As the medical ninja delivered the shocking report, the room fell into stunned silence.
"All the women in the Hokage building are pregnant, without exception," the medical ninja repeated carefully, as if afraid no one had heard him the first time.
"Wait… what?" Koharu, visibly rattled, blinked in disbelief. "How is that even possible?"
The medic hesitated for a moment before clarifying, "Well… except for you, Lady Koharu. You seem unaffected. But the rest—64 women in total, ranging from 19 to 34 years old—have all tested positive for pregnancy."
Hiruzen Sarutobi massaged his temples, an expression of complete exasperation on his face. "Are you certain there hasn't been a mistake?"
"I am absolutely sure. We triple-checked every case," the medical ninja confirmed, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "What's even stranger, three of them were known to be infertile, yet even they—"
"That's enough!" Sarutobi cut him off sharply. "You're dismissed."
The medic nodded, bowed, and quickly left the room, leaving the room steeped in uneasy silence.
---
Speculation and Suspicions
Koharu was the first to speak. "This reeks of Orochimaru. That man's depraved experiments know no bounds. Sending a spy into our midst was just the beginning. This must be his twisted way of destabilizing Konoha."
Mitokado Homura nodded gravely. "Indeed. He has always been fascinated by genetics and biology. He could have developed some drug or jutsu that causes spontaneous pregnancies. It fits his profile perfectly."
Hiruzen sighed deeply and took a drag from his pipe. "This situation is troubling. We need to confirm Orochimaru's involvement and understand his motives. Haruto, this mission falls to you. Begin with Kabuto; he's the likeliest lead."
Haruto, standing off to the side, smirked inwardly at the irony. If only you knew the real culprit, old man. Maintaining his composure, he replied, "Understood, Hokage-sama. I'll get to the bottom of this."
"Good. Remember, time is of the essence," Hiruzen said, dismissing him.
As Haruto left the room, Koharu frowned. "Hiruzen, are you sure it's wise to entrust this to him alone? Orochimaru is dangerous—"
"He can handle it," Hiruzen interrupted firmly. "Haruto is more capable than you realize."
---
A Mysterious Visitor
Back at the Uchiha compound, Haruto's plans for some much-needed downtime were interrupted by the sudden arrival of three Root operatives.
"Lord Haruto," one of them reported, kneeling respectfully, "we've encountered an unusual situation."
"What is it?" Haruto asked, raising an eyebrow.
"A man claiming to be Yakushi Kabuto is waiting at your residence. He said he has urgent business with you."
Haruto frowned. Kabuto? What could he possibly want with me? He waved the operatives aside. "Very well. Let's see what this is about."
---
Kabuto stood calmly outside Haruto's door, his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall. Despite being surrounded by Root operatives, his expression remained relaxed, almost amused.
"So, you're the one causing all this fuss," Haruto remarked as he approached, his tone light but laced with caution.
Kabuto straightened up and smiled politely. "Lord Haruto, it's an honor to finally meet you. I've heard much about your prowess."
Haruto crossed his arms. "Flattery won't get you far. What do you want?"
Without missing a beat, Kabuto gestured toward the pile of ANBU corpses in the corner. "As you can see, I've been under some… inconvenient scrutiny lately. I thought it would be prudent to establish a line of communication with you, considering your new position as leader of the Root Organization."
Haruto's eyes narrowed. "Get to the point."
Kabuto smirked and produced a small vial containing an iridescent green liquid. "My master, Orochimaru, wishes to meet you. He's intrigued by your potential and would like to offer you something… extraordinary."
"And that would be?"
Kabuto held up the vial. "Hashirama's cells. My master has perfected the procedure for transplanting them. With this, you could achieve strength beyond imagination—strength that even your Uchiha bloodline cannot grant alone. Imagine the possibilities."
Haruto chuckled darkly. "Let me guess: the catch is that I have to meet Orochimaru alone."
"Precisely," Kabuto replied, his tone as calm as ever.
The Root operatives tensed. One of them stepped forward. "Lord Haruto, you can't seriously be considering this! Orochimaru is a lunatic. He can't be trusted!"
Haruto waved him off. "Relax. I'm not that easy to fool." He turned back to Kabuto. "Lead the way. But understand this: if this is a trap, it'll be the last mistake you ever make."
Kabuto's smile widened. "I wouldn't dream of betraying your trust."
---
A Dangerous Meeting
Kabuto led Haruto to a hidden underground chamber on the outskirts of the village. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and chemicals, and the faint glow of luminescent moss illuminated the cavern walls.
Orochimaru sat at the far end of the chamber, perched on a stone throne like a serpent waiting to strike. His golden eyes gleamed with curiosity as Haruto approached.
"Ah, Haruto-kun," Orochimaru hissed, his voice smooth and chilling. "I've been eager to meet you. The new leader of the Root Organization… quite the accomplishment for someone so young."
Haruto remained stoic. "Spare me the pleasantries. What do you want?"
Orochimaru's lips curled into a sinister smile. "Straight to the point. I admire that." He gestured toward a table beside him, where several vials of green liquid and surgical tools were laid out.
"I want to offer you power," Orochimaru said. "The power of the First Hokage's cells. Combined with your Sharingan, you could become unstoppable."
Haruto tilted his head. "And in exchange?"
"Loyalty," Orochimaru replied simply. "Join me, and together we can reshape this village. The old guard is stagnant, clinging to outdated ideals. You and I, Haruto-kun, could usher in a new era of strength and progress."
Haruto chuckled. "You make a compelling argument, but I'm not so easily swayed. What's to stop me from taking this power and using it against you?"
Orochimaru's smile widened, his fangs glinting in the dim light. "Oh, I'm counting on it. After all, what's the fun in a partnership without a little… competition?"
The tension in the room was palpable as the two men stared each other down, each sizing up the other.
---
A Decision to Make
Haruto left the chamber deep in thought, the vial of Hashirama's cells tucked safely in his pocket.
As he returned to the Uchiha compound, his mind raced. Orochimaru's offer was tempting, but it was laced with danger. Accepting it meant walking a fine line between power and corruption, between loyalty to the village and the lure of ambition.
For now, he would keep the cells a secret and bide his time. After all, the game was only just beginning.
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