Uchiha Youka stood with his shoulders squared, pointing a defiant finger at Orochimaru, his voice ringing with forced bravado.
"Have you awakened your Sharingan yet?"
"N–no…" Youka stammered.
Orochimaru arched an eyebrow. The boy's bluster faltered.
Uchiha Youka's stance wavered. "You became a Chūnin, then?"
"Not yet…" came the quieter reply.
Whatever confidence Youka had left drained away.
"So," Orochimaru said with a faint, sharp smile, "did you at least prepare the challenge fee?"
"..."
The silence hung in the air. Youka took an involuntary step back.
Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed with cool amusement. "You haven't awakened your Sharingan, you're not even a Chūnin, and you came empty-handed. Are you here just to humiliate yourself?"
"I—I will definitely become a Chūnin in the next exams!" Youka's eyes burned crimson with frustrated pride as he threw out the declaration. Then, cheeks flushed, he spun and bolted, leaving only the echo of his vow behind.
Two of his friends hurried after him, pausing long enough to bow deeply.
"We're so sorry, Orochimaru-san. We tried to stop him. We caused you trouble!"
The young men ran after their hot-headed companion.
A jōnin instructor stepped forward, looking mortified. "Orochimaru, please forgive Youka. He's ambitious but… impulsive."
Orochimaru waved a dismissive hand. "Think nothing of it."
It wasn't annoyance that filled him—it was disappointment. He had been eager for a true test: an Uchiha who had awakened the Sharingan. He wanted to see if his latest experiment—liquid, invisible contact lenses designed to resist genjutsu—could withstand the legendary Uchiha eye techniques. Without a capable opponent, his research would have to wait.
---
A New Home for Dangerous Experiments
Days later, Orochimaru stood in front of a large, elegant house at the quiet edge of the village, his golden eyes reflecting the late-afternoon light.
"Hiruzen-sensei, is this truly my new home?" he asked, tilting his head as he took in the impressive structure. It was several times larger than his previous dwelling—closer to a villa than a simple house.
"You like your research," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with fatherly pride. "This place has a spacious laboratory and is far from the bustle of central Konoha. You can train freely in the open area behind it, and no one will disturb your work. Well, what do you think?"
Orochimaru's lips curved slightly. "Quite good," he admitted, eyes narrowing as recognition flickered. This district… wasn't this the area that, in another timeline, would be designated for the Uchiha Clan after the Nine-Tails' attack? How curious.
Hiruzen's voice broke into his thoughts. "The construction was a collaborative decision between Danzo, Koharu, Homura, and me," he said proudly. "We wanted you to have a place where your… explosive experiments won't endanger the villagers."
Indeed, the location suited him perfectly. If a particularly volatile experiment went awry, there would be no casualties—and no complaints.
---
The Price of Service
Orochimaru turned, his gaze sharp. "By the way, Hiruzen-sensei, did you forget something?"
Hiruzen blinked. "Forget? What do you mean?"
"The Hyūga Clan matter," Orochimaru replied, his eyes gleaming with an almost mercenary light. "I removed a hidden danger to the village. Surely that warrants at least an A-rank mission reward?"
Hiruzen gave a long-suffering sigh. "Ah… of course it does. But considering the cost of building this house and laboratory…"
"Hmph. Sensei truly is a stingy man," Orochimaru said, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
"It's not stinginess," Hiruzen countered with a rueful chuckle. "Even a Hokage must manage the village's limited funds carefully."
Orochimaru let the matter drop, though his eyes twinkled with mischief. "Only you, Hiruzen-sensei, would willingly shoulder such a thankless job. Your personal time is almost nonexistent, yet you must constantly juggle the village's troubles. The Hyūga internal squabbles alone would drive most men mad—intervene and you're criticized, stay out and you're blamed."
He pushed open the door and entered the house.
Hiruzen followed, silent for a moment. He watched his student's graceful stride and felt a pang of worry. Orochimaru's disinterest in the Hokage position was obvious, and yet Hiruzen had always envisioned him as his successor. Was that dream slipping away?
---
The Reluctant Heir
Among Konoha's younger generation, no one matched Orochimaru's brilliance. He possessed dazzling intelligence, emotional acuity, and a mastery of ninjutsu across all five nature transformations. He had delved into medical techniques, absorbed the complex Flying Thunder God Technique of the Second Hokage, and maintained excellent relations with every major clan. In Hiruzen's eyes—and in the minds of Danzo, Koharu, and Homura—Orochimaru was the natural heir to the Hokage's mantle.
And yet… he simply wasn't interested.
How could Hiruzen convince him otherwise?
"Orochimaru," Hiruzen asked lightly as they ascended the stairs, "if the village one day wished for you to become Hokage, what would you do?"
Orochimaru paused, glancing over his shoulder. "Leave it to Jiraiya. Or perhaps Lord Danzo. Koharu or Homura could do it as well. Anyone but me."
His tone carried no hesitation. To others, the Hokage's chair was the highest of thrones. To Orochimaru, it was a suffocating cage.
Being Hokage meant begging the Fire Daimyo for funds like a servant, managing endless clan disputes, and stepping into danger whenever disaster struck. Fail and you bore the blame; succeed and it was merely expected. Power, yes—but at the cost of freedom.
Hiruzen could only sigh inwardly. He had anticipated such an answer, yet it stung all the same. Convincing Orochimaru to consider the role would be a long, delicate process.
---
Evening at the Senju Residence
That night, Orochimaru visited the Senju household for dinner. Uzumaki Mito greeted him with a warm smile. "I hear your new home is finally finished," she said. "Do you have any plans?"
Before Orochimaru could answer, Tsunade's chopsticks snapped in her hands with a sharp crack.
Orochimaru caught the sound and smiled faintly. "Grandma Mito, I was just about to tell you. Tomorrow I'll move in. The new house includes a laboratory—perfect for my research."
Tsunade's expression darkened. She stood abruptly, gathered the dishes, and stalked to the kitchen without a word.
Mito sighed, watching her granddaughter's retreating back. "You know how she is, Orochimaru."
"I do," he said gently. From the moment he had stayed at the Senju residence, Tsunade's smiles had grown more frequent. Perhaps she didn't want that to end.
He reached into his robe and pulled out a scroll. With a flick, a beautifully wrapped set of cosmetics appeared. Lowering his voice conspiratorially, he said, "These are summer-formulated skincare products, not yet sold anywhere. Straight from White Snake Pharmaceutical."
Mito's eyes lit up. "Then I shall accept them," she said, still smiling but choosing not to comment further.
---
A Private Conversation
Later that night, Orochimaru entered Tsunade's room, only to be met by a flying pillow. He caught it effortlessly.
"Still angry?" he asked, peering at her sulking figure.
"Give back my pillow!" she demanded, cheeks puffed.
"Why would I return a weapon to the one who attacked me?" he teased, hugging the pillow to his chest as he sat on the edge of the bed.
"I'm not talking to you," she huffed, turning her back.
"I brought you a gift," he said softly. "If you don't want it, I might just give it to Jiraiya. He'd probably use it to charm some pretty lady."
Tsunade whipped around. "Who said I don't want it?"
Smiling, Orochimaru handed her the carefully prepared set of limited-edition summer skincare. In truth, it was simply the desert-climate formula he sold to the Land of Wind, repackaged as a "special summer release," but marketing was everything.
Tsunade clutched the set possessively, muttering, "If it weren't a waste to give this to Jiraiya, I might refuse."
Orochimaru chuckled and gestured toward the window. "I move tomorrow. Shall we go gambling tonight?"
Her eyes lit up. "Let's go!" she said, grabbing his arm with sudden enthusiasm, the earlier tension forgotten.
---
The moonlight spilled across Konoha as the two figures disappeared into the night—one destined for greatness he did not seek, and one destined to follow her own fiery path. Orochimaru's new home awaited, along with the countless experiments and ambitions that would one day shape not only his own fate but that of the entire shinobi world.
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