The orphanage director's office.
"Yusuke-kun, you haven't been here for a long time. Everyone misses you. During the recent war, everyone was worried that something might happen to you," a woman who looked about twenty-five years old smiled at Yusuke.
The woman, named Yakushi Nonō, was wearing a black nun's habit, had long yellow hair, and wore black rectangular glasses on the bridge of her nose. Her face was adorned with a gentle smile, making her look like a friendly big sister.
If Yusuke hadn't known her true identity, he wouldn't have believed that she was once a skilled spy ninja adept at assassination and intelligence gathering.
Because Yakushi Nonō was inherently kind and tired of her work as a spy ninja, she resigned from her position in Root and built an orphanage on the outskirts of Konohagakure to take in orphans who had lost their families in the war.
However, Yusuke knew that Danzō had no intention of letting this former subordinate go.
"Yusuke-sama, you don't know, the director is so kind-hearted. She takes in orphans whenever she sees them. The funds the village provides are far from enough to cover the orphanage's expenses. The director is the one who's been raising funds herself," a plump nun complained. This nun was also one of the orphanage's staff members.
"Director, this is a little something from me. Please accept it," Yusuke took out a package and handed it to her. Inside was some money, not a lot, but not a small amount either.
As a Jonin, Yusuke's income was quite good. He didn't mind donating some of his money to charity, especially since he was willing to provide some assistance to this kind woman. More importantly, this was an excellent opportunity for him to get close to his target, making it a win-win situation.
"Thank you, Yusuke-kun. If it weren't for your continued support, the children might have had a harder life." Yakushi Nonō didn't refuse. She had already poured everything she had into this orphanage, and Yusuke's support was truly important to her.
She herself didn't mind, but the children at the orphanage needed money to live.
"Didn't you say before that you wanted to teach the children medical ninjutsu so they could serve the village's wounded and earn some living expenses? How's that going?" Yusuke asked casually.
A look of relief crossed Yakushi Nonō's face. "The children are working hard, and they're all learning well. They should be able to work for the village soon. Especially Kabuto, he's very talented. He's already very skilled in medical ninjutsu. Even ordinary medical ninjas might not be as good as him."
"Is that so? I'm a little interested. Would it be alright if Kabuto showed me what he can do?" Yusuke asked with a smile.
Nonō nodded and led Yusuke to the place where the children were training.
At this time, all the children were diligently training, most of them practicing chakra medical techniques.
Chakra medical techniques were one of the simplest medical ninjutsu, a simplified version of the "Sage Mode."
The practitioner uses their hands to gather chakra with healing properties and covers the wound of the injured person, accelerating the healing process. This jutsu is simple but very effective in treating external injuries.
Standing in the distance, Yusuke quickly saw his target among the children — Kabuto.
Kabuto was still innocent at this time, far from the social persona he would later display after his villainous identity was revealed.
Kabuto had long white hair tied into a ponytail and wore black round glasses. These glasses were Kabuto's most treasured possession. Nonō had given them to him shortly after she took him in.
Kabuto wasn't practicing chakra medical techniques. He seemed to be practicing more advanced medical ninjutsu. On the table in front of him, a white cloth with simple sealing jutsu drawn on it held a dying fish.
Kabuto's right hand was covered in blue chakra, and he used his fingers to point at several parts of the fish's body, like needles stimulating the fish's body.
After a series of quick manipulations, the fish, which had been lifeless, suddenly began to thrash its tail wildly, as lively as if it had just been caught from a river.
"Kabuto can already use chakra to stimulate acupoints for treatment?" Yusuke asked Nonō beside him.
Nonō nodded. "Yes, he's really talented. This treatment method requires extremely powerful chakra control and a flexible mind to accurately use different stimulation methods for different injuries."
"Director, I have a favor to ask. I hope you'll agree." Yusuke said slowly.
Nonō smiled. "Yusuke-kun, you've helped us so much, and we haven't been able to repay you. If there's anything I can do to help, it would be my honor. Please tell me. As long as I can do it, I won't refuse."
Yusuke looked at Kabuto, who was still practicing in the distance, and said, "I admire this child's talent too. I've always wanted to take on a disciple to train to help me develop ninjutsu. After observing him, I think Kabuto is a perfect fit. He has a talent in this area that is unmatched by ordinary people!"
Hearing Yusuke's words, Nonō was slightly taken aback. Then she smiled and said, "If it were anyone else, I might not be at ease, but if it's Yusuke-kun, I think I can entrust Kabuto to you with peace of mind."
Nonō's gaze also focused on Kabuto, her eyes gentle, like a mother looking at her son. "As long as Kabuto is willing, I respect his choice."
At this time, Kabuto, as if sensing something, turned his head and looked at the two who were looking at him from afar.
Nonō smiled and waved to Kabuto, signaling him to come over. Seeing the director calling him, Kabuto happily ran towards them.
"Director, what do you need me for?" Kabuto asked Nonō, a childlike smile on his face, when he arrived in front of them.
Nonō patted Kabuto's head and said with a smile, "Yusuke-sama wants to take you as his disciple and teach you ninjutsu. Would you like to?"
"If I become Yusuke-sama's disciple, can I still live with the director?" Kabuto asked.
"After becoming my disciple, you will live in my house. Of course, you can come back to visit the director and your friends here often." Yusuke said.
Hearing that he couldn't live with the director anymore, Kabuto shook his head. "Then I don't want to. I want to stay with the director forever." In Kabuto's heart, the director was the only person he could trust, the only person who had given him warmth in his life. No matter what, he didn't want to be separated from her.
Hearing this, Yusuke squatted down, also patted Kabuto's head, and smiled, "But have you thought about this? If you follow me and study ninjutsu diligently, becoming a powerful ninja, you can truly help the director, instead of being a burden like you are now."
Kabuto turned to look at Nonō, asking with a dejected expression, "Am I really a burden?"
Nonō immediately hugged Kabuto and said with a gentle smile, "How could that be? Kabuto has helped me a lot. Yusuke-sama just doesn't know what Kabuto has done for the orphanage." At the same time, she glared at Yusuke with a hint of reproach in her eyes.
Yusuke gave a wry smile and gave Nonō an apologetic look, not saying anything more.
Yusuke didn't really want to call Kabuto a "burden," but he needed to use words to stimulate him, so he could be sure that Kabuto would agree to become his disciple.
He knew that Kabuto was a very sensitive and meticulous child. With this small nudge, he would know what to do.
Kabuto gently broke free from Nonō's embrace. Although he enjoyed the director's loving embrace, he knew he had to make a real man's choice!
"Director, I want to be able to really help you. I want to become Yusuke-sama's disciple." Kabuto looked at Nonō with determination.
Nonō smiled and nodded. "En, no matter what choice you make, I support you. Since you're Yusuke-sama's disciple now, you must work hard and not disappoint him."
Kabuto nodded vigorously, turned to Yusuke, and performed a respectful bow, saying loudly, "Yakushi Kabuto, I hope to become your disciple. Please teach me."
Yusuke stood up and said seriously, "Kabuto, you are now officially my disciple, Uchiha Yusuke. I will teach you diligently, and you must practice hard. If you can't meet my requirements, I will not be lenient!"
Kabuto kowtowed deeply, then stood up and said loudly, "Yusuke-sensei, don't worry. I will definitely satisfy you!"
A smile returned to Yusuke's face. "I believe you can."
Seeing his teacher's recognition, Kabuto secretly vowed that he would not disappoint his teacher. His teacher was the second person to acknowledge him, besides the director.
Amidst the reluctant farewells of everyone at the orphanage, Yusuke took Kabuto and left.
Because Yusuke had to go to the Hokage Tower at noon, he carried Kabuto under his arm and rushed as fast as he could.
When they got back to his house, Kabuto felt like he had motion sickness. His eyes were spinning, and he almost threw up his dinner.
"Yusuke, is this the child you've been talking about wanting to take as a disciple? What a cute little girl." Seeing the Kabuto Yusuke brought back, Uchiha Yuzuki asked with a smile.
"This sister, my name is Yakushi Kabuto, I'm a boy!" Kabuto's face flushed red as he said loudly.
Sometimes, children at this age are really hard to tell apart, especially a child like Kabuto with delicate features.
Uchiha Yuzuki couldn't help but chuckle. She patted Kabuto's head and said with a smile, "What a likable child. Call me auntie. Yusuke is my son."
"Where's Izumi?" Yusuke asked, not seeing Izumi.
"This little girl woke up and went out to play with her friends." Uchiha Yuzuki said.
"Then I'll leave Kabuto to you. I need to go to the Hokage Tower now." Yusuke said to Yuzuki.
Uchiha Yuzuki nodded. "Go ahead."
Yusuke took a scroll from his pocket and gave it to Kabuto. "This is some basic ninjutsu. You can study it yourself while I'm gone."
Kabuto took the scroll with both hands and said, "Don't worry, sensei. I will work hard."
Looking at Yusuke who was leaving, then turning back to see Uchiha Yuzuki smiling at him, Kabuto felt the same feeling he had when he was first taken in by the director, a feeling of being noticed and acknowledged.
"This seems pretty good." Kabuto couldn't help but feel hopeful about the future and secretly vowed to study hard and become a skilled ninja as soon as possible to repay the director and his teacher.