
So he's already achieved this much in secret? Truly the greatest scientist of the shinobi world.
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. "And why would you help me?"
Ryoma smirked. "Because we can cooperate."
"Oh?" Orochimaru licked his lips. "How?"
"You'll help me keep watch on Danzo. Track him, gather evidence of his crimes. You're skilled at infiltration and deception—I know you once infiltrated Kumo and extracted the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki. Following Danzo should be nothing for you."
Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "Hehe… so you want to move against Danzo. Why not just kill him?"
Ryoma shrugged. "Why kill him when his own crimes can bury him? His actions go against the Will of Fire. With evidence, his betrayal of Konoha will be undeniable. I'm no assassin."
Orochimaru nearly laughed aloud. No assassin? And yet, the Third Mizukage, members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Root operatives… all corpses left in your wake. Your skin is as thick as Sarutobi's.
"What's in it for me?" Orochimaru asked.
"The laboratory you want. And any… materials you need."
"…Agreed."
Thus, the two reached a pact.
The new lab, of course, wasn't within Konoha itself, but on its outskirts. That suited Ryoma perfectly. After all, he'd just extorted one million ryō from Yagura—enough to fund the first stage of Orochimaru's new base.
Still, the costs were immense. Building a facility for Orochimaru was like tossing money into a bonfire—millions of ryō gone in an instant.
Later, Sarutobi confronted Ryoma.
"What about the five million ryō for repairing the Hokage Building?"
Ryoma blinked innocently. "Oh, Yagura promised it. But he had no money on hand. He said he'll pay one million the next time Kirigakure sends students for the Chūnin Exams."
Sarutobi's face twitched. "You let him leave without paying?! And what about the Hokage Building now?"
Ryoma waved a hand. "That's easy."
He quickly formed hand seals.
"Wood Release: Multi-Household Technique!"
Massive roots surged from the ground, forming towering trees that wove together into a grand new building. The new Hokage Tower wasn't just restored—it was rebuilt twice as large, now six stories high.
"…Six floors of stairs," Ryoma muttered. "That's inconvenient."
...
That night, under the moonlight outside Konoha, Danzo waited in a black cloak. A figure emerged from the shadows.
Danzo handed over a scroll.
"This contains information on Ryoma and Kushina. The final Chūnin Exam venue hasn't been decided yet. I'll inform you later."
The figure's Sharingan glowed faintly in the dark.
Then suddenly, he stiffened. "Who's there?!"
Kunai flew, piercing a small white snake on a tree trunk.
Danzo barely gave it a glance and left without a word. The mysterious Uchiha also vanished into the forest.
Moments later, Orochimaru slithered from the shadows, eyes glittering.
"Sharingan… an Uchiha?"
Late that night, in Orochimaru's newly constructed lab, he relayed what he had seen to Ryoma.
"Who was that masked man? Why meet Danzo in secret?"
Ryoma's eyes gleamed. "Want to know who he really is?"
Orochimaru leaned closer. "…Who?"
"I doubt you'll believe me."
"Try me."
"He's Uchiha."
Orochimaru's eyes widened, disbelief flashing across his pale face.
...
TN:
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