Konoha.
Upon receiving the Mizukage's reply, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt as if he had grown old.
He couldn't keep up with the way young people thought.
Orochimaru.
One of the Legendary Sannin, Hiruzen's own disciple. Just as Yagura had suspected, he was still in Konoha.
He had not participated in the war. Hiruzen had failed to mobilize his talented student.
Orochimaru's reasoning had been impeccable: if his experiments succeeded, they could introduce a decisive variable that would lead Konoha to victory.
Unwilling to sour their relationship by forcing the issue, and with Konoha gradually stabilizing its position in the war, Hiruzen had let him be.
But why had the Mizukage specifically requested Orochimaru?
Had Kirigakure's spies embedded themselves so deeply within Konoha? Or was it simply the fame of the Legendary Sannin that caught their attention?
Hiruzen glanced at the letter, filled with praises for Konoha's famed trio.
Given what he knew about Yagura, Hiruzen did not believe that the young and headstrong Mizukage would be the type to admire titles like "Legendary Sannin."
Another question arose—should he lend Orochimaru to them?
After weighing his options, Hiruzen decided it made no difference. Orochimaru was not contributing to Konoha's battlefield efforts anyway.
So why not use the Mizukage's request to pull Orochimaru out of his lab and throw him into the conflict between Kirigakure and Kumogakure?
Indirectly, this could aid both Konoha and Kumogakure's war efforts.
Right now, every decision Hiruzen made was prioritized toward securing Konoha's victory in this war.
Having made up his mind, Hiruzen sent an Anbu to summon Orochimaru.
...
Orochimaru had no choice.
The moment he stepped into the Hokage's office, Hiruzen sealed his fate with just three sentences.
The Mizukage's request had given the Hokage the perfect excuse.
...
Back in his laboratory—
Anko Mitarashi watched in confusion as Orochimaru packed his things. "Sensei?"
"Hokage-sama has issued an order. I'm to carry out a mission in Kirigakure."
Orochimaru's voice was as deep and raspy as ever, carrying that unsettling chill that always sent shivers down one's spine.
"Anko, you may take a break for the time being. No need to come here."
"Oh, okay!"
Anko's joy was unmistakable. She immediately responded with enthusiasm—only to realize she had let it slip. Hastily, she clapped a hand over her mouth and turned away, attempting to mask her expression.
Orochimaru paid it no mind. He was a dedicated teacher to his apprentice.
Anko, despite her apparent fear, actually admired her strict and knowledgeable mentor.
But that didn't change the fact that Orochimaru himself was truly terrifying.
He packed light, sealing only the absolute essentials into a storage scroll before setting off.
Stepping out of his dark underground laboratory—
"Sensei, be careful on your mission!"
Anko, hoping to make up for her earlier blunder—and genuinely concerned—called out,
"I heard that the Mist shinobi are ruthless killers who take pleasure in slaughtering people!"
Having spent too much time in his lab, Orochimaru realized Anko was out of touch with current events. He corrected her matter-of-factly: "Kirigakure is our ally now, not our enemy."
"They… they are?" Anko blinked in surprise before doubling down, "Even if they're allies, you should still be careful!"
If a third person had been present—someone familiar with Orochimaru's reputation—they would have shuddered.
Your sensei's reputation might be even worse than that of the Mist shinobi.
Orochimaru saw no need to respond to Anko's concern.
His student had yet to develop the level of resolve he expected.
With a slight nod, he acknowledged her words but said nothing. Then, without another glance, he turned and left.
...
After two days of travel, Orochimaru arrived in the Land of Water.
Along the way, he took the opportunity to observe the ongoing skirmishes between Kirigakure and Kumogakure.
The battles were frequent. Countless chunin, genin, and even some jonin clashed.
It was clear—the only thing preventing full-scale war was a fragile, unspoken truce that could be shattered at any moment.
Upon reaching the Land of Water, Orochimaru did not take the official route. He preferred to see things for himself and gather intelligence firsthand.
For a long time, Kirigakure had remained closed off from the outside world. Any foreign shinobi caught sneaking into the Land of Water were executed on sight.
Yagura had not changed that policy.
The intelligence network formed by the Onime Clan and the Mukumo Clan was so extensive that even Orochimaru could not slip past their detection.
"Stop right there!"
Orochimaru halted, glancing at the Mist shinobi who had surrounded him.
"How fascinating… such an impressive intelligence network."
Onime's jonin stared at him warily. "Orochimaru of Konoha, state your purpose."
A failed infiltration.
Orochimaru accepted this reality quickly. His greedy eyes lingered on the bloodline limit users before him—
Shikotsumyaku, Hydrification, Storm Release… and those eyes.
Due to Kirigakure's secrecy, its bloodline limits were not widely known. But anyone paying close attention would realize just how vast its genetic treasures were.
Orochimaru was one of the few who had taken notice.
He wanted to learn all the jutsu in the world—and that, of course, included the kekkei genkai and hidden techniques of Kirigakure.
"Relax. I am not your enemy, Mist shinobi."
Orochimaru raised his hands slightly in a gesture of peace and handed over a scroll.
"I was summoned by your Mizukage as reinforcement."
The Onime jonin took the scroll, unrolled it, and confirmed its authenticity.
At the same time, a group of Mist shinobi assigned to receive him arrived, having received word from their comrades.
Orochimaru's entry was verified as legitimate.
The Onime jonin returned the scroll. "If you had official documents, why did you not take the proper route?"
Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "When entering an unfamiliar environment, gathering intelligence is a fundamental skill for any shinobi. Wouldn't you agree?"
Unpleasant.
The Onime jonin gave the order: "Withdraw."
Orochimaru's escort had arrived—Ao.
Like the others, Ao was wary of this dangerous man but carried out his duty.
"This way, Orochimaru-sama."
A regular shinobi.
Orochimaru cast a glance at Ao, his expression indifferent. He had no interest in him—his reaction starkly different from when he had first seen the bloodline limit users.
Following Ao, Orochimaru ventured deeper into the Land of Water.
He passed through construction sites where workers were building elevated bridges and canals.
He saw large pastures fenced off, with herds of cattle and sheep tended by ranchers and hired farmhands.
Farmers walked the dirt paths between irrigated fields, guiding chickens and ducks with their herding dogs.
Was this really the Land of Water?
Though he had never been deeply familiar with the country, the scene before him felt completely at odds with his expectations.
More surprising, however, was that Ao made no effort to restrict his view.
When the Sarutobi emissary had visited, he had been kept under strict surveillance.
This ordinary jonin lacked the authority or audacity to permit a foreign shinobi such unrestricted access.
This was the Mizukage's decision, then?
Curious, Orochimaru asked Ao directly.
Ao replied, "Mizukage-sama's exact words: 'Orochimaru is cunning and resourceful. If he wants to know, we cannot stop him.'"
So Yagura had simply allowed him to see everything openly.
Interesting.
Orochimaru's curiosity deepened. "Does your Mizukage know me?"
It certainly seemed that way.
Ao, like everyone else aware of this decision, was just as puzzled. "I don't know."
A trusted aide, then.
It seemed the only way to get his answers was to meet this "unfamiliar" Mizukage himself.
Orochimaru's tongue almost flicked out in anticipation.
"So that's how it is."
The unknown, like the mist of this land, enshrouded everything.
How delightful.
For Orochimaru, there was nothing more exhilarating than uncovering the unknown.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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