(9th October)
"Uzumaki Park is opening tomorrow!"
The flyers of the opening of the Uzumaki Park was spread across Konoha, and Fire capital.
The Uzumaki Park has completed being built in less than a month.
Tazuna is really a genius builder, and ninjas are excellent labourers.
Out of the 2km × 600m plot, 1.2km × 600m has been used up in building the theme park.
A Way-Big themed Ferris wheel, called the 'Way Big Wheel', a Tora-Dora with various Pokemon designs, a toy train with Charizard at the front, and a giant tree in the middle, called the Tree of Love. It is said that proposing under the tree increases the chances by 50%.
Along with various stalls lined up in spirals, from cotton candy, new types of clothes, restaurants with various new dishes, all organised in such a way that if looked from above, with the lights on, the park represents the Uzumaki symbol.
It hasn't reached its full potential, knowing that it will get destroyed anyway during Orochimaru's invasion and Pain's Shinra Tensei.
Well, the costs will be covered by the insurance company. If they refused to pay, Shiori will have Naruto show off a Rasengan to the company's owner.
"Grandpa! I want to go! I want to go!"
Konohamaru was screaming his lungs out inside the Hokage Office, but Hiruzen could only sigh.
While the park will open tomorrow night officially, it will be only for the nobles from Land of Fire, and allied countries like Wind, Grass, Waterfall villages. They have paid VIP tickets to be away from ninjas and enjoy their time.
And today, only Shiori and Naruto will enjoy the park, testing it. Well, today is Shiori's birthday, and Naruto's birthday is tomorrow. So, they are going to enjoy their time.
Hiruzen sighed. A lot of kids are going to cause problems huh.
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While Shiori and Naruto were dressing up for their date cum birthday celebration, Orochimaru had sneaked inside the village.
It was almost too easy for him.
It has been three months since Itachi joined Akatsuki. And Orochimaru obviously wanted to take over his body.
But the moment he tried to do so, he was caught in a genjutsu. And burnt to nothing by a strange black flame. He 'died' then and there, and Kabuto had to revive him from a vessel.
Orochimaru was not only humiliated, but 'killed' by a 13-14 year old kid.
Previously, Orochimaru just wanted an Uchiha body with Sharingan that doesn't drain his chakra like Kakashi, to increase his learning speed. And Itachi was certainly the most talented, and he had wanted his body for a long time.
But now, he has only two options left. Uchiha Izumi and Sasuke.
While Sasuke is not really that much talented in comparison to Itachi, he has already awakened the two-tomoe Sharingan. And since he is the brother of Itachi, and has the pure blood of Uchiha, he is an ideal vessel. The problem is, he is too young to survive the Curse Mark.
As for Izumi, she is also talented. She already has the three-tomoe Sharingan for quite a while, and had awakened the Sharingan even before Itachi.
As for her low chakra reserves to handle the three-tomoe Sharingan at such a young age, he can only try to implant Hashirama cells. Even if she dies, there is still Sasuke.
Orochimaru clicked his tongue. Shin was a good vessel, even able to handle Hashirama cells and Sharingan implantation without rejection. His cells were good for cloning too. But when Orochimaru was 'dead', he ran away somewhere, and he couldn't be found. As if he just disappeared without leaving any signs.
Well, for now, he will make do with Izumi. Orochimaru snickered to himself while thinking about what Itachi's reaction will be when he finds out that his girlfriend has been taken over by him, who he thought he has killed.
Sparing Sasuke was understandable, since Itachi will need his Mangekyo Sharingan to attain the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan like Madara Uchiha.
But sparing Izumi? It was clear that Itachi has feelings for her.
Orochimaru licked his lips as he watched Izumi training in the Forest of Death. There were only two ANBUs watching her, and while they were jonins, a mere jonin or two is nothing in front of Orochimaru.
He quickly and swiftly killed the two ANBUs without them even noticing, and wore one's skin and clothes. This technique allows him to completely hide his chakra signature under the person's skin he is wearing. That's how he entered in Konoha undetected, by wearing the skin of an ANBU member that was his spy.
After waiting for a while, Orochimaru approached her.
"Do you want revenge on Itachi? You are too weak to do that as you are now."
Izumi turned around, startled. But when she realised that it was her ANBU guard, she relaxed. Yet, she still kept a firm hold on her kunais, ready to use them at any moment.
She felt like something was off.
"What do you want?"
Suddenly, his neck extended, and before she could even react, bit her neck.
"Aaaaargh!"
She screamed in pain, but Orochimaru chuckled.
"Come with me, I will give you the power to get revenge on Itachi."
Feeling that he isn't ready to fight against Hiruzen yet, he simply had a snake swallow her, and left without leaving any traces pointing at him.
Afterall, for now, Orochimaru is 'dead'. He doesn't want Itachi to find out that he is behind it and killing him once again.
While escaping the village, he looked at the giant wheel that was visible from the distance.
Perhaps during the Chunin Exam when he comes to test Sasuke, and kill Sarutobi-sensei, he will ride it once before destroying Konoha.
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Shiori, completely unaware that the Izumi she has saved has given Orochimaru a big advantage, applied her lipstick, and smirked.
"I am ready."