A moment later, the mocking laughter faded.
Orochimaru's expression turned serious as he said calmly,
"Gen-kun, become my disciple."
Uchiha Gen was briefly startled before shaking his head.
"Orochimaru-senior, I'm sorry. I already have a teacher."
"Who is it?"
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, his voice carrying a thoughtful edge.
"Is it the one who taught you the Hatake Sword Technique?"
"That's right. Senior saw through it."
"You've integrated the Hatake Sword Technique into your taijutsu so completely that you've already surpassed its original framework," Orochimaru continued. "Still, I can see faint traces of it in your movements."
A look of interest surfaced in his eyes.
"Yet no one in the Hatake clan possesses swordsmanship refined to this degree. I'm very curious, Gen-kun. Who exactly is your teacher?"
"My teacher is the Konoha White Fang—Sakumo Hatake."
Uchiha Gen answered plainly.
For an instant, a flicker of anger crossed Orochimaru's face. He thought Gen was mocking him.
But when their eyes met, that anger vanished just as quickly.
There was no teasing or deceit in Uchiha Gen's gaze—only sincerity.
Orochimaru's snake-like pupils gleamed faintly as he spoke slowly,
"Gen-kun… Sakumo Hatake died many years ago. Care to explain how a dead man became your teacher?"
"Because I can see the souls of the deceased."
For the first time, Orochimaru's normally tranquil chakra fluctuated.
Shock briefly surfaced on his pale face. After a long silence, interest replaced it.
"You can see the souls of the dead… Is this a special ability of your Sharingan?"
"I'm afraid I'll disappoint you, senior. My clan's bloodline limit has not awakened. I have never activated the Sharingan."
"Not the Sharingan…"
Orochimaru frowned slightly before fixing Gen with a penetrating gaze. He chuckled softly.
"You're telling me something like this so easily. Aren't you afraid I'll expose your secret?"
Uchiha Gen smiled faintly.
"Then tell me, Orochimaru-senior—would you?"
Orochimaru didn't answer. Instead, he asked,
"What is your purpose in revealing this to me?"
Uchiha Gen's expression turned solemn.
"Orochimaru-senior, I want to cooperate with you."
"Cooperate?"
Orochimaru slowly examined him from head to toe, a sinister smile curling his lips.
"Gen-kun, what exactly can you offer me? What makes you think I'd agree to such cooperation?"
Uchiha Gen countered calmly,
"Senior once abandoned the competition for the Hokage position. That means your true goal must be far greater. May I ask—what is it?"
Orochimaru raised his head, gazing at the silver moon hanging in the night sky.
After a long pause, he spoke softly,
"Under that eternal moon, whether it's you, me, or even a godlike figure such as the First Hokage, we are all no more than insignificant insects."
"Life is fragile," he continued. "I seek the ultimate ninjutsu—one that grants eternal life."
"As expected of Orochimaru-senior," Uchiha Gen said without surprise. "That is indeed a grand—and dangerous—ambition."
At the same time, he thought inwardly:
So he's already walking this path. He may already be conducting forbidden experiments in secret.
"Then, Gen-kun," Orochimaru said, turning back to him, "what do you hope to gain from cooperating with me?"
"Teacher Sakumo once said that among the Sannin, Orochimaru-senior possesses the deepest knowledge and the clearest, most rational mind," Gen replied. "I wish to exchange ninjutsu cultivation with you—to advance faster and go further on my path."
Orochimaru laughed softly.
"Interesting. According to the village's intelligence, Gen-kun, your strengths lie primarily in taijutsu. Your talent for ninjutsu is considered mediocre. How do you intend to exchange ninjutsu with me?"
Uchiha Gen spread his hands.
A sphere of fire formed in one palm, while crackling lightning gathered in the other.
The flame compressed rapidly, condensing again and again until it transformed into a silvery-white glow. Simultaneously, the lightning chakra solidified into the shape of a spinning shuriken.
"Shape transformation and nature transformation… such precise chakra control."
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with undisguised admiration.
"I never imagined your mastery of chakra manipulation had reached this level."
Clearly, the strength Gen displayed contradicted the village's intelligence reports.
But Orochimaru didn't mind in the slightest.
Everyone had secrets—and as long as Gen posed no threat, greater talent only meant greater value.
Likewise, Gen understood Orochimaru's mindset perfectly. That was why he revealed only a portion of his true strength.
"Gen-kun," Orochimaru said as he turned to leave, "in a few days, I'll arrange for you to join my personal unit."
Uchiha Gen smiled respectfully.
"Thank you, Orochimaru-senior."
Orochimaru's personal unit was composed not only of his most trusted subordinates but also functioned as the command core of the Sunagakure battlefield.
---
Four days later, while resting in a tent with Senju Gen, Uchiha Gen was summoned to the command post.
Before several jōnin, Orochimaru—acting as though this were their first meeting—listed Gen's recent accomplishments and officially announced his transfer.
Upon joining Orochimaru's direct unit, Uchiha Gen was promoted from genin directly to jōnin.
---
Two months later, the economically strained Sunagakure could no longer sustain the war. They officially surrendered and sought peace with Konoha. Both sides began withdrawing their border forces, and Orochimaru returned to Konoha under official orders.
However, as if responding to Sunagakure's defeat, Iwagakure and Kumogakure abruptly intensified their offensives.
As a result, the majority of Konoha's forces from the Wind Country front were redeployed to these two battlefields.
Between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning lay several small nations that served as buffer zones.
Among them, the Land of Hot Water—adjacent to the Land of Fire—had become the primary battlefield between Konoha and Kumogakure.
"Captain Gen," a Konoha ninja reported urgently to a marching formation, "the village encampment three miles ahead is under attack by a large Kumogakure force."
This reinforcement unit, dispatched from the Sunagakure front, was led by a captain with five squad leaders under his command.
Uchiha Gen was one of those squad leaders, commanding a unit of three hundred ninja.
Although his strength was acknowledged, many secretly resented him. They believed his rapid rise was due solely to Orochimaru's favor.
At that moment, several ninja cast jealous, dissatisfied glances toward Uchiha Gen.
---
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