Deep within a forgotten, abandoned experimental facility.
The air was damp and stale, tinged with dust and a faint sour odor that clung to the walls.
A slender figure drifted soundlessly into the darkness.
"What a nostalgic place," Orochimaru murmured.
"You are being far too bold, Orochimaru."
Danzo stepped out from the shadows, leaning heavily on his cane, his single eye sharpening on Orochimaru.
"Who allowed you to enter the village as you please? You are a rogue ninja now."
"Hehehe…" Orochimaru's chuckle echoed faintly, rich with amusement. "Didn't you invite me, Danzo?"
The application for the Hidden Sound Village was the invitation. Orochimaru understood perfectly well: with Konoha lowering its security barriers for the Chūnin Exams, he could slip into the village openly.
Danzo did not deny it. "I want you to handle something."
"Oh? Has Root become useless now?" Orochimaru asked with lazy curiosity. "Then, please—go on."
"Four Uchiha are currently deployed outside the village on an Anbu assignment," Danzo said, voice low and cold. "I want their eyes. Make them disappear during the mission."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed with interest. "The Uchiha, hm? So the Uchiha are allowed into Anbu now."
Danzo snorted. "Mere idealistic foolishness. The rebellion in their bones has never changed."
"Those four are the Uchiha's most radical members, full of resentment toward the Village. Dying on duty is the best outcome. Their disappearance will also make the rest of the clan hesitate about entering Anbu."
A single mission. Four elite Uchiha dead.
Once that happened, Tsunade's plan to integrate the Uchiha into Konoha's system would collapse. The Village would have no choice but to adopt his proposal.
"Uchiha Shisui is with them," Danzo added. "I will manipulate the intelligence so he is reassigned beforehand."
Shisui was far too dangerous. If he witnessed Orochimaru's attack, he could easily return with information, something Danzo could not allow.
Only if the four vanished without a trace would suspicion and anger in the Uchiha radical faction reach its peak.
Orochimaru chuckled. "And what compensation are you offering for my cooperation?"
"I want the Sharingan," Danzo replied without hesitation. "The bodies are yours."
Orochimaru scoffed lightly. "You've planned this thoroughly, Danzo."
Danzo's one visible eye hardened. "You will follow my orders. That is your only path forward."
"After all, the authorization I gave to legitimize the Hidden Sound Village… I can revoke just as easily."
"Without Otogakure, you will continue being hunted. Anbu and Root will not show mercy again."
The threat had weight, though not enough to truly frighten Orochimaru. He had many ways to evade Konoha's pursuit.
But that meant abandoning the center of the shinobi world. That, he was unwilling to do.
Leaving Konoha had been his attempt to escape restrictions. That was why he had no qualms experimenting on villagers or even Anbu. If not for that, Hiruzen, despite knowing about the forbidden experiments, might have stayed silent.
He had chosen the Land of Rice Fields purely for convenience. Close to the Land of Fire, rich in natural resources, ideal for development.
Even if things fell apart here, he could simply exploit another small nation and build a different hidden village, though it would cost more time and bring more complications.
"Hehehe… Since you want to provoke the Uchiha Clan, why not choose a more impactful target?" Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed. "For example… Uchiha Itachi. I'm quite fond of that child."
"He's Fugaku's eldest son. If he were to vanish mysteriously, paired with the loss of four Anbu, your scheme would proceed even more smoothly, wouldn't it?"
Danzo's cane slammed against the floor with a heavy thud.
"Do not act without permission. Uchiha Itachi is under Tsunade's protection, and someone else's."
"He won't be easy to abduct."
"Oh? Someone on par with Tsunade, in your eyes?" Orochimaru's grin widened, tongue flicking out unconsciously. "That makes me even more curious."
"That someone is Roshi," Danzo said. "A Senju possessing the First Hokage's cells, and currently the captain of your former subordinate, Anko Mitarashi."
Anko's captain…
A faint memory rose in Orochimaru's mind, a black-haired youth sitting quietly beside Anko at the exam venue.
He remembered him vaguely from before leaving Konoha: Senju Momoka's descendant, a top student, quiet, forgettable… but with a delicate political identity.
And now? Danzo felt the need to warn him about this boy?
Orochimaru's smile deepened, eyes gleaming.
This was becoming more and more… amusing.
Tsunade had just received an urgent Anbu report when her expression sharply darkened.
She exchanged a few terse words with the Sandaime before striding off the main viewing platform, heading straight toward the temporary medical station set up beside the Chūnin Exams arena.
Originally meant for injured examinees, the place had been forced into use ahead of schedule.
"Orochimaru infiltrated the Village?!" Tsunade hissed, barely keeping her voice low. "Tch… he picked the perfect time."
She immediately snapped toward the waiting Anbu.
"Send two more squads to guard the Forbidden Jutsu Archive. He's most likely targeting Konoha's secret techniques."
Roshi added calmly, "We should also alert all clans with secret jutsu or Kekkei Genkai to fortify their compounds."
Those too were treasures Orochimaru would absolutely covet.
Especially the Uchiha, he might seize the chance to take a few of them.
Tsunade nodded sharply.
"Notify every clan at once, especially the Uchiha. Inform Fugaku of the situation immediately."
The Anbu acknowledged the order and vanished.
With the first wave of instructions given, Tsunade moved quickly to Anko's bedside. After confirming she was only pale and not in any real danger, Tsunade turned to Roshi.
"Stay here and monitor Anko. I need to return and explain everything to the Old Man."
Roshi nodded, watching her depart with brisk, purposeful steps.
He sat down beside the sickbed, eyes drifting to the faintly visible curse mark on Anko's neck. His brow creased.
Even now, with Sage Mode and a far deeper understanding of seals, he had nothing that could suppress the Cursed Seal of Heaven.
Hiruzen's Evil Sealing Method was still the best-known counter.
Even Itachi had only managed to seal Orochimaru by using Sasuke's chakra as a trigger, forcing Orochimaru out of the mark.
In essence… unless Orochimaru himself released the curse, there was no reliable method.
As Roshi mulled over this, the curtain of the medical tent was suddenly pulled aside, and another injured Genin was carried in. Roshi looked up to see a white-haired girl wearing a Grass Village forehead protector.
Ryuzetsu.
Behind her were Muku and his father, Mui.
Ryuzetsu's body was marked with deep cuts, her clothes scorched with the telltale burn of Lightning Release.
"Roshi, I'm much better now," Anko said, pushing herself upright. Her color had returned significantly. "Shouldn't we head back? Itachi's match should still be going."
The name caught Muku's attention immediately. He turned, expression complicated.
"Uchiha Itachi…?" he murmured. "If it's him, he'll definitely come out on top."
His gaze dropped to his trembling hands, frustration tightening his jaw.
"He's… an opponent I can't even reach," he said bitterly. "I couldn't make him take me seriously at all. Not even for a moment."
Those eyes. That speed.
A genius? Perhaps he himself was nothing of the sort.
Mui squeezed his son's shoulder, silent but supportive. The gap in strength had been undeniable.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Roshi checked again.
"Mm! As his teammate, how could I miss such an important match?" Anko hopped off the bed, stretching her arms.
"Teammate?" Mui repeated, startled at the two much older shinobi.
"You two are…?"
Roshi met his gaze evenly.
"I'm his captain."
"…I see." Muku's shoulders slumped in realization.
So that was why Itachi was so overwhelmingly strong, he had been training and taking missions with people far above his own age group.
"Well then, we won't hold you up," Mui said gently, stepping aside and guiding his son with him.
Roshi gave the father and son a small nod, then left the medical station with Anko, heading back toward the Chūnin Exams grounds.
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