Naruto: All My Targets Are Ninjutsu

Chapter 189: The Childhood Version of "Yakushi Kabuto," The Cicada, the Mantis, and the Oriole (Two-in-One)

Nohara Rin did not continue speaking.

But the situation is already obvious—

If war breaks out on Kikyo Mountain, these villages and towns will inevitably be affected. Even if Konoha and Sunagakure do not actively harass them, the aftershocks of the battle alone will be enough to cause devastating damage. Not to mention that there may be other people who will launch attacks there.

Kikyo Castle is a bit better, as it is relatively far away. Moreover, such large towns are densely populated and often have nobles living there. Generally, ninjas will try to avoid such places during battles to avoid bringing unnecessary trouble to themselves and the ninja village.

but----

Those ordinary villages will go unnoticed.

They were just a group of ordinary civilians. If they died, they died. At most, after the war, we could search for the survivors and bring them back to the village orphanage. That would already be considered very humanitarian.

"Speaking of which—"

Kabuto Yakushi, it seems, was taken in by Konoha during this battle, right?

Mikami Yu suddenly thought of this name.

This guy is no ordinary person.

Without any special bloodline, he relied solely on his intelligence to become Danzo's subordinate: Orochimaru's second-in-command and Sasori's double agent. At a young age, he was able to fight against Kakashi and Tsunade. Later, he inherited Orochimaru's mantle and learned the Sage Mode of Ryuchi Cave.

Although he messed up his Sage Mode a bit, making himself look neither human nor ghost—

However, apart from a few individuals like Might Guy, Kabuto Yakushi can be said to have reached the limit that ordinary people can achieve.

if----

"What if we recruit Kabuto Yakushi now, before Danzo and Orochimaru notice him?"

Mikami Yu's mind was in turmoil.

next to.

Upon hearing Rin Nohara's analysis, Obito immediately became agitated: "Yu! Forget about the ninjas, but the lives of these ordinary people can't be considered necessary sacrifices, can they? They don't even know what happened and have nothing to do with this battlefield!"

"No, I have to go and talk to them to get to the bottom of this—"

"stop!"

Mikami Yu called out to Obito, "Are you planning to reveal Konoha's ambush here before the final battle even begins, ruining all subsequent battle plans?"

"—What should we do then? We can't just pretend we don't know!"

Obito slammed his fist into the weathered rock wall beside him, furious.

Rin Nohara, standing nearby, sighed softly and said, "Yu, Obito is right. These ordinary people shouldn't be dragged into this innocently. Why don't we go to Lord Orochimaru and suggest we find a way to evacuate the people from these villages beforehand?"

"Lord Orochimaru probably won't agree."

This time, it was Asuma, who was standing not far away, who spoke: "Just as Yu said, our operation this time is being carried out in secrecy. We can't expose it beforehand, otherwise we'll alert the enemy. Even if we really need to evacuate those civilians, we have to think of other ways—"

For example, could we disguise ourselves as bandits and kidnap them?

"? Is it even possible to do that?"

Obito turned his head: "Wow, I didn't expect Asuma to be so smart!"

"—Do you think everyone is as stupid as you?"

"?"

The group of people were all talking at once, with differing opinions.

Yu Mikami pondered for a moment, then glanced down at the valley below, where wisps of smoke were rising from chimneys. "Let's go down and take a look. Before making a decision, we need to investigate on-site—Kakashi, you take Asuma and the others to continue surveying the surrounding terrain. Obito, Rin, and I will go check out the situation."

"Why don't we go together? That way we can look out for each other."

Kurenai suggested in a low voice.

"No, that would be too much of a fuss. Obito, Rin, take off your headbands later so you don't reveal your ninja identities. Also, don't say anything without my permission, or you won't be allowed to participate in this kind of operation next time."

Yu Mikami said.

The second half of the sentence was mainly addressed to Obito. The latter opened his mouth, then quickly nodded in agreement.

On the other side, Kakashi also nodded.

Although he was more senior than Mikami Yu, Mikami Yu was the acting captain and special Jonin appointed by Hiruzen Sarutobi and Minato Namikaze, while Kakashi was the vice captain. So theoretically, Mikami Yu could indeed give him orders, and Kakashi tacitly accepted this.

After tidying up a bit...

Mikami Yu and his companions left the main group and slipped down into the valley.

These mountain paths are actually not easy to walk on; they are rugged and muddy, and it is difficult to find a place to put your feet.

However, since Mikami Yu and the others were all ninjas, their bodies were far more agile than ordinary people. Mikami Yu also had a "substitution technique" that he could activate at any time, so it didn't take long for them to arrive at a corner of the valley and see the small town they had just discovered on the mountain.

It's called a "small town," but it's not actually that big. It's more like a cluster of dilapidated houses gathered along a gentle slope. A dirt road has been worn smooth and uneven by years of rain and footsteps, and the air is filled with the smells of firewood, cheap tobacco, and animal manure.

Yu Mikami had already transformed into a herb gatherer using his transformation technique, carrying a bamboo basket filled with medicinal herbs and walking at the front, with Obito and Rin Nohara following behind. As soon as they entered the village, they saw several children in patched clothes laughing and chasing after them.

One of the older children noticed Mikami Yu and his group, suddenly stopped, broke away from the group, and took a few steps away: "Hey, who are you? Are you looking for someone in the village?"

"I suppose so. May I ask where your village chief is?"

"Hmm—Grandpa Village Chief lives on the east side, I'll take you there!"

The child greeted his companions and then gestured for Mikami Yu and the others to follow, acting as if they were old friends.

As he followed the other person into the village, Mikami Yu glanced around discreetly but did not find any children with the same hair color as himself.

Well, based on the original storyline, Kabuto should be around five years old now, and he should have white hair. Although these two characteristics are a bit vague, considering that there aren't many villages near Mount Kikyo, it shouldn't be difficult to spot him if he is indeed here.

"Perhaps it's not in this village?"

Mikami Yu secretly speculated.

next to.

Obito and Rin Nohara's gazes were mostly fixed on the low mud-brick houses and thatched huts on both sides of the road, a scene completely different from that of Konoha Village. Some of the village's elderly people sat in front of their houses, looking at these uninvited guests with their cloudy and numb eyes.

"This place—it's so dilapidated, much worse than our village."

Obito muttered to himself.

Nohara Rin nodded silently.

"arrive."

In front of a wooden house, the child who had led the way stopped and called out, "Hey, Inumaru, is Grandpa Village Chief inside? Some people from another village are looking for him; they seem to say they're selling medicine—"

"7

The boy called Inumaru was a thin boy with white hair and indifferent eyes. He was carrying a basin of water into the yard. When he heard the sound, he just glanced over and didn't say anything.

"Hey, I'm talking to you, are you deaf?"

The child who was leading the way was displeased.

But Yu Mikami had already turned his gaze to Inumaru, his eyes narrowing slightly: This guy—could he be Kabuto Yakushi?

If I remember correctly, the name "Kabuto" was given to him by Yakushi Nonou. Before that, he should have had other names, but he forgot them due to amnesia.

soon.

A thin, hunched old man walked out of the wooden house and looked at Mikami Yu and the others with some doubt.

Yu Mikami used his prepared explanation, claiming to be a herb gatherer from the surrounding area who wanted to ask the local mountain people for directions to a certain medicinal herb. He then "casually" mentioned the recent fighting on the border and inquired about the other party's plans.

"A war—?"

"Yes! This place is so close to the border; it could be engulfed in war any day now. It's extremely dangerous! I think you should leave here and move to the heart of the Land of Fire!"

Obito couldn't help but interrupt.

In this regard.

The old man just smiled and said, "Our village is mostly populated by the elderly and children. They can only scrape together a little food from the soil to make a living. Where can they go if they leave here? What difference is there between starving to death, freezing to death, being killed by wild animals or bandits in the wilderness, and dying in war?"

"this----"

Obito fell silent.

Yu Mikami coughed lightly: "Then at least we should stock up on more food and water, and dig the cellar deeper, so that if we really encounter a disaster, we will still have a chance of survival."

The old man sighed, "Thank you all for reminding me. I will tell everyone. But whether I survive—that's up to fate."

Having said that, Yu Mikami and the others had nothing more to say, since they couldn't actually kidnap anyone.

Before leaving, Mikami Yu asked about the "dog egg" outside the door.

Um, it's "Inumaru".

"You mean that kid? He's an orphan. His parents died a few years ago. I felt sorry for him, so I let him stay with me. He helps me with chores in exchange for food. Don't let his small stature fool you; he's actually quite clever. If he were born in Konoha, he might even be a ninja."

The old man said, half-jokingly.

Yuya Mikami smiled and said, "There will be an opportunity."

Okay, it's basically confirmed now, "Inumaru" is Yakushi Kabuto.

This village was most likely destroyed by war in the original timeline, which is why a group of war orphans, including Kabuto, were brought back to Konoha and entered the Konoha Orphanage.

but----

There's a small chance of making a mistake, so we need to double-check.

Next.

Mikami Yu, along with Nohara Rin and Obito, visited the other two villages, for the same reason as the first village.

In both places, Yu Mikami did not find a second white-haired child around five years old, which could serve as evidence of Kabuto Yakushi's identity.

After the reminder was finished.

The three of them returned to the nearby mountain road, their expressions somewhat subtle.

How to put it—

Mikami Yu was alright, because he had anticipated what he was seeing today.

However, Obito and Rin Nohara had always lived in Konoha Village, and their few departures from the village were always during their travels and missions, limiting their exposure to different places. Seeing the living conditions of these ordinary people now was somewhat shocking.

Obito, even more anxious, started scratching his head: "Ugh, seriously, why won't they move away! This place is about to fall into war, and then—if we're all dead, what use are all the other things?!"

"Do your best and leave the rest to fate."

Mikami Yu calmly said, "If you're really worried, sneak over there at night and use illusion magic on all these villagers so that they all hide in the cellars on the day the war breaks out. That way, maybe more people can survive."

"—But I don't know illusion magic! Clan Chief Fugaku only taught me how to dispel illusions!"

Obito scratched his head.

"waste."

Mikami Yu was disappointed in him.

After a brief silence.

Mikami Yu sighed. "I'll go back and find Orochimaru to see if he can help, or make some minor adjustments to the ambush plan. If that doesn't work, we can leave shadow clones in these villages to help defend against any potential attacks. That would be more than enough." —Alright.

Having witnessed firsthand the living conditions of these people, Obito was no longer as naive as he had been at the beginning. After thinking for a while and confirming that there were no better suggestions, he nodded in agreement.

after that.

Mikami gestured with his chin, indicating that the two should come back with him.

At the same time, he began to consider the feasibility of recruiting Kabuto Yakushi in advance.

It's very easy to get rid of the other party.

But----

How should Kabuto's identity be arranged?

Could it be that the Mikami Tajima couple adopted him and renamed him "Mikami Kabuto"?

Alternatively, we could first send him to an orphanage and have the pharmacist Nono take care of him, visiting him occasionally while keeping an eye on Danzo and Orochimaru. Then, we could try to train him when he gets a little older.

Yu Mikami couldn't make up his mind for a moment, so he had to put his thoughts aside and decide to complete the task of setting up the trap first before thinking about anything else.

at this time.

Two masked figures, each carrying a short sword, emerged from the shadows, their eyes cold as they looked at Mikami Yu and his party on the distant mountain path.

"Hmph, after all that work, it was just to warn ordinary people to run for their lives? How laughable."

One of the ninjas said coldly, "It's a good thing they didn't appear as Konoha ninjas, otherwise, the charge of 'revealing Konoha's top secrets' would be enough to kill them on the spot."

'

Another ninja paused for a moment, then whispered, "Write down all of this and pass it on to Lord Danzo. He will handle it appropriately."

-

"Um.

""

After a brief exchange, the two Root ninjas concealed themselves and disappeared into the darkness once again.

Two more minutes passed.

A white head emerged from the ground, looking at the spot where the two Root ninjas had just been: "Oh dear, Obito and the others are being monitored by Konoha's own ninjas? This is important information; we must record it quickly and pass it on to Lord Madara—"

>