The cave was plunged into darkness, the only sound a faint rustling in the blackness.
Suddenly, slow and clumsy footsteps echoed off the stone walls, accompanied by a villager's terrified scream.
As the villager approached the mysterious black bundle, Guren and Orochimaru sprang into action, hanging upside down from the cave ceiling like monstrous bats.
His instructions were clear: keep your eyes closed, no matter what, until I say otherwise.
She obeyed without hesitation. Since he had rescued her from the chaos of war, she had dedicated her life and body to him. His words were law, not to be questioned.
Despite her intense curiosity, she kept her eyes shut tight, even as a large creature moved through the air beside her and the hissing of snakes filled the cavern.
"Multiple Striking Shadow Snakes!" his jutsu echoed through the cave, followed by the sickening sound of flesh being pierced and strangled.
The villager's scream reached a fever pitch, then abruptly stopped, replaced by a wet gurgling noise. Something heavy hit the ground with a dull thud, and then... silence.
Guren's heart raced as she imagined the horrors unfolding beneath her. But she kept her eyes closed, trusting Orochimaru's commands.
Minutes ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity, until he spoke again. "Use your Crystal Release to seal everyone below."
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama," she replied.
Though she couldn't see, she pinpointed each target by their frantic footsteps. She took a deep breath, focusing her chakra.
"Crystal Release: Crystal Prison!" she shouted.
Her crystals surged outward, encasing the villagers in their sparkling, unbreakable prisms.
There were shrieks of surprise and fear, quickly muffled as the crystals formed, trapping their victims.
One by one, the footsteps fell silent, until the only sound was the soft chime of the crystals and her ragged breathing.
"Come down," Orochimaru commanded, leaping to the ground. She followed, still keeping her eyes closed.
He lit the oil lamps, bathing the cave in flickering light. "Open your eyes."
She obeyed, blinking as her vision adjusted. What she saw left her breathless.
Ten pink crystals stood before her, each containing a deformed, fish-like creature with smooth skin and bulging eyes. They were a far cry from the villagers who had entered the cave.
"What... what is this?" she stammered, shocked. "Are those... the villagers?"
He ignored Guren, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he approached the crystals. "This power... it's all real."
He circled the prisons, examining each mutated figure with a scientist's curiosity.
Some were more transformed than others, their features almost unrecognizable. But all bore the unmistakable mark of the Old Ones' influence.
"Magnificent," he breathed. "Absolutely magnificent."
Guren could only stare, her thoughts consumed by the horror before her.
She had seen many atrocities in her service to Orochimaru, but this was something else entirely.
"Orochimaru-sama," she ventured, "what happened to them?"
The Sannin turned to her, his eyes alight with excitement.
"Evolution, my dear Guren. These villagers have been elevated to a higher form of life. They've transcended their mortal limits and become something more."
He gestured to the statue, now concealed within his writhing mass of snakes. "This is the power of the Old Ones, the true gods of our world. With this power, there will be no limit to what I can achieve."
She shivered, both awed and terrified by the mad glint in her master's eye.
She had always known his ambitions were vast, but this was beyond anything she had ever imagined.
"What will you do with them?" Guren asked, nodding towards the crystals.
"I'll study them," Orochimaru replied, already sealing the prisons into scrolls. "Unlock the secrets of their transformation. And then..."
He smiled, a cold, cruel smile that sent a chill down her spine.
"I'll create an army of these evolved beings. An unstoppable force that will reshape the world."
Her mouth went dry. An army of those... things? The thought was terrifying.
But she knew better than to question his vision. He was a genius, a true pioneer in the shinobi arts. If anyone could harness this power, it was him.
"Guren," he said, snapping her out of her thoughts. "While I'm away, I have three tasks for you."
She straightened, pushing aside her doubts and fears. "Anything, Orochimaru-sama."
"First, investigate any cults named Cthulhu and gather information about water deities. Second, track down the missing-nin from Kiri. I suspect he's hiding around the Land of Water. And third..."
He paused, his lips curling into a wicked grin. "Develop a powerful ninja force for me. The stronger, the better."
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama!" she knelt, bowing her head. "I won't let you down."
"See that you don't," he said, his voice cold as ice. "I have high expectations for you, Guren. Fail me, and... well. I think you know the consequences."
Her heart skipped a beat, but she kept her face steady. "I understand, Orochimaru-sama. I won't fail."
"Good." He turned to leave, his form already melting into the shadows. "I'm heading north. I have an old friend to visit, someone who can help me with my experiments."
She bit her lip, a flash of jealousy surging through her. She wanted to be the one at his side, aiding him in his grand ambitions.
But she knew her place. She was a tool, a weapon to be wielded at her master's command.
And she would fulfill that role to the best of her abilities, no matter the cost.
"Safe travels, Orochimaru-sama," she said, bowing low. "I'll be waiting for your return."
The Sannin paused, glancing back over his shoulder.
For a moment, his eyes seemed to soften, a hint of something almost like affection flickering in his golden eyes.
But it vanished, replaced by the cold, calculating stare she knew all too well.
"Remember, Guren," he said. "Your life, your loyalty - they belong to me. Never forget that."
With that, he disappeared into the darkness, leaving her kneeling and breathless.
His words echoed in her mind, a promise and a threat rolled into one. Her life, her very existence, was his to command.
And she'd gladly give it up, a thousand times over, just to stay by his side.
She rose to her feet, casting one last glance at the cave. The crystals, once holding living, breathing people, now lay empty. People who'd been twisted and transformed by a power beyond human understanding.
A power Orochimaru now wielded.
A shiver ran down Guren's spine, a mix of fear and excitement. She could feel it in her bones – the world was on the brink of change.
And she'd be right there, standing by her master's side as he reshaped reality itself.
No matter the cost. No matter the sacrifice.
For Orochimaru, she'd do anything.
Even walk into the depths of madness itself.