"Can you control your subordinate? He might not be so well-behaved in the future either." Kakuzu glanced at Kabuto, who was hanging on the wall. This bespectacled man was the very definition of a wolf in sheep's clothing.
"Heh heh heh." Orochimaru chuckled. "Kakuzu, you might be overthinking things. Kabuto was the most suitable assistant I found among hundreds of children. You've seen his intelligence yourself. I believe he will only use his intellect for my research."
As he spoke, Orochimaru turned his gaze to Kabuto, who was still suspended against the wall.
"Isn't that right, Kabuto?"
"Cough... cough..." Kabuto struggled to breathe, impaled and barely able to move. Faced with Orochimaru's words, he had no choice but to nod frantically.
Kakuzu remained silent for a moment before finally releasing his grip, withdrawing his black tendrils.
"Fine, take him back with you. Just don't let him do anything reckless."
"Of course, Kakuzu. You have nothing to worry about." Orochimaru's response was smooth and assured. Kakuzu didn't reply further—so long as Orochimaru was around, Kabuto wouldn't be able to cause much trouble.
"By the way, there's another mission for you. If possible, I want it carried out immediately." Kakuzu's tone turned serious, prompting a rare look of solemnity from Orochimaru.
"What is it?"
...
Half an hour later, Kakuzu watched as Orochimaru and Kabuto left. Although he hadn't managed to complete his own business in time, entrusting it to Orochimaru shouldn't pose too much risk.
Turning around, his gaze fell upon Uchiha Shisui, who was seated on a chair. Shisui's chest was still heaving from exhaustion.
Sensing Kakuzu's gaze, Shisui stood up.
"Don't worry, I'm fine. It's just that I exhausted too much ocular power. Given time, my Sharingan will recover."
Kakuzu pulled out a small container and waved it in front of Shisui.
"Put these in. I don't want my bodyguard to be a blind man."
Shisui's right eye had already been taken, and his left was temporarily useless. An Uchiha without his eyes—could he even still be called an Uchiha?
However, the moment Shisui saw the eyes floating in the liquid, his expression changed dramatically.
"Where did you get these?!"
Inside the container were a pair of Sharingan.
"These eyes belonged to Uchiha Kagami. After his death, his Sharingan was retrieved by the clan and transplanted into his son. Do you see any issue with using them now?"
Hearing Kakuzu's explanation, Shisui swallowed hard. He had to admit—Kakuzu's reach was impressive, even acquiring something like this.
But since he had chosen to follow Kakuzu, he needed to embrace new perspectives instead of lingering between his loyalties to Konoha and the Uchiha clan.
Shisui was silent for a moment before finally nodding in acceptance.
Kakuzu then set about replacing Shisui's eyes. He first extracted Shisui's left eye—Kotoamatsukami—and placed it in a specialized solution. This solution could preserve the eye for years, allowing it to recover its power over time.
As for the next step, Kakuzu opened the Rinnegan on his forehead and inserted Uchiha Kagami's eyes into Shisui's sockets. With a touch of Yin-Yang Release, the transplantation was complete.
It was reminiscent of Uchiha Madara installing his own eyes like light bulbs.
"I have to admit—this Six Paths power is incredibly convenient."
Shisui, adjusting to his new vision, couldn't help but ask,
"Kakuzu-sama, based on what you said, Yin-Yang Release can create all things. Since the final evolution of my Sharingan is the Rinnegan, does that mean I can awaken it too?"
"Hmm..." Kakuzu pondered for a few seconds. Probably not. After all, Shisui wasn't the protagonist.
That being said, it wasn't impossible. Just like how Kakuzu had awakened the Rinnegan by utilizing the Ten-Tails' power, Shisui could attempt the same.
But could he withstand having all nine Tailed Beasts sealed inside him? That was another matter entirely.
Then again, considering the events in Boruto, where they mass-produced Sharingan, perhaps it wasn't out of the question.
"Let's revisit that idea later."
...
Two months passed in the blink of an eye. The joint event between Konoha's Ninja Academy and Ryūgakure's academy had officially begun.
The exchange program was held in Konoha, with a group of students from the Land of Dragons enrolling in the village's ninja academy.
Kakuzu also arrived in Konoha.
However, before he could visit the academy, someone intercepted him.
"Kakuzu-sama..."
Facing Hyūga Hiashi, Kakuzu smiled faintly and followed him into the Hyūga Clan compound.
As they stepped inside, a mother and daughter emerged from the house.
"Kakuzu-sama, how is my Hinata doing?" The woman's concern was written all over her face, making it obvious that she was Hinata's mother.
As for the young girl beside her...
"Kakuzu-sama, this is my second daughter, Hanabi."
Looking at the four-year-old Hanabi, whose features already bore the elegance of the Hyūga clan, Kakuzu reached out and gently patted her head.
After Hinata was taken away, Hiashi and his wife, despite their sorrow, had wasted no time having another child. As a result, Hanabi had been born earlier than in the original timeline.
"Don't worry. Everything is fine."
Hearing Kakuzu's words, Hiashi and his wife felt a slight sense of relief.
Inside the Hyūga estate, Hiashi dismissed his wife and Hanabi, leaving him alone with Kakuzu for a private discussion.
"Kakuzu-sama... My late father once told me that you had an agreement with our ancestor, Hyūga Tennin—that in times of crisis, you would come to the aid of the Hyūga clan. Is this true?"
Hiashi's voice trembled slightly as he spoke, his hands unsteady as he held his teacup.
Kakuzu raised an eyebrow and took a sip of his tea. When Tennin entrusted him with the Thousand-Eyed Byakugan, their exact conversation had been unheard by anyone else—not even Tobirama knew the details.
So the rumor that Tennin had entrusted the Hyūga Clan to Kakuzu... it was either a case of misinformation or someone's wishful thinking. Since Kakuzu never confirmed it, the claim remained unverified.
"Hiashi, are you trying to use this as leverage to get me to return Hinata?"
Logically speaking, Hiashi's next words should be exactly what Kakuzu had just said.
However, to Kakuzu's surprise, Hiashi shook his head.
"No. I think... I finally understand your intent."
"Oh? And what exactly do you understand?" Kakuzu asked, intrigued.
Hiashi took a deep breath and declared, "I have... corrected my ways!"
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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