CHAPTER 29

The Akimichi Barbecue restaurant wasn't very crowded at noon, and it was rare for it to be so peaceful.

"Teacher, is everything going well today?" Ryujin Kenichi asked curiously as he placed a slice of beef on the sizzling iron plate.

"It's fine," Orochimaru replied with a serene smile. "My relationship with the Third Hokage is still somewhat tense, but there has been some progress."

Ryujin Kenichi nodded thoughtfully. It seemed that what the teacher was trying to achieve wasn't going smoothly, but there were some results nonetheless.

"The Third Hokage will definitely understand your intentions, teacher," Ryujin Kenichi said, trying to sound optimistic, his voice filled with innocence.

Though the Third Hokage had already stepped down, he still had a considerable influence, and it was important to be cautious to avoid eavesdropping.

"Understand my intentions..." Orochimaru sighed. Then, both he and his disciple shared a knowing smile. This heart of his was too heavy. He wasn't sure if the Third Hokage could bear it.

As Ryujin Kenichi quickly picked up the cooked beef on the plate to avoid burning it, he hesitated. Something didn't feel right.

"...Teacher, didn't you call Anko?" Ryujin Kenichi asked, feeling an ominous chill down his spine. The resentment in the air was too strong.

"...I thought you were going to call her, Kenichi," Orochimaru replied calmly, seemingly oblivious to the figure standing at the door, peeking in with only her head visible.

Ryujin Kenichi stiffened and awkwardly turned around, calling out to Mitarashi Anko, who was still lingering by the door.

He had noticed her intense gaze earlier while grilling the meat, and he realized that she had been standing there for a while.

To be honest, the teacher had only invited him to eat at the Akimichi's barbecue a few times, but Anko hadn't been there often.

"Ryujin-senpai..." Mitarashi Anko said, her voice carrying a tinge of sadness. She couldn't help but wonder if she was really Orochimaru's disciple.

Even though they were both his students, it felt like Orochimaru favored Ryujin Kenichi, while Anko was treated with strictness and discipline.

"Cough... I was just about to come find you," Ryujin Kenichi said awkwardly, trying to ease the situation.

Thankfully, Anko wasn't too hard to please. After a few comforting words from both Ryujin Kenichi and Orochimaru, Anko's mood quickly lifted. Soon, she was happily eating along with the others.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the barbecue restaurant felt warm and comfortable.

"Teacher! Can we take a group photo?" Mitarashi Anko asked, looking at Orochimaru with sparkling eyes. She then turned her gaze to Ryujin Kenichi, clearly expecting him to agree.

Ryujin Kenichi scratched his head. A group photo? He didn't mind.

"Sure," Orochimaru agreed with a rare, gentle smile, clearly in a good mood today.

Later, as Ryujin Kenichi was about to head home, he found himself holding a photo—a group picture of himself, his teacher, and Mitarashi Anko.

"Come to think of it, Konoha seems to have a tradition of group photos," Ryujin Kenichi mused, looking at the photo in his hand. The Minato Namikaze team had one, as did he and his teacher. Even Kakashi and Naruto would likely have similar photos in the future.

But speaking of Kakashi...

Ryujin Kenichi scratched his head. Kakashi had been away on a mission for a while, and he had yet to teach him Chidori. That lesson would have to wait.

As Ryujin Kenichi passed by a bento shop, he decided to stop in and buy something to take home for dinner.

As soon as he entered, he bumped into two familiar faces—though technically, he had only met them once. The two young Uchiha clan members, Shisui and Itachi.

The moment they noticed him, Ryujin Kenichi offered a polite nod.

"Hello. Thank you for looking after Itachi last time," Uchiha Shisui said as he approached. His voice was polite, yet there was a cautious air about it, likely because he suspected Ryujin Kenichi might have some hidden agenda.

"It's no problem. I think this kid is quite cute," Ryujin Kenichi replied with a smile, waving his hand dismissively.

He made sure to maintain a respectful distance from the Uchiha clan. Though the Third Hokage had stepped down, Danzo was still a significant figure in the village.

Minato Namikaze's attitude towards the Uchiha clan was neutral—not as harsh as the Third Hokage's or Danzo's treatment, but still wary. Unfortunately, Minato's reign was short-lived. If he had lived longer, perhaps the Uchiha clan's future might have been different.

But after Minato died in battle, and the Third Hokage returned to office, the Uchiha clan's fate was sealed. The tensions were unavoidable.

Watching Shisui leave the bento shop with Itachi, Ryujin Kenichi scratched his head in thought. He was considering whether he should back up Shisui and Itachi's DNA information, then possibly create clones for experimentation.

Cloning had been one of Orochimaru's primary research focuses, and Ryujin Kenichi was well aware of this. However, the current state of cloning technology was far from reaching the level required to create perfect clones.

Though the probability of failure was high, it wouldn't hurt to try. After all, he could always store the data for later.

"But these two are tricky," he muttered to himself. "I can't just walk up and snatch some of their hair, can I?" Shisui and Itachi were both exceptionally cautious and would undoubtedly notice anything suspicious.

"And they're not even girls... Otherwise, maybe..." Kenichi thought with a hint of mischief. He quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought.

The incident with Kushina Uzumaki's DNA had been a different matter. Back then, he had entertained the idea of sifting through the Namikaze family's trash, given that she was a Jinchuriki and a woman of a certain age. In Konoha, it wasn't unusual for girls to use sanitary products, which would make DNA collection simpler.

But the idea of rummaging through someone's personal items felt far too invasive—even for someone as curious as him. He had other methods at his disposal, so he ultimately abandoned that plan.

"At least in Konoha, it would be easy to collect the DNA of most people, if I really wanted to," he mused, though he wasn't inclined to take that path.

After purchasing his bento, Ryujin Kenichi returned to his home and resumed working on his ninjutsu development. Recently, he had bought a significant amount of cigarettes, which made the shop owner suspect he had a bad habit at a young age. The owner had even lectured him about the dangers of smoking, which made Kenichi chuckle.

The limitations of nicotine were becoming increasingly apparent, so he had decided to shift his focus toward collecting radioactive materials for his research. However, he was well aware that this would be no easy feat, and the process would take time. Fortunately, he had plenty of that.

After all, Naruto hadn't even been born yet.