Night had fallen deep, and Konoha's streets lay especially quiet beneath the bright moonlight.
A gentle breeze carried the soft rustle of leaves, complementing the village's nighttime peace.
"Goodbye, Tsunade."
At Tsunade's front door, Orochimaru softly said his farewells, the moonlight reflected in his golden slit pupils lending them an unusual gentleness.
He had been used to being alone, but now he was gradually adjusting to having "companions" by his side.
Shinichi gave a small wave, a lazy smile on his lips. "Yeah, get some rest. We'll slack off again tomorrow."
Tsunade rolled her eyes and planted her hands on her hips. "Who said I'm slacking off with you? One of these days, my second grandpa is going to drag you in for a lecture!"
Shinichi shrugged, looking utterly unconcerned. "If he can't catch the real me, why not let a Shadow Clone take the lecture?"
Tsunade stamped her foot in frustration, but there was nothing she could do about him. In the end, she simply huffed and went inside.
As for Shinichi and Orochimaru, they strolled home at their leisure, the night breeze brushing away the day's fatigue.
As they entered the Uchiha Residence, nighttime stillness filled the courtyard. Only the lanterns beneath the eaves swayed gently, casting a warm glow.
Orochimaru lived in the room right next to Shinichi's.
Though he had been somewhat reserved when he first moved in, he was gradually growing accustomed to life here.
This spacious, welcoming residence had given him more than a place to stay. It had also brought him a sense of belonging he had not felt in a long time.
"Good night, big brother Shinichi," Orochimaru said softly from his doorway, his voice carrying a hint of contentment and peace.
Shinichi stretched and waved casually. "Yeah, get to bed early. We've got another day of lazing around ahead of us."
Orochimaru smiled faintly. Rather than argue, he gently pushed open his door and went inside.
Shinichi closed his own door behind him, flopped onto the bed, and gazed at the ceiling with a faint smile.
Starting today, there's one more person at home...
Perhaps this change was no trouble at all for him. Instead, it had brought an unexpected warmth to the residence.
The night was peaceful. Moonlight spilled through the window beside his bed, while the soft whisper of wind outside brought a restful stillness.
This was sure to be a warm, peaceful night.
Morning sunlight streamed through the lattice windows of the Uchiha Residence. A breeze swept through the courtyard, stirring a few yellowing fallen leaves, and the air carried the fresh scent of dew.
Birds chirped on the eaves, adding a touch of life to the quiet morning.
In the tranquil morning light, Shinichi leaned lazily against a veranda pillar with a stalk of foxtail grass between his lips. One hand tucked into his sleeve, he yawned, looking as though he had yet to wake up properly.
Beside him, Orochimaru had long since risen and was sitting cross-legged on the veranda, intently studying a Ninjutsu Scroll.
The morning breeze stirred his black hair. His golden slit pupils narrowed slightly with concentration and curiosity.
Shinichi tilted his head to watch Orochimaru deep in thought, a faint smile curling his lips. His appetite for learning really is worlds apart from mine...
"Orochimaru, want to learn some more ninjutsu?"
Shinichi spoke unhurriedly, his lazy tone making it sound like a casual question.
Orochimaru lifted his head, a glimmer flashing through his slit pupils. "Big brother Shinichi... you're going to teach me?"
Shinichi yawned and casually ruffled his own hair. "Yeah, more or less. You learn fast anyway, so you might as well pick up some practical ninjutsu ahead of time."
Orochimaru gently closed the scroll and nodded earnestly. Though his voice was calm, he could not entirely hide his excitement. "I want to learn."
Shinichi's lips curved into a meaningful smile, and he reached over to ruffle Orochimaru's hair. "All right. Then let me show you Uchiha Shinichi's teaching style."
Morning sunlight fell over them, casting their overlapping shadows.
At that moment, their leisurely days by the Naka River might just have been about to take a different turn...
Just as Shinichi was about to take out his tools for a demonstration, he rummaged through his sleeve, and his expression slowly froze.
"...Oh no. I forgot to bring the chakra paper!"
There was a trace of frustration in Shinichi's voice, but mostly an easy nonchalance, as though this sort of thing happened all the time.
Orochimaru blinked and looked at him in slight confusion. "Big brother Shinichi, you mean the paper used to test chakra natures?"
"Right. I was going to have you test your chakra natures first so I could tailor the lessons to you." Shinichi shrugged and sighed helplessly. "But I actually forgot to bring it. What an oversight..."
"No choice, then. I'll have to use my ultimate move!"
Shinichi spoke with a perfectly serious face, though his voice held a teasing note. His hands slowly formed hand seals as he skillfully performed the ninjutsu.
"Summoning Technique!"
With his low shout, an intricate summoning pattern instantly appeared on the ground. White smoke billowed up, and a small figure leaped out of it to land on Shinichi's shoulder.
It was a plump ragdoll cat, with a lazy, wise gleam in his blue eyes and smooth fur. Standing steadily on all four paws, he spoke in an utterly relaxed tone:
"Meow~ What business do you have with this sage, young Shinichi?"
Tsunade and Orochimaru stared openmouthed at the imposing ninja cat before them, momentarily unable to process what they were seeing.
Shinichi, meanwhile, patted the ninja cat's head as though this were perfectly natural and said with a smile, "Madara, get me a sheet of chakra paper. I forgot mine."
This ninja cat, named "Madara," was the one Shinichi had formed a contract with at age four, when Uchiha Raishin took him to Cat Granny's secluded home.
Among the many ninja cats, this one had stood out—even shortly after birth, he had resembled a mature, prudent sage, possessing a composure far beyond other cats his age.
When Shinichi chose his summoning animal, the kitten's "old-man attitude" caught his eye immediately. He signed the contract without hesitation and casually gave him a name: "Madara."
...At the time, Cat Granny and the other ninja cats had all worn meaningful expressions.
Shinichi had no idea whether Madara Uchiha's White Zetsu was watching him. At first, he had worried that Madara Uchiha might suddenly drop a Tengai Shinsei on him one day, flattening him and his cat together!
But as time passed, nothing unusual happened. The ninja cat accepted the name without complaint, even carrying himself as though to say, "This name suits a sage of my stature." Shinichi had secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Now, the ninja cat "Madara" slowly raised a paw and licked it elegantly before letting out a lazy yawn. "Hmph. Mere chakra paper? A trivial matter."
With a flick of his tail, he deftly retrieved a fresh sheet of chakra paper from a storage scroll and pushed it toward Shinichi with his paw, a haughty look in his eyes. "Remember, you owe this sage a feast of grilled fish."
Shinichi blinked, his lips curling, then promptly patted his chest. "No problem. Tonight, you'll eat to your heart's content."
Madara flicked his tail in satisfaction and hopped around on Shinichi's shoulder, looking every bit the magnanimous sage.
Tsunade: "..."
Orochimaru: "..."
The two exchanged looks, momentarily unsure what to comment on first.
Eventually, Tsunade could not help asking, "Shinichi, why is your summoning animal just as lazy as you?"
Shinichi rebutted her with a straight face. "It's called being composed and reserved, with hidden depths."
Tsunade rolled her eyes, while Orochimaru quietly observed Madara the ninja cat. A thoughtful gleam shone in his golden slit pupils, as though he were analyzing the ninja animal's potential.
Morning light filled the courtyard, and wind chimes swayed gently in the breeze. Accompanied by Madara's leisurely purring, the Ninja Academy's "regular lessons" were completely forgotten. Shinichi and his friends' "slacking-off class" was only just beginning.
The ninja cat "Madara" lounged nearby, gently swishing his tail as he watched through contentedly narrowed eyes.
Shinichi took the chakra paper Madara had brought, gave it a casual shake, and smiled lazily. "Here, Orochimaru. Feed your chakra into this chakra paper."
Orochimaru asked no questions. He simply nodded, extended his fingertips, and slowly channeled chakra into the paper.
The next second, the paper underwent a dramatic transformation—
One section burned away completely, another rapidly cracked, and one corner wrinkled slightly. At the same time, droplets of water seeped out, while the remaining portion neatly split in two.
All five changes appeared unmistakably on a single sheet of paper!
Fire, earth, wind, water, lightning—Orochimaru actually possessed all five chakra natures!
The air seemed to freeze.
Tsunade stared in disbelief, her eyes wide as saucers. She pointed at the paper and opened her mouth, but not a single word came out.
Shinichi blinked, then smiled and patted Orochimaru's shoulder. "Well, look at you, Orochimaru. All five chakra natures. You're a born all-round ninjutsu genius."
Orochimaru lowered his gaze to the paper in his hand, an indescribable emotion flickering through his golden slit pupils. He had merely followed Shinichi's instructions, never expecting such an astonishing result.
Tsunade finally came to her senses. The corner of her mouth twitched, and she looked utterly shaken.
"W-wait! That... that defies science!" She pointed at Orochimaru, her voice tangled with emotion. "I'm the Senju Clan's genius princess! And you... you're even more ridiculous than I am?!"
She had been a genius of the Senju Clan since childhood. Though her chakra reserves were immense, she possessed only four natures: fire, lightning, earth, and water. Seeing Orochimaru possess all five made her feel as though her "market value had plummeted."
"This isn't fair!" Tsunade crouched down, clutching her head with a look of utter despair. "Aren't ninja geniuses supposed to be on my level?! Orochimaru, why are even your chakra natures such a cheat?!"
Shinichi leaned comfortably against a veranda pillar, enjoying the sight of Tsunade falling apart. With foxtail grass between his lips, he mumbled, "Little Tsunade, that's life. Every genius eventually meets an even more absurd monster."
Tsunade shot him a fierce, deeply resentful glare. "Shut up! You haven't even tested yours. For all we know, you're worse than Orochimaru!"
Shinichi lazily waved a hand, wearing a mysterious smile. "Heh, things like this are more interesting with a little suspense."
Meanwhile, Orochimaru gently rubbed the paper in his hand, the corners of his mouth lifting as excitement shone in his slit pupils.
"Five natures... if I could use Chakra of every nature to its fullest, perhaps..."
He said no more, but at that moment, an ambition unique to a genius quietly took root in his heart.
Shinichi stretched lazily, a faint smile on his lips. His tone was light but assured. "You can master the basic lessons yourself by taking back your Shadow Clones' memories. As for me, I'll teach you more advanced ninjutsu!"
As he spoke, he lightly waved a hand as though brushing dust from the air, his eyes glinting with cunning and confidence.
Orochimaru paused briefly, then nodded thoughtfully.
As an exceptionally gifted ninja, he had already noticed the greatest advantage of Shadow Clones: they could not only carry out tasks in the original's place, but also return all their memories and experience when dispelled.
That meant that as long as a Shadow Clone attended class, studied, and trained, the original could acquire the same knowledge without lifting a finger!
"...It really is an efficient way to learn," Orochimaru murmured. His slit pupils narrowed slightly as he silently considered deeper applications of Shadow Clones.
Standing nearby with her arms crossed, Tsunade frowned at Shinichi. "So you're saying you've never personally listened to a single Ninja Academy lesson? You rely entirely on your Shadow Clones' memories?"
"Of course. Don't you do the same?" Shinichi nodded without a hint of shame. "Time is precious. How could I waste it on basic classes?"
The corner of Tsunade's mouth twitched. She took a deep breath, then decisively slammed a fist onto his head. "Then you might as well send your real body into retirement!"
"Ow—" Shinichi crouched down, clutching his head, and muttered aggrievedly, "Little Tsunade, you're just jealous of my talent..."
Tsunade huffed and turned away, unwilling to bother with him, while Orochimaru remained immersed in thought.
"Then, big brother Shinichi, what ninjutsu are you going to teach me?"
Orochimaru looked up at Shinichi, anticipation and longing in his slit pupils.
He had an innate fascination with ninjutsu. Given the chance to learn advanced techniques, he certainly would not let it slip away.
Shinichi rubbed his head and slowly stood, a mysterious smile lifting his lips. "Well, since you're so eager, let's start with something exciting..."
Sunlight filtered through the trees and fell over the three of them. A breeze swept through the courtyard, and the air held a sense of excitement and the unknown.
This lesson would mark Orochimaru's first true encounter with advanced ninjutsu—and the moment when the legend of their era quietly began to unfold.
Before you continue