Chapter 62 I have contributed to the organization!

In the ninja world, the existence of souls is undeniable. However, a question worth exploring is whether it's the soul or the brain itself that influences a person's memories.

Kenichi wanted to investigate this matter further. He was curious about whether the habits he had instilled in Yuki during their previous training would still be effective after his teacher's  impure world reincarnation jutsu. This was a serious scientific inquiry.

Before Kenichi could reach out, his teacher turned to look at him.

"What are you doing?" Orochimaru asked, eyeing his disciple suspiciously. Even as one of the legendary Sannin, he maintained a basic level of caution, even with his own student. This wasn't a matter of trust, but rather a ninja's instinct.

"Teacher, I noticed a white hair on your head," Kenichi replied casually. In fact, he had seen it with his Sharingan.

This was his prepared excuse, which now came in handy.

Kenichi felt a bit disappointed. He had hoped to test Pavlov's dog theory in the ninja world and investigate the soul's impact on muscle memory. But with his teacher turning around, that opportunity seemed lost.

"A white hair?" Orochimaru was taken aback. His current body was quite young and shouldn't have white hair. Could it be an effect of the  impure world reincarnation jutsu?

Realizing the potential implications, Orochimaru's expression turned serious.

"Pull it out for me," he instructed, intending to examine it and determine its cause.

Orochimaru always approached matters related to his immortality project with utmost caution. If any issues arose, he preferred to identify and resolve them promptly.

The  impure world reincarnation Jutsu was his own creation, still in its experimental phase. Naturally, there could be some unforeseen problems to iron out.

Kenichi, pleasantly surprised by this turn of events, quickly reached out and plucked the hair before his teacher could change his mind. In doing so, he managed to touch Orochimaru's head as well.

The sensation was normal - just like touching any other person's head. It felt warm, confirming that the body was indeed alive.

Kenichi carefully observed his teacher for any reaction, but Orochimaru seemed completely normal. This disappointed Kenichi, as it appeared that the previous conditioning had worn off during their time apart.

"Here's your white hair, teacher," Kenichi said, handing it over. Orochimaru took it and left to examine it further.

As his teacher walked away, Kenichi scratched his head. Orochimaru had given him a scroll to deliver to the Akatsuki in the Hidden Rain Village.

Another journey awaited him, but before leaving, Kenichi decided to bring along his raw materials to continue his research on thermobaric explosives while traveling.

Kenichi felt a sense of urgency. With the impending war between the Hidden Cloud and Hidden Leaf villages, many ninja would soon be on the battlefield. He saw this as the perfect opportunity to test the power of his thermobaric bombs.

After all, what better testing ground could there be than an actual battlefield?

Time was of the essence, and the task at hand was crucial.

After Kenichi's departure, Orochimaru pondered over the white hair in his hand.

When his disciple had pulled out the hair, Orochimaru had felt an inexplicable tingling sensation throughout his body. This puzzled him.

Orochimaru was certain he didn't have any related medical conditions. He dismissed it as a natural reaction to having a hair follicle pulled out.

His main concern now was why his newly acquired body would have such an issue. White hair shouldn't appear on a ninja of this age.

"I wonder if the Akatsuki has recruited any other ninja yet," Kenichi mused. "But Kakuzu is a must-have. Without him, the organization's development would be hindered."

Kenichi was on the move again, having set out early after a brief rest the previous night.

He considered himself one of the few truly dedicated members of the Akatsuki, comparable to Gin from another organization.

Fortunately, they hadn't yet reached the point where they were surrounded by undercover agents, as Gin had been. The only known spy, Itachi Uchiha, probably hadn't even started his surveillance yet.

Having Kakuzu on board would be beneficial. The Akatsuki couldn't function without him, just as the West couldn't lose Jerusalem.

As these thoughts occupied his mind, Kenichi entered the Land of Rain.

The border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain now had fewer ninja stationed there, but patrols had increased in frequency. Kenichi understood why.

The Hidden Leaf didn't want to worry about its rear while dealing with the Hidden Cloud village.

However, the Land of Rain likely lacked the courage to provoke the Hidden Leaf, and thankfully, this war probably wouldn't escalate further.

"The people of the Land of Rain really have it tough," Kenichi remarked, observing the civilians toiling in the fields to earn a living.

Even after Hanzo's downfall, life for the people of the Land of Rain remained largely unchanged. The Akatsuki's presence hadn't led to any noticeable improvements.

However, in these times, being able to live peacefully without the threat of war was perhaps a form of happiness for these people.

It's better to be a dog in peaceful times than a human in chaotic ones, as the saying goes.

As he traveled, Kenichi noticed a woman selling food by the roadside. Her age was difficult to determine, with some wrinkles on her face, but not many.

What caught his attention were the interesting items she was selling - small, round, black cakes.

"Excuse me, what are these?" Kenichi couldn't help but ask.

He hadn't eaten lunch yet, and while he could consume food pills, their taste left much to be desired.

"These are mud cakes," a calm voice replied.

It was Konan.

Kenichi turned to see Konan standing there with another ninja beside her.