Orochimaru

Kazuhiko Uchiha awoke from unconsciousness after an unknown stretch of time, feeling as though something bound his body. He struggled to open his eyes and found himself wrapped entirely in medical bandages, lying like a mummy in a dim cave.

"Hehehehe, awake already? What an astonishing body."

A slightly hoarse voice, tinged with sinister charm, drifted in from outside the cave. Then a tall, straight-backed figure slowly approached him.

Hearing the voice, Kazuhiko Uchiha struggled to turn his neck. He finally managed to turn his head and saw the person standing before him.

A moon-white kimono, long black hair hanging to his waist, a pale purple tongue lightly licking his lips, and a pair of golden, serpentine eyes studying Kazuhiko with interest.

Kazuhiko Uchiha's pupils abruptly contracted. He had clearly recognized the man. A terrifying chill swept through his body, and his previously steady heart began pounding.

Orochimaru seemed to see right through Kazuhiko Uchiha. He licked the corner of his mouth and said slowly, "Oh? It seems you know who I am?"

"Orochimaru, the cold-blooded one of the Sannin."

Kazuhiko Uchiha had no idea why Orochimaru was here, but he was in no condition to resist. All he could do was take things one step at a time and try to figure out why Orochimaru had saved him.

"Hehehehe, the Sannin..."

A hint of melancholy entered Orochimaru's hoarse voice before he returned to normal. Narrowing his eyes, he teased, "Since you know I'm Orochimaru, you must also know I'm a rogue ninja from Konoha. What should I do with you, then? Kill you or let you go?"

"Orochimaru, tell me what you want. If you wanted to kill me, you wouldn't have saved me."

When dealing with someone like Orochimaru, only sufficient strength or intelligence would earn his attention and recognition. So Kazuhiko Uchiha cut straight through his act and asked why he had saved him.

"Hehehehe... what a clever boy." Orochimaru's gaze softened slightly at Kazuhiko Uchiha's words, and he laughed. "What's your name? How about becoming my subordinate? I can grant you power-even greater power than that toy you fought earlier possessed."

"My name is Kazuhiko Uchiha. By that toy, do you mean the scaled monster?" Kazuhiko Uchiha asked in surprise. He had never imagined that Orochimaru was behind the one-eyed jōnin's transformation. It seemed the man had most likely been an early test subject in Orochimaru's development of the Cursed Seal.

"That's right. His was merely a defective Cursed Seal of the lowest grade. But I will grant you the finest-the Human Cursed Seal."

Orochimaru chuckled, clearly pleased with the Cursed Seal he had developed. Compared with slow, steady training, the Cursed Seal could integrate natural energy into the body, awaken a person's potential more quickly, and achieve a partial sage transformation.

"I'm willing to work for Lord Orochimaru, but I'll pass on the Cursed Seal. I don't want to become something neither human nor monster. Besides, I only trust the strength I've cultivated myself."

The Cursed Seal was one of the mediums Orochimaru used for reincarnation, so Kazuhiko Uchiha naturally would not agree to it. All he could do was try to persuade Orochimaru to abandon the idea of placing a Cursed Seal on him.

"Hehehehe, interesting."

Perhaps the Human Cursed Seal was too precious at this stage. After Kazuhiko Uchiha refused, Orochimaru did not insist. His neck stretched like a python, and he left a black Cursed Seal on Kazuhiko's right arm, which soon vanished into his body.

"Return to Konoha once your injuries have healed. Someone will contact you when I need you to do something. Of course, you can also choose to betray me-as long as you think you can deal with the Snake Sleep Cursed Seal I've placed on you."

Utterly confident in his Cursed Seal, Orochimaru left the cave after that mocking remark to Kazuhiko Uchiha.

Only after Orochimaru's presence had vanished completely did Kazuhiko Uchiha realize the danger had passed. Once he finally relaxed, the cold sweat he had been holding back began pouring out.

After a while, Kazuhiko Uchiha regained some strength and barely managed to sit up. He began training to replenish his depleted energy, using his psychic powers to heal his injuries.

Kazuhiko Uchiha spent half a day making initial repairs to his wounds, barely recovering thirty percent of his fighting strength, before leaving the cave. After getting his bearings, he headed toward the Land of Fire.

Three days later, a travel-worn Kazuhiko Uchiha returned to Konoha. He gave the officials responsible a full account of the mission's failure and his team's casualties, then was sent to Konoha Hospital for treatment.

After nearly a week of careful treatment by medical ninja, Kazuhiko Uchiha's injuries healed completely. Apart from the additional Cursed Seal inside his body, nothing else had changed.

While Kazuhiko Uchiha was hospitalized, Konoha also dispatched an Anbu squad to investigate the mission. They confirmed that he had not falsified any information and uncovered the mastermind behind the incident.

The intelligence gathered in the investigation identified the mastermind as Ichirō Ōki, the son of the president of the Ōki Trading Company, which had long held a grudge against the Kashima Trading Company over their business rivalry.

Ichirō Ōki was the young wastrel Kazuhiko Uchiha had previously encountered in the Land of Hot Water. To vent his father's anger, he had ignored his steward's objections and secretly hired wandering ninja from the Land of Rivers to attack Mr. Kashima, intending to burn the goods he was transporting back to the Land of Lightning.

"Ichirō Ōki of the Ōki Trading Company..."

Kazuhiko Uchiha tore up the copy of the intelligence report in his hands and headed toward the Hokage Building. After submitting a request, he met the Third Hokage in his office.

The Third Hokage was reviewing a document, and Kazuhiko Uchiha politely refrained from disturbing him. Only after he finished his work, picked up the pipe on his desk, and took a puff did Kazuhiko bow in greeting. "Lord Hokage."

"Hehe, no need to be so stiff." The Third regarded Kazuhiko Uchiha kindly and asked, "Tell me, what brings you here?"

"Lord Third, I'd like to request your permission to take part in the operation to eliminate Ichirō Ōki," Kazuhiko Uchiha said in a low voice, stating his purpose. "I want to avenge Captain Tōma and the others with my own hands."

The Third Hokage slowly took a puff from his pipe, his gaze shifting thoughtfully. After giving Kazuhiko Uchiha a long look, he suggested, "Missions like this are carried out by Anbu ninja. If you insist on taking part, your only option is to join the Anbu."

"I'm willing."

Joining the Anbu had already been one of Kazuhiko Uchiha's plans for the future. Now that an opportunity had presented itself, he naturally would not refuse. He agreed immediately, without the slightest hesitation.

"Good. White Elephant." Seeing that Kazuhiko Uchiha had agreed to join the Anbu, the Third Hokage immediately called toward a corner of the room.

Whoosh.

An Anbu ninja wearing an elephant mask emerged from the shadows at the summons, dropped to one knee, and bowed. "Lord Hokage."

"Take him to undergo the Anbu assessment. If he passes, allow him to carry out this mission with the Anbu squad tomorrow."

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

Once the Third Hokage had made these arrangements and returned to work, Kazuhiko Uchiha bowed alongside White Elephant and left the room. He followed White Elephant to take the Anbu assessment.