Orochimaru was thinking rapidly.
He had been pondering the matter the entire way over, yet still could not figure out what Hiruzen was planning…
Between the two of them, it had already been years since they last engaged in any private exchange.
So why was it that the moment Hiruzen called for him, he was summoned straight to the house for a meal?
What kind of performance was this supposed to be?
Orochimaru sensed the kind of unease that comes with a friendly invitation hiding ulterior motives.
However, after stepping through the door, his mind relaxed slightly.
His sensei's wife, Biwako, treated him with a gentle and pleasant demeanor, and the air was filled with the familiar fragrance of apples and eggs—scents he particularly liked…
Yet upon learning that Hiruzen had gone to the training grounds, a trace of curiosity surfaced in Orochimaru's heart.
The old man had been buried in endless documents and meetings for a long time now… did he still maintain the habit of daily training?
Judging from that perpetually exhausted look he used to have, he hardly seemed like someone with that kind of energy.
And as Orochimaru stood at the doorway, looking at his sensei—imposing, vigorous, as if rejuvenated—his lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
No—was this even the same person?
Had time flowed backward by ten years or something?
"You're here so early? Didn't I say it was fine to just come around mealtime?"
Hiruzen casually hoisted the steel staff onto his shoulder and asked with a genial smile, "Were you that hungry, kid? Eat a couple more bowls later—your sensei's wife made several dishes!"
The tone was exceedingly homely, as if Orochimaru were a son returning home after school.
Orochimaru blinked, his gaze probing as he fixed it on Hiruzen's body, and said slowly, "Sensei… what is this?"
"Ah, the work pressure before was too heavy. I fell seriously ill once," Hiruzen replied calmly, with a trace of ruefulness.
"When a person falls ill, they have no choice but to slow down; once I slowed down, I ended up thinking through quite a few things. With my mind eased, my body followed suit and recovered. I even tried practicing some of the techniques Tobirama-sensei left behind."
"I also figured out a bit of a knack on my own—seems the results aren't bad?"
Orochimaru nodded seriously. "Very good. I even thought you, old man, had preliminarily completed the Yin Seal…"
Influenced by this gentle attitude, he unconsciously reverted to the unique form of address shared only among the Sannin.
In truth, he had already made plans on the way here.
If the conversation turned unpleasant, he would deliberately put on a cold face and address him as "Hokage-sama"!
For Orochimaru—who was usually cold-faced and ruthless—to display something so close to a childlike temperament, across the entire shinobi world, there were only the three members of the Sarutobi team who could bring it out.
"That's still a long way off, but I do indeed have the intention to train the Yin Seal,"
Hiruzen said with a sigh. "A strong Hokage always puts people more at ease than a frail old man…"
A glint of sharp light flashed through Orochimaru's eyes.
Those words made his heart rejoice.
Had his sensei recognized the terror of aging—and was he willing to use ninjutsu to solve the problem?
As the so-called Professor of Ninjutsu, have you finally come to your senses?
Wasn't ninjutsu invented in the first place to solve all kinds of problems?
"Sensei, you should have had this way of thinking long ago. I can help you…"
It was as if a fresh wind had swept through Hiruzen's aging body and mind, allowing the Hokage—whom he himself had thought would slowly decay—to burst forth with renewed vitality.
"Listening to you, it sounds like you've learned quite a few new ninjutsu over the past couple of years?"
Hiruzen said with a cheerful smile. "Why don't you show your sensei one?"
A stir rose in Orochimaru's heart.
Long ago, every time he mastered a new ninjutsu, he would go before Hiruzen to demonstrate it.
And every single time, Hiruzen would patiently watch him finish, then give meticulous guidance to help him grasp it more thoroughly.
"Those days from before?"
A light breeze lifted Orochimaru's blue-green magatama earring.
"Sensei, would you like to guide me once again, after all this time?"
The ninjutsu he had been researching recently was not something he could conveniently show to Hiruzen.
It was a taboo kinjutsu that violated human ethics—the technique known as Living Corpse Reincarnation, capable of seizing another person's body.
But setting that aside—
To have a round of "instruction" with a reinvigorated sensei was something he himself hoped for.
It would allow him to feel, more deeply, the changes that had taken place in Hiruzen.
"Guide you? You might already be stronger than me now, Orochimaru…"
"But if a disciple extends the invitation, it wouldn't be right for me, as the sensei, to refuse."
"Sensei, shouldn't you be a bit more serious?"
Orochimaru habitually extended his long tongue, licking the corner of his lips. That crisp, decisive manner only made him find the situation more interesting.
"Should I go notify ANBU?"
Although his interest had been stirred, his considerations were thoroughly thought out.
If sensei and disciple were to fight without restraint… the commotion it would cause—without ANBU maintaining order in the village—would certainly lead to unrest.
Hiruzen laughed heartily, his hands swiftly forming several seals.
Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!
A towering, thick earthen wall burst up from the ground, enclosing the surroundings of the training field.
The training ground itself was quite spacious, but neither he nor Orochimaru were ordinary shinobi. If they truly got carried away, the extent of the impact would be hard to predict.
"Very thorough thinking, Orochimaru. Ever since you were young, you've had the mindset of a Hokage."
Hiruzen offered the praise without reservation, waving his hand broadly. "There's no need to notify them!"
"I was very dissatisfied with what happened last time, when Uzumaki Kushina was abducted by Kumogakure…"
"This time, there will be no prior notice, no greetings, and no reception or reports. You and I, sensei and disciple, will stay right here and see how the village's response capability measures up!"
Orochimaru gave a slight nod, the anticipation in his eyes growing ever stronger.
Whether it was being told he possessed a 'Hokage's mindset,' or his sensei's unorthodox decision to test Konoha's rapid-response capability… both filled him with delight.
It was nothing like that old man who used to be excessively cautious in both words and deeds.
Hiruzen rummaged through his ninja tool pouch and took out a slightly rusted copper bell.
"Sensei, are we still going to snatch bells?" Orochimaru let out a light chuckle. "I'm not a Ninja Academy graduate anymore."
"Does it look familiar?" Hiruzen said with a sigh. "This is the very bell you used when you were little. I kept it as a memento."
At those words, something stirred in Orochimaru's heart.
The old man had actually kept this bell in his ninja tool pouch all this time?
A faint, inexplicable ripple of emotion passed through Orochimaru's mind.
Hiruzen smiled slightly.
In truth, the bell had only been placed in the pouch later on…
His original plan had been to casually show it to Orochimaru one day, feigning nonchalance, as a way to draw the two of them closer.
He had not expected an appropriate occasion to arrive so quickly.
Fairly speaking, in the past, Hiruzen's feelings toward the Sannin had always been deep.
It was simply that the pressure of being Hokage had left him almost unable to breathe—hesitant and constrained in every respect. Coupled with the mindset of an old-school veteran shinobi, it was only natural that he could not express his feelings as openly as this.
When a relationship between sensei and disciple is like that of father and son—silent and restrained—it is all too easy for distance to form.
Over time, those small gaps accumulate, propping the two people apart as they drift farther and farther away.
In such a case, even if one were to look back suddenly and reconcile, how much meaning would that really hold?
So rather than that, it was better to be an emotionally steady "old father" who provided ample emotional affirmation—openly praising his own disciple…
That kind of persona was far more likable.
The slight upward curve at the corner of Orochimaru's lips proved that this judgment had been correct.
"If it's a matter of snatching bells, then having just me would be fine as well…"
Orochimaru pressed down the emotions in his heart and spoke.
"Orochimaru, you have always been the disciple I am most proud of…"
The bell swayed in the breeze, letting out a clear, pleasant chime.
"Hehe…"
Orochimaru let out a hoarse laugh. "Sensei, why say things like that?"
"Didn't I always say this when you were little? You're not used to it anymore? That's on me—once you grew up, I didn't bring it up as much…"
Hiruzen tossed the bell to Orochimaru.
"How about I'm the one snatching the bells today? Let me test what you're made of and see whether your shoulders have truly grown sturdy."
Orochimaru instinctively caught the bell, his heart tightening.
The sensei snatching the bells?
What did that mean?
'Am I overthinking this?'
Orochimaru very much wanted to ask himself that.
Hiruzen began circulating the chakra within his body, his gaze gradually turning serious.
The reason he had Orochimaru take the defensive role had several considerations.
First, although the combat awareness of his original body had already merged fairly well, being on the offensive was naturally easier than defending and reduced the chances of exposing flaws.
Second, it served as a signal of his high regard for Orochimaru, boosting his favorability—he needed to draw this scientific talent of his back to his side.
Third, this stage he had set up through the flow of conversation with Orochimaru was an excellent opportunity to establish authority.
Once high-power ninjutsu were unleashed, speed aside, ANBU, the Konoha Military Police, and various other forces would inevitably arrive…
As a Hokage who had not made a move in a long time, he needed to put on a display that would leave people in awe.
That would be beneficial to his "authority."
'My chakra reserves are on a completely different level now… so there's no need to be overly meticulous. I need to strike with presence—strike with ferocity!'
Hiruzen organized his approach to the bout.
After coming back to his senses, Orochimaru looked at the eager, battle-ready Hiruzen, his heart tightening.
Something felt off…
Just moments ago, he had thought the old man merely intended to test him…
So why did it now feel like he had been set up—like an excuse had been found to beat him soundly?
'But still, a changed sensei is genuinely interesting…'
Orochimaru licked the corner of his mouth and thought to himself, 'It's a bit dangerous—but let's fan the flames.'
Orochimaru cleared his throat and deliberately flipped the situation on its head.
"Sensei, do you remember what you used to tell us back when we were snatching bells?"
"You said we should attack with the intent to kill you…"
"Sensei, perhaps today you can hold that same mindset."
The moment Hiruzen heard this, his eyes lit up!
There was even such a request?
He had been wondering how to strike the right balance…
After all, although Orochimaru had been the one to propose this sparring match, if he went too hard, it might create a rift between them…
But if Orochimaru himself said it, then it was a different matter entirely!
Meeting Hiruzen's gaze, a sudden sense of unease welled up in Orochimaru's heart. He quickly spoke to rein it in:
"Five minutes, sensei!"
"If you can't break through in five minutes, then it counts as my win…"
Hiruzen laughed heartily. "Alright!"
Before the last word had even fallen, his fingers moved like fluttering butterflies, rapidly forming seals.
Hiruzen drew in a deep breath, his chest swelling high.
Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!
Chakra poured out without the slightest restraint!
The fireball transformed into a dragon-shaped blaze, ferociously lunging toward Orochimaru and engulfing the entire training ground!
The flames radiated overwhelming menace; the shifting reflections on the earthen walls flickered as if they themselves were about to ignite.
"Reddish-white flames? And this range as well…"
This was a hereditary Fire Release of the Sarutobi clan, and in truth it could not be considered a particularly complex ninjutsu.
Yet although it was a basic ninjutsu, the chakra nature transformation involved was anything but basic.
"Good! It's been a long time—let's try these ordinary Five-Element ninjutsu again…"
Orochimaru also began circulating his chakra. Like Hiruzen, he was a shinobi proficient in seven chakra natures.
Fire Release: Dragon Flame Technique!
The two fireballs collided, the opposing forces entwining. First came an explosion at their center, followed by the formation of a towering fire tornado that writhed menacingly in the sky.
For a moment, it was as if a massive firework had detonated in midair.
"The old man's Fire Release really is seasoned… is the temperature actually this high?"
Orochimaru rapidly retreated, swiping his thumb across his lips as blood splashed onto the ground. He brought his hands together with a heavy clap.
Summoning Technique: Rashōmon!
A gigantic gate with a demonic visage surged up from the ground, cutting off the oncoming torrent of flames.
The reddish-white fire of the Fire Dragon Flame Bullet split along both sides of the massive gate, slamming into the surrounding Earth-Style walls of the training ground—so much so that those solid earthen walls actually began to melt.
"Sensei, has your foundation improved again?"
Standing atop the Rashōmon gate, Orochimaru swept his gaze toward the distance and said meaningfully, "However, people will be arriving very soon…"
"Kid, openly show the villagers your strongest side!"
Hiruzen declared in a loud voice. "In a bout, there's no talk of seniority—if you fall behind, you go back and keep training. The same goes for me!"
"This stage belongs to you and me!"
Hearing this, Orochimaru smiled—a smile just like the one he used to wear as a child.
To be honest, if it were a matter of fighting Hiruzen to the death, he had no confidence at all.
But with five minutes as the boundary, relying on his movement techniques and jutsu to stall things out was simply too easy… Even with the limitations of the terrain, Orochimaru had that confidence.
Across the entire ninja world, how many could dare claim their techniques were more bizarre, their survivability stronger than his?
What he worried about was Hiruzen failing to take him down in front of everyone and losing face as Hokage.
Yet he had not expected his sensei to be like a young man—skipping all that talk and going straight for a real, no-holds-barred clash…
That felt good.
"Techniques involving bodily modification—I've rarely used them in the past, but sooner or later they'll be noticed…"
"The old man has always been particularly sensitive about this kind of technique."
"If I show a bit today and the sensei turns hostile, then it's better to make preparations early."
Orochimaru's thoughts raced like lightning as he formed seals.
Summoning Technique: Fivefold Rashōmon!
In the past, he was accustomed to summoning a triple Rashōmon. Today, Orochimaru summoned five in one go!
Five towering, solid Rashōmon gates rose within Konoha's broadest training ground. Together with the one already present, they formed an irregular arrangement—like a labyrinth.
That was Orochimaru's plan.
With his movement skills, weaving through this multi-layered Rashōmon formation like a slick, venomous snake, even the most elite hunter who entered would end up being bitten.
Hiruzen and Orochimaru waited in tacit understanding.
After a brief moment, the ANBU arrived.
Hatake Sakumo was the first to reach the scene, followed shortly by his eldest son, Sarutobi Shinnosuke.
Both of them were ANBU squad captains.
Seeing his father and his beloved disciple facing each other with swords drawn, Shinnosuke was momentarily stunned. "You're… doing this?"
"The speed is barely acceptable—but it's still slower than I expected," Hiruzen said calmly.
"Sakumo, you'll take charge of the site next!" Hiruzen ordered in a deep voice. "Maintain order and record the arrival times of each department and all personnel in the village."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" Sakumo acknowledged at once.
After briefly sizing up the man's straight, unyielding bearing, Hiruzen gave a slight nod.
Very loyal.
Hiruzen shifted his gaze back.
At this moment, Orochimaru had already partially transformed into a serpent, meeting his teacher's gaze with a mix of anticipation and probing.
"Huh?"
A flash of delight rose in Orochimaru's heart. He did not see the slightest displeasure in Hiruzen's eyes—only curiosity.
That curiosity—though it might sound like turning the world upside down—was indeed very much like his own…
It was the desire to explore any and all ninjutsu!
"Give me more surprises, sensei!"
Orochimaru slipped into the labyrinth formed by the multiple Rashōmon gates. The hissing sounds never ceased, clearly indicating that a large number of venomous snakes lay in ambush. From afar, he called out: "Old man, I'm not feeling any pressure at all. What else have you got? Use it all!"
The corner of Hiruzen's mouth twitched.
This disciple of his really was something special.
At that moment, the Uchiha clan of the Konoha Military Police also arrived.
'Perfect timing…'
'Guerrilla tactics against me? Then I'll just melt this entire area!'
'Let me see just how sturdy this body really is!'
The Hokage erupted with chakra!