Drip… drip…
The sound of water echoed layer after layer inside an arched space, mixed with a sobbing wind from nowhere. Damp mold carried the smell of old rust straight into the nose.
A pitch black cat lay low in the shadows, its paws toying with several half dead white snakes.
When a snake stopped moving, the cat loosened its grip, letting the body twitch again before pressing it down once more, showing a clear sense of cruel amusement.
But soon, as if sensing something, the black cat raised its head. Only then did its appearance become clear.
The cat was completely black, yet its eyes were one white and one black. To an ordinary person, it would look like a cat blind in one eye, but no one knew that the white eye was the "Byakugan" coveted by the other Four Great Ninja Villages.
After all, the Kirigakure Jonin known as "Ao" was called the "Byakugan Killer" just for possessing a single Byakugan, and even made it into Konoha's Bingo Book. No one would ever imagine that a madman would transplant something as precious as a Byakugan into a cat.
Yet someone had done exactly that. The black cat lowered its head, bit the corpse of a white snake, and turned into a fleeting shadow as it leapt into the darkness of the interlaced pipes above, silent as if stepping on clouds.
Perched at a bend in the drainage pipe, the white pupil widened slightly while the black eye narrowed into a thin line, staring at the calm water in the distance.
The muddy sewage, deep enough to reach the knees, shimmered with an oily sheen and reflected the rusted pipes overhead.
Drip… drip…
Moments later, ripples spread across the surface as three swift black figures ran across the water, their forms twisting strangely in the reflections.
Hiruzen and two ANBU had gone through considerable trouble, encountering many traps and decoys left by Orochimaru before finally finding the correct path through the maze-like underground pipes.
This dark and damp place was suited only for snakes and rats, and Orochimaru's habits truly seemed to be drawing closer to those of a snake. Hiruzen suddenly stopped, staring at a rust-covered iron door ahead with a darkened expression, and raised a hand to signal the ANBU to move forward.
Bang!
With the dull crash of the door being forced open, a nauseating stench rushed out, mixing rot, disinfectant, and the sweet reek of decaying flesh. Cold air poured in, making the stomach churn.
Dim yellow light cast harsh shadows, and the sight before them made Hiruzen's pupils shrink. The laboratory walls were soaked in dark red stains, forming blotchy, abstract patterns, while hanging bulbs flickered from the impact.
Layer upon layer of blackish brown residue had hardened on the floor, like evidence that could not be washed away. Hiruzen clearly heard the sudden, sharp breathing of the two ANBU beside him as they stared at several cylindrical glass tanks standing in the room.
In the pale green liquid were curled human shapes, skin made translucent and waxy from long immersion. Exposed muscle was stitched together with thread like writhing maggots, and within split chests hearts still beat, while snake-like organs were grafted into the abdomen and tangled with cables that stretched out of the tanks.
There were many such specimens, each marked with blood red numbers like "32," "42," and "65."
On iron racks around them sat glass jars filled with organs at different stages of development, twitching unnaturally in the liquid.
"This…" One ANBU's eyes trembled behind the mask.
To be honest, though the scene was shocking, Hiruzen had been mentally prepared. After all, Orochimaru's earliest human experiments had been conducted with the tacit approval of him and the other high level figures of Konoha, in the transplantation of Hashirama's cells.
Those test subjects had volunteered in hopes of reviving Wood Release, which proved that Hiruzen was not softhearted. Even so, standing here, he still felt pity and guilt toward his former student.
That was until he saw, at the deepest part of the lab, two overlapping shadows.
Because Orochimaru had his back to the door, Hiruzen first saw the operating table, a young face, and a throat that had been cut open. There was no smile left on Ryuji's face, only terror, as tears slid down his childish features.
Seeing Hiruzen, the boy raised a hand and opened his mouth toward him, but no sound came out. Still, Hiruzen could clearly tell what he wanted to say.
"Grandpa Third…" he said.
At that moment, Orochimaru also turned around, the bright and cold light reflecting off his pale face and making the blood-soaked cruelty look even more twisted.
At his feet, a headless corpse still sprayed blood, turning the lab into a hellish rain of red.
The impact of this scene hit Hiruzen far harder than the experiments themselves. Most importantly, he recognized that boy and remembered him clearly.
As the honorary principal of the Konoha Ninja Academy, he often made time to give speeches, shaping an image of a kind elder while talking about the Will of Fire. Once, he had chosen Ryuji's class and noticed the overflowing admiration on the child's face during the talk.
Afterward, as usual, the teacher asked the children to write their thoughts. Hiruzen normally never read those essays, but remembering that eager young face, he dug out the paper that had nearly gathered dust.
And then he froze.
"My home is like a great tree with deep roots and lush leaves.
Grandpa Third is the trunk.
Sometimes balancing what's inside, sometimes supplying nutrients.
Father is the branches and leaves.
Sometimes keeping us warm, sometimes shielding us from wind and rain.
Though they are old and weak, though eaten through by worms, they still drive the roots deep into the soil, supporting and protecting the whole family and its fruits.
We are the fruits.
Our birth brings joy to the family, and often we enjoy the nourishment, often someone shelters us.
But we forget who gives us nutrients, and who shields us from wind and rain.
I have been too high above it all.
Maybe when I fall, get eaten, and am thrown to the ground,
As a seed, taking root and sprouting, I will understand."
Hiruzen was tired of adults' flowery praise and children's blind admiration. Yet this piece, without fancy words, fit the Will of Fire perfectly and even hinted at the conflict between clans and the village, sincere and gentle in its childlike voice.
Especially the last three lines pierced straight into his heart, making his weary body feel warm. The clans only taught children to protect clan interests, never to see themselves as part of Konoha, and those children only saw the branches above, never the one supporting the entire tree and all its fruit.
Without doubt, this was a child who could rise above clan limits, look to all of Konoha, and inherit a pure Will of Fire. If anyone dared say Ryuji was a bad child, Hiruzen would have smashed their head in on the spot.
But now, this child was…
Watching the figure collapse onto the operating table, the complicated feelings he held for Orochimaru quietly vanished, veins standing out on his aged face. He glared at Orochimaru in fury.
"Orochimaru! What are you doing!"
"What have you done?!"
Seeing how truly enraged Hiruzen was, Orochimaru's heart skipped a beat. He had never expected such anger, since by his understanding of his increasingly indecisive teacher, even if the experiments were exposed, there was still a strong chance he could escape Konoha.
But now, why was it like this?
Before Orochimaru could think of Ryuji, Hiruzen had already formed hand seals in rage.
Boar, Dog, Rooster, Monkey, Goat.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Bang!
With a burst of white smoke, a massive monkey wearing a fur coat and a Konoha forehead protector appeared beside Hiruzen. The monkey instinctively spoke.
"Hiruzen, is there trouble?"
But when he looked up and saw Orochimaru, he froze. "This…"
"Enma!" Hiruzen roared, cutting him off.
With another puff of smoke, Enma transformed into a thick staff. Using Enma right away made Orochimaru's expression sink.
He had no time to wonder why the old man's anger was so great, or why his white snakes had given no warning. If he hesitated any longer, he might truly die here.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
A roaring gale filled with cutting wind blades burst from Orochimaru's mouth, the pressure warping the air itself. Bottles and jars shattered instantly, flying toward Hiruzen and blocking the two ANBU's view.
Even now, Orochimaru still wanted to take Ryuji with him. But Hiruzen did not even look, extending the staff and smashing it down toward Orochimaru.
Pfft!
Already drained from organ transplant surgery, Orochimaru was sent flying by the blow as he reached for Ryuji, vomiting thick blood mixed with fragments of organs in midair. He glared down at Hiruzen, who had already used Body Flicker to appear beside Ryuji, and knew he could not take the boy this time.
Realizing that, he forced himself to calm down despite his unwillingness. Using the momentum, he quickly formed seals.
"Earth Style: Underground Projection!"
His feet touched the ceiling, solid stone turning fluid as his body dove into it like a fish into water.
"Third-sama!" The two ANBU stepped forward, looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi's cold profile.
Hiruzen withdrew his gaze, his anger easing slightly, and looked at Ryuji Hyuga. "Take this child for treatment immediately. His life must be saved."
"Yes." Without questions, the two nodded, lifted Ryuji, and vanished in an instant.
Meanwhile, underground, Orochimaru clutched his chest, his face deathly pale. His chakra was nearly exhausted, and even at full strength he could not have defeated Hiruzen.
All he could do now was escape Konoha with everything he had. Ryuji would have to remain there for now, alive, and kept secret until later plans could be made.
Thinking of this filled him with deep frustration. How had everything suddenly slipped out of control?
It was that damned brat. But was all of this really done by him?
Had that child spent years plotting against him, even pulling the old man into it, with everything today within his plan? He was only fifteen. Could he really be a monster?
Lost in thought, Orochimaru burst out of the ground and came face to face with a figure. An ANBU mask, a short blade on the back, and distinctive silver hair.
Hatake Kakashi.
"Raikiri!"
Without a word, Kakashi charged, and Orochimaru almost laughed in anger. Were these brats all so overconfident?
Just as killing intent rose, a faint sound reached his ears. Tss.
"What is this…"
He looked down to see a black cat dart past, then turn its head to look at him once. On that feline face was a mocking expression.
Most importantly, that white eye.
"Byakugan?!"
His pupils shrank sharply. Before he could react, the explosion erupted.
Boom!
Multiple detonating tags went off at once, shattering the silent night as the entire base was torn apart by terrifying force. The ground collapsed in cracks, and flesh and blood scattered through the blast like rain.
At the same time, in the opposite direction, two ANBU leaping through the trees halted when they felt the distant shockwave. "Was that Third-sama…" they murmured, unable to hide their fear.
They did not see the faint smile on Ryuji's face in their arms.
"So you still held back," he laughed inwardly. "I hope Orochimaru likes my final gift."
He had never expected Hiruzen's anger to truly kill Orochimaru. Emotional bonds could not outweigh decades of master and student ties, and once calm returned, regret might follow.
It did not matter. What Ryuji wanted was to clear suspicion, and whether Orochimaru lived or died was irrelevant.
Besides, a useful piece like Orochimaru was not easy to find. Dying before being fully drained would almost be a shame.
With that thought, Ryuji glanced at the sky. It was already five in the morning, and dawn glow painted the horizon.
The sun is always both sunset and sunrise. When it seems to fade as it goes down the mountain, it is burning its way up the other side.
"Next comes the Tenseigan," Ryuji thought with a quiet smile.
The Hyuga Clan, the Caged Bird. What is empty becomes real, what is real becomes empty. The strong appear weak, and the weak appear strong.
From today on, offense and defense have changed places.