Chapter 1: Lord Orochimaru, Long Time No See
Tick—
Tick—
The sound of dripping water echoed continuously in the dim underground laboratory. Shigaru Haruta, dressed in an Anbu uniform, carefully followed behind a female Anbu with purple hair as they made their way forward.
The pitch-black corridor ahead seemed to lead straight to the depths of hell, sending a chill down the spine of anyone who laid eyes on it.
"Be careful. This place is suspected to be the laboratory of the rogue ninja, Orochimaru."
The purple-haired girl glanced ahead, then lowered her voice to warn Haruta behind her.
"Moreover, we've been separated from the others. A battle could break out at any moment, so we must stay focused."
"I understand, Senpai Yugao."
Haruta nodded, but his words made the kunoichi in front of him, Uzuki Yugao, pause slightly.
"Didn't your Anbu evaluation rank you as excellent? How do you not know that you're supposed to use code names while on duty? And take this seriously—we're dealing with Orochimaru!"
"Yes, yes, I understand, Senpai."
Uzuki Yugao was clearly a bit dissatisfied with Haruta, especially since, as Anbu, they represented the Hokage and the honor of Konoha.
Particularly in recent years, Konoha's situation had been anything but stable.
Five years ago, in the 47th year of Konoha, the Nine-Tails incident had cost the village its Fourth Hokage.
Then, in the 50th year, one of the Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru, defected from Konoha.
Just last year, Kumo nearly went to war with the village. At this moment, Konoha was in turmoil, like a ship caught in a violent storm.
As Anbu, it was their duty to protect the village's honor—especially now that they had finally gathered intelligence on Orochimaru.
"Something's happening—stay alert."
Just as Uzuki Yugao was about to say more, Haruta suddenly spoke up, yanking her aside.
Whoosh—
Whoosh—
Whoosh—
Several kunai whizzed through the air toward them, and in the distance, the faint sounds of battle began to echo throughout the laboratory.
They were ambushed!
"Damn it!"
Uzuki Yugao steadied herself, cursed under her breath, then swiftly drew the ninjatō strapped to her back. She turned to Haruta and said, "Prepare for battle. We—"
Before she could finish speaking, the explosive tags attached to the kunai ignited. Flames and thick smoke instantly engulfed the area, and through the haze, several figures charged toward them!
At that critical moment, Haruta suddenly formed hand seals. The ground beneath them trembled slightly.
"This chakra… Is it really that strong?"
Uzuki Yugao was stunned. Though she was only thirteen years old, the fact that she had joined Anbu proved her considerable talent.
But she had read Haruta's report. This newly recruited Anbu was even younger than her.
"No wonder his evaluation was outstanding across the board…"
As she was thinking this, the ground suddenly cracked, and countless spikes of earth erupted upward, instantly ensnaring their attackers.
Amidst the swirling smoke, Haruta suddenly leaped into the fray.
Uzuki Yugao's expression changed.
"Too reckless! Orochimaru's subordinates won't be easy to deal with. How can he be so rash…?"
Despite her dissatisfaction with Haruta's attitude earlier, she was still concerned for him as a fellow Anbu.
Anbu were directly under the Hokage's command, and they embodied the "Will of Fire" more than anyone else.
Without that will, one wouldn't even qualify to join—let alone earn the Hokage's trust.
Even though Anbu sometimes used extreme methods, they were still far more humane than the Root division, which disregarded the lives of its own comrades.
"I have to help him!"
The blade in Uzuki Yugao's hand gleamed with a cold light as she searched for an opportunity to assist Haruta.
However, in the next moment, she realized something—her initial assumption was completely wrong.
Even through the dense smoke, she could still make out Haruta's figure—he was shorter than the others, making him easy to spot.
Yet, despite being smaller, his combat prowess was completely unaffected.
Through the haze, Uzuki Yugao clearly saw him move like a specter, weaving in and out of their attackers while launching a relentless assault.
Clang—
Clang—
Clang—
The sound of metal clashing rang throughout the area, mixed with the unmistakable sound of blades piercing flesh.
His speed and mastery over jutsu left Uzuki Yugao utterly speechless.
Before long, the smoke began to clear.
Haruta landed softly on the ground, standing calmly, while the enemy ninjas lay defeated around him.
Staring at his back, Uzuki Yugao was momentarily dazed—she hadn't even had a chance to act.
"A-Are you okay?"
Despite her frustration, she still asked out of concern.
However, as Haruta turned to face her, he suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him.
She was about to speak, but then she froze—because she heard slow, deliberate footsteps approaching.
And with those footsteps came an invisible yet overwhelming pressure.
Before long, a pale-skinned man in white robes, with snake-like orange eyes, emerged from the shadows.
Uzuki Yugao's face turned ashen beneath her mask.
"Orochimaru…"
Her grip on her sword tightened involuntarily. Even though their mission was to track down Orochimaru, he was still one of the Legendary Sannin!
Countless ninjas had grown up hearing tales of his strength. Facing him now, her fear was difficult to suppress.
"Senpai Yugao, don't worry. I'm here."
At that moment, Haruta's calm voice reached her ears. Strangely, it brought her a sense of reassurance.
"I… I lost my composure."
"No, anyone would be nervous facing Orochimaru."
Haruta shook his head slightly, then spoke seriously.
"Senpai Yugao, you should leave first and regroup with the others. Then, bring reinforcements here. I'll hold off Orochimaru as long as I can—"
"No way!"
Before he could finish, Uzuki Yugao interrupted.
"I can't let you take on something this dangerous alone. I—"
"Senpai, now isn't the time to argue."
Haruta's eyes remained locked on Orochimaru as he quickly whispered,
"Senpai, you specialize in kenjutsu, but against someone like Orochimaru, your sword won't be very effective.
But I'm different. You saw my abilities just now. Please trust me."
Uzuki Yugao stared at Haruta. Hearing the approaching footsteps, she knew she had no time to hesitate.
After a brief pause, she gritted her teeth and nodded.
"Don't you dare die. You have to wait for me to come back!"
She shot one last deep look at Haruta before turning and sprinting away.
At that moment, Orochimaru stepped forward, stopping about three meters from Haruta.
Clap, clap, clap—
The slow sound of applause echoed through the laboratory. Both Haruta and the departing Uzuki Yugao felt as if they were being watched by a venomous snake, its gaze chilling them to the bone.
"Such commendable bravery. Now then, how long do you think you can hold me off?"
Orochimaru's hoarse voice carried a mix of admiration and amusement.
Hearing it, Uzuki Yugao felt the pressure increase and instinctively quickened her pace.
But Haruta remained eerily calm.
Once he was certain Yugao was far enough away, he slowly removed his mask.
His short black hair and handsome features gave off an unexpectedly likable impression.
Facing Orochimaru's sinister presence, he bowed slightly and said,
"Lord Orochimaru, long time no see."
---
[Side Mission Completed: Meet Orochimaru]
[Mission Rating: A]
[Reward Obtained: 1 Free Attribute Point]
[Special Reward for Facing Orochimaru & Achieving an A Rank: Unclaimed Cursed Seal]