Orochimaru's Hideout.
Inside a corridor, the echoes of footsteps could be heard as a shadow walked along. At the heart of this labyrinth lay a room that held someone of great significance: Kimimaro.
Kimimaro lay flat on a table, his pale face covered by the cloth covering his eyes. In his mouth were multiple tubes that snaked to machines. The sight of him was almost haunting.
As the door creaked open, Kabuto entered with a plate of medicine. His expression was professional, having been used to seeing Kimimaro in that state for months now.
Kabuto gently set the plate down before looking over Kimimaro's form. He was painfully aware of the unspecified disease that was killing Kimimaro's vitality, something that not even Orochimaru could cure.
Many fans believed that what he had was some form of cancer, while others offered more obscure diagnoses. That was because he would randomly cough up blood. In truth, the disease was unknown due to never being expanded on.
"Kimimaro," Kabuto began. "I've brought you your medicine."
He began to replace the medical bags while also preparing the necessary sustenance. Had it not been for Kabuto, Kimimaro would have long been dead by now.
Kimimaro stirred slightly on the bed before letting out a faint breath. The cloth over his eyes slightly shifted but remained firmly in place. There was no point in trying to get up, let alone lift a finger.
"You should know," Kabuto began. "Jūgo was attacked not long ago by an unknown intruder at the Northern Hideout."
Almost immediately, Kimimaro's heart raced, and the monitors began to beep faster.
"Is he alright?" Kimimaro whispered.
Of course something like this would alarm Kimimaro. The concern for his friend being messed with was something worthy of his attention. Their bond had been one of understanding and support, two beings finding solace in each other amidst Orochimaru's machinations.
"He's alright for now," Kabuto revealed as he worked. "The reports say the alarms went off when the intruder breached the compound."
"What was the intruder after?"
Kabuto smiled at his perceptiveness. The conversation started with Jūgo being attacked, but Kimimaro instantly understood that the attacker was likely after something else.
"A few vials were taken during the altercation. We don't know exactly what they wanted yet or if it was a single person or a group. But we're on high alert at all of our hideouts."
Whatever kind of foe would dare attack the home of a Sannin either meant that they were idiotic or threatening. Perhaps both.
"Keep me updated on Jūgo's condition," Kimimaro said.
"Of course," Kabuto replied, noting how much the two bonded.
"Is there anything else I should know…?"
"Apart from the search for Tayuya going nowhere," Kabuto revealed, adjusting his frames. "I do believe we're going to abandon looking for her since someone who goes missing from Blood Prison is likely never going to be tracked."
"I see…"
"If you'd like, I could have lord Orochimaru bring Sasuke in here for you to talk to him."
Kimimaro didn't respond just yet.
In this world, the two had never had a real interaction. They had only seen each other once in the original story, of which the Uchiha never introduced himself, opting to run after awakening his curse mark level two form.
"No," Kimimaro murmured, "I don't wish to burden one of lord Orochimaru's vessels."
Kabuto wasn't surprised by the response. "I understand… The offer remains if you think it might help your spirit."
As he finished adjusting the medical equipment keeping Kimimaro stable, the room became silent until he finished.
"Take care of yourself, Kimimaro," Kabuto said finally as he turned to leave.
Quietness filled the room once more, wrapping Kimimaro in darkness. He tried to find comfort in it but could not after hearing one of their hideouts was attacked and that he could do nothing about it.
In the quiet, he allowed moments to tick by, trying to fall asleep.
The bond he shared with Jūgo surfaced first in his mind—memories of when they first met back at the cave the latter lodged himself in. Those two were born for madness; hence, they became such compatible friends.
Then, there was the notion of Sasuke. He had heard of the boy—the prodigy who lost his clan and was selected to become Orochimaru's main vessel.
That was supposed to be Kimimaro's role. But so long as Orochimaru could be eternal, then that was fulfilling enough.
Such was the mindset of someone being manipulated and used for that snake's purposes.
With his thoughts resting, the room became quiet yet again. He was accustomed to this silence. For what felt like years, he'd been trapped in this limbo, waiting patiently for the day he could once again serve Orochimaru.
Many would have pitied him had it not been for that unhealthy devotion he had to the snake.
As he rested, a haze of smoke began to envelop his body, drifting around his frame like a living entity. It made no sound nor had any presence to it that he could sense.
Suddenly, he felt a slight sting on his thigh, like a mosquito bite. He let out a soft gasp as he struggled to sit up, slowly reaching for the cloth covering his eyes.
When he removed it, he glanced around the room, only to see that, in the brief moment of sleep, something had happened. And upon looking at his thigh, there was nothing there—not bite mark, no redness.
His breathing suddenly grew erratic, and he began coughing severely. The sound echoed through the room as he clutched at his chest, fighting to catch his breath. The attack was intense, with him coughing for a whole minute, until finally, the convulsions began to subside.
As he looked down at his hands, he saw an unexpected sight: there was no blood.
It was as if he had somehow managed to contain the violent coughing fit within himself, suppressing the damage that it would have normally caused to his fragile lungs.
Then he understood. Something had changed inside his body. His cells seemed to have adapted, somehow shielding him from the pain.
Without thinking, he slid to his feet. His movements were tentative at first but grew more confident with each step. His legs trembled due to the lingering weakness, but he pushed on, driven by an insatiable curiosity of how this could be.
There was no one in sight as he stumbled through the dark corridors. Each step became more resolute, driven by the desire to see one man—Orochimaru.
Finally, he stumbled upon a throne-like chair, its occupant shrouded in shadows. Kabuto was next to that figure.
As Kimimaro drew closer, the figure slowly lifted its head, revealing the gaze of Orochimaru. The snake's eyes locked onto his, looking more skeptical than surprised. Kabuto, too, was quite in disbelief.
"Kimimaro," he hissed. "What are you doing out of bed…?"
Kimimaro bowed himself ninety degrees.
"I'm not sure myself, lord Orochimaru… " I felt a sting on my thigh, and then I began coughing. But after that, I started to feel better."
Orochimaru stared at Kimimaro. Was this for real? If Kabuto couldn't cure Kimimaro, no medical ninja could, so they believed.
"And now?" Orochimaru hissed the more.
Kimimaro hesitated, unsure of how to articulate this feeling.
"I think something inside me had changed… I don't feel the pain anymore. It's as if my body has adapted to it in some way."
The silence that followed was almost unbearable. Orochimaru's eyes seemed to bore into Kimimaro, as if searching for an explanation. Finally, he became amused and spoke, "How do you feel exactly, Kimimaro?"
Kimimaro lifted up his eyes and declared, "I feel... stronger, lord Orochimaru; I feel like I can be of use to you again."
Orochimaru could see it in his servant's eyes, so he gave a sadistic grin, knowing that this was indeed the same Kimimaro who helped him murder Rasa, the former Kazekage.
"How most amusing," he said with cruel satisfaction. "It seems that our taking care of you has finally begun to show."
Without hesitating, Kimimaro dropped to his knees, his head bowed in a gesture of reverence.
"Thank you, lord Orochimaru," he whispered while maintaining his nonchalance. "You've nurtured me to full health, and for that, I am eternally grateful."
As he spoke, he felt that sense of renewal. The only thing he'd ever wanted was to serve Orochimaru.
The day he became ill was the day he felt as if he had no more purpose. The pain, the weakness, the endless struggle—all were behind him now, and in their place, that sense of purpose had once again taken hold.
As he knelt before Orochimaru, Kabuto stood off to the side, observing the interaction with a curious expression. He was contemplating the implications of Kimimaro's sudden resurgence.
"It appears," he ventured carefully, "that he hasn't done anything to enact this change. Kimimaro's body likely healed itself. It's an extraordinary phenomenon."
Orochimaru's gaze was fixed on Kimimaro, who still kneeled in reverence.
"Regardless of the reason," Kimimaro earnestly said, "I owe my continued existence to you, lord Orochimaru. My body is still yours to command."
Kabuto opened his mouth to speak, prepared to explain that Kimimaro's time had likely passed, that the arrival of Sasuke Uchiha heralded a shift in priorities—one that rendered Kimimaro's body no longer needed as a vessel.
However, before he could voice his thoughts, Orochimaru's steely look silenced him. The intensity of the snake's gaze was enough to instill a deep-seated caution within Kabuto; a plan that the Sannin had, which didn't require him to speak.
Orochimaru then turned his attention back to Kimimaro and stated, "Tell me, Kimimaro, how do you feel about Sasuke being my new vessel, especially now that you have recovered so… unexpectedly?"
Kimimaro raised his head and confessed, "Whether it is Sasuke or myself, I will gladly take his place if ever the need arises… My loyalty to you remains absolute, lord Orochimaru."
Orochimaru gave another sadistic smile, for those were the exact words he had expected to hear.
"Very well," he said with approbation. "Then I shall allow you to continue being one of my elite guards underneath my wing."
The proclamation filled Kimimaro with purpose. After rising from his knees, he bowed deeply and said, "Thank you, lord Orochimaru. I will not disappoint you."
"Now that you've recovered, it is time to put your health to the test," Orochimaru continued. "I have a mission for you. As I'm sure you're aware, the Northern Hideout had been compromised. I'd like you to investigate who the intruder was."
I'll do it," he affirmed without hesitating.
Orochimaru waved a dismissive hand, relaying for him to go prepare.
As Kimimaro exited the throne room, Kabuto turned to Orochimaru.
"If I may ask, lord Orochimaru, why send him to the Northern Hideout… We've already conducted an investigation there and found nothing of significance. We also inspected the perimeter, and there weren't any trails left behind."
Orochimaru's expression remained inscrutable. He then lightened himself upon seeing that Kabuto hadn't yet understood.
"The one who raided from my hideout, combined with Kimimaro's sudden restoration, is no coincidence, wouldn't you agree, Kabuto?"
Kabuto frowned, still hesitant. "Do you believe that the two incidents are connected in some way?"
"Yes," Orochimaru insisted. "Since the case involves Jūgo, sending Kimimaro might be of help to uncover who the attacker might be."
"Your insights truly are remarkable, lord Orochimaru," Kabuto conceded. "It never ceases to amaze me how your mind works."
Orochimaru merely chuckled throughout the dark throne room before adding, "Let's just see if he can still be of use to me… Perhaps he might lead us to more than we expect."
At those words, the door opened to reveal Sasuke Uchiha.