Chapter 30: Shadows in the Deep
Less than two weeks had passed since Shuichi Mayumi's departure from Konoha. In that time, Onigarasu had abandoned its previous nest in the high canopy, seeking new hunting grounds in a denser, deeper part of the forest.
Tonight, the moon hung heavy among the treetops, casting a pale, silver wash over the silent woods. The ghost crow perched on a thick branch, head cocked. Its enhanced senses, sharpened by demonic blood, caught a scent on the still night air—not the musky odor of a forest animal, but the coppery tang of human blood.
Someone was injured. Deep in the woods, at night. That was never good news for the victim.
Flapping its wings silently, Onigarasu descended, flying low through the undergrowth at a controlled pace. Flying too high would lose the trail. It tracked the scent, a dark shadow sliding between trees.
Huff… Heh…
The source of the blood was a man, moving with a pronounced limp, his breathing ragged and pained. He was covered in gore, wounds fresh and vicious—the kind left by point-blank explosive force.
Ugh… Even one of the Legendary Sannin was not immune to a well-placed explosive tag when caught off-guard. Orochimaru's golden eyes were narrowed in pain and cold fury. He'd miscalculated. He hadn't expected his old teacher, Sarutobi, to have prepared such a… final lesson.
CAAW!
An ugly, grating cry split the night above him. Orochimaru's brow furrowed. Bad luck. Without the Byakugan's penetrating sight, the darkness hid the crow's unnatural size and crimson eyes. It could be a large forest bird. It could also be a summon, a tracker. The cry would draw his pursuers, pinpointing his location. In his current state, speed was impossible.
Seeing the man's distinctive pale face and snake-like eyes from above, Onigarasu felt a jolt of recognition. Its conversations with Momiji—rare moments when the battle-obsessed demon had been talkative—had included profiles of Konoha's notable shinobi. Orochimaru, the Snake Sannin, was near the top of that list.
It knew a direct confrontation with a healthy Orochimaru was suicidal. But a severely wounded one? Perhaps three or four percent of his power remained? A treacherous, tempting thought took root.
What if? Momiji had hinted the Ghost King had a particular interest in powerful shinobi. What if it could deliver Orochimaru? Would that count as a significant merit?
Caution warred with ambition. The crow held back. It melted into the shadows, sending its clones to scout the perimeter instead.
Soon, they reported: a team of uniformed ninja, faces hidden behind blank white masks, were combing the forest. Some on foot, some in the trees, some scouring a nearby stream. Anbu. Konoha's hunters.
Konoha hunting one of its own Sannin? A traitor, then. The sudden appearance of these elite pursuers dashed any immediate hope of attacking. The risk was too high. It could only watch from a distance, a patient observer in the sky, waiting for an opening.
If the Anbu could corner and further weaken Orochimaru… then perhaps…
The opportunity never came. The chase stretched through the night. As the first hints of light tinged the eastern horizon, Onigarasu knew its time was up. With a silent snarl of frustration, it dove toward a deep, narrow fissure in the forest floor—a crack seemingly too small for even a man to enter.
Inside, however, the space opened up dramatically. The walls were veined with thick, ancient tree roots. It was cavernous, cool, and dark. Even with its wings fully spread, it didn't feel cramped.
"An excellent find," it mused, the thought of claiming this as a new lair flickering through its mind. But the fissure above was wide enough to admit the deadly morning sun. It needed deeper darkness.
Its sharp eyes soon found it: a narrower tunnel at the base of the chamber, likely only passable for a small child. It promised deeper blackness.
As the first spear of sunlight pierced the main fissure, Onigarasu didn't hesitate. It squeezed into the tight passage.
The tunnel led to a place of utter blackness, a sunless deep. The ceiling here was oppressively low. Flying was impossible; it would be a constant, precarious dance to avoid crashing. It was forced to land, becoming a grounded, awkward fowl picking its way through the gloom until it found a suitable dark corner to rest.
It had just closed its eyes when footsteps echoed in the tunnel.
"This way?" A young boy's voice.
"Look at all these roots on the ceiling and walls. And this hole inside… it's like a maze." A girl's voice, growing closer.
Onigarasu remained motionless in its pool of shadow as a young girl led a boy dressed as a ninja past its hiding spot and toward the passage it had just used. They were utterly unaware of the predatory eyes watching them.
"It gets narrower ahead, but it should be okay for now," the girl said, peering into the tunnel.
"Where does this lead?"
"To my secret base. Mine and Tenzō's." One after the other, they clambered into the passage, their voices fading.
Humans living this deep underground? In permanent darkness? The crow was baffled. Could there be humans who also fear the light?
Intrigued, it hopped in the opposite direction, following the path the girl had come from. If it led to more humans… perhaps a different kind of opportunity.
Meanwhile, outside this labyrinth of roots and stone, another figure stumbled into the darkness. Hatake Kakashi, separated from his Anbu squad in the pursuit of Orochimaru, found the fissure by chance. Following a faint candle's glow deep within, he arrived at the same central chamber Onigarasu had first discovered.
He looked around. The burning candle on the ground, the strange, root-walled tunnel in the corner… it was unmistakably a hideout.
Did I just stumble onto Orochimaru's bolt-hole? A spark of hope ignited. His luck might have finally turned.
He took a step forward, then another, moving deeper into the chamber.
He rejoiced too soon.
Within a minute, a thick, white mist began to seep from the ground at his feet, swirling and rising with unnatural speed, quickly enveloping him in a dense, cloying fog that swallowed the candlelight and the very walls around him.
(End of Chapter)
✨Enjoying the story? You can support me on Patreon —
Patreon.com/MizuSan
✨ Patreon members get early chapter access, bonus content! 🥰
🎉 Plus, I'll release 1 extra chapter for every 5 reviews!💎 Or grab 1 bonus chapter for every 50 Power Stones you send my way! 🥳
🌊 Let's reach 20 Patreon members to unlock 5 extra chapters together!