Orochimaru's eyes were practically burning with excitement.
"So this is a Mangekyō Sharingan-exclusive ability? As expected of you, Rokuro—awakening a space-type ocular technique. According to the Uchiha clan's own records, even among Mangekyō users, those who manifest spatial abilities are as rare as phoenix feathers."
Uchiha Rokuro twirled the dimensional blade in his hand and glanced at Orochimaru.
"Looks like Orochimaru-sensei has done quite an in-depth study of Uchiha history."
"Hehehe… The Uchiha are what interest me most right now. Of course I've studied them thoroughly—especially Uchiha Madara. Rokuro, in my eyes, you already stand shoulder to shoulder with the Uchiha of that era."
Rokuro immediately shook his head.
"I'm nowhere near Uchiha Madara. At best, I'm the third strongest in Uchiha history."
"Third? Besides Madara, who else could possibly surpass you? I must know."
Orochimaru hadn't interacted with Rokuro for very long, but he knew Rokuro was not the type to make baseless claims. If Rokuro said something, it was either absolute truth or something he considered necessary to reveal.
In Rokuro's grand long-term plan, Orochimaru was the chief scientist—his importance surpassed everyone else, even Uchiha Izumi, who would definitely become his wife one day. So Rokuro intentionally fed him more information about the Uchiha's true origins.
"The other one is the ancestor of the Uchiha—Ōtsutsuki Indra."
(Recently, in the Naruto popularity poll, Asura and Indra were officially given surnames. Previously they only had given names. This was set by Kishimoto, not my own invention.)
Orochimaru froze.
He knew some scraps of ancient Uchiha legend, but he had always considered those stories half-myth.
"Is there really such an Uchiha ancestor? If so, why is he surnamed Ōtsutsuki and not Uchiha? Isn't that the Six Paths Sage's family name?"
"Because Indra was the elder son of the Sage of Six Paths. His younger brother, Ōtsutsuki Asura, is the progenitor of the Senju clan. According to the legends, the modern hand-seal system used for ninjutsu was invented by Indra himself. You could say he was the creator of ninjutsu."
Orochimaru wasn't too familiar with ancient ninjutsu lore. The era was too distant, and most accounts were treated as mythology. Someone as rigorous as Orochimaru would never accept myth as historical fact.
But as a transmigrator, Rokuro knew these "myths" were all true history.
(…Though maybe some TV-only material slipped in.)
"Then the Uchiha ancestor truly was a remarkable man."
After chatting for a while longer, the two shifted to concrete plans for troop movement.
Meanwhile, Sarutobi Hiruzen had gathered the high-ranking members of both the Sarutobi and Shimura clans at his home.
The Shimura clan head looked displeased. For the past week, in order to appease the enraged Uchiha, his clan had been "cutting off flesh" continuously. Resentment was already boiling within the clan.
They were supposed to be a noble house—but ever since Danzō died, every major decision fell onto him alone. Now he was carrying the entire burden in the worst possible political climate. He felt utterly powerless.
Hiruzen cast him a glance—quiet disdain hidden beneath the polite smile he forced onto his face.
"With the Uchiha growing stronger by the day, if we want to strike back, we must first lull them into complacency—then gather strength behind the scenes and deliver a devastating blow."
"That's why all of you must endure some humiliation for now. But rest assured—once the Uchiha, drunk on newfound power, inevitably offend other clans with their arrogance, I will unite the other ninja clans and wipe them out."
Seeing the doubtful expressions around him, Hiruzen felt his anger surge. They didn't believe in him anymore.
Bang!
He slammed his palm hard onto the table, startling everyone present.
"What is this? Who are you giving those faces to? Do you think I've grown too old to wield a blade?"
Silence filled the room.
But their silent defiance was obvious—and it enraged Hiruzen even further.
At that moment, Asuma spoke up.
"Dad, I've been in contact with members of the Ino–Shika–Chō alliance recently. Many of them have serious complaints about our clan. If you're planning to gather other clans against the Uchiha… I think it won't be so easy."
It was still five or six years before the opening of the original story—right smack in Asuma's rebellious phase. He was already preparing to leave Konoha to become the Daimyō's Guardian Ninja.
Hiruzen felt genuinely weary.
If his eldest son and wife weren't already dead, he would have disowned this useless brat and started over.
But he was too old now—who knew whether he even had the biological "functionality" left to try again?
In the original timeline, the reason Hiruzen refused to resign even in his late sixties was because he wanted to wait until Asuma matured enough to inherit the Hokage seat.
One only needed to look at who Asuma was assigned to teach—and who his girlfriend was assigned to teach—to understand.
Asuma's students were the next generation of the Ino–Shika–Chō:
Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chōji, and Yamanaka Ino.
Ino's future as clan head was uncertain, but Shikamaru and Chōji definitely became clan leaders.
If Asuma teaching the future Ino–Shika–Chō heads was reasonable political grooming, then Kurenai's appointment was blatant nepotism.
Yūhi Kurenai was weak—her taijutsu and ninjutsu barely reached chūnin level. Only her genjutsu qualified her as a jōnin. But her actual combat experience was so poor that even her one canonical fight showed she needed an absurdly long preparation time just to cast an illusion.
Yet she was assigned to lead the heirs of the Hyūga, Aburame, and Inuzuka clans.
For what reason? What exactly could she teach them?
Even Kishimoto seemed to realize how much of a "vase" she was, so he eventually sent her off to have a child.
In short, Hiruzen had always been paving the road for Asuma.
And now Asuma was the first to challenge him.
"You know nothing. The Uchiha are lone wolves. No matter how friendly you act, a wolf will eventually bite you. The other clans know this well."
Though unhappy, Asuma didn't talk back in front of outsiders. At least he had that much awareness.
Still, Hiruzen knew everyone doubted him.
"I know the Uchiha are too powerful. Their Susanoo terrifies everyone. Other clans are afraid to oppose them. But rest assured—I've already sent Jiraiya to find Tsunade. She will soon return to the village. Once she does, I will step down and appoint her as the Fifth Hokage."
The room immediately brightened.
Hiruzen sneered inwardly, but he couldn't openly confront them.
"You all know Jiraiya and Tsunade are my students, and both proved themselves on the battlefield. Jiraiya even trained at Mount Myōboku and mastered Sage Mode—something I can't do myself. If he goes all out, he's not weaker than Uchiha Rokuro."
"As for Tsunade, her strength is exceptional. She inherited the Senju's massive chakra reserves and is a master of medical ninjutsu. If she and I join forces, defeating Uchiha Izumi—who relies mainly on genjutsu—won't be difficult. With the Uchiha's greatest two assets neutralized, the other clans will rally behind us. After all, who would willingly ally with the Uchiha?"
This was how adults calculated—strength first, morality later.
Before, they refused to drink Hiruzen's "chicken soup" because his old, declining body couldn't counter Rokuro at all.
Now—add Jiraiya and Tsunade—and suddenly there was hope.
And people only place bets when there's hope.
Otherwise, the clans might simply let Hiruzen take the fall alone.
This was the fate of all leaders: once you lose the strength to hold power, death is close.
It was common in nature—no lion king ever died of old age.
An old lion king always died beneath the claws of the new one, and the lionesses would immediately accept the new ruler without hesitation.
After the family meeting, the senior members of the Sarutobi clan held a private discussion.
"Hiruzen is desperate. Handing the position to Tsunade… if she becomes Hokage, our clan will lose our privileges."
"And what choice do we have? Tsunade may be harsh, but she's better than an Uchiha. If that Uchiha Rokuro becomes Hokage, what do you think will happen to us?"
"Sigh… who would've thought the Uchiha, pushed to the margins for so long, could make a comeback like this?"
"Well, their ancestors must be smiling from the heavens. That genius Uchiha Rokuro—ha, a ten-year-old Mangekyō Sharingan wielder? Even Madara wasn't that monstrous."
"Hmph. All of this is Hiruzen's incompetence! Look at his decades as Hokage—Konoha's strength has declined nonstop. The title of 'Strongest Hidden Village' is meaningless now. And his two sons—one dead, one rebellious. I heard Asuma wants to serve the Daimyō! What nonsense!"
Mentioning Asuma made them all shake their heads.
To them, Asuma had no sense.
Did he really think serving the Daimyō was higher status than being a Konoha jōnin?
What a joke.
A nation's leader is defined by military power first, wealth second.
The Daimyō had money—but no military authority.
That made him inherently weaker than the Hokage.
And Asuma wanted to give the Daimyō more military power?
What nonsense.
"In every aspect, Hiruzen has failed in grooming the next generation. If we had known earlier, we should've picked a better heir to guide."
They spoke openly—completely unaware that Hiruzen, using his Telescope Technique, had heard every word.
"These rebels… Once I finish dealing with the Uchiha, I'm going to conduct a full purge within the clan. Some people have clearly forgotten who turned the Sarutobi into Konoha's number-one clan. Hmph!"
Although furious, Sarutobi Hiruzen knew this was absolutely not the time for internal strife. He could only pretend ignorance while silently waiting for the return of his two disciples—Jiraiya and Tsunade.
But the next day, before Jiraiya and Tsunade returned, another one of his disciples did.
A circular spatial portal suddenly opened in the center of the Sarutobi compound. There was no omen, no crackling lightning, no explosive visual spectacle—just as if an invisible pair of scissors had quietly cut open a hole in a colorless sheet of fabric.
The portal had a diameter of four meters—large enough for three or four adults to rush through at once. And the moment it appeared, several masked Sound ninja burst out of it.
Different from the original timeline, these Sound ninja carried no Sound Village forehead protectors. Since the mission was assassination, their metal plates bore nothing but a small engraved snake.
One after another, Sound ninja emerged. Four of them—each of jōnin-level strength—sat together cross-legged. Under the effect of a curse technique, their chakra merged into a single formidable chakra flow, reaching elite-jōnin intensity. Then one of them bit his finger, formed a seal, and slammed his hand onto the ground.
"Summoning Technique!"
Bang!
A vast plume of white smoke erupted. A colossal three-headed serpent appeared—its body stretching two to three hundred meters long, its thickness like a train. It was a serpent from Ryūchi Cave.
"What's going on?!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen had just washed his feet and was preparing to rest when the sudden surge of massive chakra jolted him to alertness.
Not bothering to change clothes, he rushed into the courtyard—only to see a giant snake tail crashing toward his house.
Boom!!
The serpent split Hiruzen's house cleanly in two. Even the foundation collapsed. Barefoot, Hiruzen darted through the rubble—when suddenly, a familiar, icy chakra rushed toward him. His expression changed drastically.
"Barrier Technique—Four Purple Flames Formation!"
The familiar formation, the familiar tactic. Four Sound jōnin formed the Four Purple Flames Formation, sealing off half of the Sarutobi compound and isolating it completely from the outside world.
Hiruzen immediately saw the figure at the center of the formation—cold, composed, and all too familiar.
"Sarutobi-sensei… long time no see. I'm here to send you off today."
Orochimaru examined his former teacher standing amid the ruins. His gaze held killing intent, resentment, pride—and a faint trace of melancholy. After all, this was the teacher who raised him from childhood. Now he was about to personally end that teacher's life. Even Orochimaru felt a hint of reluctance.
But the moment he recalled the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan, that sliver of emotion evaporated—replaced by overwhelming murderous intent.
"Protect the Third Hokage!"
Four ANBU operatives—assigned to guard Hiruzen at all times—leapt out from the rubble. Since this wasn't the Chūnin Exams arena, ANBU were always stationed near Hiruzen; thus they were trapped within the barrier as well.
Orochimaru, however, had also brought support. He glanced backward.
"Kimimaro, those ANBU are yours. Don't let them interfere with my duel with sensei."
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."
Not yet ten years old, Kimimaro was far weaker than the version who appeared in the original storyline—but for that same reason, his Kaguya clan illness had not yet manifested.
Thus, while his strength wasn't quite jōnin level, his stamina far exceeded the original version, no longer collapsing mid-fight. Combined with the monstrous defense of Shikotsumyaku, it was genuinely hard to tell whether he was stronger now or later in canon.
Kimimaro shot forward at high speed—and was immediately greeted by a barrage of shuriken. He didn't dodge. He continued rushing straight in, bones erupting from beneath his skin to shield his upper body.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The shuriken struck bone, throwing sparks. Some even snapped on impact.
"Careful! It's the Shikotsumyaku of the Kaguya clan! Don't engage in close combat!"
Experienced ANBU, they immediately leapt back to engage from a distance with ninjutsu.
A smart tactic. Unless one possessed Eight Gates or Lightning Chakra Mode, fighting a Kaguya clan combatant in close range was pure insanity.
Unfortunately, the area was enclosed by the Four Purple Flames Formation. Space was limited. And Kimimaro's Shunshin no Jutsu was insanely fast. Just as the ANBU spread apart, Kimimaro closed in on one—tearing him apart with bone blades in a blink.
Blood splattered instantly. Kimimaro's expression remained emotionless—a machine built solely for killing.
Hiruzen's face darkened. But with Orochimaru before him, he had no way to help.
"Don't look away, Sarutobi-sensei. Today you will die. Half your clan will die. And the Shimura clan… will share the same fate."
"Orochimaru… why do something like this?"
Orochimaru tilted his head upward toward the night sky. For once, his voice carried a hint of sentiment.
"The windmill has already begun turning… but there's still resistance. I want it to spin faster—and so, the obstacles must be removed."
The cryptic statement confused Hiruzen, but as a seasoned politician, he quickly inferred the meaning.
"You're acting under orders… from the Uchiha, aren't you?"
"Sensei, no one can order me. Not you. Not the Uchiha.
But I do desire the Uchiha's power. And the price they demand… is your life.
Oh—and the lives of those outside, who have enjoyed benefits that were never theirs to begin with.
It's time they paid the bill."
By now, the thousand Sound ninja had all passed through the spatial portal and flooded into the Sarutobi and Shimura compounds.
The two clan territories were close. Within minutes, both were engulfed in flames. Countless clan members died. Entire streets collapsed into rubble. Fires roared upward, illuminating the night sky—alerting all of Konoha.
Clan heads across the village leapt onto their rooftops, gazing toward the battlefield.
"Shikaku! What's happening? Are we under invasion? How did they get in?!"
Akimichi Chōza landed heavily on Nara Shikaku's rooftop, causing the tiles to sink under his weight. Shikaku's eyelids twitched.
"Judging from the location, both the Sarutobi and Shimura compounds are under attack.
That serpent is from Ryūchi Cave."
"Orochimaru?!"
Chōza immediately understood—the serpents of Ryūchi Cave were Orochimaru's trademark. During the Shinobi World War, he frequently summoned them in battle. No one in Konoha could fail to recognize them.
"Given his knowledge of Konoha, sneaking in unnoticed is believable…
but this scale? He couldn't do this alone."
Shikaku nodded faintly.
"By the size of the battlefield, this is already a large-scale conflict—over a thousand combatants.
Even during the Lightning-Fire War, only a few major offensives reached that scale.
Orochimaru clearly brought an army.
He is one of the Legendary Sannin… his ability to gather forces far surpasses the other two."
"No—that many people shouldn't be able to slip past Konoha's sensory barrier! Impossible!"
Shikaku fell silent. He had noticed the same.
"Two possibilities.
First: Orochimaru invented a new space-time ninjutsu powerful enough to bypass Konoha's barrier.
Second: someone inside disabled the barrier for him."
Chōza's expression changed drastically. He thought of something he didn't want to consider.
Shikaku turned toward him, voice grave.
"Chōza… think carefully before you act tonight.
This could mean life or death for the entire Ino–Shika–Chō alliance."
Chōza opened his mouth to respond—when suddenly, Yamanaka Inoichi's voice echoed in both their minds.
"Shikaku! Chōza! Something terrible's happened!
Orochimaru brought over a thousand ninja and launched a surprise attack on the Sarutobi and Shimura compounds!
Even the Third Hokage is trapped inside the Four Purple Flames Formation!"
"Inoichi, do we know how they entered the village?"
"No. They appeared out of thin air. The sensory barrier detected nothing beforehand!"
Chōza quickly asked:
"So the barrier didn't fail?"
"Correct. The barrier is functioning normally.
They weren't infiltrators from outside—I suspect a large-scale space-time technique.
But the strange part is: no intel from the borders, no chakra fluctuations anywhere…
Could such a technique transfer a thousand people directly from outside the country into Konoha?!"
Hearing that the barrier hadn't been sabotaged, Chōza exhaled in relief.
But Shikaku's expression only grew darker…
END OF CHAPTER
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