"Wait, is the sun malfunctioning or what?" As soon as those words left Miyuki's mouth, the group fell silent.
Katsuragi snickered. "That's a good one. I'll have to remember it."
"No, seriously. Look up." Katsuragi pointed toward the sky. "The sun's acting weird."
Everyone tilted their heads back.
And there it was.
The sun's edge flickered strangely, as if it were being swallowed, spat out, then swallowed again.
The effect was unnatural, almost like something was messing with the eclipse itself.
"What the hell is going on?" Naruto muttered, his brows furrowed.
Even Hiruko, waiting impatiently inside the cave, noticed. His expression twisted into one of utter confusion.
"Why isn't it fully eclipsing? What's taking so long? This is supposed to be the moment!" he hissed. His whole plan revolved around the total eclipse. If it didn't happen, his entire operation would be ruined. "Come on, swallow already!"
But the sun refused to cooperate.
Little did he know, the real reason lay above the clouds.
High in the sky, aboard a futuristic Blackbird jet, Mufasa stood calmly with one hand raised.
Electricity crackled around him as he manipulated a floating satellite—Tengan-1.
Orochimaru coiled lazily around his waist, watching the scene with interest. "Are you sure this is the right location?"
Mufasa smirked. "Of course. Everything's in place."
The so-called "malfunctioning eclipse" was no natural phenomenon.
Mufasa and Orochimaru had subtly adjusted Tengan 1's positioning to block just enough of the sun's light, maintaining an artificial semi-eclipse.
The goal?
To mess with Hiruko's plans just long enough to throw him off.
"You really went all out for this," Orochimaru mused.
"It's only a few minutes," Mufasa replied casually. "Besides, this way, we still get to enjoy a bit of sunlight even during the eclipse. Pretty considerate, right?"
Orochimaru's grin widened. "You're quite the manipulator."
Back on the ground, Hiruko's panic escalated. His entire strategy depended on the eclipse happening on time.
He had no backup plan.
No way to adjust.
Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "That fool's brain has always been slow to catch up. I doubt he'll even suspect he's being played."
"You know him best," Mufasa agreed.
Orochimaru's smile sharpened. "Oh, I know him too well. His arrogance blinds him, but deep down, he's just a coward pretending to be strong. This whole plan of his? Nothing but an overblown attempt to compensate for his inferiority complex."
Mufasa gave a light chuckle. "Sounds familiar. A lot of guys in this world think power alone makes them untouchable."
Orochimaru's gaze darkened. "Fools who think like that always meet reality sooner or later. And I think it's time we introduce Hiruko to his."
The so-called "solar eclipse" was now nearing its conclusion.
Mufasa lowered both hands, and Tengan-1 smoothly adjusted its orbit.
The real sun peeked back through the cover, brightening the world once more.
Inside the cave, Hiruko's breath hitched.
The eclipse was… gone?
His stomach twisted in horror. "W-What?! That's not possible!"
At that moment, the air in the cave rippled.
A distortion, like a mirage on a hot day.
Then, suddenly, a figure materialized right next to him.
The space around him warped, his form flickering like a projected image for a split second before fully solidifying.
Hiruko stumbled back in shock. "What—?!"
Mufasa stood before him, a knowing smirk on his lips. "Yo. Took you long enough to notice."
Orochimaru uncoiled from his waist, his eerie golden eyes locking onto Hiruko's trembling form. "Surprised?"
Hiruko paled. "H-How did you get in here?! What are you?!"
Mufasa cracked his knuckles. "You were so focused on staring at the sky, you forgot to watch your back. Rookie mistake."
Orochimaru sneered. "You always were slow. Even back in the day. Still relying on gimmicks instead of real skill."
Hiruko was frozen in place, his mind racing.
This wasn't part of the plan. This wasn't supposed to happen.
Mufasa took a step closer. "Didn't you say you were going to conquer the ninja world? Weren't you planning on making everyone bow to you?
Well, here I am. I'm the leader of the Sunagakure—the Kazekage. If you're serious about your dream, go ahead. Take me down."
Hiruko widened his eyes.
"So you are Mufasa?"
He had once been a tall, intimidating figure. But ever since he began using the experimental jutsu Chimera Technique, Hiruko's appearance had shifted—he looked younger, more energetic, like a man desperately clinging to what he once was.
He wore an oversized high-collared cloak, the collar wrapped with three mismatched belts. His wide, glassy eyes looked like a child trying too hard to look tough.
Mufasa raised a brow. (,,??,,) "No way. You're serious?"
"Weren't you the one who said you'd conquer the entire ninja world? You didn't even check who runs the Sand Village first?"
He shrugged, half amused. "Look, I get it. You're not exactly up-to-date on some things. But still... you really should've known."
Hiruko blinked.
There were only three people in his ragtag squad. Between constant experiments and hiding from bounty hunters, he barely had time to keep track of world affairs.
From Mufasa's waist, Orochimaru uncoiled like a lazy serpent, slithering upward with a teasing hiss. "He's just a fool. Been like that since childhood. Brain's wired wrong."
Mufasa gave a sympathetic nod. "Bringing along three useless sidekicks to challenge the whole shinobi world without even scouting the enemy leader? That's not just guts—that's clinical."
He sighed. "And this is the guy Konoha let slip through the cracks. They even sent Kakashi after him, and the poor guy nearly blew himself up."
There really was no logic in the world—not when the protagonist halo of someone like Naruto existed.
Orochimaru's jab hit its mark.
Hiruko flared with anger—until he turned and saw the snake sage clearly. Then all the fire drained from him.
"Y-You… You're… Orochimaru."
Orochimaru grinned, baring pristine white teeth as that signature sinister smile stretched across his pale face. "Yes. Hiruko, long time no see. You've really done it now."
They were both scientists once, both exiled by the Third Hokage. But where Orochimaru had thrived, gathering allies and creating his own legacy, Hiruko had floundered, scrounging for scraps with a team that barely qualified as genin.
The comparison wasn't just unfair—it was humiliating.
Seeing Orochimaru now, Hiruko visibly shrank back.
He looked like a mouse staring down a lion.
"What do you want from me?!" he yelped.
Orochimaru's tone turned cold. "You challenged my lord. I'm here to deal with you."
Hiruko stumbled backward.
"Don't come any closer!"
Mufasa raised a hand. "Easy, Orochimaru. Don't scare the interns."
Orochimaru backed off with a sly chuckle.
Mufasa waved at Hiruko like he was calling over a wayward student. "Come on. You're with me now."
"Why would I go anywhere with you?!" Hiruko snapped.
"Well, I admit—your brain's not exactly a treasure trove of logic, but you've got biotech knowledge. That's useful. You'll join our Sand Village Academy of Science and Technology… as a prison laborer."
Mufasa tilted his head, half-smiling.
"Your sentence? For Life. Congratulations. You're now an unpaid intern."
Hiruko's expression cracked.
He snarled, his mouth stretching too wide—revealing jagged teeth like some horror-movie villain.
Mufasa winced. "Yeah… about that. Maybe smile less. Or see a plastic surgeon. You're gonna be part of our public image, after all."
Wrapped in his tattered cloak like a mummy and grinning like a banshee, Hiruko looked more like a cursed relic than a ninja.
He froze, his face twitching.
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
Orochimaru stepped forward, but Mufasa stopped him.
"Let them have their tantrum. It's bonding time between the boss and our new intern."
He looked back at Hiruko. "Sure, he's got issues. But under my guidance, I believe he can become a decent, functioning employee."
Orochimaru gave a mock bow. "As your lord wishes."
Hiruko snarled. "Don't think I'm weak just because I haven't perfected my body yet!"
Mufasa raised a brow. "Perfect body? You mean the whole 'immortality' thing?"
"Yes! Once I absorb Kakashi, I'll be immortal—and unstoppable!"
Mufasa sighed like a disappointed dad. "Immortality? That's your grand achievement? Come on, that tech is outdated."
To drive the point home, Mufasa nodded to Orochimaru. "Show him."
"Gladly."
In one swift motion, Orochimaru slashed his own throat with a kunai. His head dropped to the ground.
Hiruko gasped—until a grotesque sound echoed through the cave.
From the mouth of the fallen head, another Orochimaru slithered out, perfectly unharmed.
Mufasa gestured casually. "See? That's how easy immortality should be."
Hiruko stared, mind shattering just a bit.
His life's work—his ultimate goal—achieved effortlessly by someone else. He laughed, but it sounded more like a scream.
"You just wait! When the eclipse hits, and I absorb Kakashi—I'll be immortal and invincible!"
Mufasa crossed his arms. "About that..."
He paused, sighed, and looked genuinely apologetic.
"Kid, the eclipse is over."
Hiruko blinked. "What?!"
Mufasa shrugged. "We'll have to wait until next year."
Hiruko just stared.
"I'm really sorry. It was so dark earlier—I got scared. So I turned on a massive electric light in the sky. That was what you saw."
He patted Hiruko's shoulder gently. "The eclipse? Yeah, it's gone."
Hiruko's face twisted into incomprehension.
o_o???
He understood every word… and yet none of it made sense.