Orochimaru still wore the standard Konoha jonin vest, though nothing about him resembled an ordinary operative. His long black hair framed a pale face, the gold slits of his eyes sharp and unreadable beneath that faint trace of violet shadow. He studied the two young Uchiha for a moment before speaking.
"I understand your clan's intentions," he said, voice low and rasped. "You will be assigned roles shortly."
Shisui allowed a relieved breath to slip through. If Orochimaru accepted their presence, then the Uchiha's gesture had been received. He bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Orochimaru-sama."
He turned to leave, only to notice Yoru remain still. Shisui paused, confused. Yoru gave him a quiet look—go.Shisui hesitated, then left the tent.
Only when the flap closed behind them did Orochimaru let a thin smile form.
"Well now… what is it you wished to discuss, Yoru-kun?"
Despite knowing the weight of this man's future, Yoru also knew the limits of his own strength. He wasn't here to change fate with force—only to nudge it where possible. And to do that, he needed to make the right impressions.
"Sir," Yoru said, bowing his head, "I'm acting under instruction from a clan advisor."
That alone was a statement. Shisui's message had represented the clan. His presence represented something more private.
"The village is unstable after the Nine Tails' attack," Yoru continued. "The Third Hokage has assumed command again, but only to hold things together. Many believe the next true Hokage… will be you."
Orochimaru's expression didn't shift, but Yoru felt the man's attention sharpen like a blade.
"You stand at your peak," Yoru said. "And your presence alone discourages those who would pry at Konoha's weaknesses. If you were to become Fifth Hokage, those same forces would have no path left to maneuver."
He didn't mention names. He didn't need to. Orochimaru understood the implication as easily as breathing.
The sannin gave a quiet, humorless chuckle. "How bold. And unexpected, coming from a chunin your age."
"You flatter me," Yoru replied, though inside he felt a flicker of unease. Orochimaru's interest was never a safe thing.
Orochimaru tilted his head, studying him more closely."So… a favored messenger of your clan's advisor. And still very young." His tone held a faint, amused curiosity. "What makes you worth their attention?"
Yoru felt his stomach tighten. Orochimaru's interest drifting the wrong direction was dangerous. Very dangerous.
He answered quickly. "A classmate of your student, Mitarashi Anko."
That gave Orochimaru just enough pause to reset the direction of the conversation. Interest cooled into mild disdain, the way a predator loses appetite for a decoy. "Ah. Something like that."
Good. That was safer. Yoru exhaled internally.
But he hadn't come this far to accomplish nothing.
"Orochimaru-sama," Yoru said, lowering his voice, "before I continue… may I confirm we are alone?"
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed—not suspicious, merely intrigued. "We are. My sensors would have reacted by now."
Yoru nodded and activated his Sharingan, the single tomoe spinning quietly as he checked the edges of the tent for chakra signatures.
What he was about to say carried weight. Dangerous weight.
When he spoke again, the air felt colder.
"Your experiments."
Orochimaru didn't react at first. The silence stretched—heavy, calculating.
Yoru continued:
"And your work regarding Mokuton."
In that instant, Orochimaru's golden pupils constricted sharply.Even the air seemed to tighten.
Yoru felt a bead of sweat slide down his spine. His instincts screamed at him to move, to flee, to do anything that would reduce the pressure suffocating his lungs.
Orochimaru's voice slipped through the stillness like a blade."It seems your clan's information network is more refined than I assumed."
He spoke slowly, thoughtfully—no anger, no denial. Only evaluation.
Mokuton.Only Orochimaru, Danzo, and a handful of ROOT operatives knew the truth. If the Uchiha had found hints of it… then they were far more perceptive than he had credited.
Yoru bowed his head. "Our clan knows what it must, nothing more. And I speak today not as an investigator, but as someone hoping to build a… mutual understanding."
He could feel Orochimaru measuring the words, weighing possibilities.And for the first time since entering the tent, Yoru felt he had managed to shift the conversation to the place he needed it.
Forgive me, advisor, he thought. I'm going further than intended.
But if the Uchiha were to survive the years ahead, he needed Orochimaru to notice him—not as prey, but as an asset.