"Yakushi Kabuto."
"This name sounds familiar."
Akihara Kagura spoke while waving his hand.
In this forest, the large trees are controlled by Akihara Kagura's chakra. The branches that bound the bespectacled young man slowly loosened, carefully placing him on the ground.
"…Thank you."
Yakushi Kabuto sincerely thanked him before asking, "I remember, the Root members are not allowed to use their own names, only code names…"
"That's what Lord Danzo calls me."
Akihara Kagura interrupted him, speaking indifferently: "I guess it's probably because Lord Danzo is old and can't remember so many names…"
"Besides…"
"Aren't you also using your own name?"
"We are different."
Yakushi Kabuto slowly shook his head.
Being a spy for years, he didn't need to forget his own name. Having a special code name even made it possible for others to trace his identity.
"Your name is Yakushi Kabuto, right?"
"I remember there's an orphanage Dean named Yakushi Nono…"
Akihara Kagura controlled the large tree to make a swing for himself and sat on it leisurely, knowingly asking, "What's your relationship with Yakushi Nono?"
"The Dean…"
After hesitating for a second, Yakushi Kabuto thought it was harmless for Akihara Kagura to know this and explained, "Yakushi Nono was the Dean of the orphanage that took me in."
"That's quite a coincidence."
Akihara Kagura nodded and started to make up stories: "I was also adopted by Dean Yakushi Nono. Were you also raised by Lord Danzo after being adopted by her?"
"...Yes."
Yakushi Kabuto slowly lowered his head.
If being raised as a spy since childhood, being ordered to roam various countries to gather intelligence, counts as being raised...
Is this young man who calls himself Lord Kagura also an orphan adopted and forced into servitude by Danzo, nearly forgetting the Dean who adopted him?
Indeed.
Not everyone remembers their childhood.
Especially for an organization as cold-blooded and ruthless as the Root.
Yakushi Kabuto lifted his palm and pushed up the glasses on his nose.
He had always been able to live strongly because of these glasses that had always been with him, a gift from the Dean of the orphanage, Yakushi Nono.
For Kabuto, the warmest period of his life was at the Konoha Orphanage, where he met the warmest person in his life, who treated him like a mother.
His name, his life...
Everything came from the Dean..
"We were all adopted by Dean Yakushi Nono."
Akihara Kagura seemed quite satisfied with their meeting and pondered for a while before asking curiously, "We were all raised by Lord Danzo, yet we never met each other!"
"Because we had our own missions to execute."
After this response, Kabuto continued, "Meeting this time was just a coincidence, and perhaps in the future... we may not have the chance to see each other again."
"Yeah."
Akihara Kagura also sighed, his expression somewhat helpless: "Lord Danzo is about to send me on a mission too."
"Oh?"
Kabuto unconsciously showed a look of surprise, as if unconcerned, he asked, "Is there anything I can help with?"
As a spy, Kabuto instinctively wanted to gather intelligence, especially since Akihara Kagura in front of him didn't seem like an ordinary child.
This boy...
If he wasn't mistaken...
Could he actually use the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai?
"First, I have to participate in the Chunin Exams."
Akihara Kagura was indifferent to the information he might reveal, even voluntarily disclosing more: "After passing the Chunin Exams, I will go on a dangerous mission. Given the power of Wood Release I possess, Danzo will certainly not assign me ordinary tasks, and there's a high probability I will die during the mission…"
"Perhaps we really won't see each other again…"
After saying this, Akihara Kagura looked at Kabuto: "If you're still alive, when you see the Dean in the future, tell her for me, that the happiest day was when she adopted me and took me back to the orphanage. I have never forgotten that…"
"..."
Yakushi Kabuto suddenly fell silent.
The words spoken by the young man were also what he wanted to say.
"I'm sorry."
Akihara Kagura looked at Kabuto, his expression somewhat forlorn: "Since I was young, I was taught to carry out the will of the Root, not to think about the people of the past, not to use my own past name, and not even to keep a photo of the Dean. I've almost forgotten what she looks like..."
"It's okay, the Dean definitely won't blame you."
Kabuto took out a photo from his pocket and comforted, "I just happen to have a photo of the Dean here. You can take a look..."
It was a photo wrapped in plastic.
The plastic was a bit worn, but the photo inside still looked brand new, showing that its owner had taken good care of it.
In the photo was a blond woman with glasses, smiling as if she had encountered something that made her happy, her smile almost making her eyes invisible.
"Thank you."
Akihara Kagura slowly lowered his head.
"You're welcome."
Kabuto patted his shoulder and said softly, "Unfortunately, I only have one photo. If you're not in a hurry, maybe I can help you make another copy."
"Thank you."
"When the time comes, I will also give you one of my photos."
Akihara Kagura, with his head lowered, thanked Kabuto, whispering, "If one day I die and you are still alive, remember to give my photo to the Dean too..."
Akihara Kagura took a deep breath and continued, "Let her see what I look like when I grow up, and tell the Dean for me that I joined the Root voluntarily, at least to make life better for everyone at the orphanage. I have never blamed her..."
"She won't blame you."
Kabuto quickly shook his head, these words seemingly his own as well. He hurriedly defended the kind and motherly Dean, "She definitely won't blame you. How could the Dean blame us?"
Kabuto, as if remembering something, took out a photo of himself from his pocket and handed it to Akihara Kagura, "This is my photo. If one day I die while on a mission and you are still alive, please also convey this to the Dean..."
"I understand what you mean!"
Akihara Kagura quickly took the photo.
"..."
Kabuto felt something was a bit strange.
"Right."
After Akihara Kagura put away the photo, he spoke up to remind, "Don't let others know about this. The will of the Root does not allow us..."
"A!"
Suddenly, a voice interrupted their conversation.
A Root ninja walked into the forest, glanced at Akihara Kagura sitting on the swing, and then at Yakushi Kabuto standing beside.
"A, Lord Danzo..."
"Who allowed you to call me by that name!"
Akihara Kagura abruptly raised his finger, and numerous vines and tree roots emerged from the ground, tying up the Root ninja and hanging him from the tree!
"How many times have I said, what should you call me?"
"...Lord Kagura."
The Root ninja called out somewhat humiliatedly and continued, "Lord Danzo has summoned you and Kabuto to his office immediately."
"How do I know if what you're saying is true?"
Akihara Kagura snorted coldly, then turned to look at the somewhat astonished Kabuto: "These guys always like to issue orders in the name of Lord Danzo. They must have forced you to come train with me, right?"
"Don't be afraid."
"I'll go back and teach them a lesson for you."
"..."
Kabuto felt uneasy.
Kabuto thought about the Root base, wondering why a group of Root ninjas kept shirking responsibility and didn't want to train with this guy.
This young man, it seems, isn't having such a bad time in the Root organization…