Chapter 87 – Orochimaru's Covetous Gaze
For Nan, using an incomplete Susanoo was effortless—it placed no real strain on his eyes and caused no bleeding.
But to sell the illusion of ocular exhaustion, he deliberately forced more chakra into the pathways around his eyes, artificially burdening them until he could squeeze out just enough blood to make the act convincing.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, felt a deep sense of unease toward this mysterious figure who had single-handedly defeated Shukaku.
A Mangekyō Sharingan should belong only to the most gifted of the Uchiha. By all rights, he should have recognized such a shinobi instantly.
Yet when Hiruzen drew closer and got a clear look at "Uchiha Han," he realized the man seemed only vaguely familiar—someone he might have seen in passing—but he could not recall his name.
Though suspicions swirled in his heart, Hiruzen masked them with a genial smile as he spoke:
"I never imagined our village still had someone capable of defeating a tailed beast single-handedly. And yet, I hadn't even heard of you. As Hokage, that is my failing. Still, I am grateful you stepped forward in Konoha's time of crisis. You are of the Uchiha clan, aren't you? What is your name?"
As they approached, Nan slowly rose to his feet, steadying his breathing. He put on the façade of someone exhausted yet unwilling to show weakness.
He ignored the Hokage's words. Instead, he swept a cold, dismissive glance over Hiruzen and his two companions before turning his head upward at a 45-degree angle, gazing toward the sky.
His attitude made it seem as though Konoha's three strongest shinobi were beneath his notice, as if they were nothing more than weaklings he could crush with a single hand.
Hiruzen's false smile faltered for a moment at being so blatantly disregarded. But before he could say anything, Orochimaru stepped in, his voice sharp with accusation:
"You're Uchiha Han, aren't you? Weren't you reported missing years ago? Why are you appearing here now? If you were alive all this time, why didn't you return to the village sooner? Or… were you planning to defect?"
Hiruzen's brows furrowed at Orochimaru's words.
He had seen every shinobi in the village before, but Uchiha Han had spent years away on missions, seldom returning.
Coupled with his lack of remarkable achievements in recent times, Han had long since faded from the Hokage's memory.
For many "ordinary" shinobi like him, even if Hiruzen found the face familiar, he often couldn't recall the name.
Only when Orochimaru uttered the name Uchiha Han did Hiruzen finally connect the face before him with the name buried in his memory.
For a shinobi, disappearance usually meant one of two things: death or defection—unless the individual in question was someone exceptional, like Tsunade.
But Uchiha Han was just an ordinary ninja. To vanish for so long without word made him seem very much like a deserter.
Yet the Third Hokage hesitated. If he intended to defect, why would he return here, of all places? Wouldn't that be walking straight into a trap?
"So, you are Uchiha Han," Hiruzen said evenly. "Have you been caught up in some trouble all this time, unable to report back to the village?"
Ever the optimist where the Uchiha were concerned, Hiruzen wanted to believe Han's disappearance had another explanation: perhaps he had been badly injured, forced into hiding to recover. His reappearance now, intervening against Shukaku's rampage, might simply mean he had healed and rushed back, loyal to Konoha all along.
Nan did not answer. He only gave a cold, mocking smile.
That was when a pale hand shot forward, reaching straight for his eyes—Orochimaru's sudden strike.
Hiruzen barked out:
"What are you doing, Orochimaru? Stop at once!"
"Can't you see it, sensei?" Orochimaru's voice dripped with venom. "This man cares nothing for Konoha. He must have returned with some ulterior motive. We should seize him together."
Orochimaru had long been curious about Han's power. Now, gazing into those unusual Sharingan, his suspicions crystallized. And he noticed, too, the cracks in Han's façade—signs of exhaustion.
Desire flared in Orochimaru's heart. He couldn't simply snatch the eyes under his teacher's and Jiraiya's watchful gaze, but Han's evasive silence was all the justification he needed. Clearly, this Uchiha was not acting for Konoha's sake. Clearly, a conspiracy lay behind his reappearance.
Seizing his chance, Orochimaru struck without hesitation.
Even Hiruzen, after being ignored twice, had begun to suspect the same. Though he hadn't expected Orochimaru to act so boldly, he did not move to stop him. If Han truly intended to defect, then this moment—while still weary from his battle with Shukaku—was the best time to bring him down.
Orochimaru's serpentine body lashed forward, his hand darting straight for Nan's eyes.
And yet—Nan didn't even flinch. He stood unmoving, calm.
Orochimaru's lips curved in triumph. Those eyes are mine.
But in the next instant, Nan's Mangekyō spun.
Orochimaru froze, struck by an unseen force. His stomach convulsed as if pierced from within, blood spraying from his lips as he was hurled backward.
"Orochimaru! Are you alright?" Jiraiya cried in alarm, rushing toward his comrade.
Unlike his teammate, Jiraiya's thoughts were simpler; he hadn't yet suspected Han of betrayal, and thus hadn't joined the attack. But seeing Orochimaru blasted away by some strange technique filled him with dread. Without hesitation, he moved to strike.
Nan's cold gaze met his. The Mangekyō spun again.
In the blink of an eye, Jiraiya too was sent flying, just like Orochimaru.
Two of the Legendary Sannin laid low without Nan lifting a hand—felled by nothing more than a glance. The sight shocked the Third Hokage to his core. He hadn't even seen the technique.
Thank the heavens he had not attacked himself. Had he done so, his fate might well have mirrored that of his disciples.
The jutsu was Han's Mangekyō ability: the Phantom Body Technique, born of Yin-Yang Release.
Invisible to all but its wielder and sensory shinobi, the phantom strike had slipped past their defenses with ease, wounding two Kage-level shinobi in an instant. Though the damage wasn't fatal, it was enough to humble them.
Orochimaru and Jiraiya quickly regained their footing, wary now, and rejoined Hiruzen. Their eyes were sharper, filled with caution.
Hiruzen's tone turned grave:
"Uchiha Han, you've been gone far too long. Are you truly a shinobi of Konoha… or have you chosen betrayal? Why have you come here? Was it not to aid the village?"
Nan, still playing his role, burst into laughter—low at first, then louder, until it echoed harshly across the battlefield.
He cut it off with a scoff.
"You accuse me after striking first? How amusing. Who, I wonder, is the real villain here?"
Hiruzen's expression darkened. Slowly, he turned his gaze toward Orochimaru, wordlessly demanding an explanation.