In the ANBU base, Orochimaru's face carried a trace of amazement—
It really was the Flying Thunder God!
"Though not as refined or masterful as Minato's, it's more than sufficient for practical use. And given your research speed, you'll undoubtedly master it completely soon."
"Difficult. This technique is far too challenging!"
Kyohiko sighed.
Minato's wool wasn't easy to pluck. From here on out, further improvements would mostly depend on his own research.
And that would require long, arduous training.
Orochimaru fell silent.
Difficult?
Anyone else could say that—but not this kid.
Orochimaru surveyed the office, his gaze deepening slightly.
This place…
No traces of the past remained.
"I'd like to look around first."
"Of course. There are also some matters I'd like to consult you about."
Kyohiko led the way.
As they walked, he asked questions about "intelligence," "ANBU structure," and other related topics.
Orochimaru answered a few at first.
Then, he smirked. "In this area, you really are too inexperienced. Why not step aside and let me take over?"
"Gladly."
Kyohiko didn't hesitate.
Orochimaru chuckled. "Never mind. If I took the position, those old men would never allow it."
He wandered around, eventually stopping at the ANBU training grounds, watching the recruits sprinting and sparring.
Not a single remnant of the past remained.
"The old man's era has truly come to an end!"
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"Good. Very good."
A rare, natural smile—one that didn't inspire fear—appeared on Orochimaru's typically cold face.
Kyohiko looked down at the trainees below.
"Senior, do you have any intelligence specialists you could recommend?"
"Intelligence, huh."
Orochimaru pondered for a moment. "Danzo had a talented kunoichi under him—his top espionage asset. Then there's Aburame Tatsuma. He's excellent at infiltration and covert operations."
"Aburame Tatsuma…"
Kyohiko tapped his fingers thoughtfully.
He was quite familiar with this Aburame clan jonin—one of Danzo's most loyal subordinates.
"Can he be trusted?"
"If all you need is the knowledge in his head, what does trust matter? The Yamanaka clan can extract enough memories. Or… would you prefer I assist you?"
Orochimaru grinned. "Though I don't have much time to spare."
"I have an interesting research project I think you'd be interested in."
Kyohiko smiled.
Orochimaru tilted his head. "Related to the Hyuga clan?"
"Yes."
Kyohiko didn't deny it.
There was no point hiding it from Orochimaru—he'd have already guessed.
But Orochimaru could never imagine the true nature of his collaboration with the Hyuga. And when it came to chakra point research, there was no better partner than the Hyuga.
Orochimaru would have to rely on himself—unless he wasn't interested in participating.
A brief silence fell.
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with intrigue.
After a few seconds, he smiled. "I'm curious—what kind of experiment could possibly be enticing enough to sway me?"
"The mysteries of chakra points."
Kyohiko revealed.
Orochimaru's head snapped toward him. "How did you manage that?"
"A secret."
Kyohiko replied calmly.
Orochimaru took a deep breath, steadying his emotions.
The human body's chakra network was vast, filled with countless hidden secrets yet to be uncovered. But if the Hyuga were willing to share their clan's knowledge and collaborate…
It might indeed be possible to unravel those mysteries.
How could Orochimaru not be tempted?
He licked his lips. "Kyohiko-kun, you really do understand me."
"If we go by your earlier words—that you and I are the same—then I simply understand myself well enough. I believe neither of us would ever pass up such research."
Kyohiko grinned.
Orochimaru nodded.
How could he possibly refuse?
His goal was immortality—eternal life. Researching the physical body was essential.
Before, he simply lacked the means and opportunity.
But now that the chance had arisen, how could he let it slip away?
He exhaled.
"I'll handle Aburame Tatsuma for you. Though that man only ever obeyed Danzo, now that Danzo's in Kyoto, he'll have to pledge loyalty to his clan—and to Konoha."
Orochimaru's voice turned icy. "If he refuses… I'll make him comply."
"I have absolute faith in your abilities. Then, let's cooperate happily."
Kyohiko said.
Orochimaru smirked.
"You're in a phase of rapid growth, with many areas where my assistance could be vital. That's why you're willing to include me. But this research… it truly interests me."
With that, he turned and walked back toward the office.
"Kyohiko-kun, may I study the cells from your last jutsu?"
"Here."
Kyohiko tossed him a sealing scroll. "They've entered a strange state—somewhere between animal and plant. Highly unusual."
Orochimaru caught it.
"Did you use Sage chakra last time?"
"No."
Kyohiko shook his head.
After being implanted with Hashirama's cells, his life force had become too unstable to enter Sage Mode.
That was one drawback.
But the benefit was—
The vitality of the Wood Release: Nativity of a World of Trees came entirely from Hashirama's cells. He himself remained unaffected.
Orochimaru accepted the scroll, smiling. "I'll study it. Let's see if its fundamental nature has changed."
"Unlikely."
Kyohiko shook his head.
That flesh was entirely composed of special substances derived from Hashirama's cells—barely connected to him at all.
That was precisely why he dared hand it over to Orochimaru.
Orochimaru stored the scroll, then tossed another one back.
"This contains stable First Hokage cells. Keep it as a trump card. You wield Wood Release, after all. If you ever face an unbeatable enemy, you can use this to counter and kill them."
"I'd hate to lose such an excellent collaborator."
With that, Orochimaru vanished.
Kyohiko chuckled. "I'll come along for the Aburame Tatsuma matter."
"Fine. When the time comes, just use Flying Thunder God. I'll notify you via snake."
...
Aburame Clan Compound.
"Tatsuma, with your skills, becoming at least a squad leader in ANBU would be effortless. Stop being so stubborn."
Aburame Shibi reprimanded.
But Aburame Tatsuma merely played with his insects in silence, showing no intention of responding.
This had been going on for a long time.
"Fine! Stay here and wait for your precious Danzo, then!"
Shibi scoffed in frustration.
Just as he turned to leave, an insect flew back to him.
A flicker of surprise crossed Shibi's eyes.
He glanced back at Tatsuma, hesitated for a moment, then stopped.
Tatsuma remained silent.
A few seconds later, a cold, mocking laugh echoed.
"How utterly foolish."
From the ground, Orochimaru emerged.
He looked at Aburame Tatsuma and let out a light chuckle.
"It's a good thing Danzo is no longer in charge. If ANBU and Root were full of idiots like you, Konoha would rot from the core outward."
"Traitor! What did you say?"
Tatsuma turned, his gaze icy and murderous behind his sunglasses.
Orochimaru sneered. "A fool like you doesn't deserve to live. Let me send you off."
Then, he glanced at Shibi.
"No objections?"
"..."
Shibi didn't answer. He simply took two steps back.
Tatsuma's behavior and attitude were extreme outliers in the clan. The Aburame could no longer afford to protect and support him.
Tatsuma narrowed his eyes. "There's one thing I've been wondering."
"Speak."
"What makes Tsunade and Kyohiko better than Danzo?"
"Idiot!"
Orochimaru looked down at him with undisguised contempt. "A worthless piece of trash like Danzo isn't even fit to be compared to Tsunade and Kyohiko!"
Then, he grinned.
"Fine. I'll show you exactly why Kyohiko surpasses Danzo."
With that, he bit his thumb and performed a summoning jutsu—
A snake erupted from the ground.
The snake was small.
Aburame Tatsuma frowned, puzzled—
Then, his insects suddenly recoiled in fear, retreating deep into his body.
The next second, a terrifying presence emerged from thin air.
Aburame Shibi's pupils contracted.
"Orochimaru-sama , this is the Aburame clan's territory—"
"Relax. Dealing with Aburame Tatsuma won't take much effort."
Orochimaru took a step back.
In an instant, Kyohiko appeared.
Shibi was stunned.
Flying Thunder God!
Was this the Flying Thunder God Technique?
Namikaze Minato?
Before he could process it, Kyohiko spoke: "Orochimaru-senpai, he refused to cooperate?"
"I didn't ask yet, but I doubt he will. More importantly, he wants to know what makes you stronger than Danzo."
Orochimaru smirked.
Kyohiko nodded casually. "Clan Head Shibi, if I accidentally kill him, that won't be a problem, right?"
"..."
Shibi sighed. "It's best if you spare his life."
"Fine."
Body Flicker. A single punch.
Tatsuma didn't even have time to react before he was sent flying—while his insects…
Couldn't even keep up.
How was this possible?
Tatsuma's mind reeled in shock and horror.
During their previous encounter, Kyohiko had been strong and talented, but Tatsuma had still managed to hold his own. He'd believed his loss was due to carelessness.
So, Tatsuma had never believed Kyohiko was truly strong enough to kill the Third Kazekage or influence the war's outcome. He'd assumed Orochimaru and Minato had done most of the work.
But now—
This speed was impossible!
Counterattack! Counterattack!
Tatsuma tried to command his insects, but the next moment, an even more devastating kick sent him soaring into the air.
His insects…
Couldn't even bite through?
Tatsuma's mind went blank.
How could there be something his insects couldn't penetrate?
Was this guy a monster?
Boom!
Another punch.
And another…
Each strike was lighter than the last, but Tatsuma felt utterly humiliated—
Kyohiko clearly had the power to kill him instantly, yet he held back. At one point, he even used medical ninjutsu to heal Tatsuma's injuries mid-fight.
No matter where Tatsuma was sent flying, Kyohiko always caught up instantly.
This wasn't the Body Flicker Technique.
Tatsuma realized what this was—
Flying Thunder God!
This kid had mastered the Flying Thunder God?!
His mind went numb.
The next second, he was slammed into the ground.
"Clan Head Shibi, I left him with a few breaths. I'll take him to ANBU Medical."
Kyohiko smiled.
Shibi waved his hand, signaling for Kyohiko to take him away.
After all, a waste like Tatsuma was of no use to the clan.
Danzo had truly ruined people!
What kind of brainwashing had that man used to inspire such loyalty?
But more importantly—
"This kid's strength… it's grown too fast!"
The last time they'd met, Kyohiko hadn't been this powerful, let alone capable of using the Flying Thunder God.
This was what a true genius looked like!
Danzo?
How could that trash even compare?!
Shibi shook his head, convinced Tatsuma had lost his mind.
...
"Kyohiko-kun, your Flying Thunder God is becoming more refined."
"Still far from mastery, but it's enough to deal with him."
Kyohiko set Tatsuma down.
Lightning Release Chakra Mode, combined with Wood Release coating his skin, made it impossible for insects to penetrate.
And if he'd wanted to, he could have killed Tatsuma with a single punch.
After using Mystical Palm Technique for basic healing—and Tatsuma's own kikaichū aiding in recovery—the man soon regained consciousness.
Tatsuma opened his eyes to the dim, familiar surroundings of the ANBU base and fell silent. When he turned his head and saw Kyohiko, a deep fear took root in his heart.
This guy…
How had he grown so strong in just a year or two?
"Awake?"
Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "Do you understand now?"
"..."
Tatsuma had nothing to say.
Even Danzo—the man he idolized—had never been this powerful at Kyohiko's age.
No.
At the same age, Kyohiko could have killed Danzo thousands of times over without breaking a sweat.
The gap was too vast. There was no comparison.
His voice was hoarse. "Strength doesn't equal wisdom."
"Danzo's wisdom? Hahaha! All he does is scheme behind people's backs and play dirty tricks."
Kyohiko was amused.
He crouched down, meeting Tatsuma's gaze. "You're so naïve, you're more of a child than I am."
"Where there is light, there must be darkness. Lord Danzo was right."
Tatsuma insisted.
Orochimaru scoffed, his disdain evident.
Kyohiko said, "Darkness? You mean sacrificing others at will but never himself? Because he wanted to be Hokage, so he couldn't afford to die?"
"You don't understand him."
Tatsuma turned away.
Great. The guy had fully bought into Danzo's nonsense.
Any criticism just meant "you don't understand."
Kyohiko smiled but didn't bother arguing further.
"One question. Will you work for me? If not, you die. Soon, I'll send Danzo to join you."
"Danzo-sama has no intention of opposing Konoha. Why go this far?"
"Answer. If you refuse, the Yamanaka clan will make you cooperate anyway."
Kyohiko's tone was ice-cold.
Orochimaru's lips curled.
After a few seconds of silence, Tatsuma spoke. "I won't help you. And you'd never truly trust me anyway."
Then, he tossed out a scroll.
"Root is part of Konoha. Our ideals are noble!"
With that, Tatsuma closed his eyes.
Orochimaru picked up the scroll and deftly unsealed it.
A stack of books appeared.
He flipped through them, smirking. "These are all intelligence and espionage training methods."
"Good. I acknowledge your ideals and convictions."
Kyohiko patted Tatsuma's shoulder.
The books were valuable.
With these, Gekkō Shusaku could study and, with Orochimaru's guidance, help rebuild the intelligence framework.
Of course, some details would need adjustments.
Which meant…
Kyohiko would have to read them too.
"Orochimaru-senpai, should we send him back to the Aburame clan, or…?"
Orochimaru chuckled. "Let him stay in ANBU. He seems well-suited for this place."
"Fine."
Kyohiko picked up a book and began reading carefully.
Tatsuma looked up but ultimately didn't object.