"You look like you're rather lost."
In the Research Bureau, Orochimaru suddenly spoke.
Takeshi, who had come to deliver some materials, started at the sound, then, upon seeing that the one addressing him was Orochimaru — the very person his own older brother had solemnly told him to stay away from — he steadied himself and put on a gentle smile.
"Perhaps I haven't been sleeping well lately."
Takeshi's answer was measured, respectful, giving Orochimaru the deference he expected.
"Is that so? But the expression I see isn't fatigue — it's the look of someone who's lost on the road of life."
Orochimaru didn't seem inclined to let Takeshi off so easily. His tone carried a teasing edge that, imperceptibly, narrowed the distance between them.
That Takeshi fellow harbored far too many secrets. Unfortunately for the ever-confident manipulator Orochimaru, whenever he faced Takeshi there was always this sense that his usual powers of influence had nowhere to land.
No matter what topic you discussed with him, it always ended with Orochimaru being the one left furious and helpless.
Is there any shinobi in the world more carefree and inscrutable than this guy?
"I…"
Hearing Orochimaru's words, Takeshi instinctively glanced at the nearby incubation vessel.
Through the casing, the vague outline of a human form could be seen.
"I see."
Orochimaru smiled knowingly.
This was his latest research achievement — a body he had tailored for himself by combining superior cells from various clans, artificial intelligence, and other advanced findings.
Once he made further progress in the domain of the soul, he could abandon his current body and embrace a brand-new vessel.
Immortality — eternal youth and life — had always been his greatest pursuit.
"This is a body I designed for myself. You're very interested in it?"
Orochimaru reached out to touch the vessel's shell, his face showing a look of rapture.
Takeshi suppressed his smile and looked at the vessel with a complicated expression, his cheeks faintly flushed.
"But this seems to be a female body…"
"Heh, gender is of no importance to me."
Orochimaru gave a dry laugh.
He'd thought the youngster before him might be troubled by something hard to put into words — but to his surprise, the only thing Takeshi was agonizing over was the new body's sex.
It wasn't entirely surprising. In Konohagakure these days, with the strict atmosphere that frowned on "vices," many of the things young people used to have access to simply weren't available anymore.
Well, except for that rotten Jiraiya.
That man, no matter which generation he was born into, would take voyeurism as his duty and proudly uphold his reputation as a lecher.
To be honest, if Orochimaru himself weren't somewhat tarnished, he'd be ashamed to be mentioned in the same breath as one of the "Three Legendary Sannin" who contained that kind of scoundrel.
"Of course," Orochimaru continued suddenly, his tone turning philosophical, "if this body can help me determine whether gender is defined by the soul or by the body, that would be even better."
"Gender…"
It might have been his imagination, but Orochimaru felt the young man's face grow even redder after hearing that line.
Wait — could it be that…
Orochimaru broke into a wicked smile.
"Takeshi, you seem to have a lot on your mind…"
"Ah—no, sorry to bother you. I'll come by again."
Takeshi, suddenly realizing he'd drifted off, felt panic rise in him. He straightened with a start and hurriedly excused himself from Orochimaru.
Watching the other flee his lab like a startled bird, Orochimaru returned to his desk at an unhurried pace.
"Heh, it's fine. After all, you'll come back, won't you?"
Orochimaru chuckled softly, feeling that the otherwise dull current of his life had suddenly become interesting again.
He glanced at Hiruko bustling outside and shook his head. He really shouldn't have sent Hiruko out; the others in the Research Bureau were still too inexperienced.
...
"Whether gender is defined by the body or by the soul…"
Haku kept his head down as he walked along the Konohagakure streets, mumbling to himself.
Beside him, Kimimaru waved his arm once and tore off the tape he'd used to staunch a needle wound.
Haku had come to the Research Bureau this time to deliver Kimimaru for the final round of his "treatment."
Because Kimimaru suffered from severe atavism, his blood disease manifested far worse than in an ordinary member of the Kaguya clan.
Fortunately, when Takeshi brought him back then, he had taken the Kaguya clan's tomes with him, and with the Research Bureau's breakthrough in Hashirama cells, Kimimaru had avoided an early death.
"You don't seem very happy?"
Although the two of them called each other brothers in the eyes of others, both knew very well that Takeshi was the one who kept their household together.
So when Takeshi wasn't around, they didn't interact much.
"Mm, I'm just worried about Takeshi…"
"He really is a handful sometimes."
Kimimaru agreed wholeheartedly.
"He complains about this and that, but when they're in danger he's always the first to rush in."
As he spoke, a flash of fierceness crossed Kimimaru's eyes.
"That's why I said I should have gone to join Yamato — with Yamato's strength…"
He clenched his fist in frustration, cursing that his final round of treatment happened to coincide with such an important mission.
"If that Yamato hurts Takeshi, I'll skin him alive."
Yamato, who was on guard duty: Weird — why does my back feel chilly?