Chapter 57: Tea Sipped, Words Spoken

The last couple weeks have been more hectic than Naruto could've expected upon returning to the Leaf. Too much had happened in his absence to make proper sense of it, especially not when his mind was doing flips to fit his memories in the right place after his clone's memories joined his true ones. Or were they both his true memories? He didn't know how that worked, but at this point it didn't truly matter. As much as he hoped his return to be something as simple as reporting to Kakashi and returning to the routine he had before the mission, Naruto found swiftly that he wouldn't be gifted with such things.

After he was properly rested, meaning a single night of sleep, Naruto had to write his report to Kakashi and then speak it three more times to various porcelain masks that belonged to the Anbu. He wasn't sure when the Anbu began using blank masks along with the animal ones, but that was simply another point that Naruto decided wasn't much of detail to linger on. When the reports were taken care of, Naruto, naturally, thought that everything was done, but then Kakashi pulled him into his office for another matter entirely. Orochimaru, the same man that Tenzo was certain created the monstrosity that they fought, somehow got his hands on Sasuke while he was gone. Now, instead of the same old Team 7, former, that could get together and push themselves in training, they had to be mindful of the seal that was fighting to take over his friend any chance it got. Sasuke now had to live every part of his day trying to fight the influence of a seal he had no say in getting.

"Just like me." He would darkly muse before shaking his mind of the thought. It wouldn't do to dwell on his own or Sasuke's misgivings when it came to the seals that marked them. With Gaara there was a sense of loose camaraderie in their duties to the village, but Sasuke's seal was much more sinister. It was a ploy to snatch his friend from the village to serve a fiend that was as infamous as the man Sasuke wanted to hunt down. There was no overarching duty that sat with Sasuke's burden, only maliciousness. However, with Jiraiya and the legendary Tsunade, who Jiraiya informed him of after their initial meeting in his apartment, Naruto hoped that he and Sasuke would be watched close enough that nothing would come of it.

Those hopeful thoughts shine less brightly every time Naruto had to watch Sasuke bite back the fiery flame-like markings when they would fight to their limits, gasping in pain as his Cursed Mark tried to take over for him. Still, Naruto tried to hope all the same.

The only relief that could be found in Naruto's life in his short time back in the Leaf was his visit with Temari and Kankuro. Though he didn't have much of a chance to let them know that he might be seeing Gaara in his mission out of the village, he made sure that he could tell them all he could of their youngest sibling in his return. With how tame and silence-filled Naruto and Gaara's conversations would be, he expected them to be put out at what he had to tell them. The moment he brought up her younger brother in the main road of the village, Temari practically dragged him back to her apartment where Kankuro was already waiting and cooked him a full meal as they questioned him about every little interaction he had with Gaara. When Naruto had little else to tell, he expected to see disappointment fill Temari's searching green eyes, only for him to be wrapped in an unexpected hug as Kankuro let a hand ruffle his head. It was so unexpected, the show of thanks, that it stunned Naruto to silence. There haven't been many hugs that Naruto had experienced in life, only the occasional one from Lord Third when he was younger, and he was almost bitter about how much he enjoyed it. But that bitterness couldn't last long in the warmth his body felt at the display.

"Thank you. Thank you for helping us get our brother back." He'd heard whispered into his hair, and Naruto made sure that he left the Sand siblings apartment soon after. His heart couldn't take it all, but at the same time he would itch to experience that same feeling again soon after he left the siblings to talk about their return to the Sand Village. Naruto couldn't say exactly what it was, the warmth that he felt when he was pulled into the tight hug that he awkwardly returned, but it made him wish that there was more good news to share. Instead, all he had to give was a half-hearted goodbye as he made to return down the path to his training ground with Tenzo.

Today, however, a few days later with some well-dedicated time put into training and watching his first sensei be officially given the Hokage's hat, there was a whole other task to be seen to. Instead of heading directly to Training Ground 6, Jiraiya met him at his dining room table to tell him that Lord Third requested him to visit the Sarutobi compound. For the first time in he didn't know how long, Naruto was going to be speaking with the old Hokage like they once had before he was a shinobi. This time, though, it was he visiting the Third instead of the other way around. This time it was the Third that was mostly confined to his home and not Naruto. Jiraiya let Naruto know how weakened the old man was, how limited the once great man now was. Not for the first time, Naruto regretted how quick he was to stop speaking to the old man after learning of the Nine-Tails. Not for the first time, Naruto wished to be a boy that easterly waited for the only person that wished to see him once every month. Not for the first time, Naruto wanted to go back to when things were simpler so he could appreciate what he had, despite how little it was. Back when the Third was a god to him, as he was to the entirety of the shinobi world, and not a man inching closer to death in his old age.

Those dour thoughts had to be forced down when Naruto came to the threshold of the Sarutobi compound. It wasn't anything glamorous, or it wouldn't be considered as such to many of the more prominent clans of the Leaf, but Naruto still took the time to admire the sight before him. The gates of the compound were open, giving Naruto a wide berth into the nearly vacant compound under the brown overhang of the entryway. The path in front of his was lined with generous houses on each side, houses that went many blocks down and extended with identical pathings to the right and left of this main road. Each of the residences were fairly similar, with only the smallest of variances to personalize the homes. Bone white walls with lines and bordered by dark chestnut wood that matched the shutters of the windows and broad roofs of each floor. Naruto let his neck stretch in awe as he passed these homes, keeping in mind the Toad Sage's note to keep an eye out for an old man that sat in a wheeled chair on a porch.

Legs carried him down the paths of the quiet compound, paths that were well kept for a clan that was only the carrier of a few more members. Lawns were neat, hedges and trees were maintained, and the compound had none of the eeriness that was carried by the Uchiha clan compound. Though there were almost just as few Sarutobi members, the same horror was clearly not hanging over such a calm space. Naruto couldn't be entirely sure how much time he spent wandering through the compound, but soon he was met with the sight of his old caretaker looking across the length of his lawn with a soft smile with a cup resting on his blanket-covered thighs. The young chunin approached with his best attempt at hiding his own trepidation, his feet carrying him up the few short steps up the porch and bringing him to a stop in the seat that was positioned directly at the Third's side. Only a narrow table separated Naruto's seat from Lord Third's, and atop that table was another cup that had steam gently wafting above it. They were given a perfect view of the peaceful compound and the small wildlife that dabbled within it.

"Beautiful, isn't it, my boy?" The Third asked, his voice raspy and weaker than the last time they spoke, but that wasn't a surprise to Naruto. Despite the baggy robe that he was dressed with or the blanket that covered his legs, Lord Third looked as weak as Jiraiya had described. The fabric freely hung from a skinny, deteriorated body, the gray shades that filled Lord Third's spiked beard and hair was now entirely white, and wrinkled skin hung from the man's face. Still, there was the ever-present warm smile that always seemed to be there for Naruto, even in the state the old man was in.

"Very. I've only ever seen a little of the Uchiha clan through Sasuke, I didn't know what to expect." Naruto replied, allowing himself to pull from inspecting the ailments of the man that invited him here. It was hard not to admire how fine the wood of the porch was, how fine the chair he sat upon was, and how grand the compound was for such a small clan.

"A shadow hangs above that place indeed, for good reason," there was an undertone to Hiruzen's words that he couldn't entirely place, but Lord Third continued before much could be thought of it, "but I did not call you here for topics quite so dour. I had hoped to share words with you over some tea, words that probably should've been said long before I was ever in such a state." Naruto was confused by the lightness in the old man's voice, no matter how harsh the voice itself was. The old Kage spoke like there was no longer any weight on his shoulders even as a man who faced only his own demise. The Third lifted a hand and indicated to the cup between them, offering Naruto to share tea with him. With a hesitant hand, Naruto grabbed the cup on the small table and held it up to his mouth to blow on.

"What do you want to talk about, Lord Third?" Naruto asked before taking a sip of the tea. Thankfully, whether it was due to his wandering of the compound or proper planning by the Hokage, there were no scalding burns to be had when he sipped. As he sipped, Naruto heard a few rasped chuckles from the man next to him,

"None of that, my boy. I am old and passing, call me Hiruzen, old goat, or whatever else you wish. I am no Hokage, not anymore." He explained, given Naruto a glance that carried a glint within it, one that he couldn't quite place but one that brought a smile to his face.

"What do you want to talk about, Grandpa Sarutobi?" Naruto asked with his own lilt in his voice, calling back to a time when Naruto didn't quite understand the title of Hokage and merely called Hiruzen whatever felt right. He was glad to see the satisfaction in the old man's face at the title he gave him, the lightness between them allowing Naruto to settle deeper into the fine chair he sat upon. But, instead of maintaining that lightness, Naruto saw the deepening of the wrinkles on his face as Hiruzeen's face tightened at whatever he was to say.

"I've done many things I regret, Naruto. Many decisions I've made or refrained from making are what still sit with me despite my life being nothing more than enjoying tea on my porch on a quiet morning. I wish I could've had the fortitude to ensure you were given more in your youth, that you could've heard the many truths you deserved to hear come from my mouth before they would've become betrayals, and I wish that my seeing you was more of a surety than stolen evenings once a month. You deserved more, your parents deserved their trust to be treated better, and I can only hope that these words are more of a consolation to you than they are on this old man's soul. The childhood you lost will follow me in my death like many other things, but I hope you can find it to forgive this old man sometime in your life." Hiruzen spoke with an almost frightening calmness. No tears flowed from the man's eyes, but the words that fell from his mouth were more than enough. When Hiruzen finished speaking, Naruto was left in stunned silence as he tried to say something, anything in return. Several minutes passed before Naruto's brain clung to anything.

"You were the only person I had for so long, nothing can change that. To me, you'll always be grandpa." Naruto said simply, not needing to say anything past that. Maybe it was forgiveness that the old man was looking for and this was his opportunity to apologize for what he felt he did wrong or handled poorly. There wouldn't be a statement of forgiveness coming from Naruto, though, because as far as he was concerned there wasn't anything to forgive. There was a time that Naruto felt betrayed by Hiruzen, a time he felt like he was lied to for his only caretaker hiding his own past from him, but as time passed there was less to be upset about. The more Naruto saw, the more he was faced with, the more he realized how petty that anger would be. In truth, even if he wanted to, Naruto couldn't scrounge up enough anger to throw it at the face of the man beside him. All he had outside of his love for the old man was a glimmer of regret for not coming to terms with that much sooner.

The pair fell into silence, both reluctant to break the peace and silence between them as they sipped on their tea. Or, that was probably why the elder didn't speak anymore, Naruto truly didn't know what else there was to say and settled on admiring the view before them. It was weird to Naruto that he could spend so much time within the Leaf, his whole life outside of brief instances for assignments, and there always seemed to be more and more of the village he had yet to see. So, he was content with joining Hiruzen in admiring what he had yet to see as the Sun slowly rose ahead of them in the distance.

"We both understand how short the time I have left is," Hiruzen started once again, breaking their silence after what could have been nearly half an hour, "and there is no question that I will be missing more of your life than I have seen. I have hopes, high hopes, that your life isn't one that is only left for others to decide, Naruto. Duty is a strong motivator and it is at the core of this life, but this old man selfishly wished for you to see beyond that. You deserve to strive for something that makes you happy, my boy. Truly happy. Danzo, a man you're acquainted with, is a man of pure duty and dedication and there isn't a day that I've seen my old friend truly happy. Despite who you are, I don't wish that for you, Naruto. This old man's advice, if there's anything you want to take from our time together, is that you find what it is that makes you happy and fight everyday for the chance to give all of this shinobi business up for that happiness." Naruto stared intently at Hiruzen even though the older man kept his gaze on seemingly nothing particular in the distance. The words stopped for a few short seconds while tea was drunk smoothly and then the elder's eyes fell to his own. "Many fantastical things will be told about my life, Naruto, but very little of it is glorious or deserving of such things. My life isn't one that should be emulated by those who seek comfort when looking back at their own journeys. With any luck, you'll be spared from what I speak of."

That was the last that was said between them. The rest of their morning together was in contented silence as Naruto tried to pry out the meanings within the man's words. Hiruzen wasn't the first to say something similar, albeit he was the first that said so with so much wisdom in the words, but still Naruto was stunned by Hiruzen's outlook. How could the God of Shinobi look back at his life so poorly? It was a hard truth to sit with. It was a hard truth shared by another, and neither of which Naruto knew what to do with. What was it that made him happy? That wasn't a question that he could answer at the drop of a hat. He likes spending time with what used to be Team 7; Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi were always good for Naruto to find comfort in no matter what they did together. Training kept Naruto's mind off of the things that plagued him, but that wasn't happiness he found when Tenzo was thrashing him across a field. The sight of his parents snuggled together as they leaned against a couch in a picture that accounted for all he knew about them brought him peace, maybe even a mixture of sadness and happiness as he looked upon it. But what could a happy life be for him? All he was told to focus on when he thought of the future was his duties to the Leaf and that left a big gaping hole where all else was considered.

Naruto tilted his head back and emptied the cup of tea that Hiruzen had waiting for him, but the warm liquid held no answers for him as it ran down his throat. All the same questions went unanswered and all the scenarios he tried to picture were just as blurred, but one thing came to mind in brief flashes. Once again, a warm feeling emanated from within his chest and once again he had no clues as to what it could've meant.

Hiruzen, though, merely passed Naruto a knowing glance through the boy's internal struggles, knowing full well that his words had the effect he hoped to have on the boy.


It was hard to always stay ahead of the world that was constantly changing. In fact, some might even call such a hope impossible. Danzo, though, crafted his entire legacy on his ability to do just that. Was he infallible? No, he was not gifted with the cruel ability of blinding confidence. But that didn't mean he wasn't proficient at anticipating the happenings of the world around him and establishing contingencies for what may or may not come around this corner or out of those shadows in the world of hidden threats. In order to stay in constant awareness of such things, however, required attentiveness at any point at all times, something he's been extremely deprived of in the recent weeks.

Since the Akatsuki made such an aggressive move just outside the walls of the Leaf, both Danzo and the Hokage's seat have been entirely blind to the happenings outside the Land of Fire. All the available eyes and ears spread through the continent were pulled back to take survey of their own lands, desperate in not remaining cocky in their control of their country. Now though, despite the justified procedure they followed, their movements seemed like an entire waste of resources and an utter loss of opportunity that their enemies have taken full advantage of. Not only have they failed in apprehending threats that were known to meander through the Land of Fire, threats that were admittedly very skilled at espionage, but according to reports of recent assets that have returned reports of various movements, the Leaf was behind the world around them.

The Stone Village had its shinobi occupying the Land of Claws as they entered a form of alliance with the Rain that was understood to be occupied by the Akatsuki. There was no other product of such a union that didn't involve a declaration of war on the Leaf and they couldn't make any move to counteract the alliance already in place. No defenses could be mustered until more intel could be provided of the Stone's movements and the Rain's response to this alliance. All the while, it is clear to Danzo now that Itachi had fully abandoned whatever pact it was they were understood to have, and that alone was enough to unsettle Danzo. The deceit they wrote and the web they spun was ironclad and any truths that broke through would be damning in ways they couldn't imagine. It took many rebuffed considerations in Danzo's own meditations to prevent his own hasty stomping into the Hokage's Office to reveal the truth to Kakashi. Many halting breaths needed to be made to not reach out with threats that could only stir Itachi's anger into an ill-advised response.

He had to, more than once, keep himself from threatening the last Uchiha they had in their grasp. What was one more? If it brought back such an important piece, why wouldn't he? But alas, those thoughts were of an angry mind and of hot blood. There would be another ploy to make, especially with how things were now.

On top of what was happening around the Leaf, it seemed that a pesky snake had taken advantage of their eyes elsewhere. Sasuke Uchiha was marked by a seal that surely meant nothing grand for their village, and though Kakashi was adamantly against the consideration, Danzo still saw the boy's removal as a very real possibility, lest they wish for Orochimaru to become more of a threat than he already was. Though, now that his musings were dancing together, perhaps there was something that could be done to position their enemies across from each other. A dangerous glint was caught in Danzo's eye from behind his desk as he sat alone in the only substantial light that flooded his ROOT's base from the sunlight that poured through the hole to the surface above him.

Danzo opened a drawer that sat hidden under the desk top, revealing a small scroll, a brush, and a small container of ink. The words he wrote were short and simple, only enough for the bare bones of his orders to be understood before he returned the brush and ink to their rightful places. The old man grabbed the cane that leaned against his desk to his right and clacked it once on the hard floor beneath it, letting a single sharp sound reverberate down the long hall that filtered into the barracks of his operatives. Within seconds one of the many blank faces that he was in charge of knelt just in front of his desk. Danzo spoke no words, only tossing his scroll to the operative and the figure disappeared just as silently as it came. To some, the words he wrote and the order he passed was tantamount to treason. To some, he just damned the Hidden Leaf Village to another loss and tragedy. Danzo would only call those "some" as blind fools that were too shallow to use their two eyes to share the foresight he had with only "one".

After his order was sent, Danzo stood from his desk and removed himself from his office. Despite the position he's built for himself, a position that could nearly match that of the Hokage's seat itself, Danzo was still subordinate to the village and its leader. So, when he was called for a meeting, no matter how severely he dreaded it, Danzo would answer the call dutifully. He and his cane clacked through the labyrinthian tunnels that spread throughout the Leaf like the root system of a great tree until he surfaced in the office of his tea shop. The latch that held the hidden door in the floor of the shop's office closed was released with the thump of his cane at the proper spot in the trap door, opening the underground tunnel to reveal two faces that weren't supposed to be there.

In the office of his tea shop, the men he was supposed to be meeting in the Hokage's Office were sitting at his table and helping themselves to his tea as they watched him climb the stairs into his office. Kakashi looked rather uncaring as he sipped his tea through the mask that covered most of his face, a stark contrast to the irritatingly snide grin that spread across Jiraiya's face as if he had caught Danzo in something scandalous. Danzo was forced to repulse a scoff from flowing out of his throat as he took a seat across from the men in front of a steaming cup of tea for himself.

"Apologies, Hokage, but I thought we were to speak in your office." He said after blowing a calm swathe of air over the surface of his tea. Danzo took a sip of his drink, only a small one as he peered over the rim of the cup at the two men across from him. Jiraiya looked as he always did, dressing in a way that represents that mountain of toads more so than his own village, but Kakashi's attire was distinctly shifted. Granted, the traditional fatigues for a jounin was still visible, but laying atop those clothes was the evidence of his place within the village. Unlike Hiruzen, Kakashi didn't entertain the full set of formal robes that would pour over his form with thick fabric and instead settled for a much lighter alternative. The best description one could place on the new Hokage clothing was a sleeved cloak that sat loosely off of Kakashi's form. His sleeves were loose enough that they fell to his elbows with his arms raised to prop his tea near his mouth, tan fabric fell down far enough to scrape the back of his calves, and on the back of the cloak, hidden from Danzo at this moment, was the characters of "Fifth Hokage" splayed vertically down his spine. It was a sentimental choice for the man, an attempt to honor both the Third and Fourth Hokages' variations of the clothing and an attempt that fell flat with Danzo. It mattered not what a leader looked like so long as they portrayed themselves as a leader first and foremost.

"Yes, initially that was the plan, but my schedule was much the same as Jiraiya's, completely clear for the time being, and so we thought it best to meet you here instead. There is much to talk about." Kakashi's tone was light and airy, as it often was when he wasn't immediately faced with a task, but when the Kage set his tea upon the table his eye hardened into the seriousness needed of their leader. Both Jiraiya and Danzo followed Kakashi's movements unprompted, setting their tea down on the table before them as well. "I trust that you've heard from your ROOT members by now. Enough time has passed for reports to begin flowing."

"They have, Lord Hokage," Danzo started, straightening his posture more than it was as he began to run through the information across the continent, "I have been able to confirm the movements described by our teams sent to catch a glimpse of Stone. They have fully infiltrated the Land of Claws to allow a direct connection to the Land of Wind and us, should they be in a true alliance with Rain. The Rain Village is as silent as ever, though fortunately that silence means that we don't have to expect an attack anytime soon. What words are there elsewhere?" He finished his report hoping that Kakashi was willing to share with him as he had. It was apparent already that Kakashi was going to be shrewder with his information with Danzo than Hiruzen was. All he was told was to send forces to the Land of Claws and Rain first, and that Kakashi was to handle news from the east, however that could very well mean that the Fifth Hokage had no intentions to share anything with him.

"If you're asking about the Mist and Cloud, it remains unchanged. Ai has yet to make a move toward the islands of the Land of Water so I will not do anything else but listen and wait." More than he expected so Danzo would have to settle with what was given. The passiveness Kakashi was showing with the Mist's civil war and the Cloud Village's clear intentions to attack made him worry that he would be dealing with another passive Kage. In their youth, Hiruzen was a man that sought to establish himself just as Danzo had, but in his second stint wearing the hat, the Third Hokage was riddled with indecision and passivism. They could not risk such a stance as they were. Weakness would beget sure destruction.

"Lord Hokage, would it not be best to send forces to the Mist now before Ai decided to charge and paint a target on our shores. If the Stone and Rain attack from the northwest, Orochimaru sits at our northeast, and we will be too thin to rebuff an invasion from the east. Move now and maybe we can stop this before it starts." He would've dove further, making the case that they cannot trust the sand dwellers to have their backs if they cannot care for their own home, but he was stopped by the raised hand of Kakashi.

"Trust me when I say that I do not take the Raikage lightly, Danzo. If we engage before them, who's to stop Ai from pulling away from the Mist to assault us by land by themselves. Like you said, we are spread too thin by threats, so let's not commit anywhere that we don't need to." A weak man's argument, in Danzo's opinion, but the logic was there. No matter how against it he was, Danzo would follow along. So long as the Leaf could still thrive, he would obey. Danzo nodded at Kakashi, allowing his leader to see his compliance before Kakashi spoke up again. "Now, Jiraiya, please share any news you have of Sasuke's seal. I've allowed enough time for you to investigate as much as you needed to, now I need something significant."

Danzo was just as interested as Kakashi was to hear Jiraiya's input. An oaf he was, but a master of seals should always be respected when it came to such topics. He himself had a working understanding of complex sealing, he's made those skills handy when ensuring obedience of his operatives, but Danzo wasn't too prideful to admit when another was better. Jiraiya was undoubtedly better.

"It's a thing of beauty, that seal, for how cruel it is. Orochimaru didn't halfass it and he made sure that only he could have any dominion over it. The seal itself intercedes the host's chakra system like a parasite, destabilizes the natural balance of chakra of the shinobi, and then inserts its own source of chakra in such a way that it alters the host in whatever way Orochimaru wishes it. Like my sage training, the seal accumulates small amounts of nature chakra to power up the host while the seal is utilized to make an almost intoxicating amount of power within reach, but when the seal isn't directly used the host's chakra system is slowed and unbalanced to make the user desperate for its activation. There's no telling what else it could be doing to the boy, what mental games Orochimaru is playing, but we need to consider the real possibility that the Uchiha does something, and whatever he does won't be good."

The room fell silent at Jiraiya's admission of his findings, fully understanding the implications that went along with such statements. Danzo kept his silence but for a reason that wasn't exactly adjacent to whatever the Hokage was feeling through his conflicted gaze. What Danzo felt was a slim sense of justification for the order he just sent throughout his operatives, justification that his note will be needed and will level the playing field that was so heavily stacked against the Leaf. Kakashi, on the other hand, was clearly affected by the news that was presented. The man didn't wish to see, speak, or think ill of his student, but such a privilege wasn't one he was gifted with. Hopefully, with every bone of his body, Kakashi Hatake wouldn't follow the foolishness of his predecessor. Danzo couldn't allow another Orochimaru to break through their grasp and wreck terror on their village. He wouldn't have it.

Who was he kidding? The boy was handled. If Danzo had his way, Orochimaru, Sasuke, and Itachi were all handled in one fell swoop. So long as he facilitated it properly, the Leaf would be removed of three threats before their arms could reach their borders.


When he felt it, he thought it to be his imagination. It was subtle. Something minute tickled at the edge of his mind, but it was something that he was used to over the many years of feeling such a distinct sensation. The range of such things made him wish that he could've been able to truly apply the use of Nature's chakra in his wholly unnatural body. Men weren't allowed to have it all though, and for now that rule applied to him too. For now, Orochimaru would have to settle for the tickling he would get from his Cursed Marks that gave him a glimpse of such utility.

Orochimaru felt all too deeply how close Sasuke Uchiha was to being in his grasp and there was almost a need for celebration at the ease that it came with. His mark marred the boy's skin for only a handful of short weeks and the Snake Sannin could feel the instability that raged within the young Uchiha, he enjoyed the sight of his minor manipulations finding a place deep within the boy's mind, and he knew that the dangling of his soon-to-be greatest asset was growing closer as the days passed by. It brought Orochimaru so much contentment that it was hard for him to continue the duties as a fine leader should.

In the same compound that he brought his precious Kimmimaro, Orochimaru sat upon a grand stone throne that looked to be carved from the walls of the base itself. Around him were torches that lit the room enough for those with adjusted eyes to see quite clearly and in front of him were his subjects bringing questions and requests to his attention. It was like he ran his own court within a land that already had a daimyo, a daimyo that bowed to him already. The thrill of ruling a "village" of his own creation was a small one compared to being within arm's reach of a sought after goal that was years in the making.

He leaned his head to the right, keeping his eyes on the man that spoke whatever nonsense he went one about as he addressed his lieutenant that stood right next to his seat. "Kabuto, could you be a dear and assemble the Sound Four. It is too early for Kimmimaro, but the rest are to pack their things. They'll be needed for an escort of the utmost importance."

"Of course, Lord Orochimaru." Kabuto replied without a second thought, bowing to him shallowly with that cocky smirk of his. He was a bright boy, a talented boy, but hopefully he is one that will not be needed for long. With how long their reach was, he was bound to find a shinobi as talented as he without the conniving streak that made Orochimaru unsettled. Granted, that was a hypocritical thought coming from him, but even a snake knows not to trust snakes. He would not be so stupid as to trust a boy that was so spectacular at espionage. Nothing good would come from it, so as soon as a replacement could be met it would have to be done.

For now, Orochimaru was forced to work with what he had. It was difficult to pick out the things that weren't falling as they should. Many of his experiments were seeing promising results, the leader of his soon re-established Sound Five was on the mend, and his prize was in his grasp. Even the side project he sent to run amuck in the west was a success. Taking a pure Rasengan to the back and breathing after was no small accomplishment and it made for a grand list of possibilities when it was time for the Sound to establish itself in the Elemental Nations.

Time. It was all a matter of time before he finally grasped all he's ever wanted. Everything. He would be the master of everything and everyone and only a few more years of patience was all that was needed. A loud, echoing laugh escaped from his throat, interrupting the begging voices of those below him harshly and without care. Orochimaru stood from his throne and left the rest to those capable, right now he cared little for propriety. Now was the time for celebration.


The pieces are set, now it is time watch watch them all fall into place. Next update will see the next change in the field followed closely by a lot of change and a lot of shifts. I mean, I think what is happening is pretty clear, but still, I think I got to it in a way different enough to suffice. Another one of those that has to happen despite the change in the story itself.