Naruto: I'm really not an evil scientist!

Unfortunately, there was a man who was much faster than her.

"Itachi, shall we go to the rooftop for lunch together?" Uchiha Shisui appeared in front of Itachi's seat with a Body Flicker Technique, his movement as swift as lightning, and said with practiced ease.

Two years ago, Uchiha Shisui, exhausted both physically and mentally, and doubting peace and even Konoha itself, received Hokage Minato Namikaze's approval to temporarily leave the Anbu and become a young teacher at a school.

Excellent people always attract each other.

The school was filled with immature students and mediocre teachers. The child prodigy Itachi Uchiha and the genius teacher Shisui Uchiha quickly took a liking to each other. They were like two stars attracting each other and came together.

"Ugh! Shisui-nii is so mean!" Uchiha Izumi pouted, looking like a little bun, and glared angrily at Shisui. Every time, she was a step behind Shisui and could only watch helplessly as he "stole" Itachi away.

"No, Shishui."

Uchiha Itachi gently raised his wrist, the smartwatch on it flashing faintly. He pointed to the watch face, shook his head slightly, and said earnestly, "Master has returned. I sensed the special mark he left behind. I must go and pay my respects to him and listen to his teachings."

I won't be coming to class this afternoon. Could you please ask for leave for me, Zhishui?

"Lord Hiruko...has he returned?" Upon hearing this, Shisui abruptly stopped in his tracks, frozen in place, a hint of surprise and awe flashing in his eyes.

He quickly took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and said solemnly, "I understand. I will approve your leave directly. Don't worry."

At this moment, the snow gradually intensified.

Large, fluffy snowflakes drifted down from the sky, like countless white sprites dancing in the air, gradually covering the dirt and grime on the earth.

Unlike the familiar Earth, the natural energy in the Naruto world seems to have its own life, making it more vibrant and violent.

Under this blanket of white snow, rural villages are often completely swallowed up by the heavy snow and disappear into the vast sea of ​​snow, which is a common occurrence.

The climate in the Land of Fields is usually mild, but when the harsh winter arrives like a ferocious beast, it is as terrifying as death itself, leaving a deathly silence in its wake.

In this pale world, Hiruko and Orochimaru followed closely behind Kabuto, their steps hurried, and soon they arrived at a small village.

The small village was dilapidated, with houses leaning precariously and walls riddled with cracks, looking extremely wretched, as if a strong wind could blow it down.

Logically speaking, a large plain like the Land of Fields has fertile land. As long as one farms peacefully, one can at least make a living, if not become rich and powerful.

However, looking at the scene before him, Hiruko sighed inwardly. Yes, it was the work of those so-called "benevolent rulers" again.

The two families have been entangled in the Land of Fields for years. They take it for granted that the Land of Fields is their private property, which they squander and use at will, and extort and levy exorbitant taxes.

These taxes have been collected for ninety years; how are ordinary people supposed to survive?

Even the most fertile land cannot withstand such a benevolent ruler.

Looking around, Beiliuhu felt a deep sadness in his heart.

But when Hiruko's gaze passed over the pond not far from the village, he suddenly noticed that the wild grass growing there seemed to be growing too tall, almost a meter high, shivering in the cold wind.

Unfortunately, the weather is too cold now, and most of these wild grasses have died, leaving only some withered branches. The remaining ones are barely surviving, as if they are making a final stand against this cruel winter.

For some reason, Hiruko felt as if he had seen these wild grasses somewhere before, and a sense of familiarity welled up in his heart.

But when he actually tried to think about it, he couldn't come up with anything, and he shook his head helplessly.

...Let's not worry about such trivial matters now.

With their target right in front of them, the three exchanged a glance, then suddenly accelerated, moving like lightning, and arrived at the village together.

At the very front of the village, more than thirty men, women, and children were angrily surrounding five young ninjas.

The five ninjas, clutching various ninja tools, were filled with tension and helplessness, unable to advance or retreat, and were in a very sorry state.

It's important to understand that the difference in combat power between ninjas and ordinary people is enormous. Even when Zabuza was severely injured, he could wipe out a large group of professional thugs by using only his remaining stamina to perform taijutsu.

These five young ninjas in front of me are certainly not as good as the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, but they are still around the level of Chunin. It shouldn't be difficult for them to break through, but if they do, they will inevitably hurt a few villagers... Obviously, although these ninjas were previously wandering ninjas, they have great respect for Orochimaru and dare not make a move easily.

Chapter 274 Hatred, Interests?

Having heard that Orochimaru was recruiting talented individuals here, the five young ninjas were currently surrounded by ordinary villagers.

They possessed considerable strength, yet faced with these unarmed villagers, they preferred to be forced into a corner with no way out.

He looked just like a wild beast trapped in a cage, anxiously rushing left and right through the crowd.

Each attempt to break through was hampered by inner restraint, preventing any real action. He could only wave his arms in vain, yet dared not even wield his ninja tools.

Their pathetic appearance was truly shameful, drawing occasional shouts and curses from the villagers, with words like "cowards" and "useless ninjas" ringing out.

However, this also shows the brilliance of Orochimaru's methods, which made these ninjas with certain strength so respectful and restrained towards him, as if any thought of resistance was suppressed in front of him.

...If Orochimaru hadn't been interested in those tedious experiments and instead focused on political intrigue and expanding his power, the world of Naruto would have been turned upside down with his extraordinary wisdom and strength.

Perhaps, he will completely rewrite the history of Naruto and usher in a brand new era.

Just as the five ninjas, surrounded by the crowd, were feeling desperate, they suddenly saw Orochimaru arrive.

Those eyes, which had been dull and weary, suddenly lit up, as if they had seen the only glimmer of light in the darkness.

They immediately seemed to have found their pillar of support, and shouted in unison, "Lord Orochimaru!"

The voice was filled with excitement and anticipation, every word brimming with trust in Orochimaru, as if all difficulties could be resolved as long as Orochimaru was there, and they saw hope for survival.

"Let them out. If you have anything to say, tell me." Orochimaru's tone was indifferent, like a cold winter wind, devoid of any warmth.

He showed no anger whatsoever, as if everything before him was nothing more than an insignificant farce, unable to stir the slightest ripple in his heart.

However, the invisible yet intense killing intent emanating from him spread out as if it were a tangible thing.

The ragged villagers felt a chill run from their feet to their heads, and their bodies began to tremble uncontrollably.

Despite his resentment, he subconsciously released the ninjas as Orochimaru had requested, even taking a few steps back as if the further away from Orochimaru he was, the safer he would be.

Orochimaru's killing intent was so strong that even Naruto couldn't withstand it, let alone these ordinary villagers.

In their eyes, Orochimaru was a terrifying being who could erupt at any moment; a single glance from him could bring them to their doom.

However... it seems the situation isn't as bad as Hiruko imagined? Neither side has actually made a move, but the atmosphere is tense, as if a single spark could ignite a major battle.

Upon seeing this, Hiruko breathed a sigh of relief, and his tense nerves relaxed slightly.

Before Orochimaru could speak, he asked the cowering villagers in front of him, "What exactly is going on with you?"

Did they do something wrong?

His tone carried a hint of doubt and inquiry, as if he were trying to find the truth from the villagers' reactions.

It turns out that these ninjas came to recruit new members.

The small ninja village is worlds apart from the large ninja village.

The Great Ninja Village has a profound foundation and is supported by many powerful clans. They have a continuous reserve of talent, allowing them to constantly fight and rejuvenate.

Therefore, in many cases, they do not need to recruit people from the general public.

But Xiaoren Village is different. They have limited resources and a lack of talent, so they often need to find promising newcomers from the general public, just like searching for a few unpolished gems in a vast sea of ​​people.

This method is extremely inefficient, and the loyalty of the recruited people is hard to guarantee, so it can hardly be called a wise move.

Given this situation, what can the small ninja village do?

However, for many parents, sending their children to the Little Ninja Village is a way to survive.

At the very least, children will gain some strength, enabling them to protect themselves in this dangerous world.

If they are lucky, they may even live long enough to have children and continue the family line.

Orochimaru has always been a wealthy and generous man. This time, with ample funds, he was incredibly lavish in recruiting people, not caring about a penny more than necessary.

He offered very generous compensation, including not only a large sum of money but also various resources to enhance one's abilities. He even promised to assign important tasks and promotion opportunities to those who performed exceptionally well.

Such conditions, once presented, have tempted many people. After all, in this chaotic world, who wouldn't yearn for a stable place with opportunities for development?

These ordinary villagers were all emaciated and dressed in tattered clothes, clearly living a very difficult life.

Logically speaking, sending children to ninja villages would improve their lives and give them better opportunities for development. It seems like a sure-fire deal, so there's no reason not to send children to ninja villages.

Moreover, Orochimaru's ninja village was newly established, and everything was in its initial stages. Let alone bullying men and women, he probably didn't even know all the people there yet. Logically speaking, his reputation shouldn't be too bad.

Strangely, the villagers here are resisting so fiercely. Why is that?

Soon, the villagers gave the answer.

Even though they were filled with fear of the aloof Orochimaru, they still mustered their courage and gathered around him again in twos and threes.

Their eyes were filled with anger, as if they wanted to vent all the rage in their hearts.

"Ninjas, get out of our village!"

"It's because of you that the village is so poor! You guys, you've driven the price of millet so high, you just want us dead! We hate you!"... Well, so it turns out they're victims of the millet war again.

It seems that not only were those so-called "benevolent rulers" behind the scenes causing trouble, but even Hiruko himself contributed to the situation.

His previous actions may have indirectly led to a surge in millet prices, which in turn severely impacted the villagers' lives, making their already difficult days even worse.

Seeing this, Hiruko smiled sheepishly at Orochimaru, scratching his head and saying, "Sorry, it seems I've dragged you down this time..."

"The Kage only needs to be responsible for their own village... everything else is just an extra burden." Orochimaru replied softly, his voice gentle yet carrying an undeniable firmness.

However, he focused most of his attention on the villagers, his gaze as cold and sharp as a blade, sweeping over each and every one of them.

Hiruko noticed that Orochimaru's eyes were half-closed, appearing quite long and narrow, like two dangerous slits, as if hiding endless rage.

At the same time, his tongue unconsciously darted out and lightly licked his lips—based on Hiruko's understanding of Orochimaru, this was a sign of his great displeasure, like the calm before a storm, sending chills down one's spine.

Roughly speaking, Orochimaru's current state is like a cat vigorously wagging its tail when it's agitated, exuding a suppressed and dangerous aura, as if it's about to explode at any moment.

No, this can't go on any longer, Hiruko thought to himself, realizing that if things continued to escalate, it could lead to an uncontrollable conflict.

To the villagers, they were just ordinary people overwhelmed by the burdens of life, struggling every day for a bite to eat.

They simply wanted to drive the ninjas they hated out of their village and return to their peaceful but impoverished lives, even if those lives were difficult, at least they wouldn't have these extra conflicts.

As for Orochimaru, he was high above and used to controlling everything. In his eyes, the villagers' fierce resistance was a sign of disrespect and a blatant contempt for his authority.

He might not necessarily kill him outright, after all, he has his own code of conduct, but a severe lesson is definitely in order.

Konoha has a very strong military atmosphere, and Orochimaru, having lived there for so many years, has been deeply influenced by it. He detests insubordination the most, seeing it as a blatant challenge to authority that should never be easily forgiven.

If this stalemate continues, the already tense conflict between the two sides will surely spread rapidly like wildfire and continue to escalate.

At that time, it may lead to an irreparable tragedy, with scenes of bloodshed and families being torn apart possibly unfolding in this small village.

Fortunately, Hiruko knew a way to make Orochimaru switch states immediately.

This guy usually seems cold and ruthless, as if he doesn't care about anything in the world, but he's actually a literary youth with a delicate and artistic world hidden in his heart. He often immerses himself in some profound thoughts.