Naruto: Starting with the Granted Strongest Eye

Early in the gray morning, Tō cast one glance back at the village of Konoha, then followed Gentai swiftly on their mission.

Orochimaru was currently based at one of the Akatsuki's secret facilities. Each member seemed to maintain a unique base, each housing mysterious test subjects, of which no one knew.

This particular facility was tucked deep within the Land of Rain, an endless forest that bordered Kusagakure. Once inside, its size and complexity became apparent—Orochimaru's mastery of earth-style (Doton) made building such a lair underground seem effortless.

As Gentai and Tō approached, a thicket of bushes began to part, revealing a mild-mannered, bespectacled youth, thin, shy, almost nervous.

"Yashamaru Kabuto." Tō recognized him immediately: Orochimaru's first recruit and current aide.

Inside, they were guided through the labyrinthine lab to a reception room, where Orochimaru awaited. He rose, eyed Gentai once, then fixed his gaze on Tō, his snake-like pupils seeming to pierce right through him. Tō felt a chill, but reminded himself of Danzo's mission and steadied himself.

From his pouch, Tō produced the scroll and handed it to Kabuto, announcing: "Root operative, Genin Uzumaki Tō."

Gentai nodded respectfully—his demeanor easily mistaken for a peer of Orochimaru. Orochimaru glanced at Tō and said in his cold, magnetic drawl, "So this is the Uzumaki prodigy of the three great Uchiha? He's even younger than Itachi, hmmm..." A primal lick of his lips made Tō's skin crawl. He shivered at the thought of becoming Orochimaru's subject for experimentation.

"Saying that Danzo trusts you means you're not an ordinary talent," Gentai interceded firmly. Orochimaru paused, snorted, then turned to the scroll.

Studying it briefly, he tossed it onto the floor, his hands weaving seals. With a thunderous boom, many storage containers appeared—some holding Sharingan eyes, others filled with meat fragments. Tō's brow furrowed. Danzo and Orochimaru were truly collaborating now.

"So Danzo brought me excellent specimens. I'm going to be very busy," Orochimaru said with a grin. "Kabuto, make the arrangements." He scooped up the specimens and started examining them. Kabuto offered a tight smile.

The pair then escorted Tō to the lab. The sight nearly made him vomit—remnants of human organs and preserved flesh surrounded him in jars. The stench was worse than any mortuary he'd known.

Kabuto noticed Tō's discomfort and smiled gently. "It's overwhelming for most, I know."

Tō thought: "Only a pervert like you could handle this." He fought a gag reflex before continuing, "It's hard at first—but once you understand, it becomes tolerable."

Kabuto adjusted his glasses and replied, "You should wait until you've seen Orochimaru's real research—then you'll see how mind-boggling it truly is."

Tō stiffened. He thought of Edo Tensei and the Ganmen-splitting technique—it was terrifying. Orochimaru's body-mod jutsu were beyond gruesome. Hearing Kabuto's praise for snake techniques made him cringe.

Changing the subject, Tō said lightly, "I heard you're also skilled in medical ninjutsu. And... now Yakushi Nonō has died, hasn't she?"

Kabuto's face went pale. He trembled and finally hissed, "So Root's surveillance of Orochimaru's base is deeper than I thought!"

Tō tapped his finger and said, "Actually, Danzo knows nothing of you. It was Gentai—my sword instructor—who discovered your existence. I covered for you. Honestly, right now, you're just an obscure figure. But like me... perhaps obscure is where true strength and friendship lie. Or a chance to rediscover yourself."

Without waiting for a response, Tō left the lab and strode down the corridor where many test subjects were held. Kabuto lingered, torn—Tō's words struck him deeply.

Indeed, Kabuto felt invisible beside grand talents like Orochimaru. Yet despite his obscurity, Orochimaru's success validated his path. Kabuto realized he had begun to like this life, but he couldn't ignore his restless heart, stirred by Tō's insight.

Meanwhile, in Konoha, Nurse Uzumaki Keiko watched Naruto eating ramen with delight. Discovering they shared the Uzumaki name filled her with warmth; she recognized the loneliness of orphans in their village.

Naruto, ramen bowl empty, asked shyly, "Auntie Keiko, is that Tō-dāshī a ninja?"

She patted his head gently. "Yes, Tō is a remarkable shinobi—he even uses medical ninjutsu."

Naruto blinked, then shouted: "I will catch up to Tō-dāshī! I'll surpass all the Hokages—I'll be the greatest!" He puffed his small chest out in boyish boastfulness.

Suddenly, Keiko smiled and said, "Would you like to stay at my home? I still have some of Tō's training equipment there—it might help you."

"Really? Do I have to pay?" Naruto asked.

"Of course not," she replied, ruffling his hair. "We're all Uzumaki here."

Naruto grinned. "Yes! I'll come over—thank you, Auntie!"

Keiko smiled fondly as Naruto scampered off, full of dreams.