Chapter 253: Chapter 253
During a time of war, a nation's heightened vigilance often puts everyone on edge.
So, when Kakashi spotted Orochimaru wearing a black cloak, his suspicion was immediate and intense.
At this point, Kakashi was almost ten years old and had been a chūnin for nearly four years—a true prodigy.
He had entered the Academy at age five, graduated the same year, and became a chūnin by the age of six.
Throughout Konoha's history, no one had broken his record.
Not even geniuses like Orochimaru or Uchiha Itachi could match his precociousness.
While Kakashi's rapid ascent was partly due to the ongoing war, it didn't diminish the fact that he was an undeniable genius.
His mission in this war was simple yet dangerous: eliminate any enemy ninja who infiltrated the Land of Fire.
When Orochimaru heard the voice behind him, his lips curved into a faint smile.
Kakashi?
Hatake Kakashi?
Slowly, Orochimaru turned around, his sharp gaze falling on three young shinobi.
One had silver-white hair and a mask covering his lower face. Another had black hair and wore goggles, exuding a nervous energy. The last was a petite girl with soft eyes and red markings painted on her cheeks. All three were staring at him with expressions full of wariness and tension.
Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Obito, Nohara Rin.
Orochimaru's smile deepened slightly. He knew the stories of these three all too well, their futures were nothing short of extraordinary, and devastating.
One would become Konoha's most skilled technician and eventually its Sixth Hokage.
One would awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan through love and loss, only to descend into darkness, orchestrate a massacre, and nearly destroy the entire ninja world.
And the last… through her death, she would become the catalyst for it all.
"It's remarkable how fate can twist people's lives." Orochimaru mused to himself.
"It seems… you must be Hatake Sakumo's son."
Kakashi's eyes widened when he heard the man mention his father by name.
"Y-you… Who are you?"
His voice wavered slightly, and his grip on his sword tightened. How could someone recognize his father's name so easily in the wilderness?
When Orochimaru calmly pulled back his hood to reveal his unmistakable features, the three children froze.
"L-Lord Orochimaru?!"
Uchiha Obito's voice cracked, and he audibly swallowed, his throat dry with fear.
"No way… Is this a joke?" Rin whispered, her voice trembling as she tried to process the situation.
Rin had only ever heard of Orochimaru by name. He had defected from the village long before she met him. But his reputation preceded him, and it was terrifying enough to rattle her nerves.
Even Kakashi, who had met Orochimaru several times as a child, couldn't stop the shaking in his hands. His grip on his sword was unsteady.
Back when Kakashi was an ANBU operative in another timeline, the mere sight of Orochimaru had paralyzed him with fear. Even as an adult, Kakashi hadn't stood a chance against Orochimaru. Now, as a ten-year-old, his fear was amplified tenfold.
Standing face-to-face with one of Konoha's most infamous traitors, all three of them were doing everything in their power to remain upright.
This man was not just any missing-nin, Orochimaru was classified as an S-rank criminal, wanted by the entire ninja world.
He was considered more dangerous than the Kages of enemy nations.
Seeing their petrified expressions, Orochimaru's smirk widened.
"What's this? Are you all so frightened of me?"
"I… I…" Kakashi gritted his teeth, forcing himself to steady his nerves. But his trembling sword betrayed his facade.
Kakashi knew Orochimaru too well. His father, Sakumo, had spoken about Orochimaru, and Kakashi had met him in the past.
But precisely because of this familiarity, Kakashi's fear only deepened.
"Hey, you! Are you really Orochimaru-sama?" Obito's voice suddenly broke the tense silence.
Although he stammered, he deliberately spoke louder, as if trying to muster courage.
"Idiot! Shut up!" Kakashi snapped at him, his tone sharp and low. "Do you want to get us killed?!"
Kakashi, despite his young age, knew his limits. He was confident in his abilities, but against Orochimaru? Even if there were a hundred of him, it wouldn't make a difference.
Orochimaru chuckled lightly, finding their exchange amusing.
"Get you killed? Don't worry, I have no interest in any of you."
For Orochimaru, the three before him were insignificant.
Even though he recognized Uchiha Obito's potential to influence the entire shinobi world, it simply didn't matter to him. Orochimaru's focus was elsewhere, on learning Sage Mode and advancing his personal goals.
Hearing this, Obito exhaled a shaky breath and turned to Kakashi.
"Let's go, Kakashi! There's no way we can fight him. We're lucky he's not interested in us!" Obito's voice was laced with fear, but also relief.
He wasn't willing to risk his life in a pointless confrontation, especially when it meant never seeing Rin again.
Kakashi opened his mouth, but before he could respond, a blur of yellow suddenly appeared in front of them.
"Hm?" Orochimaru's eyes narrowed.
Standing before him was none other than Namikaze Minato.
"You… Lord Orochimaru?" Minato said, his tone calm but tinged with surprise.
Orochimaru frowned.
"Is this endless interference?" he muttered under his breath.
Minato didn't draw his weapon or show any aggression. His surprise was genuine, but there was no hostility.
Orochimaru tilted his head slightly, confused by Minato's lack of hostility.
According to the information he had from Tsunade, Konoha had labeled him as a rogue ninja. Typically, a shinobi encountering a missing-nin from their own village would either attempt to kill or capture them for interrogation.
Yet, Minato made no move to attack.
After a brief exchange, Orochimaru finally pieced together the situation.
Jiraiya had taken Minato on as his disciple, just as Orochimaru remembered. Moreover, Jiraiya had told Minato about Orochimaru's past, though the specific reasons for Orochimaru's defection had been classified as a Konoha secret.
It seemed Jiraiya's attitude toward him had influenced Minato's view as well.
Shaking his head, Orochimaru dismissed the thought with a wave of his hand.
"Forget it. You can go."
"Yes, my lord," Minato replied respectfully, before turning to the trio. "Let's go, Kakashi, Obito, Rin."
"Y-yes!" they stammered in unison, relief flooding their faces as they followed Minato.
Watching them leave, Orochimaru's gaze lingered on Kakashi's sword.
"That's not Sakumo's blade… Could it mean Hatake Sakumo is still alive? And where is Kushina? She didn't follow Minato?"
A faint smile tugged at Orochimaru's lips.
"Interesting…" he murmured.
---
While the shinobi world waged war, Orochimaru's mind was on immortality.
For him, heading to Ryūchi Cave to learn Sage Mode was simply part of his quest for eternal life.
If he wanted to improve his spiritual energy, he could capture a Tailed Beast or even return to Konoha to find Uchiha Itachi.
But learning Sage Mode was the safer and more efficient route.
He had always wanted to master Sage Techniques. Enhancing his spiritual energy while gaining new powers was a win-win scenario.
"Master, the scent here feels… unusual," said Yamata, the black snake at his side.
"Hm? Could this valley ahead be it?" Orochimaru mused, his gaze falling on the misty forest before him. The ground was littered with bones, creating an ominous atmosphere.
The corners of his lips curled into a faint smile.
***
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