The vast hall of the skeletal cathedral loomed over them, its towering arches echoing every footstep. Three figures sat along a bronze table, each occupying a seat that seemed purpose-built for beings larger than humans. At the head sat Uchiha Munetsuki, enshrouded in an aura of mist that radiated authority. He looked down upon Orochimaru and Sakumo Hatake like a god surveying mortals, a quiet force pressing against their very souls. Even the infamous pride in Orochimaru's eyes faltered, and instinctively, both he and Sakumo lowered their heads.
A subtle sense of submission swept over them, the sheer presence of Munetsuki enough to quell defiance. With a gentle tap of his finger on the table, he broke the tension. "Here, you may speak freely," he said, his voice calm, almost mundane, yet carrying the weight of command.
Orochimaru exhaled softly, grateful for the temporary reprieve, though he dared not meet Munetsuki's gaze. Instead, he looked across the table, his voice raspy. "If you don't mind… tell me your story, Sakumo Hatake. I'm curious about what's happened to you."
Sakumo glanced at Munetsuki for permission. A slight nod followed.
"Go ahead," Munetsuki said. "The Twilight Hermits do not impose unnecessary rules. Speak as you wish."
Sakumo drew in a shallow breath. His expression carried confusion and pain. "I arrived here a month ago, unexpectedly. At first, I didn't trust him, just as you didn't, but soon… he revealed my destiny to me."
"Revealed your destiny?" Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, fixating on the word 'revealed.' A wave of shock swept through him.
"He said I would take my own life a month later," Sakumo continued, his voice tight. "And… it came to pass. The reason… you, as the Third Hokage's student, should understand well enough."
Orochimaru's lips curved in a cold, ironic smile. "Of course I understand. At the crucial moment of choosing the next Hokage, all potential sources of instability must be removed." He paused briefly, then added, with chilling clarity, "And you, Sakumo Hatake—the White Fang of Konoha—though you have no official faction, your influence eclipses even the legendary Sannin. You naturally became the largest… threat."
"So… I had to die." Sakumo bowed his head in anguish, the very village he fought to protect now condemning him.
"Exactly. You had to die, and your death had to appear unrelated to the Hokage," Orochimaru continued, leaning back, hands clasped. "According to my investigation, the comrade you saved was actually an operative of Root, and the rumors came from them as well."
Root answered only to one person—Danzo—and even the Hokage could not interfere. Whether the Third Hokage was involved remained ambiguous.
"I was forced to the edge… and had no choice but to end my life," Sakumo admitted bitterly. "I intended to settle the old grudges of this generation with my death. But… he told me that decades later, Kakashi would die in Konoha."
Orochimaru's pupils constricted. Could destiny truly reveal the fates of others, not just the individual? The idea sent a shiver down his spine. With Sakumo's story as precedent, even if there was a sliver of doubt, his heart thudded with anticipation. He avoided Munetsuki's piercing gaze and fixated on his finger resting on the bronze table, voice low and reverent. "Tell me… what is my future?"
The temptation to see what lay ahead tugged at him, surpassing even his desire for immortality.
Munetsuki paused deliberately, drawing out the suspense, before speaking with slow, deliberate weight. "You will lose everything."
The words struck like thunder. Orochimaru's mind blanked. Lose everything?
"What… do I lose? Tell me!" His pale face glistened with cold sweat, those golden eyes trembling with fear.
"Literally everything," Munetsuki said, surveying him with a sense of satisfaction. "The Fourth Hokage's seat, your revered teacher, true friendships, the dreams you chased—until nothing remains to be lost. The good news… is that you will survive."
Sakumo's mouth twitched at the corners. He looked at Orochimaru with pity. Surviving this fate felt worse than death itself.
Orochimaru slumped, vacant-eyed, drained by the revelation. His first instinct was disbelief. Reason reminded him of Sakumo's prior experience: even a one-percent chance was enough to make this future unbearable.
Munetsuki watched quietly, savoring the rare moment of the prodigy's mental unraveling. After a pause, Orochimaru regained a mask of composure, exhaling slowly. He glanced at Sakumo and then, contemplatively, asked, "If he appears here, that must mean his destiny has been altered… right?"
"In a sense, yes," Munetsuki replied, leaning forward slightly, his hand resting near his chin. "But… do you have the courage and will to defy fate, Orochimaru?"
He would not grant promises lightly. Every gift of destiny carried its own cost.
Orochimaru understood. Slowly rising, he bowed his head like a lamb before the shepherd. "I will pledge my loyalty and my life, to execute the Master's will. I submit entirely… only to grasp freedom from fate's chains!"
"Very well." Munetsuki's lips curved into a subtle smile, eyes alight with satisfaction. Finally, after fifteen years of preparation, he could take the first step toward what he had long awaited.