I Am Uzumaki Menma Chapter 28 - 28 Orochimaru's Defection

The entrance curtain of Ichiraku Ran was gently lifted, and a wave of steaming, fragrant air rushed out.

"Teuchi-san, one tonkotsu chashu ran, please." nma walked in holding Hinata's hand.

He pointed to the nu board placed on the side and turned to ask, "Hinata, what would you like?"

"I... I'm fine with anything..." Hinata lowered her head, her voice as soft as a mosquito's hum.

"Then the sa as ." nma led Hinata to sit at the counter.

It was lunchti, and there were three other custors in Ichiraku Ran. Teuchi raised his head from the billowing steam, squinting at nma, "Oh, it's nma-chan. Is this a new friend?"

Since moving into Konoha Village, nma had occasionally visited Ichiraku Ran to see if he could run into Naruto or Kakashi.

However, perhaps because Naruto was still too young, as he's still nine years away from the start of the main plot, he hadn't encountered Naruto or Kakashi yet.

"Hey, I haven't seen Shunta around lately." While waiting for the ran, the conversation from the neighboring custors suddenly reached nma's ears.

"I haven't seen him for a few days either. I went to his house yesterday, but no one answered."

"Didn't he just co back from a mission? How could he disappear so quickly?"

"Maybe he got assigned a higher-ranked mission?"

"He's been a Genin for years now. What kind of mission could he get?"

"That's strange. Sato also disappeared after coming back a few days ago."

'Hmm?'

nma, who was nearby, silently listened as these villagers, who seed to be Genin, chatted about their missing friends. Gradually, fragnts of the plot from his mories resurfaced.

'Looks like Orochimaru is about to defect.' nma had been planning to seek out Orochimaru for so 'borrowing'.

He had been eyeing Orochimaru's scientific advancents for a long ti.

Though the Impure World Reincarnation technique probably wasn't perfected yet, the genetic engineering, cloning technology, and Orochimaru's research on Hashirama's cells were all treasures.

"Here you go, kids." Just as nma was considering Orochimaru's possible escape routes, Teuchi's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Two bowls of ran were placed in front of them. The chashu swayed slightly in the rich broth, and the soft-boiled eggs glowed like amber.

"Th-thank you..." Hinata murmured as she took the bowl with both hands.

Slurp- slurp-

The two began eating heartily.

nma had already eaten before going out, so he took his ti with the ran.

By the ti he was halfway done, he noticed Hinata sipping the broth in small gulps, her pace gradually speeding up.

Before long, she had finished the entire bowl.

Even though Hinata was only a three-year-old, her appetite was unusually large.

"Uncle Shouda, give another large bowl of ran." Seeing Hinata's slightly flushed face, probably because she was still hungry, nma ordered another serving.

"N-no need..." Hinata pinched the corner of her clothes embarrassedly.

In her upbringing, girls were supposed to eat quietly and delicately, not gobble down large portions like boys.

"Eat up. It's my treat." nma's tone left no room for refusal.

Teuchi worked quickly, and soon, a steaming large bowl of tonkotsu chashu ran was placed in front of Hinata.

"Enjoy!" Teuchi smiled and brought out a plate of tempura, setting it between nma and Hinata.

"A gift for our regular custor bringing in a new one." Teuchi's eyes crinkled.

nma was already full and hadn't even finished his own bowl, so he pushed the tempura toward Hinata.

Faced with the large serving of ran and a plate of tempura, Hinata's eyes welled up with tears again.

Ever since she could rember, she had never eaten her fill. But she was too embarrassed to tell her parents.

Sotis, if she ate a little more, her mother would even scold her.

Who would believe that the eldest daughter of the Hyuga clan, one of Konoha's two strongest Ninja Clans, had never eaten to her heart's content?

Yet now, this simple gesture from nma made her feel warr than the strict, rigid halls of her clan's compound.

After finishing the second bowl, nma raised his hand again as if to order another serving for Hinata.

Seeing this, Hinata blushed and hurriedly grabbed his sleeve, shaking her head.

"Then let's go. I'll take you ho." By the ti the two left Ichiraku Ran, the sky had already darkened.

nma reached out and naturally took Hinata's small hand in his.

Under the setting sun, their two small shadows stretched long behind them.

Hinata looked down at the little hand holding hers so firmly, her already slightly flushed face growing even redder.

'If every day could be like this... that would be so nice...' For the first ti, Hinata felt a sense of ease and security she had never known before.

She looked every bit like the well-behaved girl being led astray by a blonde delinquent boy.

As they walked toward the Hyuga Clan's compound, Hinata suddenly froze in place, stopping mid-step.

"What's wrong?" nma felt her hand stiffen and tilted his head slightly.

A Gentle Fist strike ca at him with a gust of wind!

"You damn scumbag!" Along with the furious cry of Bis Sis Hinata!

…

"Hokage-sama!" A masked Anbu's Ninja landed in the center of the Hokage's office.

"This is the latest investigation report on the missing persons within the village!" The Anbu's Ninja knelt and presented a scroll with both hands.

Hiruzen, wearing his Hokage hat, accepted the scroll with a grave expression, already bracing himself for the worst.

Recently, more and more Ninja had gone missing in the village. Though most were just Genin, the sheer number of disappearances had raised Hiruzen's suspicions, prompting him to order the Anbu to investigate.

When he unrolled the scroll and saw the na the evidence pointed to, even the prepared Hiruzen couldn't hide the slight tremor in his pupils.

"Kakashi." Hiruzen called out in a low voice.

Whoosh-

An Anbu wearing a white cat mask appeared behind Hiruzen, kneeling in readiness for orders.

"Assemble the First Division. We are moving out... to capture Orochimaru!" By the ti he finished speaking, Hiruzen's face was dark with grief and fury.

"Understood!" Kakashi acknowledged the order and imdiately went to gather the team.

The full na of Anbu is [Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai]. It was divided into four divisions, each consisting of four squads, totaling around seventy mbers. (T/N: It ans Special Assassination and Tactical Squad.)

Most of the ordinary Anbu's Ninjas only have the strength of a Chunin. Anbu's Ninjas at the rank of squad leader are at least of the strength of a Special Jonin. Division leaders were standard Jonin, and the special Anbu Captain like Kakashi is an Elite Jonin.

In actual deploynts, each division ideally had two Jonin and three Special Jonin.

Before long, Hiruzen changed into his combat attire and personally led the team to purge the traitor.

…

In the forest outside Konoha Village, Hiruzen led a capture squad consisting of three Jonin, three Special Jonin, and over a dozen Chunin, swiftly advancing through the trees.

The Anbu's Ninja, who was leading the way, suddenly made a hand gesture, and the entire group landed silently like falling leaves.

A Sensor Ninja ford hand seals.

"Hokage-sama, the entrance is right here!"

"Kakashi, Suzu, you two co with . The rest, set up the periter!" Hiruzen ordered.

Except for the two Jonin, Kakashi with his white cat mask and 'Sparrow' with the sparrow mask, the other Anbu, led by their respective squad leaders, dispersed to search for alternate entrances.

Hiruzen gave Suzu a nod.

The latter flicked out a kunai wrapped with an explosive tag.

Boom!

As the smoke cleared, the hidden passage was torn open, revealing a dark tunnel like the gaping maw of a serpent before Hiruzen and his two subordinates.