Chapter 49
Konoha Village
After finishing special training with Kurenai Yuhi and Yūgao Uzuki, Uchiha Yuta, feeling a little bored, decided to take the two girls for a stroll around the newly rebuilt Konoha.
Perhaps because Kurenai was stronger than in the original timeline, her father, Yuhi Shinku, had survived the Nine-Tails attack.
The three chatted casually as they walked.
Before long, Yuta escorted Kurenai and Yūgao back to their respective homes.
---
On his way back to the Uchiha Clan district, Yuta glanced over the gradually recovering village and muttered to himself,
"Konoha's been rebuilt, and Sarutobi has taken the Hokage seat again... but it's a pity no one even mentions the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, anymore."
It had been less than a month since the Nine-Tails incident.
Yet after Hiruzen Sarutobi returned to power, the Fourth Hokage had become something of a taboo subject. Even the villagers rarely brought him up.
Just like White Fang, who was once hailed as a hero yet died disgraced by suicide, Minato's name was being deliberately forgotten.
"When the person is gone, the tea cools..."
Yuta sighed softly.
What else could he say?
The longer he lived in Konoha,
the more clearly he could feel the darkness buried under its bright surface.
The so-called "Will of Fire" passed down by the Second Hokage and Hashirama Senju seemed more like a political slogan now, far from the ideals it once represented.
A simple example:
The hypocritical Hokage: "Such a strong person exists in our village? Dangerous! Eliminate him!"
From a king to a pawn, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained... formidable, in his own way.
Phew...
---
As he walked, Yuta soon reached a rarely visited clearing just outside the Uchiha compound.
Suddenly, he stopped.
"Orochimaru, come out!"
BANG!!
With a puff of white smoke, a small white snake hidden in a distant tree transformed into a tall, thin man.
Orochimaru's figure flashed, appearing before Ryunen with a sly grin.
"Yuta-kun, you noticed me already,"
he said, licking his lips. "As expected of the Uchiha's elite."
"Of course..."
Yuta narrowed his eyes calmly.
Orochimaru studied him, sighing,
"I've been paying attention to you for years. I still don't understand — why haven't you focused on cultivating your Sharingan?
The Uchiha clan's eyes are a talent others can only envy."
"If you awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, you could reach a height other ninjas wouldn't even dream of in their lifetime."
Orochimaru's snake-like eyes shimmered with longing.
Yuta only smiled faintly.
He couldn't exactly explain that the strength Orochimaru saw was merely what he allowed others to see. His so-called "taijutsu specialization" was nothing but a convenient disguise.
"Enough. Why are you looking for me?"
Yuta asked flatly, cutting to the chase.
"Oh, nothing much... just this—"
WHOOSH!!
Without warning, Orochimaru opened his mouth wide and spat out a flying sword, aiming straight for Ryunen's chest with terrifying speed.
"How boring..."
Even before the attack was launched, Yuta had already predicted it with his heightened senses.
With a swift punch, he shattered the air itself, knocking the sword away effortlessly.
Orochimaru's eyes lit up.
"Such a perfect body!"
he exclaimed, almost reverently.
"Orochimaru, are you looking to die?"
Yuta's voice turned cold.
"I advise you — forget whatever twisted ideas you have. Otherwise, I'll make sure you die a miserable death."
"Hahaha..."
Orochimaru let out a chilling laugh.
"Don't get me wrong. I came to invite you to leave Konoha with me."
"What?"
Yuta stared at him like he was crazy.
Honestly, they barely even knew each other. Orochimaru suddenly wanting to "run away together" was laughable.
And considering Orochimaru would eventually become a woman to reincarnate into new bodies...
Yuta shuddered. He had zero interest in that kind of madness.
"Yuta-kun, your taijutsu is beyond monstrous,"
Orochimaru said seriously.
"If you come with me, I'll help you unlock the full potential of your Sharingan. I'll even transplant Hashirama's cells for you. Together, we can awaken your Mangekyō and reach unimaginable power!"
He leaned in slightly, whispering,
"The Uchiha are already being marginalized by Konoha's leadership. You'll end up on their blacklist sooner or later. Shimura Danzo is obsessed with the Sharingan..."
"This village... isn't worth staying for."
Yuta chuckled.
"Thanks, but no thanks. I'm not interested. I have no plans to leave Konoha — not yet."
"You—"
Now it was Orochimaru's turn to be stunned.
Before approaching Yuta, he had studied him carefully.
Lately, Konoha's ANBU had been keeping a closer eye on him, and he could tell Hiruzen Sarutobi was planning something.
After all, he hadn't lifted a finger during the Nine-Tails Rebellion, and Hiruzen was bound to settle accounts eventually.
That was why he had wanted to recruit Ryunen — a hidden gem of the Uchiha Clan.
But now?
He was rejected outright.
A slap to Orochimaru's proud face.
"Well then..."
Yuta said casually, turning away.
"I'm going back to the clan compound."
"Tch..."
Orochimaru hesitated, then sighed.
"Your vision is too small. You'll regret this one day."
"Doubt it,"
Yuta said without looking back.
---
If not for the system, maybe he would have considered Orochimaru's offer.
But now?
He didn't need to gamble his future on some madman's schemes.
"Whatever you say..."
Orochimaru murmured, watching Yuta's departing figure.
In his mind, Yuta was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for power.
---
A few days later...
A major incident rocked Konoha:
Orochimaru's human experiments were exposed, forcing him to defect from the village.
In the aftermath, Jiraiya — who had only recently returned — also left. His stated reason was to find Orochimaru and bring him back.
With the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze dead, and Tsunade still away,
the departure of Jiraiya and Orochimaru marked the end of Konoha's legendary Sannin era.
--------------------------------+--------------------------
I'll be uploading another story named "HP: The Third Child of Prophecy" within the next week . I've already uploaded the first 5 chapters in my patreon. So look forward to it . And if you like the story please give it some power stones and reviews. And if you want to read 30 advance chapters or just want to support me please join my patreon at patreon.com/Translatingfanfics