Orochimaru... Sensei??

The 12th Military Division was located on the outskirts of Konoha. It was remote and quiet, but heavily guarded.

Along the way, I endured all kinds of stares and immense pressure. I passed through three checkpoints before finally entering the division.

Everyone here was busy. A clerk hurried over, saw me, and immediately pointed toward the hall beside us, gesturing for me to go inside.

"The chief is waiting for you in there."

The enormous hall was piled with miscellaneous items, which hardly fit the military division's serious image. I stepped inside and found a figure already standing there.

He was tall, clearly an adult, with long hair falling past his shoulders. He wore the green flak jacket issued by Konoha. Though he stood casually, he was as sharp and imposing as a drawn blade.

I could tell he had something in common with Fugaku. It had been forged through years of bloodshed and battle, tempered between life and death. It seeped from their bodies and souls, striking fear into everyone around them at all times.

When someone reached a certain level of strength, they could radiate an imposing presence just by standing there.

As I walked toward him, I felt an invisible pressure building inside me.

There was no doubt about it. This was a powerful man!

"You're here." When I stopped in front of him, the man set down the report in his hand. His dark golden eyes fixed on me.

"Uchiha Akatsuki?"

Holy crap!

The moment I saw his face, I jumped back in fright!

Orochimaru?!

What was Orochimaru doing here?!

Under his snake-like gaze, I instinctively sensed danger. But Orochimaru merely glanced at me before looking back down at the documents.

"Uchiha Akatsuki, six years old. Specializes in Fire Release and shuriken techniques. Graduated from the Ninja Academy as the top student..."

"Impressive."

He gave a hoarse chuckle.

"I'm... very glad to have you here."

I couldn't figure out what he was up to, so I didn't dare say a word. Orochimaru came closer. He was clearly moving, yet I couldn't hear a sound. In an instant, he was right in front of me.

Was that the Body Flicker Technique? I held my breath and resisted the urge to step back.

"From now on, I'll be your teacher."

No pleasantries, no pointless chatter. Just one short, clear sentence.

"Teach... teacher?" Hearing those two words, my eyes widened again.

W-was he sure there hadn't been some mistake?

In my previous life, most teachers simply passed on knowledge. But teachers in the world of shinobi were different. They weren't just responsible for educating their students; they were also people those students entrusted with their lives. The weight of that responsibility was obvious.

After graduating as Genin, those sent to the battlefield were assigned a team leader. But... why was Orochimaru my teacher?!

One of the legendary Konoha Sannin wasn't busy making a name for himself on the battlefield? Why was he taking on students?!

"Is that true?"

I looked up. The man before me wore a gentle smile. Even as a wartime commander, he didn't have the sinister, villainous look he would have in the future. Instead, he seemed to possess some of the upright bearing of the Konoha Sannin.

He stood in front of me and reached out, stopping with his hand over my shoulder before giving it a firm pat.

"Your father asked me to take good care of you. If there's anything you can't handle..." He continued smiling and calmly delivered the rest.

"Then you'll just have to endure a little longer."

I froze, then finally understood. I wailed inwardly!

So this was all my old man's doing!

Fugaku, you've done me no favors!

After we finished the introductions, Orochimaru gave me an appraising look. Then his gaze fell on the sword at my waist, and he asked with interest, "Can I take a look?"

No! This is my precious sword. I'm not giving it to you!

"Of course, Sensei. Here you go."

Orochimaru found the boy's stiff movements amusing.

As the owner of the Kusanagi Sword, he could tell that this child loved swords too.

With a metallic ring, the blade slid from its sheath!

Orochimaru gazed at the faintly blue blade, his eyes gleaming.

"This is a fine sword. Does it have a name?"

"Murasame."

"Hmm..." Orochimaru murmured. Then, without warning, he gripped the sword and swung it hard!

A sharp gust of wind swept by, and the hard concrete floor suddenly cracked apart with a tremendous boom!

The sheer destructive power left me stunned!

Was this Murasame's strength?

"Murasame will grow and improve alongside its master, until the two of them stand together at the pinnacle of the world."

Cat Granny's words echoed in my mind. Watching Orochimaru standing with the sword, I suddenly realized something.

It wasn't Murasame's fault. It was mine!

I was too weak, so Murasame couldn't unleash its power!

I stared at the sword in Orochimaru's hand, my heart aching. I was angry, too, at how weak I was.

Could someone like me really wield this sword properly?

Maybe I should just give it to little Itachi.

As I thought glumly, Murasame suddenly trembled!

It violently knocked Orochimaru's hand away, then plunged into the ground in front of me with a thud, as if it had a will of its own. It wobbled for a long while before settling down, almost as though it were sulking!

I jumped, too. Carefully, I reached out and touched Murasame. It was still warm, its familiar touch comforting. It obediently let me return it to its sheath.

Orochimaru looked a little surprised, too. Holding his painfully throbbing hand, he smiled at me. "That sword of yours is quite something."

I just hugged the sword and lowered my head without saying anything.

"All right. We're short on time."

Orochimaru seemed to have somewhere urgent to be. He suddenly ordered me, "I have to head to the front lines. Before I return, you need to complete the Military Headquarters' entry assignment."

"What assignment?" I asked in surprise.

He watched me with a beaming smile. Everything around us suddenly fell silent. I thought I saw several heads peeking into the hallway, all staring this way with wide eyes.

"You'll go and—"

"Sorry, sorry! I'm late!"

Before Orochimaru could finish, a familiar voice drew closer. I turned around in disbelief and saw someone I found extremely irritating!

"Kusama Shigeo?"

My eyes went round, and I nearly poked him in the nose.

"What are you doing here, too?!"

"Why can't I be here?" He looked just as annoyed to see me, then sneered. "I'm so outstanding, of course I got assigned to the Military Headquarters! And I even got a special exception! A special exception!" He was so smug his tail might as well have been pointing at the sky!

Anger blazed in my eyes, and my teeth ground together.

I wasn't angry just because I saw him. I was angry because I saw him here!

How could a loser like him get assigned to the Military Headquarters alongside me?!

"Kusama Shigeo, medical ninja, nine years old. Specializes in Plant Release techniques. Admitted to the Military Headquarters by special exception."

Orochimaru calmly opened another file and nodded to the boy. "Welcome. From now on, I'll be your teacher and your superior."

"Yes, Sensei!"

I was surprised, but half my anger had already ebbed away.

I grabbed Kusama Shigeo by the collar and gave him a doubtful once-over. "You're a medical ninja?"

"Yeah." He strutted proudly. "Have you never heard of the famous Kusama Clan? My older brother, Kusama Shakuya, and my older sister, Kusama Hanaka, both serve Lord Hokage directly!"

Hmph. I sneered inwardly. No wonder he'd gotten into the Military Headquarters.

Thinking back, whenever we fought, he'd always been using flowers and plants. He really did seem like a medical ninja—

That thought only made me angrier!

"If you're a medical ninja, why do you keep picking fights with me?!" I nearly lifted him off the ground. "What's wrong with you?!"

"Y-you don't get to tell me what to do!" He was still acting like his usual self, but when he shook off my hand, his face turned red. He turned to Orochimaru and shouted, "Sensei, hurry up and assign us a mission! I'm here to earn a medal!"

"Oh, perfect timing."

"You two can go draw the battle lines together." Orochimaru's smile deepened.

"Draw what battle lines?"

The surroundings fell silent again.

"Go draw the battle lines for the entire Northern War Zone."

The smile didn't disappear. It just moved to someone else's face.

"Also, you're not allowed to use any ninjutsu. You'll have to draw them by hand, and you must finish before sunrise tomorrow."

"That's your entry assignment."

Kusama Shigeo and I stared at each other, then turned to look at Orochimaru in unison.

"What?!!!"

We both cried out at the same time.