Orochimaru felt like luck was never on his side lately.
He couldn't even remember the last time he had been beaten so badly.
Now, his situation was worse than ever—not only had Manda died right in front of him, but his body was also falling apart.
Forced into a corner, he had no choice but to complete his reincarnation.
"Orochimaru-sama."
In the underground laboratory of the Sound Village, Kimimaro carefully unwrapped the bandages on Orochimaru's body while speaking with guilt.
"I'm sorry. Not only could I not help you, but I also failed to become your vessel."
"Now's not the time for that. Has Kabuto sent any updates?"
Orochimaru's voice was low and hoarse. Kimimaro hesitated for a moment before nodding.
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama. Not only Kabuto, but there's also news from Konohagakure."
"Tell me."
"There's an unsigned message from Konohagakure. It asks if you've gone to the Land of Wind and warns you to be cautious of Konohagakure's response."
"Heh..."
Orochimaru let out a cold chuckle. He recognized this as one of Danzō's messages, but at this point, he no longer trusted the man.
"And Kabuto?"
"His intelligence suggests that Konohagakure seems to have reached a cooperation agreement with Sunagakure, but he couldn't determine the specifics."
"Anything else?"
"Additionally, the outside world believes that Orochimaru-sama attempted to steal treasures from the Land of Wind, which caused the massive explosion and led to a great tragedy. Both Sunagakure and Konohagakure have issued warrants for your capture."
"..."
Hearing this, Orochimaru fell silent.
He didn't care about being wanted—Konohagakure had been hunting him for years, and he was still alive and well.
But now he realized something unsettling.
Am I being framed for this?
Was this even my doing?
"Orochimaru-sama, are you alright?"
Kimimaro couldn't help but ask softly when he saw Orochimaru's silence. Orochimaru instinctively licked his lips.
"I'm fine. I've simply made some decisions."
Orochimaru could still feel the discomfort lingering in his body and soul.
This reincarnation had been completed prematurely, and it was taking a toll on him. But he had no other choice.
Fortunately, he had made up his mind—he was seething with rage.
"Kimimaro, send a message to Kabuto. Have him investigate next year's Chūnin Exams in Konohagakure and start preparing in advance."
"Understood, Orochimaru-sama."
Kimimaro didn't ask any further questions. He simply nodded and went off to prepare the message.
Seated in his chair, Orochimaru reflected on Kitagawa Minamoto's words and the series of events that had transpired—from being cornered by Jiraiya in the Land of Hot Water to the recent explosive confrontation. His fists clenched tightly.
He had never been the type to take things lying down. Being set up like this? There was no way he would let it slide.
But soon, his thoughts shifted to the young man he had fought.
"Kitagawa Minamoto... He's no ordinary boy. His abilities—why do they resemble Pain's techniques?"
"And that massive Chakra explosion... He caused it. This boy..."
"Is hiding something very deep."
Orochimaru quietly began to scheme. Meanwhile, in the Land of Rivers, Kakashi, Guy, and Kitagawa Minamoto were finally on their way back to Konohagakure.
"You know, the Akatsuki's actions this time were rather odd."
Now that they had left the Land of Wind and were no longer accompanied by ANBU, Guy spoke freely.
"Although they were still incredibly troublesome, they didn't seem as difficult to deal with as I had imagined."
"Perhaps their main focus was on the treasure in Roran," Kakashi suggested, his recovery progressing well.
"That said, their behavior was indeed unusual—almost as if they were testing us."
"Agreed."
Minamoto had noticed it too. In his memories, it had taken Jiraiya a long time to confirm the Akatsuki's true nature.
After all, not everyone was a transmigrator like him, privy to all this chaotic information.
"The intel we received was oddly simple yet precise, as if it was intentionally guiding us there.
And during my fight with Orochimaru, I noticed two squads—one from Sunagakure and one from Kumogakure—charging into the fray.
They attacked both me and Orochimaru, which suggests their motives were far from ordinary. There's definitely something fishy going on."
He still remembered those warriors who had charged to their deaths. Unfortunately, they had arrived at the wrong place at the wrong time.
When the Tenseigan's "Orbital Cannon" struck, they were the closest to the impact zone—and were obliterated.
"They're all dead, so let's not dwell on it," Kakashi said cautiously after some thought.
"When we return, I'll report to the Hokage. As for Sunagakure, since they haven't said anything, we'll act as if we don't know either.
Minamoto, remember this: aside from our own comrades, even allies require caution."
"Yes, yes, I understand, Kakashi-sensei."
Minamoto nodded. He didn't need Kakashi to spell it out for him—he was well aware.
In his memories, Sunagakure had openly violated their alliance by teaming up with Orochimaru to attack Konohagakure.
"Visible betrayal isn't scary. What's truly terrifying is betrayal you can't see coming."
Minamoto muttered casually. Guy seemed puzzled by the remark, while Kakashi nodded thoughtfully.
"That's a profound statement. What made you think of it?"
"Uchiha..."
"...Itachi!"
Seeing Kakashi's deadpan expression, Minamoto quickly blurted out Itachi Uchiha's name.
"Exactly. Who would've thought he'd do something like that? Truly an unseen betrayal."
Guy nodded in agreement, then suddenly looked curious.
"Speaking of the Uchiha, Kakashi, I just remembered something.
Wasn't the dunce of our class a spiky-haired kid? Could it have been Obito Uchiha?"
"..."
Kakashi facepalmed. Guy's poor memory and face blindness were truly something else.
Meanwhile, his brilliant student seemed to have picked up some bad habits from Jiraiya.
The three chatted and laughed as they traveled. A few days later, they finally returned to Konohagakure.
"Minamoto, do you want to join us for the debriefing?"
At the village gates, Kakashi checked his condition and, finding no need for a hospital visit, extended the invitation.
"After all, you're almost a Jōnin. It wouldn't hurt to get some practice."
"Indeed. If nothing unexpected happens, this year's promotion exams will likely be overseen by either Tsunade-sama or Jiraiya-sama," Guy added, stroking his chin.
"Regardless of who it is, I'm sure you'll pass with flying colors. Your promotion speed is rare, even in Konohagakure's history!"
Graduating as a Genin and reaching Jōnin in just one year was almost unheard of, though not entirely impossible.
"Thanks, but I think I'll just rest for now," Minamoto said with a smile after some thought.
"I'll wait until I'm officially promoted. It's not far off, so I might as well take it easy for now."
"Suit yourself."
Kakashi didn't mind. After some thought, he added,
"In a few days, I'll introduce you to some of my close friends in the village.
You've been busy with missions since graduation and haven't had much time to socialize. That won't do.
As my student, you should know who you can turn to for help when needed."
"Sounds good. I've been meaning to meet them anyway."
Minamoto smiled brightly. He wouldn't pass up this opportunity.
The ninja who graduated with Kakashi were the backbone of Konohagakure, and they would remain so for years to come.
Meanwhile, Naruto's generation represented the village's future.
Minamoto, caught in between, found himself in a unique position—able to connect with both groups.
"I know everyone above me, and everyone below me likes me. How can I possibly lose?"
Feeling a surge of confidence, Minamoto watched as Kakashi and Guy waved goodbye and headed toward the Hokage's office.
"Life in Konohagakure is going pretty well for me," he thought as he strolled leisurely through the village streets, gazing up at the sky.
"Since I've already demonstrated plenty of 'talent,' it's about time I take things to the next level."
He had always been cautious about revealing his abilities, portraying himself as a hardworking learner rather than a prodigy.
But now, it was time to gradually unveil his true potential.
"Bloodline Limit..."
Minamoto didn't need anything too extravagant. He had no intention of revealing the Tenseigan to anyone—it was his trump card.
But Bloodline Limits were different. He planned to acquire more in the future, so it was better to reveal them on his terms rather than risk exposure during a fight.
(End of Chapter)
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