"Orochimaru-sama, there's… one more thing."
On their way toward the Hokage's office, Kakashi halted mid-step.
"Oh?" Orochimaru's serpentine eyes slid toward him with faint curiosity.
"After Lord Tobirama's matter is resolved… I want to go to Ryūchi Cave. To train in Sage Mode."
For a rare moment, Orochimaru's expression faltered. His brows arched slightly, surprise flickering across his pale features.
"…Sage Mode? From Ryūchi Cave?"
The weight of that name lingered in the air like venom.
"Kakashi," Orochimaru finally spoke, his voice carrying an edge of warning, "you should know—the White Snake Sage is not a benevolent teacher. Even I cannot guarantee your survival there. Are you certain you've thought this through?"
Kakashi's single visible eye did not waver. "I understand the risk. But I can't stay as I am. I need greater strength… otherwise, I can't protect the people I hold dear."
There was no hesitation in his tone, no desperation—only resolve.
Orochimaru regarded him in silence for several breaths, his thin lips curling into a faint, unreadable smile. "Hmph… I see."
He didn't press further. Kakashi's decision was already carved into him, and perhaps… there was value in seeing where this path led.
But the thought unsettled even Orochimaru.
The Sharingan, tainted by Uchiha Gen's curse.And now, the forbidden Senjutsu arts of Ryūchi Cave.
This was not Mount Myōboku, with its warm-blooded toads and their straightforward training. The White Snake Sage demanded more—submission, adaptation, and sacrifice. Few survived the ordeal.
Why not Jiraiya's path? Orochimaru wondered silently. Why not seek the toads of Mount Myōboku? Why choose the snakes—his domain—knowing the dangers?
Perhaps Kakashi, standing at the knife's edge of corruption, instinctively gravitated toward the darker, more perilous route. A route that mirrored the storm inside him.
And yet, Orochimaru could not deny that such a path might indeed be necessary. If Kakashi could endure, if he could master that overwhelming natural energy, perhaps he alone could resist being devoured by Gen's spreading influence.
Still… Orochimaru's mind was not wholly on Kakashi.
Another name weighed heavily on him.
Sasuke.
Far away in the Land of Rice Fields, the boy was following the training laid out for him. But Orochimaru felt the pull, the need to oversee his progress personally. To mold him with his own hands. The tacit approval of Hiruzen and the other Konoha elders to shelter Sasuke under his wing was no small matter.
As Uchiha Gen's corruption deepened, Sasuke's safety was not just a clan matter, nor a village one—it was a piece of the Ninja World's survival. And Orochimaru would not allow that piece to slip through his grasp.
"Kakashi? Orochimaru? What are you two doing here?"
The familiar voice broke through their silence.
Both turned to see Tsunade leaning against a desk just outside the medical division's temporary quarters. Her golden hair fell in loose waves over her shoulders, strands escaping to brush her forehead. She wore her white robe half open, revealing the dark green dress beneath, her stance a balance of weariness and strength.
"Tsunade-sama," Kakashi greeted with a respectful bow.
Despite the exhaustion etched into her face, Tsunade smiled faintly at him. She had scarcely had a moment's rest since the disaster—the great fire that had scarred the village. Though the flames were long extinguished, the aftermath had left countless wounded. Day and night, she had worked without pause, treating burns, poisoning, chakra disruption… anything that came through her door.
Worse still were the strange injuries tied to the cursed flames, embers tainted with the residue of Uchiha Gen's influence. Healing them wasn't simple; the corruption lingered, forcing Tsunade to stretch both her medical knowledge and chakra to their limits.
Her voice carried that fatigue, but also an unwavering steadiness. "You two together… that usually means trouble."
Orochimaru's lips curled faintly. "You know us too well."
Kakashi straightened. "Tsunade-sama, we have urgent matters. We must report to the Third Hokage immediately."
"It's about Lord Tobirama."
Tsunade blinked, taken aback."Grandpa Tobirama? What happened to him?"
Kakashi's expression remained calm, but his words carried weight."Lord Tobirama went to the Hidden Mist Village alone. I'm worried he may be in danger."
"Hidden Mist?" Tsunade frowned, her arms folding unconsciously across her chest. "But… Grandpa Tobirama is in Edo Tensei. Even if something were to happen, with the Flying Thunder God he should be able to escape safely, right?"
Her voice faltered halfway through. She realized how dismissive that sounded—questioning Kakashi of all people. Quickly, she softened, her tone lower and apologetic."Kakashi… I don't mean to doubt you. It's just—"
Kakashi gently waved a hand, sparing her the embarrassment."It's alright. I understand. But the reason I sense this is likely tied to the Sharingan corruption in my body. Perhaps because of this curse, I can faintly perceive the states of other Sharingan users."
He didn't mention the dream of the Sage of Six Paths, but his words were no lie.
Tsunade's casual posture straightened, her eyes hardening with concern."If that's true, then we need to inform the old man immediately."
Without delay, she led Kakashi and Orochimaru through the hallways of the temporary headquarters until they entered the Hokage's office.
Hiruzen looked up from his desk, pipe set aside. His aged eyes flickered with surprise."Kakashi? Orochimaru? What do you have to report?"
Kakashi stepped forward. Every word was measured, deliberate, as he repeated his concerns and what he sensed.
The moment he finished, the air in the office shifted. Hiruzen's eyes narrowed, his face grave, as though a heavy storm cloud had settled over him."You mean to say… you can truly sense the conditions of other Sharingan users?"
Kakashi nodded once. "As unbelievable as it sounds… yes. I can."
Hiruzen drew in a deep breath, smoke curling faintly from his half-lit pipe. He closed his eyes briefly, as though weighing the risk of what he was about to decide."Then Kakashi," he said at last, his tone calm but lined with gravity, "you will be the one to go to the Hidden Mist and rendezvous with Lord Tobirama."
Tsunade's brows furrowed sharply. "You're sending him alone?"
But Hiruzen's gaze didn't waver. "Tobirama needs only one Flying Thunder God mark to retreat safely. And Kakashi alone sensed his peril. This mission must fall to him."
He paused, then added, his voice suddenly lower, heavier:"But listen carefully, Kakashi. If you succeed… never speak of this ability again. Not to your comrades. Not to the elders. Not to anyone."
Kakashi silently bowed his head. He understood. If word spread, this strange "sixth sense" would become a weapon—one that Konoha's leadership might fear more than value.
"I understand, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen pulled open a drawer and withdrew a sealed scroll, its markings faintly glowing with teleportation sigils."This is one of Lord Tobirama's personal Flying Thunder God scrolls. Use it, and it will bring you directly to his side."
Kakashi accepted it, his movements precise, respectful. With a final nod, he turned and exited the office, his footsteps fading into silence.
The instant he was gone, the air thickened.
Hiruzen's eyes lingered on the door, his expression tightening. At last, he murmured:"Orochimaru, Tsunade. Call Jiraiya. Have him infiltrate the Land of Water in secret, ready to move if the situation escalates."
Tsunade stiffened, her voice sharp with disbelief."Wait—you're testing Kakashi with this?"
Hiruzen did not answer. His eyes dropped to the stack of mission reports, but the heaviness in his gaze betrayed the weight of his silence.
The office grew oppressive, almost suffocating.
Finally, Orochimaru's quiet chuckle broke it. He tilted his head, his pale face touched by faint mockery."Tsunade, don't be so naïve. For Kakashi, this is already the gentlest test your beloved Hokage could arrange."
Tsunade bit her lip, torn between anger and reluctant understanding. She tried to view the situation through Hiruzen's eyes, and the more she thought, the more hollow her chest felt.
Her frustration spilled into sarcasm. "If that's the case, Orochimaru, why don't you take the Hokage's chair? After all, Grandpa Tobirama always thought so highly of you."
The remark made Hiruzen's shoulders stiffen.
Orochimaru, of course, only laughed."Me? Hokage? Please. The moment I sat in that chair, the village would split in two. Besides…" His smile thinned, his tone chilling."At this stage, Hokage titles are meaningless. What matters is saving the shinobi world before it collapses."