Orochimaru's Disappointment

Konohagakure was brightly lit under the night sky, clearly displaying the prosperity of the foremost village in the Shinobi World. The only imperfection was near the center, where several circular dark patches would make someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder feel extremely uncomfortable.

The wisps of smoke drifted past Hiruzen Sarutobi. Tired after a day of processing documents, he had come to the rooftop of the Hokage Building to contemplate the recent situation in the Shinobi World.

The death of the Fourth Hokage would surely give the other ninja villages different ideas. However, Sunagakure, heavily damaged during the Third Shinobi War, was not a threat. Kirigakure, isolated overseas, was plagued by internal strife. Ōnoki of Iwagakure was an old fox and wouldn't make the first move, and he had already tasked Danzo with keeping a constant watch on Iwagakure. That left only Kumogakure, a village full of brash individuals.

Thinking of the Fourth Raikage, Hiruzen Sarutobi's brow furrowed involuntarily. That brute was a perfect combination of offense and defense, and Hiruzen wasn't sure he could win against him now. This was also why he wanted Jiraiya to stay in the village; currently, only Jiraiya was suitable to lead the ninja army against the Fourth Raikage.

Furthermore, with his keen judgment, Hiruzen Sarutobi vaguely felt that among Konoha's Sannin, Jiraiya was currently at the forefront in terms of sheer combat power.

But when he thought about Jiraiya going to find that Child of Prophecy, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but want to stuff his pipe into Jiraiya's mouth. At a time like this, still believing in such a thing? It was regrettable, but the man was determined to leave Konohagakure in a few days.

However, the only thing that brought Hiruzen Sarutobi some comfort was that Jiraiya had promised to roam the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning for the next two years to prevent any surprise attacks from Kumogakure.

So, after a moment of thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi realized there was only one person capable of undertaking this task. But he really didn't want to use this person, even if he was his disciple.

"Lord Hokage, we just received intelligence that Lord Tsunade has left the village with the Genin Kato Shizune. Due to her special identity, the guards did not dare to stop her."

After the reporting ANBU finished, he received no response. However, he did not raise his head out of curiosity. Having not been in the ANBU for long, he strictly adhered to their regulations.

A few minutes later, Hiruzen Sarutobi's slightly weary voice drifted with the evening breeze, "I understand. Thank you for your hard work, Shisui. Please also trouble you to summon Orochimaru."

"Yes."

***

In a dimly lit laboratory, broken test tubes lay on the ground, their green contents staining the surroundings with a verdant hue that slowly flowed through the cracks in the floor.

"As expected, still too naive," Orochimaru sat on a chair, gazing at the white ceiling and muttering to himself. "That's right. With the dissolution of the Senju Clan, the bloodline purity has long been mixed. In recent years, only Tsunade and... Nawaki have met the requirements."

At the mention of Nawaki, a flicker of pain flashed in Orochimaru's serpentine eyes. This was one of the few pains in his heart as his emotions gradually faded. It also made him realize how fragile life was. What was the grandson of two Hokage worth? He still died young.

"Lord Orochimaru, the Hokage has ordered you to see him immediately."

Orochimaru, who was lost in reminiscence, was interrupted by the sudden voice. The killing intent around him surged towards the newcomer like a venomous snake. Even though this was his overt laboratory, he detested being disturbed.

However, what Orochimaru did not expect was that the young-sounding ANBU instantly broke free from his killing intent's pressure, glaring at him with red eyes.

"Sharingan? Interesting." Looking at the Three Tomoe eyes behind the mask, Orochimaru couldn't help but lick his lips. "Uchiha clan genius, Uchiha Shisui, is it? Interesting."

Orochimaru, who had been annoyed by the Senju bloodline, suddenly saw a new prey. A smile appeared on his lips. He ignored the vigilant Uchiha Shisui and left on his own.

***

"Huh? Lord Tsunade left last night? So urgent?"

In the early morning, Senba, holding a package, asked Grandma Momoka, who looked drowsy, with confusion. It was a shame; he had wanted to use some medical ninjutsu. It seemed he would have to wait until their next meeting.

"Greed leads to ruin. If you can digest everything in that package of yours, you might not be a Jonin, but you'll certainly be among the top Special Jonin."

As if guessing Senba's thoughts, Grandma Momoka slowly said after taking a sip of tea.

You've guessed wrong, old timer. There's already one Chunin in Konoha who can kick a Konoha elite Jonin into pieces, Senba thought, recalling that green whirlwind and sighing inwardly.

Just as Senba's mind began to wander, Grandma Momoka tossed a small scroll to him.

"This is from Jiraiya's visit yesterday. It's an apology for Orochimaru's offense against the Senju Clan yesterday. It contains a B-rank ninjutsu, which is quite good. Keep it."

"It's also a way to foster good relations. If you ever encounter him traveling the world while completing missions in the future, it will be beneficial to you."

"Also, your grandfather has been moved to the clan for recuperation, so you have no worries. Little Senba, I'll tell you one last thing: always keep a low profile. Don't reveal your sharpness until you reach Jonin."

Having said so much in one breath seemed to have exhausted the old woman's strength. She waved him away without acknowledging Senba's respectful gesture, letting him leave on his own.

This was also a test for Senba from Grandma Momoka. If he couldn't resist showing off after leaving and attracted attention, then his fate would be left to heaven. It wouldn't be a significant loss for the Senju Clan.

At most, they would ensure his grandfather was well taken care of by their people until his death.

If the opposite happened, it would be even better. The Senju Clan's hope for the future would appear, and they wouldn't end up as just cold text in Konoha's history books.

Being in a position of power within the clan meant one could not be bound by personal feelings. Otherwise, the final outcome would be like Uchiha Fugaku in the original work; he was truly an extreme example.

As Senba walked out of the back residence and into the front courtyard, he was stunned to find so many clan members had stayed overnight in the residence. Many of the young men also had similar packages on their backs, containing gifts from the ancestral home.

Seeing the joyful expressions of the others, Senba's worries lessened slightly. It seemed Grandma Momoka had also realized that it would be too conspicuous for him to leave alone with a package, so she had made these arrangements.

Thus, Senba naturally blended into the circle of his peers, listening to them brag about the gifts they had received. Everything felt so natural.

***

The early morning was usually the most pleasant time of the day, but Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart grew heavy as he looked at his disciple before him, his frown lines deepening.

"Tsunade left last night, and you're leaving today. Jiraiya, is there nothing in Konoha that makes you want to stay? Naruto is still young; you're his Godfather?"

He took a deep drag from his pipe, and the large amount of white smoke exhaled from his nostrils represented Hiruzen Sarutobi's current frustration. None of his three disciples were easy to handle.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sometimes even thought that if he could go back, he wouldn't have taken only three students. In the end, not a single one could help him share the burden.