Guren's POV (Nearby Hokage Manor - Hidden Leaf Village)
She hated her choice at the moment. Anbu were powerful in their own right, but she had shredded whole squads before. Yet now they stood her ground with her. It seemed the Leaf had increased its power in the peaceful age they enjoyed.
She ducked under the wind blade of one anbu and avoided the fire coated blade of the other. Her armor was great for ignoring the kunai fired from the small puppet above where the trapped Fu was. But the two Anbu had summoned blade techniques that were problematic and made the armor a burden now. The wind blade simply was so refined it could slice through it. The flame was simply so hot it would burn her inside it. Not to mention, she had to be careful to avoid them clashing near her. It would indeed cause a sizable explosion. As she stepped back to avoid another slash from the duo, she felt her foot trip over something. Her eyes widened as she fell.
'What did I?' Her eyes saw a kunai stabbed into the ground. 'So that was why he kept firing those, they weren't attacks but a set up!'
As she fell, the two Anbu closed their swords, trying to match their blades as they cut into her. But she merely weaved one hand desperately. "Crystal Style: Pentagonal Prison!" she called as crystal welled below her before flying upwards absurdly quickly. All three shinobi were crystallized as trapped in the frame.
Fu panted harshly as he dispelled his puppet. The man coldly examined the crystal structure below and looked for movement. He couldn't see into it from his angle above it but knew motion would be apparent; he waited a full minute before he let his guard down as he expected Guren may have a way out. He would likely be unable to stop her if she was still in play, but he had planned to explode a series of explosive tags sewn into his clothing. It would certainly kill him, but it would be well worth it to stop her from helping her master. He then gripped his tanto harshly as he prepared to free himself from the crystal. He lacked enough chakra to attempt to shatter the crystal but needed to be freed to report to Danzo. He robotically swung the tanto into his ankle. The first strike cleaved through the bones but failed to cut entirely his own limb. This shifted his weight enough that with a painful crack, his still attached and trapped ankle shattered against the weight. He felt tears fill his eyes but calmly cut the other one with an odd strike. He fell through the air toward the ground. The man flowed his remaining chakra through his body to survive the fall before the crystal he dropped next to suddenly extended out. Fu barely felt much but pressure. But his body trained to ignore the pain. Instead, he focused on the events he was subjected to. He saw the crystal had caved in his chest, cutting and crushing as it grew through the shinobi. He finally let out a gasp of pain as Guren seemed to grow out of the crystal that had impaled the man. She stood on the tip, looking down at the dying man with some level of pity.
They had both served in their life. Both had been dutiful servants hoping to gain the world from a master who seemed to have it. Yet this servant was no more. He would likely be remembered for only his failure. Danzo could be just as unforgiving as her own. Was there ever, honestly, a difference between the two? The man had met death willingly as if he did not fear the end. Yet Guren feared dying; she had experienced happiness and selfishly longed for it again. Perhaps she was not a good servant. Deep down, she wished to be free of her service.
As she prepared to walk away, she passed two of the dead Anbu. Guren's eyes widened as she realized there was no crystal on them! As she turned, the two thrust tanto into her stomach. She coughed blood onto the two, gripping their wrist and crystalizing them both. She swore the two smiled even as they were engulfed. She stumbled back, obviously wounded harshly. She lowered herself to her knees as she gripped both tanto. With a cold efficiency, she ripped both out. Splatters of blood fell as the blades left her body. The pain was immense; only her experience saved her from passing out. She then pressed her hands to the wounds, filling them with crystal. Indeed rudimentary, but it would keep her alive for now.
She panted as she eyed the field. She heard a crash as her master fought the two powerful old men even now. She couldn't hear Kimimaro, but doubtless the machine was soon to be done. If she were to leave, it would be a clean escape.
She knew Orochimaru would never give her Yukimaru. Merely wished to keep her working until she was useless. She should seek a new purpose. She looked down at her blood. She rested both tanto and her hair tie there. Orochimaru would likely realize eventually she was alive, but it would fool him for at least the day. She flinched as she felt a crazy boom as her "comrades" fought valiantly.
'What am I even doing?' Her mind raced. She wasn't sure. That was a new way to live. Without even checking on her comrades, she fazed into the earth. She would wait for an opening and escape.
Orochimaru's POV (Hokage Manor - Hidden Leaf Village)
Orochimaru had always been told he had an ego problem. Something that he had always resented, it suggested his self image was inaccurate. Time and time again, he proved himself to be superior to his peers. Others always seemed to find flaws in him, but they were either jealous or blind. They always had nitpicked his personality and morality, all while ignoring his genius and innate talent. Of course Orochimaru had spent his career as a Leaf shinobi achieving greatness. Both his mind and power had grown to be feared. He had thought they would surely give him the role of Kage. Especially since it was his own sensei retiring. It would restrict him in some ways, but in others… oh, it held possibilities. Enough to where Hiruzen had warned him of his consideration, he had deemed he would accept it. It only fits a man such as himself, after all. He had always pondered the idea of running a village.
But the damned bastard had been given the role. He was from no prominent clan. He was taught by the damned Toad Fool even. Yet he had grown at astounding speed, and Unlike Orochimaru had been seen for it. Despite his young age, he was enough to be considered for the role. To be given it over him… Orochimaru initially had been foolish enough to think his experience would win him it. After all, with age came wisdom. In the third shinobi war, Minato shattered his confidence, it had been yet another reason to leave the Leaf.
Minato had done something even the Snake would begrudgingly admit was astounding however. A Stone shinobi army approached, and their large size and straight path made it clear. They intended a direct assault on the Leaf amid the global war that was the Third Shinobi World War. Engagements with both the Cloud and Mist had left them wide open. Minato Namikaze, upon hearing this intel, had made a simple request. He wanted to launch a solo assault on them. Orochimaru had been on leave and, upon hearing the bastard's request, refused to offer his aid. Why should he interfere if the man wanted to perish and give him the position for free?
Orochimaru flinched as Hiruzen's staff crushed three of his ribs. He quickly spat himself from the now hollow body. His unique ability to heal has always proved useful. As he flew from the old body, he lunged forward. Attempting to crush his attacker's throat with his bare hands. Infuriating he was batted back by the cane of Danzo. As he flew away Hiruzen took advantage of the opportunity to attack him.
"Ninja Art: Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Orochimaru hissed as he slid through the kunai, weaving hand signs. He allowed several large snakes to crawl towards the older men. Hiruzen immediately roasted them with a basic fire jutsu, but this instant was enough for Orochimaru to roar gleefully.
"Wind Style: Great Wind Breakthrough!" A sudden, strong gust of wind sent the two men flying back towards the barrier. Their flight boosted even further by the explosion of fire and wind nature chakra. Orochimaru's mind raced as he cackled at the two men's potential death.
It had been foolish looking back on it. Of course the fools of the Leaf had chosen the man, he was flashy and heroic….
Minato was absurdly powerful with the jutsu he used. Instant teleportation and an absurdly powerful technique labeled the Rasengan. It had made him into an avatar of death. Orochimaru had thought he was too naive and weak to use it to his fullest potential. Yet the man had slaughtered the army single-handedly. The returning Rock shinobi had spoken of horror stories of blonde men killing squads nearly instantly. His promotion had been assured with the accolade and his bingo book entry being updated to a flee on sight.
Orochimaru may have been disloyal to some degree, but it was shockingly painful to lose what he thought was a sure race. He had been filled with rage. Arranged various troubles for Minato. But the man seemed near flawless. He countered any problem quickly and efficiently. So, instead, he shifted to easier targets. Anything to pursue his greatness and purge his festering jealousy.
His experiments had always been done on bandits before. Harmless blights to society would hardly be missed after all. But the rage had influenced him in strange ways. Soon, he started to use civilians for experiments. The experiments before had been cruel, for sure. But a necessary, cruel, logical one. These were still scientific, but his hatred shined in the new inhumane ways he went about testing his new hypothesis. But while in the employ of the village, his hatred merely grew, it had multiplied.
He had always been confused by the loyalty displayed by Tsunade and Jiraiya. The three of them were rewarded for their remarkable talent by the type of missions they didn't expect survivors from. They had overcome the challenges, but Orochimaru knew he was being used. It simply was infuriating when he was superior to them all. They would use the three of them to solve all their problems before their untimely demise. He needed to strike back, and strike back he did. His subjects soon shifted to shinobi. He would randomly arrange for the death of shinobi. Then, take them after their supposed "death". Soon, it was no longer even science. Cruelties done for his own amusement. The Uchiha were his most aggressive of betrayals.
The men seemed sure to hit the barrier before Hiruzen's staff grew enormous, knocking them away from the barrier in the last instant. Orochimaru frowned as Danzo signed as the two of them landed. He breathed in deeply before spitting out mini balls of wind. Orochimaru deflected one with Kusanagi and was knocked off balance. He managed to weave around the next then drop to his back. But he was shocked when Hiruzen was above him. Holding onto the end of his staff, he weaved hand signs with a smile.
"I'm glad you're so durable, my pupil! It allows me to install you with so many lessons! Lightning Style: Lightning Quake Flash!" Hiruzen called with a smile as his hands fired off a bundle of lightning. Orochimaru grunted in pain as the lighting smashed him into the ground while shocking him violently. Orochimaru prepared to swap his body as his skin turned black. But his eyes widened when he couldn't. On his shirt lay a seal of some kind. Danzo had bonded a seal to his body! Until he removed it, it seemed he would be unable to heal. Before the Snake could counter this, Hiruzen slammed his enlarged staff viciously, crushing him even further. The staff then turned back into Emna, who ground and pounded into the Sannin viciously. Each strike embedding him further into the ground. He then threw him into the air. Orochimaru furiously flexed his chakra at the seal as Danzo looked to finish him off.
"In the next life, I hope you learn loyalty scum. Wind Style: Vacuum Serial Waves!" Several large waves of wind flew from Danzo's mouth, cutting Orochimaru into pieces. There was silence as they waited for Orochimaru to rise. Seven long seconds went by before they relaxed. Arrogant fools…
Orochimaru appeared behind Danzo. Who barely manages to duck the blade to the back of his head. So close a call the sword grazed his skull, blood flowing down to cover his face. Orochimaru pursued after him, ducking a long-range thrust from Hiruzen's staff and attempting to slice Danzo in two. But the advanced-aged man managed to stumble back, only receiving a minor cut on his torso. Hiruzen flew in as the staff shrunk and landed a bone-crushing knee to Orochimaru's face. Sending the man sliding back bonelessly. The two merely seemed to stretch as the man spat himself out yet again now panting harshly.