Chapter 22: Definitely next time

"Lord Orochimaru," Itachi said calmly.

After that simple bow and greeting, the matter of apprenticeship was quietly settled. Orochimaru, already gaining much from his dealings with the Uchiha, found himself even more intrigued.

These days, finding a good teacher was difficult. But finding a suitable student? That was even harder.

He had seen promising individuals before—Guy, Kakashi, Yamato. All undeniably talented in their own ways.

But each came with limitations.

Guy's strength was rooted in taijutsu. Yamato's potential lay within his unique bloodline. Aside from their general skills, there wasn't much Orochimaru could teach them directly.

Worse yet, both were emotional types.

The kind of ninja whose power surged when driven by strong feelings.

Chakra, after all, was born from the fusion of mental and physical energy. And emotionally charged ninjas—when fully unleashed—could become truly terrifying.

That's why Orochimaru had handed Yamato over to Jiraiya.

Jiraiya, with his passion for friendship, bonds, and loyalty, was well-suited to help Yamato find clarity and purpose. Once Yamato stabilized emotionally, his growth would skyrocket.

Orochimaru respected that path to strength. He even respected Jiraiya for it.

But it wasn't his path.

What he admired were ninjas like Kakashi—those who suppressed their emotions, suppressed their desires, and followed a methodical, calculated road to power. Clear goals. Steady steps. Ruthless discipline.

If he'd met Kakashi sooner, he might have made him a disciple.

But Kakashi was already Minato's student... and now, adrift and unmotivated, a shadow of what he once was.

Still, Orochimaru had found someone better.

He glanced at Itachi, who was still holding Sasuke in his arms. The corner of his lips curled into a subtle, dangerous smile.

Teaching was only one reason he took Itachi in.

He was also interested in studying how the Sharingan interacted with the cells of the First Hokage.

Feeling Orochimaru's gaze, Itachi stiffened. The pressure was subtle but real. He instinctively took a small step back.

He now had a new teacher, though his daily life hadn't changed much—at least, not yet. For now, he still had to attend the ninja academy.

Orochimaru had no interest in teaching the basics. He believed, with Itachi's talent, he'd breeze through his schooling quickly—just like Kakashi once had.

Whoosh…

A sudden gust of wind announced the arrival of a new figure.

"Patriarch, the squad is assembled," the shinobi reported.

"We'll head out," Fugaku replied with a curt nod. He then turned to Orochimaru.

Orochimaru looked at Itachi and said with a smile, "How about you come along? This is a good chance to see what real ninja battles look like."

Itachi hesitated, glancing down at Sasuke in his arms. But under his father's firm gaze, he gave a small nod.

"…Yes, sir."

...

"What did the patriarch call us here for?"

"You didn't get the message either?"

"Maybe it's another protest. Lately, the rumors in the village have been getting worse…"

"…"

Far from the main village, at a training ground, the Uchiha clan members gathered, chattering among themselves. To outsiders, they were cold, silent figures who ignored everyone. But within their own ranks, among their own people, they talked more than anyone—an unexpected bunch of chatterboxes.

"Captain Shinzu, do you know what's going on?"

One clansman turned to Uchiha Shinzu, who had been quietly listening, and assumed he might know something.

"…No, I don't," Shinzu replied. But then he paused, recalling his earlier encounter with Orochimaru.

The patriarch summoning most of the clan's elite so suddenly… there couldn't be many explanations. If anything, it had to be because of him—one of the Legendary Sannin.

"What exactly is Orochimaru planning…?" Shinzu wondered, still unsure.

The curious clansman didn't get his answer, so he drifted back into the conversation happening around him.

The training field buzzed with discussion until it all fell silent at the appearance of the clan leader—Fugaku Uchiha.

With a single raised hand, he quieted the crowd, then spoke in a calm but firm voice.

"This gathering is for a rehearsal exercise," he said.

Fugaku went on to explain: During the Nine-Tails' rampage, the Uchiha Security Force had failed to respond in time. They lacked experience as a unified force against tailed beast-level threats. To regain the trust of the Third Hokage and the village council, they had invited Orochimaru of the Sannin to conduct training.

"Tailed beasts? Training?"

The clan members exchanged uncertain glances.

How do you train for fighting a tailed beast? Catch one and let it loose again?

Konoha didn't have a perfect jinchūriki capable of fully controlling a tailed beast. How could they train for such threats without putting the entire village at risk?

And more importantly… was this really necessary? Kurama already had a jinchūriki again. Would the village truly make the same mistake twice?

Sensing their doubt, Orochimaru stepped forward and spoke with a cold smirk.

"Short-sighted and lacking any sense of danger. If this is the state of the Uchiha Guard… I must say, I'm disappointed."

The moment he insulted them, the mood shifted sharply. Dozens of sharp glares turned on Orochimaru, brimming with anger. Status or not, few present cared—they were close to snapping.

Being stared down by a group of elite Uchiha would make most people sweat.

But Orochimaru didn't even flinch. He continued in a casual, composed tone:

"Three years ago, before Minato Namikaze became Hokage, there was a kunoichi in his team—Rin Nohara. She was forcibly turned into the Three-Tails' jinchūriki by the Mist, with the goal of releasing it inside Konoha. That incident nearly brought a tailed beast into the village from the west. It could've been catastrophic."

The training field fell dead silent again.

The Uchiha elites exchanged pale, anxious glances.

Rin Nohara's story wasn't classified, but neither was it common knowledge. Only those with status in the village knew the truth behind it. Most of the people here were hearing it for the first time.

And they knew Orochimaru wasn't one to invent such tales.

"What's more," Orochimaru continued, "the mastermind behind the Nine-Tails attack has still not been caught. Whether it's the Nine-Tails again or another tailed beast from a foreign land—if another assault comes…"

He narrowed his eyes.

"…will you simply shrink away again like last time?"

The Uchiha didn't speak, but their silence roared.

Their faces flushed with shame and frustration.

They had heard too many similar criticisms these past years.

And they couldn't deny it.

Protecting Konoha was their sworn duty. Whatever the reason, they hadn't fulfilled it that night.

That was reality. But it didn't mean they accepted it. It didn't mean they'd stay silent.

They clenched their fists, their anger burning low and hot.

Never again.

The crowd was seething beneath the surface, their emotions united. A storm was brewing.

Orochimaru watched their reaction with interest. A cold, satisfied smile crept onto his lips.

"The problem of obtaining a tailed beast for training—leave that to me," he said calmly. "But before we begin…"

His gaze sharpened.

"…Who among you is Shisui?"

__________

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