But what troubled Orochimaru most was Naruto's identity.
Naruto was barely twelve years old, and that was the most terrifying part.
The Umbrella Organization had clearly been active for several years already.
If Naruto was truly that person… then he was a monster.
Unless… could it be that the Fourth Hokage had faked his death?
Was Minato secretly pulling strings from the shadows?
No—impossible!
Orochimaru knew well that the Fourth Hokage had perished using the Reaper Death Seal. That forbidden jutsu guaranteed death.
And Orochimaru, who had studied countless forbidden arts, understood the risk. Being obsessed with preserving his life, he would never touch such a technique, let alone use it.
Even if Minato had mastered it, survival was out of the question.
In short, from Umbrella's philosophy and its rapid rise, the organization clearly harbored grand ambitions.
And Naruto's identity… it was shrouded in dangerous secrets.
A twisted smile tugged at Orochimaru's lips.
This world still had many mysteries left for him to unravel.
Just like the truth that the shinobi world itself was a sphere.
Not long after Orochimaru left, Anko arrived.
Seeing the devastated battlefield, she froze, her breath catching sharply.
Her eyes swept over the three young genin before her, and she demanded with raised brows, "What happened here?"
Naruto quickly stepped forward, feigning panic.
"Just now, some pale-faced guy—like a venomous snake—attacked us. Then a white-haired shinobi appeared, and the two of them started fighting!"
He gasped dramatically.
"They were terrifying! Why would shinobi like that show up here? Are you here to protect us? And how could such dangerous people appear during the Chūnin Exams?"
Naruto rambled on, layering his story with just the right amount of fear and confusion. His acting was flawless, subtly guiding Anko's suspicions where he wanted them.
A pale-faced snake… Orochimaru.
And a white-haired shinobi… it had to be Jiraiya-sama.
Relief washed over Anko. If Jiraiya had intercepted Orochimaru, then disaster had been averted.
She herself hadn't seen Orochimaru, but his presence had been unmistakable. Even so, her heart eased a little.
Still, the damage around them… the deep gouges, the mix of Wind Release and Lightning Release—that wasn't Jiraiya's specialty. Who had carved that massive rift into the ground?
Jiraiya-sama isn't known for lightning-style ninjutsu.
Without dwelling on it further, Anko decided she needed to report this to the Hokage immediately.
She gave Naruto and the others a few hurried instructions before vanishing.
"...Naruto, why did you lie to her?" Sakura asked hesitantly as she stepped closer.
"Sakura, don't tell anyone what happened here today," Naruto replied quietly.
She fell silent, staring at him as if seeing him for the first time. After a long pause, she nodded slowly.
"...Okay."
Naruto gave the faintest smile. At the same time, he wove a subtle genjutsu into her mind—a suggestion that would last only a month, leaving no trace for her to notice.
By the time it faded, it wouldn't matter.
Because by then, he would likely have already left Konoha.
"Do you know who that was earlier?" Sasuke asked, his voice low.
Naruto glanced at his teammate, battered and disheveled.
"Yes. That was Orochimaru. One of the Sannin—an S-rank missing-nin of Konoha. I've… had some dealings with him before."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed.
"The fact you injured him is no small feat," Naruto continued. "But don't forget—he was once crushed by Itachi. That's why he covets your clan's Sharingan so badly."
A dark light flickered in Sasuke's gaze at the mention of his brother. His fists clenched.
"If I can't even surpass someone like Orochimaru—Itachi's defeated subordinate—how can I ever avenge my clan?" he muttered bitterly.
"Don't lose heart," Naruto said, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Your strength is already impressive for your age. The years ahead will be when your power truly grows."
Sasuke's breathing steadied, and he gave a small nod. He could sense Naruto was still hiding things from him—but he also trusted that Naruto would never betray him.
Together, the group turned and started toward the tower.
Sakura lagged behind, her head bowed.
Moments ago, she had seen just how far ahead Naruto and Sasuke stood. She had thought that if she worked hard enough, she could close the gap. But now…
A pang of despair tightened in her chest.
Naruto-kun… am I really that useless? Always just a burden?
No matter how hard I try… I can't keep up with geniuses like you two…
Sakura's tears slipped down her cheeks.
The gap between her and the two of them felt hopelessly wide.
Naruto paused, then turned back toward her. His voice was calm but cutting:
"Genius?
How can you brush aside everything we've done with just that word? Do you think we got here without effort?"
His gaze hardened.
"What were you doing when Sasuke was training day and night?
We practiced hand seals even during class! We skipped lessons to train in the mountains! After school, while others rested, we were still pushing ourselves!"
He stepped closer.
"And you—how much did you really train? Was it even a tenth of what we put in?
I lived in the wild from the time I was three, fighting beasts just to survive. How long have you been serious about training—and yet you expect to catch up?"
Naruto's tone sharpened.
"We're not geniuses. We're just people who never stopped working. Everything we've gained came from Heaven Rewards Diligence—from relentless effort!"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed, his expression cool.
To him, Sakura's words had dismissed years of his own sweat and pain.
How many times had he driven himself to collapse?
How many times had he been beaten bloody in sparring with Naruto, only to get back up again?
And then there was Lee. Sasuke didn't think of Lee as a genius—far from it. Lee had no talent for ninjutsu or genjutsu. He was more ordinary than most. But his sheer willpower… that alone demanded respect.
Sakura's cheeks flushed with shame.
Naruto was right. Simply calling them geniuses had been nothing more than an excuse, a way to downplay their sacrifices.
"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun!" she said earnestly, bowing her head. "Please forgive me. I'll work harder. I know I can't help you now, but I want to try!"
Naruto's faint anger eased.
She was just an ordinary girl—sheltered, untested by hardship. It wasn't fair to expect her to understand the weight of their paths.
"Then work hard, Sakura," he said at last, his voice softening. "You always have the chance to surpass yourself."
And with that, Naruto dashed ahead.
Sakura froze at his words.
You always surpass yourself…
Her chest tightened.
Naruto himself didn't dwell much on her. He'd never held strong feelings for Sakura. If anything, he realized now she wasn't as shallow as he once thought. Their experiences had simply been worlds apart.
He had no intention of drawing her into the Umbrella Organization. How far she went would depend entirely on her own determination. He might give her the occasional push, but there were countless people like her—ordinary, unsure, hesitant.
As Sakura watched Naruto and Sasuke run on ahead, she noticed something.
They weren't moving at their full speed. They were slowing down for her.
Her eyes softened.
For the first time, she felt the weight those two carried on their shoulders—and how little she had truly understood them until now.
...
TN:
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