Kiyoshi saw a familiar face.
Tsunade.
She appeared to be performing a diagnosis.
Beside her was Shizune, who was roughly the same age as Kiyoshi.
"Kiyoshi."
A boy with fluffy white hair emerged from behind the sliding wooden door and walked up to the wooden fence in front of the yard.
"I came to see why you took the day off today," Kiyoshi offered an excuse.
"It's nothing," Kakashi's voice was much colder, and his eye whites were laced with bloodshot veins.
"Kakashi, since it's your friend calling for you, let him come in," a voice sounded from inside the house.
"Yes, Father." Kakashi stepped aside.
"Come in, Kiyoshi."
"Excuse the intrusion." Kiyoshi pushed the door open and followed Kakashi inside.
There were quite a few people in the room.
Tsunade, Shizune, and Orochimaru.
Two of the Legendary Sannin were present.
Sitting furthest inside was a man with silver-white long hair tied in a ponytail. He was wrapped in numerous bandages, and faint blood was seeping through, staining the bandages red.
"Lord Sakumo," Kiyoshi said respectfully.
He also respectfully greeted Tsunade and Orochimaru.
"Long time no see, Lady Tsunade."
"It's you, Uchiha brat." Tsunade turned around, her eyes slightly narrowed.
This kid's talent in Taijutsu was better than she had imagined.
In such a short time, he already possessed a physique that was considered robust among his peers.
"I am Kakashi's father. Since you two are friends, there's no need to be so formal," Sakumo Hatake showed a smile.
It was evident that Sakumo Hatake was a gentle person.
This explained why he would invent a technique like the "Thousand Years of Death" to prank enemies and pass it on to Kakashi.
"Heh heh, Uchiha..." Orochimaru licked the corner of his mouth. He had purple markings on the sides of his nose and wore earrings dangling from his earlobes.
He had heard about Kiyoshi Uchiha from Danzō.
Orochimaru glanced back at Tsunade, who was diagnosing Sakumo Hatake, and then looked at Kiyoshi.
"How do you feel about being in the Hidden Leaf?" Orochimaru asked.
There were only two foreigners who had entered the Ninja Academy and qualified as ninjas: Kiyoshi Uchiha and Kushina Uzumaki.
One was from the Land of Lightning, and the other was from the now-destroyed Land of Whirlpools.
"Lord Orochimaru, after coming to the Hidden Leaf, I realized there are so many Ninjutsu I can learn. If I have the opportunity, I wish to learn more Ninjutsu," Kiyoshi replied.
In the small villages on the border of the Land of Lightning, Kiyoshi did not have access to so many Ninjutsu, not even the Three-Body Technique.
In the Ninja World, where the strong prevail, only power could ensure his survival amidst the countless upheavals.
"Is that so?" Orochimaru was quite surprised by Kiyoshi's answer.
He had expected Kiyoshi to boast about the excellent conditions in the Hidden Leaf like other children, saying that the moon was rounder and the air sweeter in the Hidden Leaf than in the Land of Lightning, or similar things.
After all, Kiyoshi's current life was a world apart from his past.
"Heh heh... unfortunately, everyone's energy is limited. The Ninjutsu one can learn in a lifetime are few and far between," Orochimaru sounded mournful.
Learning more Ninjutsu?
He himself had the same aspiration.
But human life is finite.
"That's why I want to live longer. Only by having a longer lifespan can I learn more things."
Kiyoshi's statement startled everyone present.
One must remember that birth, aging, sickness, and death are the laws of nature and should never be violated.
However, almost every person has, more or less, thought about wanting to live longer.
But few people would hold such a belief consistently.
Everyone present thought Kiyoshi was just a child talking nonsense.
Just like little children love to constantly shout that they want to become Hokage.
"What do kids know? When it's time to die, you just let nature take its course. Living too long isn't necessarily a good thing," Tsunade waved her hand, instructing Shizune to put away the medical equipment.
Shizune stepped forward, using a sealing scroll to store everything.
The reactions of Tsunade and the others flashed one by one before Kiyoshi's eyes.
In the Ninja World, even as technology continuously developed and advanced rapidly, the thinking of most people was very conservative, or perhaps ossified.
After a thousand years of development, even Naruto, who sought peace in the Ninja World, never considered abolishing the system of the Daimyō, the nominal rulers of all people.
Instead, he bowed down to them.
Even the feudal and cruel institution of the Hyūga clan, the Caged Bird Curse Mark, which treated people like slaves, was not abolished and continued to be enforced right under Naruto's nose.
Living longer... even achieving immortality, was barely thought of by anyone.
Only one person was different.
Kiyoshi could feel Orochimaru watching him, his gaze sharp like that of a poisonous snake.
"... No, Tsunade, he is very interesting."
It was the first time Orochimaru had found someone who shared his thoughts on "eternal life."
Orochimaru subsequently asked Kiyoshi several questions, and Kiyoshi answered each one.
"That Orochimaru fellow..." Tsunade frowned slightly. The usually reliable Orochimaru was discussing unreliable topics with a youngster who wasn't even a Genin.
They were here for an important matter.
"Sakumo, you should rest and heal your injuries. Don't mind the harsh criticism from the village." Tsunade said.
The fact that someone of Sakumo Hatake's strength had to choose between the mission and his comrades showed how dangerous the mission was.
"Alright." Although Sakumo Hatake looked somewhat haggard, he still smiled in response to Tsunade's comfort.
"This is absolutely not Father's fault! Those who don't value their comrades don't deserve to be called ninjas," Kakashi exclaimed.
Since his father returned yesterday afternoon, the village has been full of voices condemning him.
"Enough, Kakashi. It was my fault. It is a deserved punishment for a ninja to be condemned for failing a mission," Sakumo Hatake's smile faded, and he said solemnly.
Kakashi wanted to say more, but Sakumo Hatake added: "Go out and play with your friend. I need to discuss some things with Tsunade and Orochimaru."
"... Yes, Father." Kakashi bowed his head.
He didn't understand. What fault did his father have?
Why did even his father believe he was wrong?
Kiyoshi understood this was a dismissal and followed Kakashi out.
It wasn't until he was completely outside the door that Kiyoshi felt Orochimaru's gaze vanish.
"Orochimaru should remember me now," Kiyoshi thought.
The purpose of saying those words just now was to make a deeper impression on Orochimaru and establish a connection with him.
Just like a poisonous snake, while dangerous, it also presents opportunities.
The time until the Third Great Ninja War erupts is getting shorter. It would be best to quickly increase his strength or acquire powerful life-saving Ninjutsu.
Orochimaru was the Hidden Leaf's best scientist and possessed a wealth of forbidden knowledge.
His life-saving abilities were also maximized, he had died several times but simply wouldn't stay dead, utilizing various forms of revival.
In this regard, even Nonō Yakushi couldn't compare.
Furthermore, Orochimaru had extensive experience with human bodies and even possessed data on the Cursed Seal and Sage Mode.
As for the other ways to acquire Sage Mode:
Tsunade wouldn't accept him.
Jiraiya only took in the Child of Prophecy.
The only way Kiyoshi could obtain Sage Chakra was through Orochimaru.
With the various Ōtsutsuki invasions in the future, without Sage Mode or strong Taijutsu, one wouldn't be able to inflict any damage at all!
Moreover, Sage Mode doesn't just amplify Ninjutsu; it also... enhances the physical body.
***
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