"It's almost here."
Ryujin Kenichi smacked his lips. This "almost" wasn't referring to anything trivial—it was about that night: the Nine-Tailed Fox's rampage on Konoha.
What led to Minato Namikaze's untimely death?
There were many reasons. The burden of being Hokage during a time of great turmoil, the unexpected betrayal of a former ally, and ultimately, the overwhelming threat of the Nine-Tails. Unlike Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had weathered the tides of war for decades, Minato's reign was brief and filled with crisis.
One of the key factors? A student driven mad by grief and manipulation—Uchiha Obito.
Once the weakest link in Team Minato, Obito's descent into darkness drastically amplified his strength. Twisted by loss and under the influence of Madara Uchiha, he awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan after witnessing the death of Nohara Rin at the hands of his teammate, Kakashi Hatake.
That was the catalyst.
With his new eyes and Madara's tutelage, Obito was able to control the Nine-Tails and launch an attack on the village. The masked man who appeared that night—swift, brutal, and completely unrecognizable from the Obito of old—was a nightmare no one in Konoha had anticipated.
"That's how it happened… if I remember the details right."
Kenichi frowned slightly. He'd watched the official explanations and pieced things together. More or less, it made sense.
Still, there was no denying it: the Nine-Tails' attack was the final blow that ended Minato Namikaze's life. Had the beast been sealed or repelled more quickly, perhaps Minato would have survived. And if he had lived, Konoha's future would've been very different.
Minato was a true Kage. Sarutobi still had power, and even Danzo, for all his underhanded schemes, was not weak. With that kind of leadership, the Hidden Cloud—or any other village—would have thought twice before stirring up trouble.
Unlike the Third Hokage, who often preached harmony and compromise, Minato had a sharper edge. Other villages would have had to weigh their actions more carefully.
"All right, today's experiment is over. Remember to write the lab report."
Orochimaru removed his gloves, disinterested. His curiosity in Hashirama's cells had dulled for the time being.
If not for Root's persistent requests, he wouldn't have touched this project. Besides, his student had recently presented a much more interesting research direction.
"Yes, sensei," Kenichi replied without protest.
The lab was hidden underground, a joint venture between Orochimaru and Root. Too many eyes and ears for him to do anything independently.
Once he left Konoha for good, things would change. He could finally conduct his experiments without supervision. But even with Root's funding, it wasn't enough. Not for the scale of research he envisioned.
Kenichi had plans.
The Akatsuki intrigued him. With Nagato's Rinnegan, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, and a lineup of powerful missing-nin—all brimming with research value—it was practically a paradise for someone like him.
And funding? That's what Kakuzu was for.
Honestly, the Akatsuki was the perfect destination. Research materials, funding, and a leader obsessed with "making the world feel pain." Kenichi had some ideas—some items—that could tempt Nagato. If all went well, he'd get a steady budget from Konan and stall Black Zetsu's manipulations at the same time.
Efficiency.
"But the Akatsuki… that's still far off," Kenichi muttered, scratching his head.
He hadn't even left Konoha yet.
Right now, he needed to focus on the upcoming chaos—the night the Nine-Tails would attack. He wasn't going to leave the village empty-handed.
If he was going to defect, he might as well take something valuable with him.
The Nine-Tails' chakra, blood samples from the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, the Hyūga clan's Byakugan—all had incredible potential for research. He was even toying with the idea of getting Orochimaru to retrieve the Forbidden Scroll of Seals. Dozens of jutsu—some of them devastating—were sealed inside. Perfect for a rainy day.
He'd be branded a missing-nin either way. Taking the scroll wouldn't change that—it would just make the risk worth it.
Of course, Ryujin Kenichi wasn't going to take anything too drastic. Just recording a few ninjutsu was enough—anything more, and Konoha's pursuit would be on a completely different level.
After leaving the hidden experimental facility, Ryujin Kenichi returned to a familiar store in the village. The Nine-Tails' rampage was approaching fast. Once the Kyūbi broke loose, he and his teacher would be ready to disappear.
He held no particular loyalty to Konoha. What he did care about was the food. Tricolor dango. Ichiraku ramen. They were some of the few things he'd genuinely miss. He knew it would be a long time—if ever—before he could return.
So for now, he planned to indulge himself. A small reward for his efforts in the shadows.
"Kakashi?"
As he stepped into Ichiraku Ramen, Kenichi spotted the familiar silver-haired figure. Kakashi Hatake, not wearing his standard jonin vest, looked more casual than usual—clearly off-duty.
Kenichi blinked in mild surprise, then nodded inwardly. It made sense. Kushina Uzumaki's due date was near. As the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, her labor posed a huge risk, and Konoha was mobilizing its elite for security. Most of the ANBU and Root operatives had been recalled unless they were unreachable or handling critical missions.
"The Fourth Hokage is being thorough… but it's all for nothing," Kenichi muttered under his breath as he ordered a steaming bowl of tonkotsu ramen and took a seat.
Kakashi, as always, looked listless. His cold expression and distant gaze made Kenichi think twice about engaging. There was no point trying to strike up a conversation with someone so emotionally closed off.
But then something unexpected happened—Kakashi stood up and walked over to sit beside him.
Kenichi raised an eyebrow. Kakashi still looked like he didn't want to talk, which only deepened Kenichi's confusion.
They sat in silence until Kakashi's ramen was placed in front of him.
Then, without looking up, Kakashi muttered, "My teacher said I should try to make more friends."
Kenichi's lips twitched. So that's why you silently sat next to me? To make friends? If this were anywhere else, people would've thought Kakashi had lost his mind.
"Aren't we already friends?" Kenichi replied, his tone honest but light. He smiled just the right way—open, sincere, and almost goofy. A trick he picked up from Maito Guy.
Guy was the kind of person who was impossible to be wary of. His intentions were always written on his face, and he said what he meant. There were no games with him—just pure-hearted effort and genuine connection. Annoying at times, sure, but impossible to hate.
Kenichi had found that approach surprisingly effective, and it came in handy now.
Kakashi turned his head slightly. His tired eyes met Kenichi's, and for a moment, he looked… surprised.
Kenichi's expression said it all: a small thumbs-up in spirit, and a smile full of sincerity.
"Yeah." Kakashi's gaze lingered a moment before turning back to his ramen.
He thought of how much Kenichi resembled Guy. No wonder they got along.
Even if Kenichi was Orochimaru's student, in moments like this… he didn't feel so distant.