Otogakure's Founding

Three years later.

Land of Rice Fields.

Within a remote valley.

Several seemingly ordinary houses stood gathered amid the dense forest, forming a small village.

The village had roughly a thousand inhabitants.

At its deepest point stood a shrine, the fresh red paint on its torii gate not yet dry.

Several half-grown children were working hard to level the ground in the shrine's front courtyard.

"Jugo, do you think Lord Orochimaru's reincarnation experiment succeeded?"

A little boy with grayish-white hair asked curiously.

The child looked strange, with two heads.

"Sakon, shut up!"

The other head spoke up, scolding his brother for his recklessness.

"Focus on your training."

"What happens in the laboratory isn't something you and I can participate in yet. Our only task is to train and increase our strength as much as possible."

Jugo shot him a glance and warned him.

They had all joined the village only recently, and Jugo was currently their leader.

With the support of Natural Energy, Jugo's strength had improved the fastest.

Moreover, after combining it with the perfect five-tomoe Heaven Cursed Seal developed by Orochimaru, he had become even more skilled in using Natural Energy.

At such a young age, he had already touched upon the threshold of Sage Mode.

He was now working hard to accumulate Sage Art Chakra within his body. Once his own Chakra reserves rose to the level of an elite Jonin, he would be able to step into the threshold of Kage Level automatically.

Although all the newcomers believed he was the strongest—

At merely five years old, he already possessed the strength of a Genin.

—Jugo himself understood that Kimimaro, who stood alone in the distance and never interacted with anyone else, was the strongest among the village's younger generation.

According to Orochimaru, Kimimaro had perfectly mastered the Shikotsumyaku and already possessed the strength of a Jonin.

After silencing the discussions around him, Jugo walked over to Kimimaro and asked, "Kimimaro, have you started training under Lord Ao?"

When Lord Ao had raised them, he had set a standard: once their Chakra reserves and control reached the minimum requirements of a Jonin, he would take them along to train by his side.

Over the past three years, aside from eating and sleeping, the two of them had devoted themselves to increasing their Chakra reserves.

Meanwhile, Lord Ao had been busy helping Lord Orochimaru cultivate bodies for reincarnation.

"Not yet."

"Lord Ao said he'll take me out for experience once he finishes this experiment."

"I wonder whether Lord Ao has used cloning technology to create a perfect vessel for reincarnation."

Kimimaro answered. He glanced at the setting sun on the horizon, recalling what Lord Ao had told him a few days ago.

"It's already been three days. The results should be out by now."

Jugo patted Kimimaro on the shoulder, comforting him.

He knew that Kimimaro had always wanted to go out and see the world, but without Lord Ao's permission, they could only remain within the shrine.

Kimimaro's body had mostly recovered. Though he was still not as sturdy as Jugo, he had already grown to the same height.

"You brats, where's Ao? I've returned from a mission. I brought back several children from outside."

A man wrapped in bandages and wearing a mask returned from outside, calling out to the children leveling the ground.

Three children followed behind him.

Jugo glanced at him.

"Lord Ao is busy. Leave them to me."

The man glanced back at him, his eyes full of disdain.

"You can handle it?! These are important people personally named by Lord Orochimaru."

Although Jugo's talent was exceptional among the younger generation, and he was considered steady and dependable, in the eyes of Orochimaru's old subordinates, he was nothing more than experimental material.

He was not an important figure at all.

Many people in Otogakure did not take him seriously.

"Before Lord Yuki returns, I am responsible for the entire village's younger generation."

Jugo answered in a low voice.

Though only five years old, he had already developed an air of independence under Lord Ao's training.

All the young people were managed by him, with their daily training and work assignments arranged by him.

Other than children under the age of two, everyone in Otogakure had to complete training and work assignments in order to eat.

Those who refused to obey would be driven out of the village directly.

"You little brat... you're nothing more than one of Ao's dogs..."

The bandaged man tried to sneer a few more words, but he suddenly noticed a figure in the distance and immediately shuddered.

Yuki Yuki came to Jugo's side and asked, "What happened?"

"Sister Yuki, these are several children Kato Kazuo brought back. They need to be handed over to the village."

Jugo answered without saying much else.

Many people in the village had once been Lord Orochimaru's subordinates in Konoha, while others were rogue ninjas absorbed from the surrounding area.

Most of them were arrogant and unruly by nature.

The slightest disagreement could lead to a fight.

As long as they did not cause trouble within the village, Orochimaru would not interfere.

When Lord Ao was around, he had dealt with these people personally, making Otogakure appear much more harmonious. But now that Lord Ao was gone, they had returned to their original ways.

Two years ago, Yuki Yuki had come alone to the Land of Rice Fields and joined the small village Orochimaru had established.

She became one of the officials who remained in the village.

She was mainly responsible for the village orphanage's affairs, while also serving as the shrine maiden here.

All children brought in from outside were gathered and raised at the shrine, where they were taught basic ninja training.

The people in the village liked coming to the shrine mainly because of Yuki Yuki. Sweet-looking yet naturally cold and aloof, she had drawn the admiration of many.

"Get lost."

Yuki Yuki knew the temperaments of these rogue ninjas. She knew they were no more than blades in Lord Ao's hand, so she showed them no kindness.

If she had not been worried about ruining Lord Ao's plans, she would have killed every one of these disgusting bastards long ago.

The Chunin named Kato Kazuo immediately left without delay upon hearing those words.

Yuki Yuki crouched down and carefully examined the three children before her.

"What are your names?"

"My name is Jirobo."

"My name is Kadoi Ichiro."

"My name is Genyumaru."

The children gave their names in turn.

When Yuki Yuki heard the name Genyumaru, her gaze abruptly turned toward him.

Lord Orochimaru had mentioned that name before. He seemed to be the heir of the Genyu Clan, with exceptional physical talent. She wondered how he compared to Jugo.

Genyumaru was a boy with grayish-white hair.

He looked to be only six or seven years old.

There were traces of Chakra fluctuations within him. He appeared thin and weak, but his eyes were filled with hatred.

"You've trained in Chakra?"

Yuki Yuki asked.

"Yeah."

"I'm a member of the Genyu Clan."

Genyumaru replied coldly.

His entire clan had been captured, and he had been selected to come here. He did not know what fate awaited him.

But for his clan's safety, he could not resist in any way.

Looking into his hate-filled eyes, Yuki Yuki was inexplicably reminded of Yuki Kyō.

It had been a long time since she had heard anything about Kirigakure. She wondered whether that guy Kyō was still alive.

Like this child, his eyes had been blinded by hatred.

Yuki Yuki could not help recalling how, after arriving in the Land of Fire, the three surviving members of the Yuki Clan who had once cooperated closely had ultimately turned against one another.

She and Yuki Kyō had joined forces to eliminate the older Yuki clansman.

Then they went their separate ways.

Yuki Kyō had chosen to become a wandering ninja, while she had followed the guidance of the Cursed Seal to Otogakure.

"Come with me. I'll arrange a place for you to stay for now."

Yuki Yuki called to the children and was about to lead them away to get settled.

Suddenly, a commotion arose outside the village.

"Enemy attack!"

A shrill warning rang out.