C 77

"Miss Tsunade, Senior Orochimaru!"

Kushina blushed and shyly stopped massaging Kain's legs. Over the past two days, no one had paid much attention to her, and in exchange for those magical snacks, she'd gone from rubbing his shoulders to massaging his back, and now even his legs.

Today, though, just as she was about to earn her snacks through her "services," Tsunade and Orochimaru walked in, catching her in the act. This left Kushina feeling embarrassed—she could justify her actions to herself, but it was different when seen by familiar faces.

Tsunade scoffed, "You bastard, making Kushina do this kind of thing."

"There's nothing wrong with exchanging labor for payment, Tsunade," Kain replied calmly. He stroked Kushina's red hair, smiling, and handed her a bag of magic snacks from a nearby cabinet. "Let's stop here for today."

"Thank you, boss!" Kushina beamed, taking the bag of snacks. But she quickly realized that Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Kain had things to discuss, so she stood up, dusted off her black stockings, and said goodbye.

As Kushina left, she remembered she had wanted to gripe a bit to the boss. Since Grandma Mito's passing, she'd taken on more responsibilities—and now, for a few snacks, she was rubbing her boss's shoulders and legs.

"Darn boss!" Kushina chuckled to herself, hopping like a rabbit toward the sealing class. She was currently working there, and although the youngest, her sealing skills were among the best.

Before Kushina left, Tsunade caught a glimpse of the snacks in the bag and started planning to "borrow" at least half of them from Kushina later. 

Her own expenses had recently gone through the roof—all her mission rewards and Nawaki's earnings had been used to pay off her gambling debts, leaving her scrambling to find someone to cover her food and drinks.

Right now, for example, she'd sent Nawaki off for taijutsu training, and she'd dragged Orochimaru along to meet Kain, hoping to grab a drink after their business was done.

Konoha's negotiations with Kain for medical supplies were almost complete, and the village had no choice but to accept his terms. 

Unless Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo could somehow manage to capture Kain, along with all his secrets and without leaking any information, there wasn't much else they could do.

Tsunade had come to deliver Konoha's medical supply list, and since Kain had something to discuss with Orochimaru, she brought him along.

Kain's izakaya was just a few steps away. After being seated, Tsunade eagerly waited for the wine to arrive and downed a bottle with delight. 

With her bold, almost reckless way of drinking, it was only her beauty and striking figure that made her seem like a woman at all.

As the three of them were chatting and drinking, the curtain suddenly lifted, and someone poked his head in. Spotting Tsunade and Orochimaru, he said in surprise, "I thought I heard wrong, but it really is you, Tsunade, Orochimaru!"

It was Jiraiya, the other member of the Sannin, peeking in. Kain recalled meeting him on the battlefield in the Land of Rain, where Jiraiya had stayed to teach Nagato and the others. Apparently, he had returned.

"And you," Jiraiya continued, looking at Kain, "I remember now—Kain, right? Tsunade, let's make it a bigger table. I've got three on my side."

Tsunade glanced at Jiraiya and shrugged. "Do what you want, just remember you're paying the bill."

Joining Jiraiya were two familiar faces: Konoha Jōnin Kato Dan and Namikaze Minato. Jiraiya, having been away, hadn't been filled in on recent events, and nobody was willing to explain—after all, Konoha's actions hadn't exactly been transparent.

However, Jiraiya quickly livened the atmosphere, even getting Kain to talk about Yahiko, Konan, and the others from the Land of Rain. 

Though Kain had wanted to avoid getting too involved with Nagato and his friends, he knew Nagato—now bearing the transplanted Rinnegan—was being watched by at least two White Zetsu.

After a few rounds, Jiraiya started speaking more freely. Taking another drink, he muttered with frustration, "The ninja world's been restless lately, and it's delaying my search for the Child of prophecy."

The Great Toad Sage's prophecy was no secret to anyone, Jiraiya even planned to write a book about his journey to find this "Child of prophecy" and their role in changing the ninja world. 

Many in Konoha were aware of Jiraiya's ambition, though few took it seriously.

Tsunade and Orochimaru especially were skeptical, scoffing at the idea of a "Destiny Child" and dismissing Jiraiya's idealism as even more naive than a first-year ninja's. 

Yet Jiraiya remained stubborn, convinced his vision of peace would someday come true, which soon led to a spirited argument with Tsunade.

"Kain, do you think Jiraiya's dream might actually come true?" Tsunade asked, her face flushed as she dragged Kain into the discussion. Both she and Jiraiya were known for their strong tempers, and Tsunade, already irked by Jiraiya's antics, was clearly skeptical.

After Tsunade spoke, everyone turned to Kain, as if waiting for his answer. Minato and Kato Dan exchanged curious glances, seemingly interested in his take as well.

"Peace can last for a time," Kain said thoughtfully, "but the idea of completely eradicating war? That's another story. Peace and war reflect each other, like light and darkness—they exist as opposites."

Before Kain could finish, a drunken Jiraiya interrupted, "So you're on Tsunade's side, too? Just you wait—I, Master Jiraiya, will find the Child of prophecy sooner or later and change this ninja world!"

Kain simply smiled, unwilling to argue further with Jiraiya. The idea of a ninja calling for an end to war was, to Kain, almost a contradiction in itself. 

Ninja life, by its nature, thrived on missions and conflicts. Ninja regulations, mission commissions, and the contracts between the villages and their respective countries all emphasized one fact: ninjas were, in essence, instruments of war. 

To end war would mean to end the role of the ninja entirely.

But none of that mattered much to Kain. Whether in peace or in war, he could always find a way to profit.

Later, Kain found himself back at his residence, and before long, Orochimaru entered.

"Kain-san, what can I do for you?" Orochimaru asked. Although he'd had quite a bit to drink, he could easily burn off the alcohol with chakra—a trick every seasoned ninja mastered. 

Orochimaru, having noticed Kain had something specific to discuss, had made his way to Kain's place as soon as the gathering ended.

"I'd like to ask you for a favor, if you're interested," Kain began, serving two cups of tea. Noting Orochimaru's intrigued expression, he continued, "I want you to develop a spell-seal technique that can influence or control a person through chakra. Is that feasible?"

"To influence or control someone? That sort of technique isn't difficult," Orochimaru replied, considering it thoughtfully. "There are many similar jutsu in the ninja world. What you're asking for could be achieved with just a few minor modifications."

For Orochimaru, creating a technique to influence someone was only a rudimentary task. There were seals as powerful as the root's tongue-cursing seal, which could prevent the bearer from revealing secrets. 

Kain's request could be realized with a slight adjustment, as chakra inherently involved spiritual energy.

"Kain-san, I believe we could deepen our cooperation," Orochimaru suggested, his eyes glinting with interest. Danzo had also approached him recently, but Danzo's offers were limited—he only provided funding and test subjects while constantly prying into the Extremis virus serum.

As a student of the Hokage, Orochimaru already had access to forbidden techniques, and Kain could offer resources beyond what Danzo could. 

To Orochimaru, Kain was a far more promising partner. Danzo simply sought to extract value without offering any true advantages in return. Kain, however, had exactly what he wanted.

"Of course, Orochimaru. It would be wonderful if more of Konoha's leadership thought like you," Kain remarked. He had originally intended for a long-term partnership with Orochimaru, but now, under scrutiny from Konoha's top brass, such cooperation needed to be concealed. 

If exposed, even Orochimaru, as a Hokage disciple, would find it troublesome.

"However, our partnership must remain hidden. If it were to be exposed, it would create difficulties—even with your position. But if you were to become the Fourth Hokage, then we could expand our collaboration freely. You'd have the authority and strength; I have the skills and resources."

The mention of "Fourth Hokage" gave Orochimaru pause. Among Konoha's elite, only a handful were considered eligible for the position: Hatake Sakumo, the Sannin, and the Uchiha clan's patriarch. The others lacked either the age, strength, or reputation.

"It may be years before the chance for Fourth Hokage arises," Orochimaru mused, "but for now, hiding our dealings from Anbu won't be easy—especially given Lord Hiruzen's watchful eye. Your situation is rather delicate, Kain. My summoning snakes could be useful here. They're discreet, able to send messages and items, and they can alert us if needed—assuming, of course, that you aren't afraid of snakes."

Kain was momentarily taken aback, then gave it some thought. Initially, he had considered giving Orochimaru a remote communication device, but in the ninja world, signal towers didn't exist. 

The summoning snakes of Ryūchi Cave, though slightly unnerving, were indeed a suitable alternative for secure exchanges.

"Very well, Orochimaru," Kain agreed.

In the following days, Kain continued to enjoy his time in Konoha. Besides Kushina's massages, he equipped Yakushi Nono with a small communication device and signal equipment with enough range to cover all of Konoha. 

This setup allowed Nono to communicate covertly with others and stay in touch with Kain without detection.

Meanwhile, Danzo made significant progress. After consulting Tobirama's notes, he instructed the barrier team and transferred personnel from the sealing team. 

Together, they perfected a barrier capable of restricting space-time jutsu. Within this barrier, even the Summoning Technique was unusable. After testing it himself, Danzo brought the results to Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Hiruzen, it's ready. When will we proceed?" Danzo asked.

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a long puff from his pipe, then replied, "Tomorrow night. I'll give Tsunade a mission first to get her out of the village. I'll also send three Anbu teams."

"I'll add two root squads for extra security," Danzo added. Inwardly, he thought of the rewards to come. 

Capturing Kain would grant him access to the Extremis virus serum, allowing him to heal his injuries. He could almost see himself wielding Wood Style, rising to become the Fourth Hokage.

….

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