Shallow Waters Cannot Nurture a True Dragon

Just a few days after Tsunade took over, an uninvited guest came knocking – it was none other than Itachi, who was deeply devoted to his younger brother.

Accompanying him was Sasori of the Red Sands. The two made no attempt to conceal their presence as they arrived at the outskirts of Konoha, gazing at the Konoha in the distance.

"So this is Konoha. It certainly looks much more prosperous than many other ninja villages!"

Scorpion, hiding inside the Hiruko, spoke slowly, his tone devoid of any emotion.

The reason he agreed to come with Itachi was to see what this village, which produced such a ruthless person as White Fang, was like. He hadn't forgotten the revenge for his parents all these years.

Itachi didn't care at all about his partner being replaced by Kisame, as long as it didn't affect his ability to continue slacking off in the organization.

Now that the Third Hokage and Danzo are both dead, the two people who only knew his identity have also disappeared. The purpose of his return this time is no longer to warn Danzo, but to see his younger brother and, incidentally, to remind him not to be complacent.

"Let's go! Let's see how strong Konoha is now!"

After saying that, the two figures immediately disappeared without alerting anyone.

What happened next was not much different from the Original Work. Naruto and Sasuke, who were strolling around, were approached by Itachi.

Unfortunately, Jiraiya nearby. Itachi and Sasuke had a friendly exchange, and in no time, Itachi made his foolish younger brother feel the heavy love from his older brother.

To make his intentions less obvious, he slapped Naruto was yelling nearby. Just as he was about to take Naruto away, Jiraiya suddenly erupted, and finally retreated in a huff.

"Itachi! I will definitely kill you! Kill you!"

Sasuke, deeply shocked, fainted. The damage to him came not only from the difference in strength but also from the psychological blow.

Unexpectedly, several years later, he was still defeated by Itachi with just a glance, which he found hard to accept.

At this moment, his desire for power became even stronger. Regardless of Orochimaru's purpose, he was determined to take a gamble and seek riches in danger!

On this same day, Orochimaru's reappearance triggered a story mission.

"Host has triggered a story mission: Sasuke's training!"

"The host has the following options: ① Improve Sasuke's strength to the best of your ability for three years! Reward: based on the final result! ② Abandon the mission, reward: Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan!"

To be honest, this time the rewards are quite impressive, especially the second one, which is no longer just some useless items.

Orochimaru was somewhat tempted by the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, but he remembered a master saying, "I give a million to those who betray me, so wouldn't those who have always supported me get a hundred million?"

He needs to broaden his horizons. Although he doesn't yet have an invincible eye, he's already starting to look down on the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Upon receiving the mission, Orochimaru immediately took action.

"The five of you go to meet Sasuke and hold off the pursuing enemy!"

Although the Sound Five are gone, there is still no shortage of replacements.

These people are Kabuto, Akado Yoroi, Katsumi, Kin, and Mizuki.

Finally, this guy was someone Kabuto had recently helped escape from prison, and Orochimaru promised to let him go after he finished this task! At this time, he also harbored resentment towards Konoha.

"You will take the lead in overseeing this matter. Don't be too ostentatious, but be authoritative enough!"

He patted Kabuto on the shoulder and then gestured for them to go out and do their business. With Kabuto leading the way, Orochimaru felt quite at ease. Ever since Kabuto learned that his great revenge had been achieved, he had become even more convinced of Orochimaru's abilities.

Although Orochimaru seemed to value him quite a bit and would let him study a lot of Ninjutsu materials, Orochimaru didn't care what he was really thinking. After all, the difference in strength was there, and loyalty was irrelevant.

The reason for going to such lengths with Sasuke was naturally to test his resolve; things that are too easily obtained are never truly appreciated.

Just as Guan Yu, in his time, passed five passes and defeated six generals to meet Liu Bei, his original aspiration remained unchanged; similarly, Sasuke, in his pursuit of knowledge, forges ahead relentlessly, overcoming all obstacles.

Even in the Ninja World of later generations, this would be considered a remarkable story.

Not only that, but they also wanted to make the other party fight Naruto again, so that he could see his own strength clearly.

Of course, this is their business, Orochimaru will not interfere; he will simply watch quietly.

That night, Sasuke, who was resting in Konoha Hospital, suddenly felt a chill. He turned his head and saw a bright moon hanging high in the sky, its light shining obliquely into the ward.

As if sensing something, Sasuke got off the hospital bed, climbed out the window, and went to the roof.

Under the moonlight, Konoha was exceptionally quiet in the dead of night. A gentle breeze from afar carried a hint of coolness, which fully roused Sasuke.

"I remember there are still two days until the agreed time. Am I being too sensitive...?"

After surveying the empty surroundings and calming his slightly agitated heart, he was just about to return to his ward to rest when several figures darted onto the rooftops in the distance, immediately causing him to stop in his tracks.

That feeling of unease and restlessness resurfaced, and at the same time, it heightened my vigilance.

When he finally saw the figure opposite him, his heart raced and his breathing became erratic.

He had met Kabuto Akado Yoroi the others, and their identities had been confirmed; they were all Orochimaru's subordinates.

The two sides were not far apart, but the five people on the other side did not speak. Kabuto adjusted his glasses and then waved to Sasuke, signaling him to follow.

Then the group disappeared from the rooftops and sped straight towards Konoha.

Sasuke hesitated only briefly before following the other person, but upon reaching the village entrance, he saw an unexpected figure and slowly stopped.

"Sasuke! Where are you going?"

Sakura, who was sitting on the bench, immediately stood up when she saw the person coming. Judging from her appearance, she had probably been waiting here for a long time.

Seeing that the other person didn't speak, Sakura continued:

Are you going to find Orochimaru?

Upon hearing the truth, a flicker of panic crossed Sasuke's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.

"This is none of your business!"

Ever since the Chunin Ninja Exams, Sakura has been restless, especially after learning from Kakashi that Orochimaru's target might be Sasuke.

She had been waiting here for several days, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to catch him here by sheer coincidence.

"Please don't go!? I'll have Kakashi-sensei guide you... Your companions are still here...!"

As she spoke, Sakura stepped forward and hugged him, her almost pleading voice making Sasuke feel uneasy.

Feeling the other person's slightly trembling body and the dampness on their back, he did waver at this moment.

But he could almost hear that man's words again, and those contemptuous eyes. When would he be able to catch up with that man and avenge his people?

Shallow waters cannot nurture a true dragon. Konoha is too small, and there are too many excellent ninjas. The village will not allocate many resources to him.

In contrast, Orochimaru, though facing a dangerous opponent, is incredibly powerful and highly regards him! For revenge and to become stronger, he's willing to risk everything, even a dangerous situation!

Before encountering its predicament, the dragon dwells among fish and shrimp. This journey is like a fish entering the vast ocean or a bird soaring into the blue sky; from now on, it will never be bound by any constraints again!

"Let go, Sakura! You don't understand what I'm carrying!"

With that, Sasuke broke free from the other's embrace and resolutely continued on his way, leaving the beautiful woman behind, who was crying her eyes out.