Chapter 136: Touching the Snake Lady

Upon hearing from Aoi Sekiku that Danzo Shimura wanted to see him, Kato Gyofu instantly shifted his demeanor, his eyes turning a pale, crystalline blue. At the same time, he quickly ran through his recent activities in his mind.

"Aside from turning the cell culture lab's Kang into my own secret pawn and poaching from Danzo Shimura's influence, I haven't really done anything too out of line."

"I’ve handled my official duties perfectly, rarely meddled in other affairs, and I never arrive late to work—though I do occasionally leave early. I’m always warm and friendly to my colleagues, aside from the occasional intimidation of those who slink around in the shadows..."

After reporting Danzo Shimura’s summons, Aoi Sekiku stood there respectfully, awaiting his superior's instructions. Having confirmed that he hadn't left any obvious trails, Kato Gyofu quickly flipped through the documents on his desk to prepare for the tasks ahead. It was only when he noticed Aoi still standing there that he realized he had already finished reviewing the papers.

Kato looked up, feigning surprise as if he had just noticed Aoi waiting. He casually chided, "Hey, Old Aoi, why are you still standing there? Are you trying to slack off right in front of your superior? Have you finished all your work?"

Kato remembered Aoi reporting his own absenteeism earlier, though he wasn't the type to hold grudges against small-timers like him. When he had issues with Danzo's lackeys, he preferred direct retaliation—like with "Old Black," that big rat. Scolding Aoi was deliberate. For Kato, a grudge worth keeping in his "little black book" had to involve someone of significance, like Orochimaru or Danzo Shimura.

"..." Aoi stared at his unscrupulous boss in silence, then asked in a respectful tone, "...Lord Kato, what about Lord Danzo?"

"Ah? You mean Lord Danzo? If he has summoned me, of course I will go," Kato replied dismissively. "And it’s not just about you, Old Aoi; didn't I have two meetings and nine surgical experiments this morning?"

"I am a busy superior, and yet you, my secretary, are slacking off like this—don't you think that's a bit inappropriate?" Kato continued to harp on the same excuse, scolding him.

Faced with the reprimand, Aoi remained perfectly respectful. "Yes, sir. I shall take my leave and return to my duties."

Having received the answer he wanted, Aoi bowed respectfully and exited, leaving Kato without any reason to lash out further.

"Is this the caliber of an elite spy from the Root organization? His temperament is truly steady. Even after being berated like that, he doesn't change his expression. I can't just keep punishing him in secret, can I?" Kato watched Aoi’s retreating back, deep in thought.

Knowing there was an eye planted by Danzo Shimura near him was irritating, even if the impact was minimal. Aoi was different from that transparent parasitic insect—the bug was a purely clandestine surveillance tool of Danzo’s, and had Kato not possessed exceptional skills, he would never have detected it.

As for Aoi Sekiku...

Kato sat there, tapping his fingers on the desk while staring at Aoi’s retreating figure, lost in contemplation. A moment later, he cast an indifferent glance at the transparent parasitic insect in the room, which sat so quietly it seemed non-existent, before turning his focus back to his newly learned secret technique: the Soul-Sinking Brain-Manipulating Jutsu.

Poaching talent was something Kato was quite familiar with. Once you do it once, there’s always a second time, and he certainly wouldn't show any mercy when it came to digging into Danzo Shimura's foundation.

Previously, Kato hadn't used the soul-manipulation technique on Aoi, not only because it was difficult to execute, but because controlling him offered little value. Aoi was a subordinate of An, the chief of internal affairs at the Spring Base, and was merely a minor player whose role was to assist Kato while keeping an eye on him.

Kato’s original plan had been to find an opportunity to control An, but having spent so much time with Aoi, he realized the man had a decent temperament. Since he was already in his circle, with a little bait and training, he might eventually rise to a high position within the Root organization.

Kato was suddenly struck by a sense of "valuing talent."

***

In the No. 3 surgical laboratory of the Spring Base, an experiment to "treat" a patient was underway. Kato controlled a soul clone, carefully dodging the fluctuations caused by the patient's soul exploding on the operating table. Watching the soul fragments glinting with a cyan light, Kato smiled with satisfaction.

"Orochimaru, how many surgical experiments are left today? Is the next one in the No. 1 lab?" Kato opened his eyes and asked Orochimaru, who was still busy nearby.

"This is the ninth; it's the last one. Kato-kun, why are you so diligent today? It doesn't seem like your usual style," Orochimaru asked curiously.

"Some bastard must have snitched to Lord Danzo that I often skip work."

"Orochimaru, tell me, I arrive on time every day and never show up late. Is there anyone else in the entire Spring Base as dedicated as I am?"

Kato stood up from the lounge area and walked over to Orochimaru. Orochimaru looked at him, appearing quite serious, and felt a bit speechless. He couldn't help but want to tell the truth. "Heh, Kato-kun certainly never arrives late, but Kato-kun often leaves ear—"

"Orochimaru, was it you who reported me?" Kato cut him off before he could finish, punctuating his question with a light punch to Orochimaru's chest. *Thump.*

Although he knew it wasn't Orochimaru who had ratted him out, Kato pinned the blame on him anyway, successfully accomplishing his goal of "petting the snake lady" for the day.

Orochimaru didn't seem to mind the intimate gesture and continued chatting with Kato while directing the staff to wrap up. He noticed that Kato was in a particularly good mood today; otherwise, he never would have worked so hard.

Orochimaru deliberately switched to a gentle, feminine voice, seductive and alluring. "Kato-kun seems to be in a good mood today. Why not take advantage of it and let me schedule a few more experiments?"

"Orochimaru, if you stop using that perverted voice, we can still be good brothers!"

Kato couldn't stand the perverted, cross-dressing voice Orochimaru used; lately, every time he heard it, unhealthy thoughts would pop into his head. He didn't mind petting the snake lady, but hearing her speak was out of the question—it was too bizarre. Kato realized that hanging around Orochimaru for too long truly made one prone to becoming a deviant.

Hearing the complaint, Orochimaru didn't mind, naturally switching back to his usual hoarse, cold tone. "It wasn't me who reported you. You know me. Are you sure you don't want me to schedule a few more? It’s rare to see you so dedicated."

"Forget it," Kato quickly refused. "I really have important matters today. Lord Danzo has summoned me, and I have to accompany Tsunade to visit the Third Hokage this afternoon."

"Orochimaru, since today's tasks are done, I’ll be heading off."

With that, Kato didn't wait for Orochimaru to try and keep him, instead activating the Body Flicker Jutsu and vanishing from the laboratory.

"Heh, it’s rare to see such a diligent Kato-kun."

Orochimaru looked at the empty operating room and muttered softly, reverting once more to that gentle, feminine voice.