Silence hung in the air.
We still hadn't managed to rest — I thought, feeling my legs buckle from exhaustion. At least two hours of sleep were needed to recover, but we didn't even have that. The chūnin drove us on as if we weren't people but machines.
The next day and night we moved without pause. Every step was an effort, muscles ached, my head was spinning, yet no stop followed. To my surprise, our commander turned out to be a cruel man. Feeling a taste of authority, he decided to push us to the limit, as if he wanted to squeeze everything out of us. His face remained cold and expressionless, even when the guys stumbled and could barely stay on their feet.
By the next evening, we were moving almost entirely thanks to chakra. Some reinforced their muscles, others focused on breathing techniques, but everyone knew: we wouldn't last long at this pace.
"If this goes on, half of us will just collapse unconscious," I thought grimly.
But soon it became clear: this hell had an end. Around sunset, when the sky filled with a reddish glow, the chūnin announced:
— We're almost there. Now we need to head to the camp.
He unrolled a map, and about thirty people immediately gathered around it.
— Look. We're now near a mountainous area, which is rare for the Land of Fire. — His finger tapped a spot. — On top of one of the hills stands a city. There's a fortified camp there, and it'll be easier to coordinate actions from there.
I glanced at the map and frowned. Near that city was a deep gorge, with an approach that could be controlled from only a few directions. The tactic was clear — fortify a hard-to-reach point and hold the defense.
— We'll be there in an hour, — the chūnin concluded.
And indeed, about an hour later we reached the city. It rose on a hill, partly merging with the stone walls, and on the other side falling straight into a cliff. The walls were reinforced, but the city itself looked weary. People here lived in constant tension, their faces showing fatigue mixed with a habit of war.
— This is where we'll be based, — said the chūnin, after which we were quickly assigned housing. We were given a small place — a few empty rooms in a house on the outskirts. Nothing special: simple tatami mats on the floor, a couple of low tables, that's all. But after two days on our feet, it wasn't bad.
We had just managed to throw our gear into a corner when I was called.
— Kotetsu, — called one of the shinobi from the group. — You're wanted at headquarters.
I froze for a moment. "Why me?" flashed through my mind. But it wasn't worth asking questions. An order is an order.
With a guide, I moved through the narrow streets of the city until we reached a large building on an elevation. That was the headquarters. Two chūnin guarded it, their gazes piercing me instantly, but they let me inside.
I entered — and almost stumbled. In the center of the room stood a man impossible not to recognize. His long black hair fell to his shoulders, his pale skin seemed almost marble, and his eyes — narrow, snake-like, with a cold squint.
Orochimaru.
One of the Legendary Sannin, commander of this front.
So we meet again, I thought, staring at his serpentine face…
A chill ran through my chest. I had heard much about him: his incredible talents, how at this time he was still revered as a great Sannin and even prophesied to become Hokage. For an ordinary shinobi, meeting him was a good chance — to earn attention, to prove oneself…
But honestly, given what I knew, I didn't want to get involved.
— So, you're the one who survived the attack at the inn, — he said in a quiet, drawn-out voice. Each word sounded as if he were savoring it.
— Yes, Orochimaru-sama, — I forced out, trying to keep steady.
— Tell me everything, — he continued. — From the very beginning.
I took a deep breath and began to recount: how we stopped at the inn, how some of our people were killed in their sleep, how we found the owner among the enemies, how Gai, Genma, and I fought, and how the captured enemy poisoned himself rather than give away information.
Orochimaru didn't interrupt. His gaze was motionless, almost statue-like, which only made it scarier. I felt he was absorbing every detail, analyzing, comparing, drawing conclusions.
When I finished, he narrowed his eyes slightly.
— Interesting… So, someone sent a squad to eliminate you even before you reached the front. — He paused. — The only question is who and why.
I stood, trying not to breathe too loudly.
Orochimaru shifted his gaze to the map spread on the table. His long fingers slowly traced the area where that ill-fated town was located.
— Kumogakure… or perhaps someone from Iwa. Both are possible. But there's a third option — a traitor inside. — His voice grew even colder. — Such cases aren't rare in war.
He turned back to me.
— You did well. Dismissed!
I bowed and hurried to leave.
As I was almost closing the door behind me, a quiet voice rang out:
— Kotetsu.
I flinched as if struck by lightning. Five letters. A simple name, but from his lips it sounded like he had branded me.
"He even remembered my name… — flashed in my head. — Damn, why? I hope he won't latch onto me."
I noticed my pace quicken, then turned into a run, nearly knocking over a random shinobi in the corridor. My heart pounded, my palms were sweaty. I couldn't shake the feeling that Orochimaru's snake-like eyes were still fixed on my back.
The road home felt like an eternity. The night was cool, the streets half-empty, only a few lanterns on the walls casting long shadows. And each time a shadow flickered, I imagined a cold face with yellow eyes emerging from it.
Finally, I rushed into the house, trying not to wake the others. Inside it was dark and quiet. Genma was already snoring somewhere by the wall, Gai curled up asleep right on the floor, not even waiting for a blanket.
I slowly collapsed onto the tatami. At first, I thought to go through the scrolls again, check the seals, but the moment I closed my eyes, exhaustion crashed down on me like an avalanche.