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NBB Chapter 85: Blood, Scrolls, and Shadows
🕑 Added 2025-06-28 02:45:05 +0000 UTC“Alright, enough of that. We’ll wait for the official word. In the meantime…”
Jiraiya laughed heartily, cutting off Gen’s train of thought. He turned to Kakashi and suddenly spoke with a grin.
“I think we can take on a different kind of mission—one that’s actually worth our time.”
“A mission? What kind of mission?”
Gen blinked. He never turned down missions—there was always something to gain from them.
“Let me guess—more trouble?”
Kakashi, on the other hand, had his reservations. Though Gen’s presence on the team seemed to have changed his fortunes…
He no longer feared for the safety of his comrades. It truly felt like a new beginning.
However—
Their missions had been getting progressively more dangerous, more outrageous each time. He was starting to feel genuinely uneasy about it.
“Don’t worry, don’t worry. This one won’t be anything too crazy.”
Luckily, Jiraiya just chuckled and shook his head. He clapped a firm hand on Kakashi’s shoulder and said seriously: “This time, I’m planning to bring Tsunade back!”
“Tsunade-sama?”
Kakashi froze for a moment, then nodded. That would be a very good thing.
That mysterious organization was growing more complex and powerful. Konoha really did need someone like Tsunade—a kunoichi of unmatched strength—to return and take her place.
Especially now that Uchiha Obito could use Wood Release. Tsunade’s return could help uncover many lingering questions.
“That’s a great idea, Jiraiya-sama.”
“Yeah, that really is a great idea. I heard Tsunade-sama’s medical ninjutsu is incredible.”
Before Jiraiya could respond, Gen had already nodded enthusiastically.
“If that’s the case, when Kakashi-sensei ends up in the hospital again, he’ll recover way faster!”
“…”
Kakashi covered his forehead, too exasperated to speak.
...
Land of Rice Fields, Underground Laboratory.
Orochimaru stared at the scroll in his hand, a peculiar expression on his face.
“More Wood Release samples, along with some Sharingan material, just to exchange for information about Hanzo of the Salamander?”
Others might be clueless, but having once been part of the Akatsuki, Orochimaru knew a few things.
He was well aware of the monster hiding within the Land of Rain. Back then, he’d even considered stealing those Rinnegan eyes—only to be instantly countered and forced into retreat.
That incident alone had been enough to convince him to join the Akatsuki.
Even if, not long after Uchiha Itachi joined, he’d ended up being forced out.
“With a monster like that around, could Hanzo of the Salamander really still be alive?”
Orochimaru tossed the scroll aside. Clearly, that old man couldn’t have survived—especially since he’d even entered Amegakure itself.
“Danzo… that man’s basically giving me freebies at this point.”
Now that he had this intel, Orochimaru held the upper hand. With someone as gullible as Danzo footing the bill, there was no way he’d let the opportunity slip by.
Especially now, when he’d just established the Hidden Sound Village and was desperately short on funds!
Betraying allies might be a despicable act, but Orochimaru knew all too well—Danzo was a moral black hole.
And as for himself, well, he wasn’t exactly bound by ethics either.
“I’ll have to make him cough up even more money. Information on Hanzo doesn’t come cheap.”
The title of Sannin, strictly speaking, wasn’t exactly something to be proud of.
Back then, he, Jiraiya, and Tsunade had fought against Hanzo of the Salamander—but they’d been completely powerless against him.
It was only because that old man had reservations about their identities, and because the Land of Rain had already been breached, that he’d chosen not to kill them. Doing so would’ve caused too much trouble.
That was how the name Legendary Sannin came to be—and it was also when Konoha and Amegakure agreed to a ceasefire.
He didn’t necessarily dislike the title. In fact, it served as a reminder—a lesson etched into his memory: if you fail, you must remember it, change, and make up for it.
And so, he had never forgotten Hanzo of the Salamander.
“Cough, cough…”
As he was lost in thought, a sudden fit of coughing came from behind him, making him frown slightly.
“Kimimaro, didn’t I tell you to rest properly? Stop wandering around.”
“I’m fine now, Orochimaru-sama.”
Kimimaro walked up slowly behind him and gave a slight bow.
“I want to take on more missions. If I keep resting like this, I’ll never be able to become your vessel.”
“…”
Hearing this, Orochimaru couldn’t help but shake his head.
With a body in that condition… how could he possibly become a suitable vessel?
In the previous battle against Jiraiya, Kimimaro had used the Dance of the Seedling Fern, which further worsened his already fragile condition.
And according to Jūgo, that brat wasn’t just powerful in combat—he was also…
'He actually knows how to use his brain?'
That guy had used Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall and carved his own face into it, completely throwing Kimimaro off and creating an opening for a sneak attack.
When he heard this, Orochimaru couldn’t decide whether to be angry or amused.
'But this can’t go on much longer.'
Looking at Kimimaro’s expressionless yet resolute face, Orochimaru frowned and began to think.
Kabuto’s medical skills weren’t bad, but he was still in Konohagakure—and even if he were here, he wouldn’t be able to solve Kimimaro’s problem.
As for Orochimaru himself, even with his accelerated research efforts, he still hadn’t found a way to help.
The stronger Kimimaro grew, the more it drained his life force.
At this rate, within just a few years, Kimimaro would die—devoured by his own Shikotsumyaku.
'Perhaps… there really is someone who can do something.'
Suddenly, Orochimaru seemed to recall something. He stroked his chin thoughtfully, lost in deep contemplation.
After a while, he finally made a decision. Turning to Kimimaro, a rare smile crept onto his lips.
“It seems you and I will need to make a move. Who knows—maybe there’s still hope for your condition.”
“Oh? So you’ve agreed, Orochimaru-sama?”
...
Konohagakure, Root Base.
Shimura Danzō was still waiting for a reply from Orochimaru. He had even gone as far as to release some preliminary information in advance.
He was doing everything he could to build prestige—no matter the cost.
Of course, leaking things early wasn’t a huge problem. Only a handful of people knew about it anyway.
If Orochimaru truly refused, he could always send Jiraiya to persuade him.
“But this time… he’s really gone too far. Why is he asking for so much?”
Danzō frowned at the document in his hand. Sometimes, he truly suspected Orochimaru was an 'appropriations thief'.
They’d been working together for years, and the amount of funding he’d given Orochimaru was astronomical—yet many of the experiments had yielded no results. It was frustrating, to say the least.
“Then again, not all the research was fruitless…”
Glancing at his right arm, he couldn’t help but sigh. Orochimaru did have talent.
He had witnessed firsthand the violent power of Wood Release—if not, the experiment back then wouldn’t have ended with only 'Kinoe' surviving. All the other test subjects had died.
Yet Orochimaru had managed to take a different approach—using the power of the Sharingan to suppress the rampaging Wood Release.
And through that combination, Danzō had gained access to both powers in one stroke.
Perhaps that was precisely why he kept pouring resources into Orochimaru—an endless sinkhole.
“Well, whatever. As long as he’s willing to go, it’s fine.”
Shaking his head, Shimura Danzō stopped bothering about his 'vanished funding'.
The money was already spent—what else could he do?
Besides, the fact that Orochimaru was willing to act this time was undeniably a good thing.
He could use Orochimaru to investigate Hanzo of the Salamander’s situation, and at the same time, use him to pull in Jiraiya. If anything went wrong, he trusted Orochimaru’s ability to escape without a trace.
“With this, my intel should be secured. I’ll finally get the truth about Hanzo, and I might even put Jiraiya at a disadvantage.”
Three birds with one stone—Danzō considered it the most stable plan.
At worst, he could leak a bit of intel to Orochimaru. Something simple, like: Konoha has noticed your movements.
He still needed Orochimaru to continue his research, not to be taken down by Jiraiya in one sweep.
“After all, that brat traveling with Kakashi and Jiraiya… he even knows the Flying Thunder God Technique.”
The moment he thought of Kitagawa Gen, Shimura Danzō felt a pang of irritation. Why hadn’t he discovered a talent like that?
If only he’d known about the boy’s potential earlier, he would’ve brought him into Root long ago.
But unfortunately, it was too late now. No matter what he did, he couldn’t change that.
“In the end… it’s because I’m not the Hokage.”
“That’s why—I have to stop Jiraiya this time. It’s my only chance.”
