strictlysupreme Chapter 666 You Won with Red Bean
Chapter 666 You Won with Red Bean
Another day passed, and Konan reappeared in Orochimaru's underground laboratory. She bore several minor scratches, and although her chakra was somewhat depleted, her aura was more composed than before, and her eyes were sharper. She stood there, awaiting Orochimaru's reaction.
Orochimaru remained with his back to her, fiddling with the test tubes on the lab table. He didn't turn around, but his voice carried a hint of melancholy and a subtle, almost imperceptible appreciation.
"It seems you've won against Hongdou." His tone was calm, as if he had already anticipated this outcome. He knew Hongdou's strength, and he also knew that the curse mark within her was personally placed by him, but Xiaonan's victory was enough to prove her talent and strength. Of course, Zhang Hai's guidance also played a significant role.
"Hmph..." Orochimaru snorted softly, finally turning around, his snake-like eyes once again fixed on Konan. His gaze held a complex mix of emotions, a nostalgia for the past and an assessment of the girl's potential.
"Since that's the case..." Orochimaru's lips curled into a signature sinister smile again. "From today onwards, you will be my student. I will impart to you everything I know." His voice carried a hint of seduction, as if he were opening up a new world full of taboos and power to Konan.
Zhang Hai's soul traversed layers of space. After bidding farewell to Haku, he returned directly to the familiar research facility protected by Tsunade's barrier. Originally an abandoned underground ruin in Konoha, it had been transformed by Tsunade into a fully functional and highly secluded laboratory. Upon entering this space, Zhang Hai felt a profound sense of relaxation. The outside world's turmoil, Haku's intense emotions, Konan's growth… everything seemed temporarily isolated within this barrier. He knew that Konan would handle things well, and as for Haku's situation, he had his own arrangements and didn't need to worry about it for the time being.
Instead of immediately diving into his research, he transformed into an invisible force, silently passing through the barrier and arriving at a corner of Konoha Village. He wanted to check on Kakashi. Although he knew that his previous anger towards Kakashi stemmed from the emotional impact of White Fang's death, rather than genuine rage, he still wanted to ascertain Kakashi's condition.
Outside a sunlit hospital room, Zhang Hai saw a scene that brought him a sense of relief. Kakashi lay quietly on the bed, his face still somewhat pale, but the deathly despair in his eyes was gone. Beside the bed, Might Guy sat, his signature thick eyebrows framing a worried yet energetic smile, gesturing wildly as he recounted some exciting training anecdotes. Kakashi didn't respond much, but the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, and a hint of amusement appeared in his eyes.
Seeing this, Zhang Hai felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He knew that Guy's presence was the best medicine for Kakashi. That relentlessly enthusiastic, hot-blooded fool had pulled Kakashi out of the shadows in his own unique way. Zhang Hai smiled silently; the anger he had felt towards Kakashi because of White Fang's death completely dissipated at that moment. He understood that Kakashi was merely a victim in that immense tragedy, not the culprit. His previous anger towards Kakashi was indeed wrong. After confirming that Kakashi was alright, Zhang Hai quietly left without leaving a trace.
Back in the lab, Zhang Hai's soul solidified again. As soon as he appeared, he saw Tsunade with her back to him, fiddling with a kunai in her hand, seemingly deep in thought.
"You're back." Tsunade didn't turn around, her voice calm, yet carrying a hint of barely perceptible seriousness. She turned around, her amber eyes looking at Zhang Hai with a touch of helplessness. "The old man sent a warning."
"Warning?" Zhang Hai raised an eyebrow slightly. He knew that the "old man" Tsunade was referring to was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
“Yes.” Tsunade sighed, casually tossing the kunai in her hand onto the table beside her. “He warned you not to do anything like that again. Konoha’s barrier sensed unusual chakra fluctuations. Although there’s no clear evidence pointing to you, he’s already noticed your presence and expressed his displeasure with your actions.” As she spoke, she formed hand seals, instantly activating a complex barrier technique that completely isolated the entire laboratory from the outside world. After doing all this, Tsunade looked at Zhang Hai again, a hint of weariness in her eyes.
"Thank you, Tsunade," Zhang Hai said sincerely. He knew that Tsunade had taken a considerable risk for him. Without Tsunade's cooperation, he wouldn't be able to move so freely, nor would he have such an excellent research facility.
Tsunade waved her hand, indicating that he didn't need to be so polite. She walked to a chair, sat down, picked up a cup of tea, took a sip, and then slowly said, "He said that someone went to him to complain."
Zhang Hai's illusory figure paused slightly, but he didn't press the matter. He knew he had done quite a bit recently, whether it was guiding Bai or arranging things for Xiao Nan, all of which might have touched on the interests of certain people. Complaining? In his view, that was perfectly normal.
"Complain?" Zhang Hai's voice was calm and composed, as if the matter had nothing to do with him. "Is that so? So what?" There wasn't even a trace of curiosity in his eyes, as if all of this was within his expectations.
Seeing his calm demeanor, Tsunade shook her head helplessly. She knew Zhang Hai's personality; he had always disdained such worldly power struggles and interpersonal relationships.
"You really aren't even a little curious about who tattled on you," Tsunade said, half-teasing and half-seriously. "But that's in line with your style. Anyway, Konoha has its 'scapegoat king,' so no matter what happens, someone can always be found to take the blame. You can rest easy." Her words clearly referred to Hiruzen always shifting the blame to people like Kakashi.
Zhang Hai smiled, ignoring Tsunade's words. He walked back to the lab bench, picked up a test tube filled with an unknown liquid, and examined the substance inside. "These trivial matters aren't worth wasting time on," he said calmly, then looked at Tsunade, "Let's continue our previous research, Tsunade. White Fang's research is much more meaningful."
Seeing his reaction, Tsunade said nothing more, put down her teacup, and returned to her workbench. The atmosphere between them became focused and serious once more.
They resumed their research left behind by Sakumo Hatake. Tsunade was in charge of medical and life analysis; her superb medical skills and deep understanding of human anatomy allowed her to analyze Sakumo's physical condition and the unknown trauma he had suffered at a microscopic level.