The place was damp, the air thick with the scent of stagnant water and chemicals. The occasional drip of water echoed through the cavernous space, but beneath that, there were stranger sounds - unsettling, organic noises, like air escaping from submerged lungs.
A woman in an oversized white lab coat moved carefully down the dimly lit corridor, her arms were steady and careful as she carried a tray full of biological samples. Her appearance was just as eerie as the environment - skin slick and almost reptilian, nose sharp and angular, lips so thin they were nearly invisible. In the dim light, she barely looked human.
"You finally came, Ninagi," a voice greeted her as she entered the lab.
A man, also clad in a white coat, sat hunched over a desk, scribbling notes with cold precision. He didn't look up. He didn't need to.
"Did you bring the samples?"
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru," she answered, setting the tray on the table. The samples varied - some were unmistakably human skin, others bore reptilian characteristics, and a few were so grotesquely altered that their origins were impossible to determine at a glance.
Orochimaru's fingers hovered over the tray, his yellow eyes checking them with anticipation. "Are test subjects all still viable? I still need to test a few more methods."
"Number Five died this morning," Ninagi replied flatly. "The others should last a while longer."
He hummed in mild disappointment but didn't seem surprised. His gaze flicked up from his notes, scanning Ninagi with clinical curiosity. "And how are you feeling? Any side effects?"
"I feel fine." She paused, as if evaluating herself. "However, some senses have become more heightened, while others, like hunger and fatigue, are more overwhelming."
She moved toward a large glass chamber where a humanoid figure floated in a murky liquid. Its body was suspended in stillness, an experiment waiting for its next trial. "Lord Orochimaru," she asked, placing a palm against the cold glass, "how do we test the theory on cellular fusion without acquiring new material?"
Orochimaru's lips curled into a smile, a sliver of excitement creeping into his voice. "That particular research will be delayed. I've found a much more interesting specimen - one I plan to bring here soon. I just need to wait for the perfect opportunity."
He turned back to his notes, his pen scratching against the paper in quick strokes. But then he stopped.
Something was off.
The change in the air was nearly imperceptible, but Orochimaru wasn't one to ignore his instincts. His fingers twitched before forming rapid hand seals, but it was already too late.
Four ANBU stood before him, their masks concealing their faces. And at their center, was standing the one who Orochimaru would like to see the least - Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed.
'So… He finally decided to make a move.'
While Orochimaru hadn't expected Hiruzen's sudden appearance, that didn't mean he was oblivious to the fact that the old fox was keeping a close eye on him. He simply hadn't planned on altering his course. He had hoped Hiruzen's leniency would last just a little longer—long enough for him to squeeze more out of Konoha before slipping away. He had already gotten most of the valuable knowledge from Konoha's archives, but the village's resources were still useful. And if he was patient, perhaps he could even gain access to the hidden scrolls Hiruzen kept locked away from prying eyes, such as - Flying Thunder God Technique, Dead Demon Consuming Seal ( which Hiruzen recreated after witnessing Minato use it ), Edo Tensei…
Hiruzen took in the sight of the lab - of the bodies, the samples, the grotesque proof of his former student's work - and something inside him twisted painfully. His fingers clenched into fists at his sides. 'How did I let it come to this?' He had known, on some level, what Orochimaru was doing. He had turned a blind eye, hoping the boy he had once mentored would find his way back. But this… this was a crime beyond forgiveness.
"Orochimaru… what have you done?" There was no anger in his voice, only sorrow, a deep, weary sadness that settled in his bones. His eyes, heavy with regret, scanned the lab, taking in the monstrous aftermath of his own inaction. His hesitation had cost innocent lives. And Orochimaru had exploited that hesitation to its fullest.
He took a step forward. "Surrender. Don't make this worse than it already is."
It was a naive hope, a luxury no one in the shinobi world could afford.
Orochimaru chuckled, a slow, amused sound that slithered through the tense air. "Even now, sensei, you're still the same." His golden eyes gleamed with something between amusement and contempt.
He turned his gaze toward Ninagi, who had been standing in silent anticipation. The moment she received an unspoken signal from Orochimaru, her body began to shift. Her reptilian features became even more pronounced - her pupils thinned into glowing vertical slits, her skin darkened and grew slicker, scale-like ridges forming along her limbs. But the most striking transformation was the pattern of dark markings that crept across her face, followed by a surge of chakra that crackled through the air.
"Some kind of Senjutsu?" one of the ANBU blurted out, stepping back instinctively.
"No," another ANBU corrected, he was also uneasy but not as much. "It's different. Weaker. But still dangerous."
Weaker or not, her chakra was leagues beyond that of an ordinary shinobi.
The moment the words left the ANBU's mouth, Ninagi moved.
And Orochimaru flickered away.
But he wasn't destined to escape so easily.
The God of Shinobi was already after him.
They exited the underground lair and ripped through the village outskirts at a rapid pace. But instead of heading toward residential areas, Orochimaru's path led straight toward the Forest of Death.
Hiruzen's sharp eyes tracked his every movement. 'Why there? What is he planning?' He had no doubt Orochimaru had a reason, he always did.
The old Hokage was fast. Even in his advanced age, he wasn't falling behind. If anything, he was closing the distance.
But Hiruzen knew the real issue wasn't catching Orochimaru.
It was what would happen once he did.
Orochimaru would never surrender. If Hiruzen wanted to bring him back alive, he would have to beat him down so thoroughly, so brutally, that he wouldn't even have the strength to slither away.
And deep down, despite everything, a part of him still wasn't sure he had it in him.
The chase came to an abrupt end when Hiruzen finally closed the distance. With a swift leap, he delivered a powerful kick. Orochimaru barely managed to block it, the force sending him skidding backward, forcing him to halt his escape.
For the first time, Orochimaru's usual smirk was gone. His face was now completely emotionless and his voice devoid of its previous mockery. "Old man, we both know you won't kill me. Why waste your time? Let me go while I'm still feeling generous enough to avoid causing casualties in the village."
Hiruzen's eyes hardened. "There is no way I'll let you escape, Orochimaru. You will answer for your crimes."
Without hesitation, he formed a rapid sequence of hand seals, his fingers moving in a blur.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
With a deep inhale, Hiruzen unleashed a massive ball of flames toward Orochimaru. But the Snake Sannin had anticipated it. A swarm of serpents burst from his outstretched sleeve, sacrificing themselves to smother the flames, their charred bodies falling to the ground as they absorbed the fireball's force.
Orochimaru's counterattack was instantaneous.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
A towering serpent of water surged into existence, its size alone exuding raw power as it roared forward. But Hiruzen was already forming his own hand seals.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Jutsu!"
'Let's see how much you've improved, Orochimaru,' Hiruzen thought as his flaming dragon surged forth, colliding head-on with the incoming beast of water.
The battlefield erupted in steam, a deafening hiss filling the air, but something was off.
Hiruzen's sharp eyes caught the anomaly immediately. The mist wasn't as dense as it should have been. The sheer impact of the clash should have filled the entire clearing with steam. Instead, the fire dragon was losing ground at an unnatural pace.
'This water dragon… it's no ordinary technique.'
Realizing his fire dragon wouldn't hold, Hiruzen swiftly formed another set of hand seals. The ground trembled as a massive, grotesque demonic face burst forth between them.
"Summoning: Rashomon!"
The colossal iron gate slammed down just as the weakened water dragon crashed into it. The impact sent tremors through the earth, but the legendary barrier held firm. Orochimaru's attack failed to deal significant damage to it.
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes, his suspicions confirmed.
'He's reinforcing his jutsu with Yang chakra.'
Orochimaru had progressed, and his hard work had clearly borne fruit. But even with this newfound power, it still wasn't enough.
Hiruzen's stance shifted. He was done testing the waters. Now, he would end this.
Orochimaru, however, knew exactly what was coming.
'That surprise attack was my best shot, and he still brushed it off.' He clenched his fists. I can't kill him. And now that I've lost the element of surprise, I'll never get another chance.'
Orochimaru could have unleashed a more powerful jutsu, reinforcing it further with Yang chakra, but he knew better. If he escalated the fight, Hiruzen would respond in kind, and when it came to true battle, the God of Shinobi had far too many ways to put him down. That's why he had chosen a weaker water jutsu, hoping to bait the old man into lowering his guard.
But Hiruzen was no fool.
Orochimaru knew it. He was no match for his already former sensei.
His decision was made.
It was time to retreat.
Just as Hiruzen closed the distance, Orochimaru vanished in a puff of smoke - Reverse Summoning. He had planned his escape from the start.
'So, you had prepared an escape route all along,' Hiruzen thought, but his expression didn't mirror his thoughts. There was no disappointment, no anger. Instead, there was something far more complicated - relief. 'You left me no choice, and yet… I'm glad you got away.'
He would never admit it, not even to himself, but Hiruzen Sarutobi had a weakness.
That weakness was the people he cared for.
For a long moment, he simply stood in the clearing, staring up at the pale moon above. He let the silence settle before turning back. As if on cue, the ANBU shinobis appeared before him.
"The shinobi girl with Orochimaru has been dealt with," the masked operative reported. "We attempted to capture her alive, but when her technique failed, her body shut down. She… was heavily modified. Artificially altered."
Hiruzen exhaled slowly. Another experiment. Another life twisted and thrown away in Orochimaru's pursuit of power.
He simply nodded, "We're done here. Tracking Orochimaru will be impossible now."
Without another word, he turned and flickered back toward the lab.
For the first time since the fight began, exhaustion settled deep into his bones, but it was not from the battle itself. That had been nothing more than a warm-up for someone like him.
No, this kind of exhaustion came from something worse.
Disappointment.
Regret.
In the world of shinobi, living a long life meant one of two things - you either became numb to loss, or you carried it with you forever. And tonight, Hiruzen felt every single weight of the choices he had made.
<<<>>>
Hiruzen sat in his office, the familiar tendrils of smoke curling around him as he took a slow drag from his pipe. It was an old habit, one that helped him think or at least gave him the illusion of clarity.
The battle with Orochimaru and Ninagi's rampage hadn't caused nearly as much commotion as he had feared. Konoha's leadership had moved swiftly, suppressing the news before it could spread. That, at least, was one less burden on his already weary shoulders.
But there were still greater problems to deal with.
He had summoned his two remaining students. Jiraiya was out of the village - it would take time for him to return, but the other had arrived.
'I already know what both of them will say,' he thought, tapping the ash from his pipe. 'But I'll threaten, bribe, and beat them into taking this damn hat if I have to. I can't keep sitting in this chair any longer.'
Hiruzen was tired, not just physically, but deep in his soul. He had given his entire life to Konoha, but he was reaching his limit. Retirement wasn't just an option anymore; it was a necessity.
He took another long pull from his pipe just as the door creaked open.
A woman stepped inside, her expression was tense, and her body was rigid. She already knew why she had been summoned.
Hiruzen gestured toward the chair in front of him.
'This is going to be a long conversation.'
**
A/N -
I realized that I need to dedicate more time to the political situation in the story. It plays a major role and helps explain why different factions are making their moves. I also think it will add more depth to the narrative, or at least, that's my perspective.
But since this story is for you guys as much as it is for me, let me know in the comments what do you think. If the majority prefers less political intrigue, I'll adjust accordingly.
On another note, today felt like I was in a jungle. The rain was so heavy that my clothes felt like weighted training gear. Still, it was fun.
Character Notes:
Orochimaru - Escaped - "Who let the snake out? Woof woof… I mean... hiss hiss..."
Kaoru - Confused - "Why is my screen time slowly decreasing? Am I a side character now?"
Mizuki - Furious - "I've been standing in this damn arena for two chapters now. WILL I EVER GET TO FIGHT?!"
**