Chapter 21
The python took the contract scroll, and with a puff of white smoke, disappeared from Orochimaru's room.
Orochimaru looked down at the snake skin in his hand, murmuring to himself, "I felt the aura of this white snake skin, and couldn't resist coming up from the basement? How fascinating… Could this snake skin have belonged to the White Snake Sage?"
The White Snake Sage, ruler of Ryūchi Cave, was one of the three legendary sages, alongside the Slug Sage and Toad Sage. The snake skin in Orochimaru's possession exuded a unique aura, one that could only be associated with a creature as powerful as the White Snake Sage.
But as far as Orochimaru remembered, the White Snake Sage was enormous far beyond the size of the snake skin he held in his hands. The pieces didn't seem to fit together.
"Forget it," Orochimaru shook his head, dismissing the thought. "I can't access Ryūchi Cave now anyway. Thinking too much won't lead to answers."
With no clear direction to investigate the mystery, Orochimaru decided to shelve the matter for now. After all, Ryūchi Cave was a sacred and hidden place accessible only to those who knew its location. Unlike the toads of Mount Myoboku, the snakes of Ryūchi Cave couldn't use reverse summoning techniques to bring others to their domain.
In the end, Orochimaru knew that if he wanted answers, he would have to find Ryūchi Cave himself someday. For now, he could only wait and focus on his current goals.
His next issue was the Kusanagi Sword, which he had recently acquired.
While he wasn't particularly skilled in swordsmanship, Orochimaru recognized the sword's immense value as a weapon. He had obtained it and didn't intend to just hand it over to someone else for free.
However, a new problem arose: where to store it?
The idea of storing it inside his body, like the original Orochimaru did, crossed his mind. But he quickly dismissed the thought keeping a sword inside his body felt both unsightly and unnecessary at this point in time. The Kusanagi Sword wasn't as critical to him now as it might have been later in his life.
Sealing it in a scroll was an option. But scrolls were external objects if lost, the Kusanagi Sword would be lost too. This was clearly not an ideal solution.
Then, he considered placing it in the system warehouse.
This option seemed promising. However, it had one drawback: when retrieving objects from the system, the process involved a spatial fluctuation something akin to the space-time ninjutsu used by Uchiha Obito, not the white smoke seen with conventional space scrolls.
While the spatial principle was intriguing, using such a technique at his current age might draw unwanted attention. People might become suspicious if a six-year-old was suddenly able to access another dimension.
Orochimaru pondered for a moment before coming to a conclusion.
"It doesn't matter. I don't need to use the Kusanagi Sword often, so where I store it isn't important for now."
With that decision made, Orochimaru waved his hand. A ripple in space occurred, and the Kusanagi Sword disappeared into the system warehouse.
--
After securing the summoning technique contract and the Kusanagi Sword, Orochimaru felt much better. His mood improved, as he now possessed tools for future growth.
He knew that all three sacred lands Mount Myoboku, Shikkotsu Forest, and Ryūchi Cave taught senjutsu (sage techniques). Senjutsu was essential for dealing with the Ōtsutsuki clan in the later stages of life.
In the original series, Orochimaru's body was too damaged from his numerous experiments, and his repeated body-swapping through Living Corpse Reincarnation caused rejection between his soul and his physical form. This made it impossible for him to learn senjutsu, leaving him dependent on absorbing senjutsu chakra from Kabuto.
But now, everything was different.
This younger version of Orochimaru still had plenty of potential. His body was untainted by the severe side effects of his future experiments, and he was filled with endless possibilities.
He had big plans, plans to surpass even the Orochimaru of the original timeline.
--
The next morning, Orochimaru headed to the training grounds, continuing his usual routine. But before he even arrived, he could already hear a familiar voice bickering in the distance.
"I'm telling you, Orochimaru doesn't know how to summon anything! You didn't believe me yesterday, so do you believe me now? I asked him myself, and he said it!"
"How can that be? Even you, an idiot, can summon! There's no way Orochimaru can't!" Tsunade's voice retorted, disbelief clear in her tone.
"Idiot…? Did you just call me an idiot, you flat-chested washboard!?" Jiraiya shot back, clearly offended.
"Flat chest!? Say that again if you dare!" Tsunade's face contorted with fury as veins bulged on her forehead. Her fist clenched tightly, her anger bubbling over.
Jiraiya wasn't backing down. "Yeah, you heard me! You're just a flat-chested, un-feminine"
"YOU'RE DEAD!"
Bang!
Tsunade's punch shot out like a missile, but Jiraiya was already prepared this time and dodged it, grinning as he taunted her.
"Did you really think you could hit me again? You blockhead! Nyah-nyah!" Jiraiya made faces as he sprinted away, trying to stay one step ahead of Tsunade's wrath.
Seeing that she couldn't catch him, Tsunade kept up her chase, clearly frustrated.
But then…
"Oh, Orochimaru?"
Tsunade's eyes landed on Orochimaru, who had just arrived at the training grounds. She came to a halt, surprise evident on her face.
"Orochimaru! You're here! Tell her, you can't summon anything, right?" Jiraiya ran up to Orochimaru like a man pleading for backup.
Tsunade, now equally interested, turned her gaze to Orochimaru. She, too, was curious about the answer.
Orochimaru remained calm. "I can."
"Hahaha, Tsunade, you heard it—wait… what?" Jiraiya's triumphant smile faltered as his brain caught up to what Orochimaru had just said. "You can?"
"But… but that's not what you said yesterday!" Jiraiya exclaimed, feeling as though he'd just been played.
Orochimaru glanced at him. "I couldn't summon anything yesterday. But today I can."
"What…?" Jiraiya and Tsunade stared at him, stunned. Learning to summon creatures overnight? What was going on?
Ignoring their bewilderment, Orochimaru looked around. "Where's Hiruzen-sensei?"
"Oh, Hiruzen-sensei isn't coming today," Jiraiya replied, finally snapping out of his shock. "He told us to wait for you and then head to the Konoha Hospital to help out."
"The hospital?" Orochimaru paused, his mind racing as a thought came to him. "I see. Let's go, then."
Without waiting for the others, he turned and began walking toward the Konoha Hospital, his mind already planning his next steps.
The hospital… A perfect place to obtain blood samples from various ninjas.
"Hey, Orochimaru! Wait for us!" Tsunade called after him.
"Man, this guy really doesn't understand teamwork, does he?" Jiraiya grumbled as he hurried to catch up.
Chapter 22
Konoha Hospital!
Hiruzen was there, busy helping out, given the influx of injured ninjas.
"Bed 11 needs another blood transfusion!" a medic shouted.
"This wound is deep and almost infected. Didn't you disinfect it while on the front lines?" another nurse asked, her tone full of concern.
"We tried, but the medical facilities on the front lines are limited!" replied the injured ninja, grimacing in pain.
At that moment, Hiruzen noticed Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya entering the hospital and quickly stood up to greet them.
"Ah, you're here! Come on, help out! You're not skilled enough to handle advanced treatments, so just focus on bandaging for now!"
He turned to a young woman wearing a white coat with a brown ponytail tied neatly behind her back. "Biwa, have the three of them help with the bandaging."
The woman, none other than Biwako Sarutobi, Hiruzen's wife looked up and replied, "Got it! There's plenty of bandaging work, so I'll have them assist the nurses."
At this point, Biwako was only in her twenties and already dedicated to her work as a medic-nin.
Orochimaru took a quick glance around the hospital. The number of injured people today was staggering far more than he had ever seen on his previous visits.
"Why are there so many wounded?" Orochimaru asked, clearly puzzled by the overcrowded state of the hospital.
Hiruzen smiled slightly, though there was a trace of sadness in his eyes. "You're quite observant, Orochimaru. Well, it's no secret now, so I'll tell you. The fighting on the front lines has eased, and we've managed to transport some of the more seriously injured soldiers back to the village for proper treatment."
"Ah, I see," Orochimaru nodded in understanding.
The sheer number of wounded was indeed the consequence of the ongoing war. The injured were being brought back from the front lines, those who had narrowly escaped death but still bore the marks of battle.
"This is war..." Jiraiya muttered, looking at the injured shinobi with a pained expression. "It's awful..."
Tsunade, standing beside him, wore a similarly somber look as she observed the wounded.
For Orochimaru, however, the sight didn't evoke the much emotional reaction. He had mentally prepared himself for this, knowing full well the harsh reality of war. While he helped with the bandaging, he couldn't help but covertly scan the hospital for something else his prey.
It wasn't long before Orochimaru's eyes locked onto the hospital's blood storage room.
Given how chaotic the hospital was today, no one would notice if he slipped in for a moment...
--
That night, after a long day of helping at the hospital, Orochimaru returned home. He was exhausted but far too eager to rest just yet. On his desk were more than a dozen small syringes lined up neatly, each containing a small amount of red liquid blood samples Orochimaru had carefully extracted from the hospital's blood storage room.
Despite his fatigue, he immediately began his testing. After everything he had learned so far, his interest in genetic research had only deepened. How could he possibly rest when such invaluable samples were at his disposal?
Ding! It has been detected that this sample contains water attribute energy. Fusion will grant the power of water.
Orochimaru's lips curled into a satisfied smile. "As expected. Blood is the best genetic sample."
He knew the results being detected reflected the chakra attributes of the blood donors. Previously, when he had tested Tsunade's hair, the system had only extracted a small amount of life energy. But now, with blood samples, he could unlock the chakra nature of other ninjas.
Tsunade herself had chakra with four different attributes: Water, Fire, Lightning, and Earth. This difference between the energy extracted from her hair and blood made it clear to Orochimaru just how much more potential lay in the use of blood for genetic analysis.
The tests continued.
Ding! This sample contains two chakra attributes: Fire and Lightning. Fusion will grant the power of Fire and Lightning.
Ding! This sample contains the Wind attribute...
One blood sample after another, each providing Orochimaru with valuable data. Some contained only a single attribute, while others had two or even three.
Then suddenly
Ding! A special human gene sample has been detected. Fusion can grant the genetic traits of this sample.
"Special genes?" Orochimaru's eyes narrowed in curiosity. "System, check the details!"
Holding the syringe with the special blood sample in hand, Orochimaru's heart began to race as he awaited the analysis.
Host, please wait. The system is analyzing the sample... Analysis complete. The gene belongs to the Uchiha clan. Fusion with this gene will grant the traits of the Uchiha, including the potential to awaken the Sharingan.
"The Uchiha clan?" Orochimaru murmured, his golden eyes gleaming with excitement.
When he had tested Tsunade's cells earlier, the system had only granted him a small portion of life energy, nothing particularly noteworthy. But now, this blood sample from the Uchiha clan promised something entirely different the ability to inherit the traits of the Uchiha, possibly even the Sharingan.
But why the difference? Why had Tsunade's hair yielded only a small amount of life energy, while this Uchiha blood sample promised the potential for far more powerful abilities?
"Senju and Uchiha are supposed to be genetically equal. So why did Tsunade's sample result in such a minor gain, while the Uchiha sample offers something far greater? Is it simply the difference between hair and blood?"
No. The reason lies in the activation of genetic traits. Tsunade has not awakened the Sage Body, which is why you cannot gain that ability from her genes. However, the owner of this Uchiha blood has awakened the Sharingan, which is why you can gain the power of the Uchiha through fusion.
As the system explained, Orochimaru quickly grasped the concept.
It wasn't just about having the right genes; it was about whether those genes had been activated. Tsunade had the potential for the Sage Body, but since she hadn't awakened that ability, it wasn't available for extraction. On the other hand, the Uchiha donor had already awakened the Sharingan, which meant that power was ripe for the taking.
Orochimaru's knowledge of genetics and biology had grown immensely, and he understood that transplanting cells often resulted in rejection. But what made the Uchiha clan so special? Of course, it was the Sharingan that dazzling, coveted dojutsu that many sought after but few could wield properly.
The spiritual energy within the Sharingan was so potent that most people couldn't handle it. Only those with Uchiha blood could fully control the power of the Sharingan. Those like Kakashi, who had a transplanted Sharingan, couldn't activate or deactivate it at will.
But now... If Orochimaru could successfully fuse this Uchiha gene into himself, he would not just transplant the Sharingan he would awaken it as if he were born with Uchiha blood.
Seven days later, the gene extraction task was complete, and the system had unlocked new data: the gene fusion process, as well as something called gene fusion fluid.
With this new information, Orochimaru's suspicions were confirmed: he could now fuse the genes of others and gain their powers.
This process was far more advanced than the crude cell transplants seen in the original series. It wasn't just about inserting cells from one person into another's body. It was about true fusion extracting the genetic material of one individual, processing it, and then merging it with another person's genetic code using the gene fusion fluid.
In other words, Orochimaru could now combine the traits of two different beings into one.
If he mastered this technique, he could gain the power of anyone's bloodline.
He could fuse Uchiha genes to awaken the Sharingan.
He could fuse Hyuga genes to awaken the Byakugan.
He could even fuse the genes of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, to awaken the Sage Body.
Yes, awaken not merely transplant. This was the key difference. By using gene fusion, he could naturally awaken the powers of other bloodlines within his own body.
"Gene fusion fluid can perfectly merge two different sets of genes?" Orochimaru mused, his grin widening. "Haha... So, if I truly master this technique, I could give anyone the Sharingan. I could give anyone the Wood Release. I could even extract the chakra of Asura and Indra and cultivate my own Rinnegan."
Chapter 23
The next task for Orochimaru was the creation of the gene fusion fluid, a scientific breakthrough that would bring him 8,000 technology points upon completion.
But as Orochimaru glanced over the technology points he had accumulated, he realized that they held little immediate value for him. Most of the items he could purchase with them were auxiliary tools useful, but not essential at this point in time. His focus had shifted entirely toward his current project.
The subsequent unlocked technology, the gene repair fluid, didn't hold much appeal either, at least for now. The gene repair fluid could supposedly repair any severely damaged genes or cells, but Orochimaru's attention was focused on something else the gene fusion fluid.
With his priorities set, the next few months for Orochimaru were simple: a strict routine of research and missions. His days revolved around two main activities completing the missions assigned by Hiruzen, and then immediately returning home to immerse himself in genetic experiments. Everything else happening in the world seemed irrelevant to him.
The First Ninja World War was still raging, but as a genin, Orochimaru remained largely untouched by the direct consequences of the conflict. He felt no urgency, especially since the war was nearing its conclusion and Konoha had ample fighters at the ready. If the war had been more desperate, even genin like him would have been forced into the Chunin exams and sent to the battlefield. But for now, Orochimaru had time. Time to train, time to study, and time to pursue his scientific goals without distraction.
And so, two years passed in the blink of an eye.
By the end of Konoha Year 18, Orochimaru was eight years old.
His home had transformed into a veritable laboratory, filled with a wide variety of animal and plant specimens. He smiled with satisfaction as he surveyed the rows of bottles and jars filled with preserved snakes, insects, rats, ants, birds, and other creatures. His experiments had yielded significant progress, and his house now resembled a full-fledged research facility, albeit a small one.
In these two years, with the assistance of the system, Orochimaru had evolved into a genuine genetics expert.
He had developed basic gene enhancement serums, gene repair fluids, gene extraction, and, most importantly, gene fusion fluids. His understanding of genetics now far surpassed anything this world had ever seen.
Weapon technology had also been unlocked early in the process, but developing weapons required much larger equipment and access to rare minerals. With his current limited resources, there was no way for him to delve into weaponry. So, for the past two years, Orochimaru had dedicated himself entirely to genetic research.
As Orochimaru studied genetics further, he had learned a crucial lesson something he had once believed, based on human fantasy, was a myth. For example, he had once thought that simply transplanting ant genes into a human would grant that person hundreds of times the strength of an ant. But in reality, the strength of ants was due to their unique body structure, where bones encased their muscles in a way that allowed for tremendous proportional strength. This had nothing to do with genetics. Human and ant body structures were fundamentally different, and ant genes couldn't be utilized in the way he had once imagined.
Moreover, Orochimaru had learned that while the gene enhancement serum was incredibly potent upon first use, its effects diminished with each subsequent dose. Even improving quality of the basic genetic enhancement serum to higher levels would only result in marginal improvements nothing that could compare to the natural strength and resilience of a Senju clan member's cells.
As he reviewed his stockpile of genetic drugs in the system warehouse, Orochimaru frowned slightly.
"It seems... it's time to strike a deal with Konoha."
For a while now, Orochimaru had been working on the gene fusion fluid, but his research had hit a bottleneck due to insufficient blood samples. After nearly a year and a half of trial and error, he had finally succeeded in developing the first gene fusion fluid. Yet, even that was not enough to propel his research forward. He needed more inspiration, more samples.
After completing the fusion fluid, he unlocked the gene repair fluid, followed by the intermediate gene enhancement serum. These two projects were relatively simple, extensions of his earlier research. It had taken him only four or five months to finish both. Orochimaru believed that with his newfound experience, recreating the gene fusion fluid would now take him no more than a few days.
Scientific research was difficult, but once you crossed a certain threshold and had enough knowledge, it became easier to achieve breakthroughs with minimal effort. That was Orochimaru's current reality. If not for the help of the system, even he wouldn't have been able to make such immense progress in just over two years.
But just as he immersed himself in his thoughts, a rapid knock sounded at his door.
"Orochimaru! Orochimaru!" the voice called urgently.
Orochimaru sighed, walking to the door. He opened it to find Jiraiya standing outside, his usual hyperactive energy practically radiating off him.
"Why are you yelling?" Orochimaru asked, slightly irritated.
"I challenge you! Come on, let's go to the training ground!" Jiraiya pointed enthusiastically in the direction of the training ground. Without waiting for Orochimaru's response, Jiraiya grabbed him by the arm, trying to pull him along.
"Challenge?" Orochimaru raised an eyebrow and smoothly pulled his hand out of Jiraiya's grip. "No."
Over the past two years, Hiruzen had arranged for numerous sparring sessions between Orochimaru and Jiraiya. Each time, Jiraiya had been utterly outmatched, failing to land even a single decisive blow on Orochimaru. As a result, Orochimaru had grown tired of these one-sided fights. After all, continually beating an opponent who couldn't challenge him was boring.
"Hey, hey! I learned a new move this time! I can definitely beat you now!" Jiraiya said with a mischievous grin, clearly excited by the idea. "And once I defeat you, Tsunade will have to become my girlfriend! Just thinking about it gets me all fired up!"
"Keep dreaming," Orochimaru replied flatly, pouring cold water on Jiraiya's fantasy. "Even if you win, Tsunade still won't be interested in you."
Orochimaru wasn't just speaking from memory. After spending so much time with Jiraiya and Tsunade, he had come to understand Tsunade's taste in men.
Tsunade's two main criteria for a partner were simple: strength and looks.
As the princess of the Senju clan, it was only natural that Tsunade would have high standards. She herself possessed immense strength, and while her beauty was undeniable, she had every right to be selective.
Jiraiya? He had decent strength, but his looks... well, they left a lot to be desired.
"Strength alone isn't enough, Jiraiya. Even if you manage to improve, that face of yours isn't going to win her over," Orochimaru said with a hint of amusement.
Jiraiya frowned, his confidence deflating for a moment before his usual bravado returned. "Tch, what do you know? Just wait and see. I'll get her to notice me, no matter what!"
Orochimaru sighed inwardly. He knew how determined Jiraiya could be, but he also knew that some things weren't going to change no matter how hard Jiraiya tried.
Chapter 24
Orochimaru's sharp words hit Jiraiya hard, but Jiraiya was notoriously thick-skinned. He wasn't going to let Orochimaru's comments knock him down so easily.
"How do you know it's impossible if you don't try? I believe that if I persist, I'll be able to win her over one day!" Jiraiya said, his voice filled with stubborn optimism. Then, he quickly changed the subject. "So, are we going to fight or not?"
Orochimaru didn't hesitate for even a second. "Not interested."
His refusal was blunt and definitive. Orochimaru had more important things to do he had no time to waste on Jiraiya's silly challenges. His days were filled with experiments and advancing his knowledge, not indulging Jiraiya's fantasies.
Jiraiya looked deflated. He had trained for days, hoping to test out his new techniques, but here was Orochimaru, shutting him down with zero interest. It felt like throwing a punch into cotton no resistance, no impact. Just utterly frustrating.
"You..."
Just as Jiraiya was about to argue further, something caught his eye. His gaze wandered toward Orochimaru's open door, and his expression quickly changed to one of curiosity.
"Hey, Orochimaru... what's going on in your house?"
Jiraiya's attention was completely diverted now. He noticed the various glass jars, test tubes, and other experimental equipment scattered around the room.
"Whoa... what are all these? Seriously, what are you doing in here?"
This wasn't the first time Jiraiya had been to Orochimaru's house, but he'd never really been inside before, nor had he seen what Orochimaru was up to. Usually, Orochimaru kept the door shut tight and ensured no one could peek in. But this time, perhaps by accident, or maybe just because Orochimaru was no longer trying to hide it, the door was open, revealing what looked like a laboratory inside.
Though all the advanced scientific equipment provided by the system was neatly stored away, the standard Konoha-grade tools and supplies were enough to leave Jiraiya stunned. Bottles filled with strange liquids, jars containing mysterious specimens, and piles of books were neatly arranged around the room.
Jiraiya's jaw dropped. At only eight years old, the sight of so much scientific equipment was dazzling.
"These... are all yours?"
"Of course," Orochimaru answered flatly.
"What the heck are you doing with all this stuff?" Jiraiya asked, still in shock.
"Improving my strength," Orochimaru responded matter-of-factly.
"Improving your strength?" Jiraiya blinked, then let out a laugh. "What kind of nonsense is that? Everyone knows the way to get stronger is by training every day, not playing with bottles and jars. What could this possibly do?"
Orochimaru gave him a withering look. "With your intelligence, I wouldn't be able to explain it."
"Orochimaru! Jiraiya! What are you huh? What's this?"
At that moment, Tsunade suddenly appeared, dropping down from the roof and walking straight through the open door. She looked around the room, her eyes widening with surprise.
She had seen many things in her young life, but this? This was unexpected. Tsunade hadn't known that Orochimaru was conducting research. She looked at the various bottles and jars, her curiosity piqued. Her eyes then drifted to a pile of genetics books sitting on the nearby table.
Without thinking, Tsunade grabbed one of the books, flipping through a few pages. "This is amazing. You actually understand all this?"
"I didn't understand it at first," Orochimaru replied calmly, "but now I do."
When he had first started his research, Orochimaru had indeed been confused by much of the scientific jargon. It had taken him half a year just to develop his first batch of primary gene enhancement fluid. Now, after two years of intense study and practice, he could make multiple batches in just a few days.
"Wait... you started studying this stuff a long time ago?" Tsunade quickly grasped onto what Orochimaru had just said.
"Hmm," Orochimaru nodded slightly.
With two years of rigorous training under his belt, Orochimaru's strength had grown significantly. He no longer felt the need to hide his activities from Tsunade or Jiraiya. Besides, Konoha already had medics and scientists researching similar fields, so his work didn't seem too outlandish. What set Orochimaru apart, though, was the fact that his research, guided by the system, was far more advanced than anything Konoha's researchers could dream of.
Tsunade was stunned. A memory came rushing back two and a half years ago, shortly after they had graduated from the academy, Orochimaru had borrowed some money from her. At the time, she hadn't thought much of it since Orochimaru had repaid her so quickly.
Now, though, she realized he had probably used that money to fund these experiments.
"Oh my God... this is incredible. You were only six years old back then, and you were already researching all of this?"
Tsunade's mind raced, trying to process how a child one of her peers, no less could have been doing such advanced research at such a young age. She couldn't help but wonder: Was this because Orochimaru had lost his parents? Was his obsession with science a way of coping with that loss?
Tsunade's empathy kicked in, and she immediately began to rationalize Orochimaru's actions.
"As expected of you, Orochimaru. You're incredible!" she said with genuine admiration in her voice.
But Jiraiya, having heard enough, couldn't hold back his skepticism any longer. "What's so great about it? We're ninjas! Our strength comes from training and fighting, not from messing around with weird experiments like this!"
Jiraiya had conveniently forgotten that, just moments ago, he had been praising Orochimaru's skills. But now, seeing Tsunade admire Orochimaru's research stung him in some strange way, even if he couldn't quite understand why.
Tsunade immediately shot back, "Even if you don't understand it, that doesn't make it any less impressive. Besides, anything is better than what you do, idiot!"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm an idiot. But no matter how dumb I am, I'm still better than you, you flat-chested"
Before Jiraiya could finish, Tsunade's temper flared. "What did you just say?! Jiraiya, you're dead!"
"I'm dead? Ha! Come and catch me first!" Jiraiya laughed, backing away with a smug grin.
"Enough," Orochimaru interjected sharply, his voice cold. "Don't cause trouble in here."
Tsunade and Jiraiya froze in their tracks. Even at eight years old, Orochimaru had an aura that commanded attention and respect. His tone was enough to stop their bickering, at least for now.
Jiraiya smirked, "See? Orochimaru said not to cause any trouble. So stop picking fights with me, Tsunade!"
Tsunade, still seething, looked ready to throw another punch, but she held back, glancing at Orochimaru instead. Orochimaru, sensing the tension, decided to change the subject.
"Tsunade," Orochimaru said, "I have to go see Hiruzen sensei. Want to come with me?"
"Of course," she replied quickly, seizing the opportunity to leave.
The trio set off toward the Hokage's office. When they arrived at the Hokage building, Hiruzen greeted them almost immediately. He had a serious expression on his face.
"You came at just the right time," Hiruzen said. "Based on your good performance in the village, I've decided that it's time for you to be deployed to the frontlines. You'll get some real-world experience on the battlefield."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Go back and prepare yourselves. We'll be leaving in an hour," Hiruzen added, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Hearing this, Orochimaru knew immediately that his plans would have to be postponed.
The battlefield awaited.
Chapter 25
The First Ninja War, despite being called a "war," was more like two villages locked in a prolonged battle of attrition Konoha versus Kumogakure, and Kirigakure versus Iwagakure. Compared to the large-scale conflicts that would occur in the future, this war was relatively monotonous. Still, the fighting dragged on for years, and Orochimaru couldn't quite understand how these small forces, with only a few thousand on each side, could sustain such a lengthy conflict.
"Are they really that cautious, dragging things out for years?" Orochimaru mused to himself, though he quickly dismissed the thought. It wasn't his place to question the strategies of warlords or generals from centuries past.
He originally had plans of his own plans to exchange a weakened version of the basic gene enhancing fluid he had recently developed in exchange for Konoha's support in furthering his scientific research. He also had hopes of gaining access to the remains of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, whose cells were of great interest to him.
But with the sudden arrival of a mission, those plans had to be put on hold.
An hour later, fully armed, Orochimaru stood at the entrance of Konoha Village alongside Tsunade and Jiraiya. All three were dressed in standard ninja gear: forehead protectors, ninja uniforms, weapon pouches, scrolls, leg wraps, and ninja shoes. This wasn't their first mission, but until now, their tasks had been mundane D-rank missions like picking up garbage, weeding fields, catching cats, and delivering letters.
On rare occasions, they had gone on missions outside the village, but those were just to deal with local bandits hardly a challenge for any of them. In fact, they had never even encountered a true wandering ninja, much less an enemy of notable strength. The bandits they did fight were weak, the kind of scum that even Naruto's shadow clones could defeat in seconds later in the timeline.
But this mission was different.
When Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya arrived at the entrance of Konoha, they found Hiruzen already waiting for them. He, too, was fully armed, wearing black battle armor that gave him a commanding presence. Despite his serious appearance, there was a glint of pride in his eyes as he looked at his three students.
Hiruzen couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction especially when it came to Orochimaru. The boy's natural talent and dedication made him a prodigy, one that Hiruzen was proud to call his disciple.
"Let's go," Hiruzen said simply.
There were no inspiring speeches or fiery words. Just those simple words to kick off the mission.
As they traveled, Hiruzen briefed them on the details of the mission. According to his information, the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, had already returned to the front lines with a force of seasoned ninjas. The enemy Cloud Ninjas from Kumogakure had begun to retreat. With the most intense fighting over, the battlefield was now less dangerous.
Still, Hiruzen wanted his students to experience the reality of war. They were the future of Konoha, and he had a duty to prepare them for what was to come. He wanted them to see firsthand just how brutal the battlefield could be.
As they moved swiftly through the forest, the four of them jumped from tree to tree, moving like shadows through the foliage. The scenery on both sides blurred as they sped toward the frontlines.
"Heh, finally!" Jiraiya said with excitement, barely able to contain himself. "We're going to the battlefield! I bet we're the youngest ones out there, huh?"
Indeed, at barely nine years old, the three of them were quite young to be deployed to a battlefield during the First Ninja World War. However, Orochimaru, who knew the future, couldn't help but think that their age was rather late compared to the standards that would come in future wars. In the original timeline, Uchiha Itachi was brought to the battlefield at the age of four, and Kakashi graduated from the Academy at five and became a Chunin at six, immediately seeing combat.
Compared to those prodigies, Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya's age didn't seem particularly early at all.
The closer they got to the frontlines, the more signs of battle they encountered.
They arrived at the northeastern defense line of the Land of Fire, and immediately, the devastation of war was apparent. Trees were splintered and swayed ominously, and rocks were shattered into fragments. The ground was littered with kunai, shuriken, and broken ninja swords, signs of the intense battles that had taken place there.
If one looked closely, they could even spot corpses that hadn't yet been removed.
"This… is war…" Jiraiya muttered, his voice much quieter now. His earlier excitement was completely gone, replaced by an uneasy silence as he took in the carnage around him.
The sight of the corpses their eyes wide open, their faces twisted in pain was enough to unsettle even Tsunade. She had trained to become a strong kunoichi, but no amount of training could prepare a person for the horrors of war. Both she and Jiraiya had grown up in a peaceful village, and this was their first real taste of the battlefield.
Orochimaru, however, remained calm. Whether it was because of the mental fortitude he had developed in his previous life or because he had mentally prepared himself for what he knew was inevitable, he wasn't shaken by the scene before him. In fact, he felt a strange detachment. This wasn't the first time he had seen death, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.
"Be careful," Hiruzen said after checking the condition of the nearest corpse. "We're still half a day's journey from the front line, but things can change quickly."
The three young ninjas nodded, their senses sharp and alert.
They were about to continue when suddenly—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Six figures appeared out of nowhere, surrounding them. The sound of shuriken cutting through the air filled the clearing.
Jiraiya and Tsunade were startled, quickly assuming defensive positions. Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, observing the six figures that had surrounded them. He focused on the forehead protectors they wore.
"One of our own?" Orochimaru murmured under his breath.
In the chaos of battle, identifying friend from foe was crucial. The forehead protector was the first line of identification. Even if an enemy used transformation jutsu, they wouldn't attack someone wearing the same village's protector unless they were absolutely sure.
The leader of the group, a ninja wearing sunglasses, stepped forward.
"Is that you, Hiruzen sama?" the man asked.
Hiruzen smiled slightly. "Ah, Aburame Takuya. It's good to see you."
Hearing their leader's name called, the other five ninjas visibly relaxed. They lowered their weapons and dispersed slightly, allowing the tension in the air to ease.
"Identity confirmed. Stand down," Takuya ordered his men.
Orochimaru, watching all this unfold, realized just how tense and dangerous the battlefield really was. It was much more rigorous than he had imagined. Even in seemingly safe territory, trust was something fragile and easily broken.
This was the reality of war a reality they would soon face firsthand.
...
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