The filming wrapped up successfully, despite a few unexpected incidents. Overall, the production was completed smoothly, and the final product was something to be proud of.
As for the strange event during the final scene, it sparked a flurry of speculation. People began to wonder what had really happened—some believed it was part of a well-executed publicity stunt, while others whispered about the return of a mysterious ghost that had vanished years ago.
That mystery which was still unsolved, resurfaced and became the talk of the town once more. It reignited discussions and re-established itself as one of Grass Village's most intriguing unsolved enigmas. Despite the years that had passed, the mystery still lingered.
Sadly, the members of the Akatsuki, originally formed to unravel the truth behind the event, had grown older, and the pursuit of the mystery had slowly faded from their priorities. No one remained to investigate the secrets that still lay buried.
Yet, despite the unanswered questions, the movie became a sensation long before its official release. Curiosity surrounding it grew rapidly, and everyone eagerly anticipated its premiere.
As for Tsunade, she was once again full of herself, basking in the attention. With a smug grin, she proudly exclaimed, "I didn't realize I had this much talent!"
Back in Grass Village, the editing process was quickly completed, and with some careful promotional efforts, the movie's hype was used to full advantage. They wasted no time and arranged for its immediate release, capitalizing on the excitement surrounding it.
…
Meanwhile, in the Land of Rice, Orochimaru, now far from the bustle of Grass Village, had also caught wind of the new movie. When he first saw the poster, a faint, involuntary twitch passed across his lips. The sight of it brought him back to the time when Jiraiya had secretly filmed The Three Ninjas in the Land of Grass.
Although Orochimaru himself had not participated in that film. In that movie, 'Orochimaru' had barely played a role, aside from quietly observing as Jiraiya and Tsunade flirted, something he could have done without. Still, it seemed he had become a convenient tool for their production.
He couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance. Couldn't those two have at least consulted him before using his image in their film? They had a tendency to leave him out of their antics, and now it seemed they were at it again.
A sly smile curled on Orochimaru's lips as he gazed at the poster. His expression remained serene and elegant, but there was a faint trace of amusement as he muttered under his breath, "So, she's in Grass Village…"
He paused for a moment, his thoughts turning to Jiraiya. Is he still out there, chasing the so-called 'Child of Destiny'? What an idiot... Orochimaru shook his head, a look of exasperation briefly crossing his face. Despite everything, he knew Jiraiya would never change.
With a resigned sigh, Orochimaru decided to indulge in a bit of nostalgia. He would go watch the film. After all, it was the least he could do to show support for Tsunade, a former comrade, even if they had long since parted ways.
Speaking of which, it had been a while since Konoha had been sealed off. With his own abilities and the vast financial backing 'provided' by Danzo, Orochimaru had managed to carve out a place for himself in the Land of Rice. Here, he continued his experiments, undisturbed by the outside world.
Although Danzo had experienced quite a bit of misfortune in recent years, Orochimaru couldn't deny that he owed the man a certain debt. Danzo's resources had been invaluable in helping him establish his base of operations.
Now that he had left Konoha behind, however, everything had to be rebuilt from scratch. Funds were quickly running dry, and it was becoming harder to maintain his 'lavish lifestyle'. Originally, Orochimaru had planned to earn the money he needed on his own, but after hearing about the growing production base in the Land of Waves, he decided to shelve that idea. It seemed like a much more efficient way to get what he needed without expending so much effort.
Orochimaru was already thinking of ways to contact the new production base. If they wanted his expertise on those strange machines, he'd happily oblige. After all, he might as well take advantage of the situation and show a little gratitude to Danzo for his previous support. A mutually beneficial arrangement with the Land of Waves might just be the perfect solution to his current financial problems.
As the movie began, Orochimaru leaned back, his gaze fixed on the screen. The Saint of Gamblers... Even without having watched a single scene, he could already guess the premise. It was clearly about gambling.
He recalled the first movie made by the Grass Village, God of Gamblers. That had been the first of its kind in the ninja world, a curious experiment. But The Saint of Gamblers—with Tsunade in the lead role? Orochimaru couldn't help but chuckle at the irony. Tsunade, of all people, being dubbed the 'Saint of Gamblers?' He knew her well enough to understand how hopelessly unlucky she was when it came to gambling. The idea of her as a gambling saint struck him as absurd. If she was the Saint, then surely the First Hokage could be called the god of gamblers.
Amused by the thought, Orochimaru continued to watch, curious how they would spin her role. But as the movie progressed, he soon realized it wasn't exactly what he had expected.
"Is it really based on a true story?" Orochimaru muttered with a smirk, his lips curling in amusement. "Seems like she's just as unlucky as Tsunade... Well, that makes sense. It is Tsunade after all."
…
At the same time, in Grass Village, Akihiko sat in his office, his eyes scanning the latest intelligence that had been delivered by Gato. A sense of satisfaction washed over him as he absorbed the information.
"...finally here?" His voice was laced with quiet anticipation. His eyes narrowed slightly, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
Standing up, he turned toward Mikoto, who was busy with paperwork and other tasks nearby. "I'm heading to the research institute," he said with a purposeful tone, already moving toward the door.
…
"I didn't expect you to come personally, Mr. Gato. It seems Lord Danzo truly places a lot of trust in you," came a voice, sharp and laced with curiosity, from the shadows.
"It's all thanks to Lord Danzo's trust," Gato replied, his voice slightly tense as he stood before Orochimaru. "Lord Orochimaru."
"Don't be so modest," Orochimaru said, his smile concealing his true thoughts. He studied Gato with a penetrating gaze. "From where I stand, you've succeeded. In fact, in some ways, you've accomplished what that man couldn't even dream of."
Orochimaru was no stranger to Gato, having learned of him through Danzo. Gato was a wealthy merchant from the Land of Waves, and it was his influence that had led Danzo to invest a substantial sum—tens of billions—into securing a vast amount of raw materials.
But who could have predicted the series of events that followed, setting everything in motion?
"It seems Danzo must have mentioned me to you," Orochimaru remarked, his voice tinged with curiosity.
"He certainly did," Gato replied with a practiced merchant's smile, his tone warm. "Lord Danzo instructed me to support your research to the best of my abilities and assured me that I could come to you with any issues. Of course, he also reminded me that you must fulfill the promise you made to him."
"Is that so?" Orochimaru's lips curled into a faint smile as he absorbed Gato's words.
Hearing the details of Danzo's instructions, Orochimaru couldn't help but feel a grudging admiration. Despite his many misfortunes, As an old comrade of his sensei, Danzo has clearly maintained a corresponding stature. Even after losing billions, Danzo hadn't given up on the possibility of cooperation, which spoke volumes about his persistence.
"Well, that's much appreciated. It seems like you've come to see me because you've run into some issues. Let's hear it," Orochimaru said, raising an intrigued eyebrow. "I remember that guy had been pestering me, wanting me to work on more advanced production equipment for him. I've got some time, so I'll take a look at it as a small gesture of gratitude toward him."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "However, I don't have the equipment here anymore, so make sure to bring one over. Honestly... I've been quite busy. If there's nothing else, don't bother me!"
"Well, that's very much appreciated. It seems you've come to me because you've encountered some problems? Go ahead, ask." Orochimaru said, waving his hand as his curiosity piqued.
He raised an eyebrow, continuing, "I also remember that he kept pestering me, asking me to develop more advanced production equipment for him. Since I have some free time, I suppose I can take a look at it, as a small gesture of gratitude to him."
Pausing for a moment, Orochimaru added, "However, I don't have the necessary equipment here anymore, so be sure to bring it over. Honestly..." He sighed lightly, "I'm quite busy myself. So if it's not urgent, don't bother me in the future."
Gato was momentarily taken aback. Research equipment? How did he know Akihiko wanted him to work on something? Stunned by Orochimaru's words, Gato froze for a second, quickly regaining his composure. With a polite smile, he retrieved a stack of documents from his jacket and handed them over.
Upon seeing the thick stack of papers in front of him, Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, blinking in surprise. After a brief pause, he remarked, "So much? What's this? Did you turn the equipment into design blueprints? I suppose that works too... but you'll have to cover the materials."
Gato hesitated for a moment before answering, "This... When I left Konoha, Lord Danzo gave me a little research plan and told me to bring it to you if I happened to meet you."
A research plan? Orochimaru's interest was piqued. On what exactly? He paused, took the papers, and began flipping through them.
'The Hypothesis on the Effect of Magnet Release on Trains'
'Feasibility Study on Chakra Datafication'
'Long-Distance Signal Transmission and Reception'
'Research on How Natural Energy Can Integrate into the Body'
'...'
'...'
Orochimaru's eyes flickered as he continued to read through the research papers, his expression shifting to one of intrigue and growing suspicion.
A 'little' research plan? Aside from the research on natural energy, what are all these other things? Trains? Long-distance signals? Does that guy really intend to clash with Grass Village? Does he want everything they have?
Orochimaru's smile stiffened as he raised his gaze to Gato. "You should know..." he began, his tone turning colder, "I have two extremely important experiments in progress. They're just as crucial for Danzo as they are for me. I don't have time to waste on other matters."
Gato hesitated for a moment before calmly responding, "Lord Danzo said… If you don't agree, he won't allocate any funding to you."
"...How interesting," Orochimaru mused, his lips curling into a slight grin, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I didn't expect that guy to still be trying to threaten me even after falling so low." His tone darkened as his eyes narrowed. "Does he really think I, Orochimaru, can't accomplish anything without his money?"
But just before Orochimaru could continue, Gato spoke up again, a hint of a knowing smile tugging at his lips. "He also said he would report your whereabouts to the village."
Orochimaru's expression twitched with a flicker of annoyance. That guy... Since his return from Grass Village, Danzo seemed to have completely abandoned any semblance of ninja honor.
"Do you even know where my base is? Even if you do, don't you worry that I'll simply run away?" Orochimaru's voice dropped into a low, mocking tone, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes. "Finding me, Orochimaru, will not be so easy~"
Gato, however, seemed unfazed by the growing danger in Orochimaru's eyes. He merely smiled and replied, "Lord Danzo said that if you try to run, I'll have Shinobi Times track you and report your whereabouts to Konoha. I'm sure Grass Village is very skilled at finding people."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed as the smile on his face began to lose its warmth. He paused for a moment, then finally spoke, his tone thoughtful, "I'm not sure whether I should say this, but..."
Gato, sensing the tension, nervously urged, "Please, Lord Orochimaru, speak."
However, just as Gato braced for another threat, Orochimaru surprised him by extending his pale hand. He shook Gato's hand, his smile returning with an eerie warmth. "Pleasure doing business with you."
Internally, Orochimaru's thoughts turned dark. Very well, Shimura Danzo. I will remember this.