Chapter 26: Leaving the Orphanage

Outside the Konoha Orphanage, the laughter of playing children drifted on the wind.

Yamanaka Mikasan and Kado stood not far away, their gazes sweeping over the carefree figures.

With one hand on his hip, Yamanaka Mikasan said, "Mr. Kado, these children are all war orphans from Konoha and the surrounding areas. Their backgrounds are clean, but whether they possess shinobi talent will require further testing."

He was the person in charge of this meeting with Kado, as well as the subsequent adoption procedures.

Yamanaka Mikasan, a Chunin of the Yamanaka clan, was currently 15 years old. Over a decade later, during the Fourth Shinobi World War, he would form a team with Nara Shisui and Naoki to assist Kakashi in fighting Zabuza Momochi, a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, who had been reincarnated via the Edo Tensei.

"It's fine. Actually, requiring shinobi talent might be too strict of me," Kado said, his face now filled with kindness, bearing none of the ruthlessness he displayed when dominating the business world.

"Then let us go pay a visit to the Director first," Mikasan said, walking toward the orphanage.

Kado followed closely behind, accompanied by a bodyguard.

As they approached the orphanage, Kado's small eyes squinted behind his sunglasses, scanning every orphan in search of the target assigned by "That Lord."

However, after searching through the group for a long time, he could not find the child described by "That Lord."

*Strange, could they not be here?* Kado frowned inwardly.

Suddenly, a solitary figure beneath a large tree in the distance caught Kado's attention.

Sunlight dappled the grass through the leaves, and beneath the shade, a child sat alone, playing with a doll, appearing completely isolated from the world.

That indifferent expression and detached aura were almost identical to "That Lord."

Kado found himself walking toward the child involuntarily.

*Crackle—*

Menma had actually seen him the moment Kado arrived, but to avoid drawing attention, he had not intentionally guided him.

Only after Kado reached the shade did he slowly lift his head. His youthful face held a calmness that was unbefitting of his age. "You're here. How are the preparations?"

That familiar tone reminded Kado of the instructions from "That Lord."

*'You will find a child named Menma at the Konoha Orphanage. He is a member of the organization, with a higher rank than you. Your task is to settle him in properly.'*

Kado had originally assumed it would be a teenager with high shinobi talent to be recruited into the organization.

After all, "That Lord" himself had destroyed half of the Hidden Cloud Village, and even Kakuzu, who had been recruited, had demonstrated terrifying combat strength during the process of protecting him.

But the child before him looked no more than three or four years old, still possessing a childish look, yet clutching a dark red fox doll wearing a bizarre mask.

Was this truly the target assigned by "That Lord"?

Thus, Kado said tentatively, "The house and the branch office have been arranged."

"Let's go," Menma stood up, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Yes." Kado was finally certain—this child was indeed the person "That Lord" had sent him to find.

***

In front of the orphanage gates.

"Menma!" Unai, the acting director of the orphanage, stood with her hands on her hips beside Yamanaka Mikasan, looking at Menma with eyes full of helplessness.

This child was always so solitary and unsociable; it was hard to feel at ease about him.

"So, his name is Menma," Kado said, nodding to Yamanaka Mikasan. "I feel a natural affinity with this child. It'll be him."

Yamanaka Mikasan was slightly surprised; he had just located the acting director, Unai, and hadn't expected Kado to find a suitable candidate so quickly.

His orange eyebrows twitched slightly as he looked at the small child clutching the fox doll beside Kado.

Unai hurriedly explained, "Menma was an orphan from three years ago. His personality is quite withdrawn, I'm afraid he might not be suitable..."

Three years ago...

Hearing this information, Yamanaka Mikasan thought of the terrifying, orange-red Nine-Tails.

After that day, many orphans had appeared in the village.

Mikasan's attitude toward Menma softened slightly. He knelt down, pulled a chakra testing paper from his pocket, and said to Menma, "Little one, give this a try."

Expressionless, Menma took the square chakra testing paper and attempted to channel fire-natured chakra.

Soon, the top of the paper began to burn.

"It's fire nature," Mikasan said, not being particularly surprised. Most of the orphans here were war orphans from Konoha or the Land of Fire; it was normal for some to have talent.

He stood up and said to the acting director, Unai, "Then, let it be this child."

"But..." Unai was still worried. Menma was too young, and his personality was too isolated.

"Auntie Unai, let me go," Menma looked up at Unai and spoke softly.

Although Menma was the youngest among the twenty-odd children in the orphanage, the feeling he gave Unai at that moment was as if she were looking into the eyes of an adult.

For some reason, Unai always felt that Menma did not belong in an orphanage.

Ultimately, Unai let out a deep sigh and led the other children to watch Menma being taken away.

"Menma! Remember to come back and see us!" Akachi, the oldest among the children, shouted loudly.

The other children also waved, their eyes filled with reluctance to see him go.

Menma turned his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over Akachi and the other orphans, remembering his promise to Yakushi Kabuto.

"I will," Menma replied softly.

***

After leaving the orphanage, Kado and Yamanaka Mikasan took Menma to the administrative center next to the Hokage Building to complete the adoption registration and other formalities.

With the special permission of the Hokage, everything was fast-tracked, and the adoption procedures were completed quickly.

Kado took Menma back to the mansion they had just purchased in Konoha.

"Master!" The servants of the estate bowed in unison.

"Mm, you may all withdraw," Kado waved his hand.

The servants all retreated.

In the room, only Menma and Kado remained.

"We don't need this many servants. Just keep two to look after daily needs," a voice that was both familiar and awe-inspiring to Kado came from the shadows.

Kado spun around abruptly to see "That Lord," wearing a mask, slowly walking out from the darkness.

"I thought you would be faster. You made me wait so long," 'Menma' said, looking at his original body, not holding back his sarcasm.

The original Menma said nothing to his clone; he simply looked at Kado and said, "You may leave first."

"Yes!" Kado obeyed respectfully.

Just as he was about to withdraw, "That Lord's" voice came from behind him again: "Regarding actions within Konoha Village, follow Menma's arrangements."

"Yes!" Kado bowed once more and slowly exited the room.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Kado waited quietly outside the door.

Inside the room.

"Alright, release the Shadow Clone Jutsu already. Staying at the orphanage was suffocating," the clone Menma said with a pout.

The original Menma formed hand seals: "Release!"

*Poof!*

As the smoke cleared, the clone Menma vanished, and a massive influx of memories flooded into the original Menma's mind.

Along with this, Menma released the Transformation Jutsu, returning to the appearance of a three-year-old child.

"Calculating the time, Orochimaru should be about to defect soon," Menma walked to the window and pulled it open.

From here, one could look out toward the Hokage Building and the Hokage Rock.

The face of the Fourth Hokage was exceptionally prominent in Menma's eyes.

(End of Chapter)