The winding, snake-like tunnel was filled with an indescribable chill that hung heavy in the air.
Damp moss clung to the cracks in the stone walls, mingling with trickles of mineral-laden water that left murky, white streaks as they slid down.
Danzo's single eye fixed on Orochimaru's Mangekyo Sharingan, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes folding into a fan-like pattern. The Mangekyo spun rapidly, emitting a faint red glow.
The power of Beppu needed no explanation.
Danzo could sense the Yin Release energy taking root in Orochimaru's mind, subtly infiltrating, distorting, and planting his will in their subconscious. It wouldn't take long before Orochimaru became his puppet entirely.
The plan was working!
Killing Hikari to settle his grudge was one reason for reaching out to Orochimaru.
Returning to the Leaf to reclaim the Root was a pipe dream.
But using Beppu's covert power to manipulate Orochimaru's subconscious? That was his true goal in seeking them out.
Hikari's death was non-negotiable, and he could hand over the Sharingan to Orochimaru. But the price would be Orochimaru themselves and the hidden village they'd built over the years.
The damp, cold air couldn't cool the fire in Danzo's heart. His gaze was ravenous, like a starving wolf eyeing a juicy slab of meat.
On his way here, he'd used his Sharingan to scope out the area.
Orochimaru's Sound Village, nestled in the Land of Rice Fields, boasted hundreds of ninja, including a dozen or so at the Special Jonin or Jonin level.
While their quality didn't match his Root, they were still a mid-tier ninja organization.
If you counted Orochimaru and himself—two Kage-level ninja—the Sound Village, aside from the five great ninja villages and that mysterious Akatsuki group, was now a top-tier force in the ninja world, arguably stronger than the Root.
He could never go back.
Danzo knew better than anyone how heinous his actions had been.
All of the Root's ninja—Iwao, Chihaya, even Ryoma—had betrayed him. Once Hikari exposed his deeds, the vast Hidden Leaf Village would have no place for him. Even if he killed Hikari, what then?
Could he reclaim the Root?
Better to take over Orochimaru's Sound Village and make it his own. If he couldn't be Hokage, being the Sound's shadow leader wasn't a bad consolation prize.
But first, he needed to confirm Beppu would work on Orochimaru.
"You infiltrate the Leaf and kill Hikari. Once it's done, I'll give you twenty pairs of three-tomoe Sharingan. Don't think I can't deliver—we've long mastered the method to cultivate them!"
Leaning forward slightly, Danzo's lone eye locked onto Orochimaru, testing whether their will had been swayed with this empty promise.
If Orochimaru agreed, it would mean Beppu was working, and he could seize control of the Sound Village.
Building a village like this from scratch would take him a decade—time he didn't have. After Hikari's betrayal, he'd wised up. Why start from nothing when he could just take someone else's?
Danzo's voice echoed in the cave with a slight distortion. Orochimaru, seemingly oblivious, narrowed their eyes, making the cave feel even colder.
Does this old fool not get it?
He was already a Leaf traitor. In a couple of days, a wanted order would probably be issued, and he still thought he was the Root's leader?
If not for needing manpower for the Leaf Collapse Plan, Orochimaru would've kicked this useless old man out of the Land of Rice Fields already.
Thinking about the upcoming Super Chunin Exams in the Leaf, Orochimaru rubbed their forehead, feeling a headache coming on.
Good news and bad news.
The good news: they'd successfully assassinated the Kazekage with Kimimaro's help.
Their real body was currently in the Sand Village, mobilizing forces for the Leaf Collapse Plan. The Orochimaru meeting Danzo was just a shadow clone.
The bad news: besides the Kazekage, they might have to face at least four Kage-level threats.
No—make that five, if you counted Hikari.
The memory of that petite figure at Thunder Drum Mountain, cloaked in purple chakra that rivaled a Tailed Beast's, sent a spark of fire through Orochimaru's eyes.
When Danzo first contacted them about assassinating Hikari, he'd provided all her intel.
Orochimaru never imagined the "Yato" monster they'd encountered at Thunder Drum Mountain was the shared disciple of the Third Hokage and Danzo—and, like Kimimaro, a Kaguya orphan. She might even have awakened the Shikotsumyaku bloodline.
At six years old, she'd already been an elite Jonin. At Thunder Drum Mountain, she'd helped defeat Kisame Hoshigaki and taken his chakra-absorbing weapon.
Later, she'd tossed the Kaguya treasure to someone else to divert trouble, escaping via reverse summoning. Orochimaru had assumed she'd been killed by that mysterious space ninja, with the treasure lost.
But she was alive. Five years later, she'd taken over the Root, driven out Danzo, and undoubtedly reached Kage-level strength.
Utterly absurd!
Orochimaru suddenly thought of themselves.
They'd been a prodigy in the Leaf, graduating from the Academy with Chunin-level skill.
By chance, they'd been transported to the Ryuchi Cave via reverse summoning, surviving brutal trials to earn the White Snake Sage's approval and become a Special Jonin.
From there, their strength soared.
At fifteen, they studied the five elemental releases under Sarutobi Hiruzen, becoming a Jonin.
At twenty, they joined the Root, mastering the Leaf's secret and forbidden techniques.
At twenty-five, they developed their own combat system, using body modification to overcome their chakra limitations, stepping into Kage-level territory.
Countless life-or-death battles, endless nights of ninjutsu research, and abandoning emotions, bonds, morality, limits—even gender and humanity—had brought them to their current strength.
But Hikari?
At twelve, an age when most were still Genin, she stood at the pinnacle of ninja, commanding the Root's elite and overlooking the ninja world. It made Orochimaru, the so-called genius, feel inferior.
If not for her being Kimimaro's kin, likely doomed to bloodline disease and unsuitable for Edo Tensei, Orochimaru would've scrapped the Leaf Collapse Plan for a "Seize Hikari Plan."
But no.
Even facing five Kage-level opponents, they wouldn't abandon the attack on the Leaf. Danzo was, without question, the perfect pawn for the plan.
"So, do you agree or not?" Danzo asked, his face cold but his toes curling with tension as he watched Orochimaru rub their forehead in thought.
Normally, Beppu's initial effect would make the target's eyes mirror the Mangekyo's shape before fading. But Orochimaru's eyes remained in their four-pointed windmill pattern, their expression conflicted—clearly resisting Beppu with sheer willpower.
Who'd have thought Orochimaru's will was so strong it could withstand the Mangekyo's power?
Danzo's body tensed. If Orochimaru caught on, not only would the deal fall through, but a fight would be inevitable.
"Fine!"
Just as Danzo was about to snap and act, Orochimaru finally spoke, their face full of reluctance.
They agreed to such an outrageous deal?
Danzo's heart leapt. Orochimaru was under Beppu's control. His plan to seize the Sound Village could proceed. "In a month, during the Five Nations Joint Exam, while the Kage are gathered, I'll lead the Sound Village to attack the Leaf. You blend into the team and wait for the moment. We'll kill Hikari first, then Sarutobi."
Staring into those crimson Mangekyo eyes, Orochimaru spread their arms, laying out their plan with a wicked grin, as if the Leaf was already crushed.
Danzo fell silent.
His wrinkled face twitched as he looked at Orochimaru, still rambling on. His narrow eyes were filled with horror.
Had he used too much ocular power with Beppu? Why was Orochimaru spouting nonsense?
Lead the Sound to attack the Leaf?
Without his help, Orochimaru's ragtag group couldn't even breach the Root's base! And kill Sarutobi while the five Kage were gathered?
Why not just declare yourself the God of Shinobi?
"Maybe rethink that?" Danzo, the instigator of it all, found himself trying to talk Orochimaru down, his cheek twitching.
If Orochimaru went through with this, Danzo wasn't sure if the Leaf would fall, but his desired Sound Village would definitely be gone.
"What, backing out already? You promised twenty pairs of Sharingan—no less!" Orochimaru glared, their sinister four-pointed Mangekyo eyes terrifying.
Whether they got the Sharingan didn't matter. Finding a Kage-level ally was rare—there was no way they'd let Danzo back out now.
Kidnapping Sasuke and killing their teacher had been Orochimaru's plan for years. The Sound Village was built for this purpose. Even with slight changes, they had contingencies.
"No, the Sharingan's fine, but—" Danzo tried to reason, but seeing Orochimaru's blood-red eyes, he knew words might not work. The red in his left eye faded rapidly, along with the ocular power in Orochimaru's mind. Silently, he dispelled Beppu.
"Phew."
As Orochimaru's pupils returned to their golden snake-like state, Danzo let out a quiet breath, hoping this would snap them out of their ridiculous plan.
"I'm executing the Leaf Collapse Plan!" Orochimaru's magnetic voice echoed through the cave, pointing at Danzo with killing intent. "If you don't join, I'll kill you to keep the plan secret. Choose now!"
"I…"
Feeling Orochimaru's unmasked killing intent, Danzo's eyes went blank, unsure how things had spiraled to this point. Are you obsessed with the Sharingan or what?
Having barely escaped, he had no desire to return to the Leaf—especially not as a traitor attacking it.
If he agreed, his life's principles would lose all meaning. But if he fought Orochimaru now, win or lose, his hopes of revenge would be dashed.
His wooden clogs slipped on the cave's slick moss as he stared at Orochimaru, already preparing a summoning jutsu, trapped in a dilemma.
---
Meanwhile, seven days passed in a flash.
Team 7, resting since their return from the Land of Waves, finally regrouped at Kakashi's call.
In the circular Third Training Ground, weathered wooden posts stood scarred in the center.
Crackle, crackle!
Sasuke, with a chakra short sword on his back, was wrapped in lightning, sitting cross-legged to hone his chakra control.
Naruto, in a black short-sleeved shirt, was drenched in sweat. His prolonged training had engorged his muscles, his biceps straining his sleeves. Still, he darted around, hammering the wooden posts.
Hiss, hiss—
The sound of his breathing mimicked a cobra's hiss, accompanied by relentless thunderclaps.
The trees rustled, a faint breeze carrying sunlight that dried the field.
Leaving all training to her clone, Hikari leaned against a creaking, curved tree trunk, munching on tri-color dango bought from a roadside stall. She savored her treat while watching her teammates train.
Slurp!
Sucking a dango into her mouth, Hikari's eyes—hidden behind her blindfold—narrowed in delight, her lips curving like a smiling cat. This is why I train!
So cute!
So annoying!
Naruto and Sasuke, catching the faint sound, glanced at Hikari. Their reactions couldn't be more different.
Naruto's cheeks flushed slightly. After years together, he'd mostly let go of his old fantasies. Her weight, like a freight ship, and her scalding body temperature, hotter than a boiling pot, had crushed his feelings. Still, seeing her sparked a quiet flutter in his heart.
Sasuke's reaction was pure resentment—not at Hikari, but at his own weakness and incompetence.
Hikari's carefree attitude came from her superhuman strength. In the Land of Waves mission, he'd slacked off, injuring his legs with his own lightning and gaining nothing, while Naruto had stumbled into mastering the Gate of Life. Sasuke hadn't grown stronger at all.
If he had even half of Hikari's strength, he could already be on his path to revenge.
The more he dwelled on his weakness, the more volatile the electricity around him became, leaving black scorch marks on his body.
No matter!
Pain was nothing if it meant getting stronger. Sasuke's eyes blazed red, training his Lightning Release control while using the pain to push his Sharingan's evolution.
He'd already decided: once his Sharingan reached three tomoe, he'd go to Hikari and trade his loyalty for the right to use the Lightning Blade: Fang.
"Looks like everyone's working hard!" Kakashi strolled out of the woods, holding a yellow-covered book, his dead-fish eyes deliberately skipping over Hikari.
"You're late again, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto roared, catching his breath as he dropped his fighting stance.
"Sorry, I had an unavoidable reason for being late today!" Kakashi's eyes curved into crescents, waving Make-Out Paradise at the trio. "Just now, the Hokage personally announced that the Leaf will host a Super Chunin Exam for the Five Nations. As some of the village's best Genin, you three have to participate! So, for the next two months, Team 7 won't have any missions!"
"What!?" Naruto and Sasuke straightened in unison.
Sucking down the last dango, Hikari, the exam proctor, puffed out her cheeks and stabbed her bamboo skewer into the tree beneath her.
This joint exam was no small matter. Events from the original timeline seemed to be accelerating, and even the village's promising Genin were ordered to drop missions and focus on preparing.
It looked like Sensei Sarutobi wasn't just aiming for first place—he wanted to sweep the top three!