Chapter 138: Spy In The Land Of Stars, Kabuto
Star Capital, Ninja Academy dormitory.
After the dorm aunt blew the lights-out whistle, the room that had been noisy all day gradually quieted down.
Eleven-year-old Kabuto Yakushi sat on his bed, borrowing the faint moonlight outside the window to browse a basic book on medical ninjutsu.
He wore a pair of round-framed glasses, his eyes behind the lenses calm and reserved, in stark contrast to the surrounding children who were excited and unable to sleep, still whispering quietly.
Kabuto Yakushi looked up at the clock hanging on the dormitory wall: “At this time, everyone at the orphanage should be asleep.”
“Kabuto, aren’t you sleeping yet? We have to get up early for training tomorrow!” a same-age child reminded him in a low voice.
“Yeah, going to sleep right away.” Kabuto responded softly, closing the book.
He took off his glasses, carefully placing them and the book by his pillow, then lay down and closed his eyes.
However, his thoughts had not yet stopped; he was still missing his little friends at the orphanage and his foster mother Nonō Yakushi.
More than a month ago, he had just finished his undercover mission in Sand Village, escaping back to Konoha after a narrow escape from Sand Ninja’s pursuit.
Without any rest, he received new mission orders.
Infiltrate the newly established Land of Stars as an orphan, enter the Ninja Academy, and investigate intelligence here.
Danzō personally instructed him, especially regarding that Uchiha Clan strong practitioner with the Mangekyo Sharingan, and the mysterious “Shura”; no information could be overlooked.
In the more than a year since becoming a spy, Kabuto Yakushi had not only gained a deep understanding of Konoha’s situation but also investigated much about Sand Village. At his young age, his knowledge of the ninja world surpassed most ordinary ninja.
He clearly knew how powerful the Uchiha Clan of Konoha was—a force that any ninja village dreaded.
During the year Kabuto Yakushi lurked in Sand Village, he had never heard of any powerful bloodline limit families there; even successive Kazekage were commoner origins.
Therefore, the appearance of a Uchiha strong practitioner outside Konohagakure made Kabuto Yakushi, though not yet clear on the severity, vaguely sense a hint of dangerous aura.
“Uchiha… Since entering Star Capital, I haven’t heard any information about Uchiha…” Kabuto silently sorted through the intelligence in his mind.
Although he hadn’t found information on that Uchiha strong practitioner, Kabuto Yakushi knew it was because he was just a “Kumamoto Castle war orphan.”
He had already planned to show some talent after entering the Ninja Academy, gradually gain the trust of the academy’s high-level officials, and find ways to obtain more intelligence.
Kabuto Yakushi had long grown accustomed to this life, accustomed to playing different roles, accustomed to hiding his true self.
Just as he was about to enter sleep, a dark shadow flashing outside the window made his nerves instantly tense.
That figure moved extremely fast, almost blending into the night, but Kabuto’s sharp perception and his instinct as a spy allowed him to catch that fleeting glimpse.
It was a familiar boy, seemingly… Menma?
Kabuto Yakushi abruptly opened his eyes, instinctively sitting up, putting on his glasses, and carefully approaching the window to see where that figure was heading.
However, outside the window remained only bright moonlight and swaying tree shadows; everything had returned to calm, as if what happened earlier was just an illusion.
“Impossible… Did I see wrong? No… that’s not right…” Kabuto’s mind was filled with doubts, but the caution from his spy career made him unwilling to overlook any potentially negligent detail.
Any clue could become the key to his exposure!
Kabuto Yakushi looked back; in the dormitory, the other children had fallen into deep sleep, with breathing sounds rising and falling, occasionally accompanied by murmurs or soft snores.
He carefully went to the window, gently opened it, and quietly slipped out.
Kabuto Yakushi moved like a ghost through the newly built Ninja Academy building complex, his eyes behind the glasses vigilantly scanning every corner, every shadow.
But he found nothing.
The night was deep, with only insect chirps and wind sounds; everything seemed so peaceful.
“Was I really too nervous?” A trace of self-doubt flashed in Kabuto Yakushi’s mind.
In the end, he had to give up the search and quietly return to the dormitory, lying back on his bed.
But that fleeting figure from earlier, and the scene more than a year ago at the orphanage entrance when parting with everyone, were still vivid in his mind.
Outside the Ninja Academy dormitory.
Menma, appearing in his true body, floated in the air, hidden under a dark cloud, overlooking everything below.
His Kagura Shingan sensed Kabuto Yakushi’s chakra fluctuation; he placed his right hand on his chin, pondering.
Kabuto Yakushi appearing here meant that old bastard Danzō had already taken notice of the Land of Stars, probably learning from his friend Hiruzen Sarutobi that there was a powerful Uchiha ninja in the Land of Stars.
He might have even told Danzō that the other possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan.
With Danzō’s greed, he would surely pay attention to this Uchiha outside, and might even… treat him like he did Nagato back then…
“Hmph hmph, that old guy Danzō.” If he personally led a team to ambush Uchiha Hikari, Menma wouldn’t be like Nagato who hadn’t fully mastered the Rinnegan back then; he would ensure Shimura Danzō came but never returned!
“However, since Kabuto Yakushi’s infiltration plot has changed, Nonō Yakushi can’t continue lurking in Stone Village.” Menma’s eyes deepened.
Nonō Yakushi was Menma’s foster mother, and Kabuto Yakushi had once made a promise with Menma.
If he could rescue Nonō Yakushi from Danzō’s clutches and bring her under his command, having her manage the Ninja Academy, train medical ninja, or even cultivate spies would make her an excellent teaching talent.
“Moreover, that guy Kabuto…” Thinking of Kabuto Yakushi’s abilities, Menma still cared quite a bit.
It would be too wasteful for Kabuto Yakushi not to be a multi-faceted spy, and his talent in ninjutsu wasn’t low either. In the year 63 of Konoha, when he participated in the Chunin Exams at around nineteen years old, he already had elite jonin strength.
But because he was Orochimaru’s spy, he had always lurked in Konoha under a genin identity.
This was evident from Kabuto Yakushi’s fight with Tsunade and Shizune; although Tsunade hadn’t fought in many years and had hemophobia, and didn’t summon Katsuyu, no matter how much her strength had declined, she was at least elite jonin level, and Shizune was also a jonin, though specialized in medical ninjutsu.
After Orochimaru’s death, as Orochimaru’s most capable assistant, Kabuto Yakushi inherited most of Orochimaru’s legacy, gained Orochimaru’s power through cell transplantation and other means, and cultivated Sage Mode from Ryuchi Cave. In terms of combat power alone, he was at least kage level.
Finally, adding the Reanimation Jutsu he mastered, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say he had the strength to challenge the Five Great Nations alone.
