Frontline Commander Orochimaru

On the golden beach, countless colorful shells glistened under the sunlight, lying quietly there. As his feet sank into the soft sand and he took in the seaside scenery, Uchiha Yoru couldn't help but squint and break into a smile.

They were not far from the Land of Sea now, and that place had actually appeared in the anime.

Recalling from memory, Lord Orochimaru had a human experimentation base in the Land of Sea, and it was there that Mitarashi Anko had been given the cursed seal. (Episode 169)

No wonder Orochimaru had set up his experiment base in the Land of Sea—he was stationed at the border here at this time.

"Brother Yoru, we've arrived. That camp in the distance is Lord Orochimaru's."

As the captain of the Uchiha Eight-Man Genius Squad, Uchiha Shisui smiled when he spotted the camp ahead. Watchtowers were clearly visible along the coastline, and even more were hidden within the dense forest.

The group headed toward the camp, naturally sensing numerous hidden sentries along the way. But Shisui kept signaling with hand gestures, exchanging coded responses with the lookouts.

Eventually, the eight of them entered the camp without any trouble. The interior seemed a bit disorganized, but Yoru was already used to it. After all, ninjas weren't soldiers—especially in this world where they wielded jutsu. This kind of loose arrangement actually let each ninja leverage their strengths better.

"Brother Yoru, come with me to report to Lord Orochimaru. The rest of you, set up camp."

"Yes!"

On the battlefield, ninjas were tools for carrying out missions. Each Uchiha ninja responded in a low, firm voice. Along the way, some of them were suspicious—even a bit dissatisfied—that Yoru, a member of their clan, was being called "Brother" by the geniuses.

Shisui was the pride of their clan. At just thirteen, he was already a Jonin, only a year behind Kakashi. More importantly, Shisui had already awakened the Three Tomoe Sharingan.

Meanwhile, Yoru had only just awakened his Sharingan, still at One Tomoe for a short while, yet he was receiving such an honor. It was only natural to be suspicious.

But Yoru and Shisui followed the guide ninja toward the center of the camp. Along the way, Yoru quietly noted the camp's situation.

Sure enough, no one was a fool. The front lines had already started reinforcing with more ninjas. He'd seen plenty of new tents along the way, clearly set up in the last day or two—some even today. These were all ninjas pulled from other locations.

"Lord Orochimaru is inside."

The guide ninja brought them to their destination, gave a respectful nod, then leaped away, vanishing into a black dot in the distance.

"Brother Yoru, let's go in."

Though Shisui's face was calm, the excitement in his eyes was hard to hide. In his heart, this man was the future Fifth Hokage, and he carried the Uchiha Clan's mission on his shoulders.

Yoru, meanwhile, quietly scanned the surroundings. Sure enough, the name "Orochimaru" fit perfectly—this camp was set up in a shady spot, just like his personality.

No one announced their arrival. Or rather, a ninja's senses were too sharp. When they'd approached earlier, no one stopped them, proving that Orochimaru was inside and had time to see them.

Even so, when they reached the slightly larger tent, both Yoru and Shisui stopped. They spoke in unison, their voices low: "Uchiha reporting for duty."

This wasn't about clan etiquette—it was the custom of this world.

"Come in."

A hoarse yet magnetic voice sent a shiver down their spines. Shisui took a deep breath, clearly carrying a heavy responsibility as he stepped inside. Yoru, on the other hand, muttered to himself—today, he'd finally meet the real person behind that voice.

Once inside the tent, it was just as expected: snakes loved the dark. Even the tent was dimly lit.

A map of the area hung on the wall. Orochimaru was currently speaking with a member of the Hyuga Clan. When he saw them enter, he casually waved a hand, signaling for Shisui and Yoru to wait off to the side.

"Hizashi, the burden on your Hyuga Clan this time is no small matter. But don't worry—the Uchiha's elite ninjas have just arrived. They'll form patrol squads with you."

Though Orochimaru hadn't yet defected, his demeanor carried a certain gloom. Still, his unique charisma made his words and actions feel reassuring.

The man opposite him was Hizashi Hyuga, the younger brother of the Hyuga Clan head and the father of the future genius, Neji.

Hizashi bowed respectfully to Orochimaru. "Lord Orochimaru, rest assured. The Hyuga Clan will not disappoint you."

The Byakugan of the Hyuga Clan was the foremost bloodline for reconnaissance in the ninja world. In war especially, spotting enemy movements early gave them a huge advantage and helped avoid ambushes.

After speaking, Hizashi glanced subtly at the two young Uchiha who had entered. A sharp glint flashed deep in his eyes before he lowered his head and said respectfully, "Lord Orochimaru, I'll go assign tasks now."

"Go on."

Orochimaru waved for Hizashi to leave, then turned his attention to the two Uchiha before him with clear interest. After a long pause, he licked his lips and couldn't help but praise, "A thirteen-year-old Jonin. Truly a genius clan."

Hearing Orochimaru's compliment, Shisui didn't get excited. Instead, he respectfully held out a scroll with both hands and bowed his head. "Uchiha Shisui leads the Uchiha vanguard of eight to report to Lord Orochimaru."

Taking the scroll, Orochimaru glanced over its contents with interest, then let out a hoarse laugh. "One Three Tomoe Jonin, three Special Jonin, and four Elite Chunin. All Uchiha with awakened Sharingan, and all young."

Hearing this, Shisui nodded respectfully. "More reinforcements will arrive later."

Orochimaru smiled at that, his pale golden snake eyes gleaming with a strange light. Yoru's heart tightened—the Sannin's presence was overwhelming. The pressure from his Chakra was immense. He finally understood how Hozuki Suigetsu must have felt facing the Second Hokage's Chakra burst in the original story.

"Not bad. Very good. Is this the Uchiha's investment?"

Orochimaru's smile carried a hint of amusement as he looked at the two youths. He hadn't yet suffered at the hands of the Mangekyo, so his obsession with the Sharingan hadn't reached that pathological level yet.

Orochimaru's bluntness caught Shisui off guard, leaving him a bit awkward. It was too direct—he didn't know how to respond. But perhaps never caring about others' opinions was the true Orochimaru.

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