Chapter 281: Another Encounter with Orochimaru
Late at night, in a dilapidated temple in the Land of Fields.
Haneda and Kakashi stepped inside, their eyes falling on a figure in a black cloak adorned with red clouds.
Orochimaru leaned against the doorway, his head tilting slightly to observe Haneda. When he noticed Kakashi standing behind him, his gaze grew colder and more sinister.
"Haneda-kun, you're the Hokage now, and I'm an S-rank rogue ninja from Konoha. Bringing someone else along might lead to unnecessary misunderstandings."
"He's not an outsider," Haneda replied calmly.
Orochimaru licked his lips, glancing at Haneda and Kakashi, who were positioned to flank him. For a moment, his thoughts drifted to Jiraiya.
If he were standing before Jiraiya now, would Jiraiya choose to fight him?
With a faint laugh, Orochimaru turned his attention back to Haneda.
"You want to invite me to serve as the head of Konoha's Research Department, but right now, I'm more interested in a certain legendary pair of eyes."
"The Rinnegan of the Akatsuki leader, Pain, correct?" Haneda asked.
He knew very well why Orochimaru remained with the Akatsuki.
Initially, it was for the Rinnegan, but later, Orochimaru had shifted his sights to a more attainable goal: Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan.
However, with Itachi refusing to join the Akatsuki, Orochimaru's current focus was undoubtedly still tied to the Rinnegan.
A simple mercenary group couldn't hold Orochimaru's interest, nor would he willingly take on missions for mere financial gain.
"You know about him? It seems he and that 'Angel' of his must've paid Konoha a visit and met with you," Orochimaru surmised.
Haneda replied, "I've known him for a long time. I understand him far better than you do—he sought me out of his own accord."
"How fascinating…" Orochimaru licked his lips again, surprised that Haneda was acquainted with Pain and seemingly on good terms with him.
Curiosity gleamed in Orochimaru's eyes as he asked,
"Since you're aware I'm a member of the Akatsuki, are you still willing to accept me?"
"On one side, there's the legendary Sage's eyes; on the other, Konoha's fury. Neither will be pleased…"
Haneda interrupted, "You're a Konoha ninja to begin with. As the Hokage, I'm summoning you—what's wrong with that?"
Kakashi, sensing Haneda's intent to act, quietly drew a kunai and used the Body Flicker Technique to block Orochimaru's escape route from another angle.
"The entire area is marked with Flying Thunder God seals. You can't escape. Just come with us quietly," Kakashi said.
Seeing how well Kakashi understood his intentions, Haneda let out a small laugh.
Gripping the hilt of his sword, Dawnbreaker, Haneda assumed a stance, ready to strike at any moment.
"Now, you're being forced, Orochimaru-senpai," Haneda said.
"You wouldn't want to be tied up and dragged back to Konoha, only for Jiraiya-senpai and Tsunade-senpai to mock you, would you?"
Orochimaru's lips twitched at Haneda's unreasonable approach.
He knew all too well that with Haneda's current strength, he wouldn't be able to escape unless he died first.
Haneda's mention of Jiraiya brought an image of his former teammate's mocking laughter to Orochimaru's mind, making him grimace slightly.
With a resigned gesture, Orochimaru spread his hands and said,
"I indeed can't defeat you, but I do have an interesting piece of information that I think you'll want to hear."
"What information?" Haneda asked curiously.
He knew Orochimaru wouldn't lie about something like this.
Without hesitation, Orochimaru sold out his ally:
"Sasori of the Red Sand—the man who killed your teacher, Konoha's White Fang—is my current partner. I can help lure him out for you."
"If I were to defect from the Akatsuki, he would continue hiding from you, making him nearly impossible to find."
"Even the Akatsuki leader likely wouldn't hand him over."
"So, what do you think? Still want me to lead your Research Department, Haneda-kun?"
Hearing that name, Haneda's mind was flooded with unpleasant memories.
Sasori had nearly killed him twice and had once come close to taking the life of his closest friend.
Those reasons alone were enough to justify Haneda's desire for revenge, not to mention Sasori's role in Madara and Onoki's schemes, which led to the death of his teacher.
Unconsciously, Haneda's killing intent leaked out.
A fierce wind erupted around them, snapping the wooden beam of the temple's doorway where Orochimaru had been leaning.
The suffocating killing intent engulfed the temple, plunging the surroundings into a moment of eerie silence.
"Where is he now?"
A cold voice pierced through the stillness. Orochimaru replied,
"Upon hearing you were coming, he fled immediately. He's currently on his way to the Land of Rain."
Haneda frowned, falling into deep thought.
On one hand, he could set a trap and avenge Sakumo; on the other, he had responsibilities toward Shisui, Itachi, and the first Five-Year Plan.
Sasori, wary of Haneda and cautious around Orochimaru, might go into hiding for a long time. Setting a trap would require an extended wait, which would undoubtedly delay the progress of his Five-Year Plan.
Haneda deliberated for a long while, weighing personal emotions against his responsibilities.
Finally, he said,
"You'll return to Konoha with me first. This time, consider it a trade—you can continue to stay in the Akatsuki."
"But there's one task I need you to complete within a year. I'll assign the Root's research team to assist you."
"During this time, I'll use the Flying Thunder God Technique to facilitate your travel between Konoha and the Akatsuki."
"Inescapable fate, it seems…" Orochimaru muttered, a faint smile playing on his lips.
He knew Haneda was preparing to use the Flying Thunder God to take him back. Step by step, he approached Haneda.
In the blink of an eye, the two arrived at the outskirts of Konoha, in the Forest of Death.
Orochimaru was all too familiar with this place. The three of them now stood above the Root's main base.
"Your identity makes it inconvenient to move around Konoha. The fewer people who know you're here, the better. I'll trouble you to stay at the Root's base for now," Haneda said.
"There's even a lab you left behind there—it should be convenient for your experiments."
Orochimaru asked, "What exactly do you want me to research?"
"Let me say this in advance: I have my own research to conduct. Don't expect me to handle overly troublesome matters on my own."
Haneda replied, "Develop high-yield, pest-resistant crops and perform Hashirama cell transplants."
"I'll also provide you with data on two Uchiha clan members with Mangekyō Sharingan undergoing Hashirama cell transplants. That should interest you."
"That's part of your compensation."
"In addition, I'll cover all expenses for the crop research as well as your research funding during this time."
Hearing Haneda's request to develop high-yield crops, Orochimaru raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Haneda-kun, are you seriously planning to eliminate hunger within five years? I thought you were just trying to improve your public image."
"I fulfill what I promise to the best of my ability," Haneda said firmly.
"Also, I'm Konoha's Hokage and the leader of the People's Republic of the Will of Fire."
"So, how long will it take you?"
Orochimaru pondered for a moment. With his knowledge of plants, including hybridization and genetic mutation, he grasped the basics of crop cultivation.
"Are you aiming to solve hunger for the entire nation or just most of it?" Orochimaru asked seriously.
"For most, we'd need to develop two crop varieties. For the entire nation, at least ten," Haneda replied.
"The regions near the Land of Rain have dim, humid conditions for two-thirds of the year—I'd need to cultivate suitable fungi."
"The northern areas have short growing seasons, limited to spring and summer, requiring cold-resistant crops. Coastal regions will need salt-tolerant varieties…"
...