Chapter 7: Orochimaru, Do You Have the Courage to Defy Fate?
Inside the magnificent and imposing hall of the Cathedral of Bones, three figures sat at the long bronze table.
Kazuki occupied the head of the table, seated in an enormous bronze chair that seemed designed not for humans, but for giants or gods.
Enveloped in swirling ethereal mist, Kazuki resembled a divine being looking down upon the mortal realm, his presence dominating every seat around the bronze table. Under his gaze, both Orochimaru and White Fang felt profound, instinctive awe—as if facing a vast ocean with raging waves, ready to be crushed by its fury at any moment.
Almost instinctively—or perhaps out of pure survival instinct—both Orochimaru and White Fang lowered their heads.
Unable to meet that overwhelming presence directly, even the proud Orochimaru obediently bowed his head, concealing the calculation and arrogance that normally gleamed in his eyes.
Seeing his goal achieved, Kazuki breathed an internal sigh of relief.
With the help of the intimidation aura granted by his Sequence 6 abilities, he'd barely managed to make Orochimaru restrain his ulterior motives—at least for now.
Tap. Tap.
Kazuki tapped his index finger twice on the bronze table, his tone calm and measured. "Here, within these walls, you may speak freely."
The oppressive aura dissipated like morning fog.
Orochimaru secretly exhaled in relief but didn't dare look directly at the figure at the head of the table again. Instead, he turned his gaze to the person across from him, clearing his dry throat. "If you don't mind, Sakumo, could you tell me your story? I'm very interested in what happened to you after your... supposed death."
Sakumo Hatake frowned slightly, silently glancing toward the seat of honor, clearly seeking permission.
"It's fine. Tell him, Sakumo."
Kazuki smiled faintly, raising his right hand in a casual gesture. "The Twilight Hermit Order doesn't have many unnecessary rules. You can speak openly here."
Having received permission, Sakumo slowly began to speak, his eyes somewhat distant, his expression troubled and conflicted. "I first came to this place a month ago. Like you, Orochimaru, at first I didn't believe any of it. But then... he revealed my destiny to me."
Revealed... his destiny?!
The key word in that sentence wasn't "destiny"—it was "revealed." Orochimaru, who had keenly grasped this nuance, felt genuine shock ripple through him.
"He told me: 'You will commit suicide within a month.'" Sakumo's expression turned bitter as he sighed heavily. "As it turned out, I walked exactly that path. And the reason for my suicide... as the Third Hokage's direct disciple, you should know it all too well, shouldn't you?"
"Yes. Of course I know it all very well."
Orochimaru's lips curled into a sardonic sneer. "At this crucial moment when the next Hokage is about to be selected, all destabilizing factors must be eliminated—no matter the cost."
He paused, then continued with a cold laugh. "And you, Sakumo Hatake—Konoha's White Fang—someone who isn't directly affiliated with the Hokage's faction but commands tremendous respect throughout the village, even surpassing the legendary Sannin and overshadowing all other candidates... you naturally became the biggest 'destabilizing factor' that needed to be removed."
"So I had to die."
Sakumo lowered his head in anguish. He'd never imagined that the village he'd fought and bled for would ultimately become the blade that ended his life.
"That's correct. You had to die, but your death couldn't be directly connected to the Hokage's office." Orochimaru leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as he licked his lips. "According to my investigation, that teammate you saved was actually a Root operative. And the source of those vicious rumors? Also Root's doing."
Root was Danzo's personal ANBU—a shadow organization that answered to one man alone, beyond even the Hokage's direct authority.
As for whether the Third Hokage himself was involved in this conspiracy... well, that was a matter of interpretation.
"Yes. Driven to the breaking point with nowhere to turn, I had no choice but to take my own life." Sakumo's voice was thick with bitter regret. "I originally intended to end this generation's conflicts with my death, to protect my son from the fallout. But then... he told me something that changed everything."
Sakumo's hands clenched into fists on the table.
"He told me that decades in the future, Kakashi would die in Konoha. Murdered for political convenience, just like his father."
He can reveal not only the fate of the person in front of him, but even the destinies of others?!
Orochimaru's pupils contracted sharply. Having witnessed Sakumo's testimony firsthand, although his rational mind insisted it might be an elaborate deception, he couldn't suppress the tremor in his heart.
He stiffly twisted his neck, still unable to meet those eyes directly. His gaze remained fixed on the index finger resting on the bronze table. His tone unconsciously carried a hint of genuine awe.
"Tell me... what is my destiny? What future awaits me?"
No one—no matter how powerful or cunning—could truly resist the temptation of having their future revealed before their eyes.
In this moment, the impulse to know his fate even surpassed Orochimaru's lifelong obsession with immortality.
"Your future..."
Kazuki deliberately paused for several seconds, letting Orochimaru's anticipation build to an unbearable level. Under the Sannin's pleading, almost desperate gaze, he spoke with dark amusement.
"You lose everything."
BOOM!
Those calm words struck like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
Orochimaru's mind went completely blank, as if his brain had short-circuited. He sat frozen, utterly stunned.
What... what does he mean by "lose everything"?
"Please tell me!" Faced with that terrifying future, even Orochimaru couldn't maintain his composure. Cold sweat beaded on his pale face, and his vertical golden pupils trembled visibly, radiating genuine fear. "What exactly do I lose?! Explain it to me!"
"Exactly what I said—the literal meaning."
Kazuki examined Orochimaru's mental form through his spirit vision, watching the aura of fear rising within him like dark smoke. Quite satisfied with the effect, he continued mercilessly.
"You lose the position of Fourth Hokage. You lose your beloved teacher. You lose your sincere friendships. You lose the dreams you've been pursuing. One by one, everything is stripped away until you have nothing left to lose."
He paused, tilting his head slightly.
"But there is good news—you'll still be alive. Technically."
"Tsk."
Sitting across the table, Sakumo's lips twitched involuntarily as he looked at Orochimaru with genuine pity.
He might as well be dead at that point...
In stark contrast, Orochimaru—after having his future fate so bluntly revealed—appeared utterly devastated. He slumped in his seat, eyes vacant and lifeless, like a puppet with its strings cut.
His first reaction was denial. This is impossible. It can't be true.
But then cold reason reasserted itself. With Sakumo's testimony as proof, even if there was only a one percent chance this prophecy was accurate, he couldn't afford to face that future unprepared.
He absolutely refused to accept such a fate.
Orochimaru, I didn't exactly lie to you.
I just... omitted a few minor details.
Kazuki watched this rare spectacle—the great Orochimaru experiencing a genuine mental breakdown—and couldn't help but smile inwardly with satisfaction.
After what felt like an eternity, Orochimaru seemed to regain some semblance of composure. He let out a long, shuddering breath, glanced at Sakumo across from him, and spoke with careful calculation returning to his voice.
"Since Sakumo is here, sitting at this table... that means his fate has already been altered by you, correct? His destiny... changed?"
"In a sense, yes."
Kazuki leaned forward slightly, resting his chin on his right hand, his posture both casual and commanding. "But the real question is this, Orochimaru—do you have the courage and will to defy fate itself?"
He wouldn't make promises without purpose.
Every gift from fate came with a hidden price tag. That was an immutable law of the universe.
Orochimaru understood the implication immediately.
After a moment of heavy silence, he slowly rose from his seat. Like a once-proud predator submitting to a greater power, he bowed his head in genuine deference.
"I am willing to offer my loyalty and my life. I will carry out the Lord's will and be driven by the Lord's purpose—all for the sake of breaking free from the shackles of destiny!"
"Very good."
Uchiha Kazuki's lips curled into a satisfied smile, his eyes gleaming with triumph behind the concealing mist.
Finally.
After fifteen long years of careful planning and preparation, having gathered all the necessary conditions and pieces...
He could officially take the first step toward his ultimate goal.
Author's Note: Orochimaru has been thoroughly hooked! The pieces are falling into place. What is Kazuki's true endgame? Thanks for reading!
[End of Chapter 7]
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