She?

---

It was raining lightly as Muzan held an umbrella, watching the crowd paying homage to the fallen. From behind, a familiar voice called his name.

Kakashi approached, holding two bouquets of white flowers, carefully shielding them from the rain.

"Are these for Obito and Rin?" Muzan asked noticing the tiredness in Kakashi's eyes - eyes that were drained of life. The war took its toll, and the gloomy weather only deepened the sense of despair.

"Yes," Kakashi replied quietly, his tone heavy with grief. "Too many people died in this war."

Muzan followed Kakashi's gaze to the graves, many without bodies.

"Peace is hard to come by," Muzan said softly. "But at least, you can enjoy a moment of it."

Muzan held the umbrella over Kakashi as they placed the flowers by the graves. Suddenly, Muzan stiffened, sensing a familiar presence. His eyes narrowed, detecting White Zetsu and Obito lurking beneath the ground nearby.

"They have the nerve to come to Konoha today. They should be grateful it's a special day," Muzan murmured, his eyes flashing dangerously. Kakashi, sensing the change in Muzan's demeanor, tensed.

"What is it?" Kakashi asked, instinctively drawing a kunai. Though the war was over, danger still lurked, and Kakashi had learned never to drop his guard.

"Just some pests. Nothing you need to worry about," Muzan reassured him. Around them, shinobi continued paying respects, and sentries patrolled the area. Muzan had no intention of causing a scene—not today.

"An enemy?" Kakashi glanced in the direction of Muzan's gaze. He couldn't sense any chakra and naturally couldn't see Obito.

"Don't worry about it."

Before Kakashi could ask more, someone tapped him on the shoulder.

"You two didn't even come see us when you got back!" Anko exclaimed, approaching with Mari by her side.

Since their last mission on the front lines, both Anko and Mari had been reassigned to village duties, their status as genin keeping them from further battlefield action. The Third Hokage had wisely decided to protect the younger shinobi from unnecessary deaths.

"I haven't even gone home yet," Muzan sighed. If anyone tested his patience, it was Anko.

"Are you here to campaign for Orochimaru-sensei?" Anko teased. Her lighthearted comment shifted the attention of the group to Muzan. His and Kakashi's reputations had only grown since the war, especially Muzan's, who had been brilliant on the battlefield.

"You all know Orochimaru-sensei's reputation," Muzan replied dryly. "It seems the villagers still don't trust him."

Anko chuckled. "No campaign can fix that. Too much has happened."

Muzan gave a tired smile. She wasn't wrong. Orochimaru's actions on the battlefield, along with his personality, made it difficult for the village to ever fully trust him, despite his immense power.

Kakashi, standing with them, felt somewhat out of place. As a disciple of Namikaze Minato, it was awkward to be among Orochimaru's students. Still, it was clear to everyone that Minato would likely become the next Hokage.

Some whispered about Hatake Sakumo possibly becoming Hokage, but his father had distanced himself from politics, spending his days in quiet reflection.

After the ceremony, Muzan and Kakashi placed their flowers at the graves. Muzan glanced at Kakashi, who was covering his left eye. Though much had changed, there was still a chance to mend some of the damage.

"Now that the memorial is over, we need to address your eye," Muzan said, motioning to Kakashi's left eye.

Gently, Muzan removed Kakashi's hand, revealing the scarlet, three-tomoe Sharingan.

"You know you can't deactivate it without Uchiha blood," Muzan reminded him. "And it's draining your chakra."

Since returning from the Wind Country, Kakashi had grown weaker. The Sharingan was consuming his chakra at an alarming rate.

"The best solution would be to remove the eye, but I know you won't do that," Muzan continued. "So for now, we'll have to seal it."

It was a temporary fix, but Muzan was skilled enough to apply a sealing technique that would prevent the Sharingan from draining Kakashi's chakra when not in use.

"Only two people in Konoha can seal it properly: Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina. You'll need their help."

Kakashi remained silent, covering his eye again. Sealing the Sharingan would be difficult, but it was the only way to keep it from killing him.

Muzan noticed Kakashi's hesitation but didn't press further. He quietly excused himself and left the graveyard, heading for the village outskirts.

He had another appointment to keep.

"You're late, Orochimaru-sensei," Muzan said when he reached the Forest of Death, where his mentor stood waiting.

Orochimaru smirked. "I've been busy. The village council has been keeping me from my experiments. But you know how these things go."

This time, Orochimaru wasn't here for an experiment. He had come to fulfill a promise: to teach Muzan about Sage Jutsu.

"You'll need Jiraiya for that," Orochimaru explained. "Though the two of you may not get along."

Muzan raised an eyebrow. Jiraiya's carefree nature clashed with his own methodical personality.

"He's in Yugakure now," Orochimaru continued. "Let's hope he won't be too surprised to see us."

"And if necessary," Orochimaru added with a sly grin, "you can always transform into a girl to catch his attention."

Far away in Yugakure, Jiraiya sneezed, wondering why the hot springs suddenly felt so cold.

Muzan chuckled but remained focused on the task ahead. Time was precious, and with Orochimaru's schedule, they had to make the most of these few days together.

Yugakure Village was a peculiar place. Unlike other hidden villages, shinobi didn't hold much status here.

Thanks to its renowned hot springs, tourists flocked to the village, bringing wealth and prosperity. The economy thrived to such an extent that the village no longer relied on many ninja. Most of the people walking the streets were civilians, and even the highest-ranking shinobi were only at the Jonin level.

"Orochimaru-Sensei, I think Yugakure has surpassed Konoha in some ways. They've chosen a different, yet successful path."

Orochimaru found Muzan's words intriguing. Even for him, his disciple's thoughts were sometimes difficult to predict. Standing at the entrance to a hot spring shop, Orochimaru softly reminded Muzan of their mission.

"Don't forget what I told you. In the pursuit of immortality, sacrifices are necessary."

---

Dressed in a black, unisex robe, Muzan didn't need to change. As he passed through the doorway, his appearance morphed dramatically. He withdrew a black ribbon from his robe and tied back his long hair. Beneath the black robe, he removed his hat, revealing his striking scarlet eyes—radiant like gemstones and filled with icy arrogance.

Passersby noticed him immediately. Even the regular patrons of the hot spring stared, bewildered by his beauty. Several customers eagerly approached the shop owner.

"When did you start attracting such unique customers?" one of them asked.

"Tell me, which bath is she using? I hope it's the mixed bath!"

"Don't push me, you idiots!"

Even Orochimaru raised an eyebrow at Muzan's performance. Gender was an arbitrary concept to him—something he believed had no bearing on one's strength as a shinobi. He had even considered using female bodies in future experiments, believing women had certain advantages in combat. Muzan's transformation only reinforced this idea.

"Orochimaru-Sensei," Muzan said softly, "if we can't convince Jiraiya to teach us Sage Mode, we could always resort to force."

There was a note of impatience in Muzan's voice. Despite his calm demeanor, he felt the weight of the gamble they were taking, hoping that their efforts would pay off.

Inside the hot springs, Jiraiya was relaxing, enjoying the rare moment of peace. He adjusted the towel on his head and grumbled to himself, "What's going on outside? It's getting noisy…"

Before he could finish his thought, the door slid open. He glanced up, freezing in shock at the sight of Muzan stepping in.

Jiraiya had come to the hot springs hoping for a mixed bath, only to be met with disappointment. But now, seeing Muzan's ethereal beauty, his face flushed red, and he hurried over with a grin.

"Do you need a scrub-down service?" Jiraiya asked eagerly.

"I didn't expect the famous Jiraiya-sama to be such a disappointment. How unfortunate." Muzan's voice was cold and deliberate, echoing the plan he and Orochimaru had concocted.

Hearing the criticism, Jiraiya quickly tried to shift his demeanor. He noticed the Konoha symbol on Muzan's wrist and immediately grew serious.

"Ahem, a comrade from the village, huh?" Jiraiya said, trying to brush off his earlier embarrassment. But then his eyes caught another figure emerging from the mist.

Orochimaru, dressed in a simple bathrobe, stood with an amused expression on his face. He looked at his old comrade and teased, "Jiraiya, do you really think someone like you can teach my disciple Sage Mode?"

"I doubt someone like him could," Muzan added smoothly.

Jiraiya, still shaken from the earlier display of beauty, realized that he was being mocked. However, Orochimaru had not yet become a rogue ninja, and their bond remained.

As the tension built, Jiraiya understood: they were after the secret of Sage Mode. He had taken many to Mount Myoboku for training, But he couldn't help but feel frustrated.

"You two think you can just look down on me like that?" Jiraiya huffed. "And don't think I'm that easily swayed by beauty!"

He sneezed, casting a glance at Orochimaru. He knew his old comrade was always scheming. But still, Jiraiya wondered if there was any harm in teaching Sage Mode.

Jiraiya leaned against the stone edge of the spring, glancing at Muzan once more. He could picture the young shinobi covered in toad oil, struggling to balance natural energy. A smirk crept across his face.

"It's uncomfortable to bathe in these clothes," Muzan said, sensing Jiraiya's thoughts.

He began to disrobe slowly, but before the transformation could be completed, a cloud of smoke erupted around him. Jiraiya, thinking it was just the steam, wasn't prepared for what came next.

The delicate voice of the girl was gone, replaced by the cold tone of a man.

"Forgive the deception, Jiraiya-sama. My name is Hatake Muzan," he declared.

As the eldest son of the Hatake clan, Muzan's name was already well-known in the ninja world. Jiraiya, stunned, realized the beautiful woman he had been admiring was a man. He could almost hear his heart shatter as he sank back into the water, defeated.

"You're a man?! You're as deceptive as Orochimaru!"

Lying there in frustration, Jiraiya sighed, "I'll teach you the methods of Sage Mode, but has Orochimaru told you about the risks?"

Sage Mode carried with it the danger of being consumed by natural energy. If you weren't careful, you could lose your humanity entirely. Jiraiya had seen it happen before. Given Muzan's strength, Jiraiya couldn't help but wonder if it was worth the risk.

"As I said, Jiraiya-sama," Muzan replied confidently, "I'm not afraid of turning to stone. I need Sage Mode for my experiments. Risks don't bother me."

Orochimaru, watching Muzan closely, knew his disciple was no ordinary shinobi. Muzan's unique abilities allowed him to reconstruct his body from even the smallest piece of flesh. The erosion of natural energy wouldn't be enough to destroy him.

Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with curiosity. What would happen if someone like Muzan mastered Sage Mode? The thought thrilled him more than anything.

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