Escape From Konoha
Chapter 228: 224: Orochimaru and Response

The steady patter of water droplets echoed through a passage.

At the end of the passage stood an iron door, behind which lay a vast, well-equipped laboratory.

Cylinders filled with animal parts were meticulously arranged on numerous tables, both short and long, bearing test tubes, distillation bottles, and various tools.

Cables crisscrossed the aisle, casting a somewhat harsh, white light, causing heads to involuntarily squint.

Before a table, a slender figure stood, engrossed in contemplation while holding a notebook. The figure had a black soft, flowing hair, their skin mirrored the paleness of a candle. With fang-like teeth, the figure let out a husky laugh.

"He... he.. It's still a little bit... It's almost finished..."

The specifics of what was nearing its completion were known only to the figure itself.

"But, I.. would like to thank Danzo for providing me with so many experimental subjects... Unfortunately..." A soft sigh escaped from the figure. "Sarutobi-sensei seems to be a little wary of me. There are still things I haven't gotten... Should I wait a little longer? But... I don't have enough subjects...."

Persisting in adhering to human ethics seemed foolish.

"But... can i be ruthless?...'' The figure questioned themself.

Sarutobi-sensei, Jiraiya, Tsunade... Konoha.... A incomparably complex color appeared in the figure's eyes. In the end, a quiet sigh was the only response.

In that moment, the lab's door was opened. A small head emerged from the door's crack, curiosity lighting up the eyes as the head scanned the lab. Observing the man engrossed in his research, entered from outside.

"Orochimaru-sensei.. you're here."

An eleven or twelve-year-old girl addressed the man, Orochimaru, a hearty smile revealing her familiarity with him.

"It's Anko, have you finished the work i assigned to you?" Orochimaru turned, a smile playing on his pale face. The girl, his student, Mitarashi Anko. She was such a lively and lovely girl.

"I just finished, sensei." Anko responded with a smile.

"Why come to me then? I still have work to do." Orochimaru set down his notebook.

"Sensei, don't you get tired of staying here everyday?" Anko asked with a frown.

"Hmm.... It's not bad at all. This is something that needs to be experienced in seeking the truth. If i can't bear this bit of boredom, i won't be able to pursue the truth."

"Truth?"

"I want to become an immortal.. learning all the ninjutsu in the world, so... For that, i have to perform various experiments." Orochimaru revealed without reservation. His sensei Hiruzen, as well as his friends Jiraiya and Tsunade, were privy to his ideals. They considered it a childhood fantasy, unrealistic and boring, yet he remained resolute. In their understanding, immortality and mastering all ninjutsu were nonsensical pursuits.

"Why do you have to do things like this? In my eyes, you are already very good, Sensei."

Orochimaru shook his head, patiently responding to Anko's question. "No, this power isn't enough. There's no limit to speak of in the pursuit of truth."

"Really? I still don't quite get it." Anko tilted her head, looking puzzled.

Orochimaru didn't care, and then recalled something, looking at Anko. "Speaking of which, you're now a Chunin, do you have any gift you want?"

"Gift?"

"That's right, a gift for you becoming a Chunin." Orochimaru smiled while stroking Anko's head.

"Anything is okay?"

"As long as I can do it, I'll try my best to satisfy your wish." Orochimaru nodded.

"I only have one wish. I want to travel with sensei." Anko looked into Orochimaru's eyes, filled with anticipation.

"Travel?" Orochimaru frowned slightly.

"Can't you, Sensei?"

"It's not impossible, but I can't leave the village for too long. Our time for travel may be less than a week. "

"It's enough. I look forward to our trip, Sensei."

"Since you don't object, then it's settled this way. We'll set off the day after tomorrow. Before that, it's your decision to choose where you would like to go."

"Well, I see. I won't bother you anymore sensei, and we will meet at the gate the next morning." Anko smiled and nodded, then she left the lab.

"What a quick visit..." Orochimaru shook his head with a laugh. Immediately, he turned around and glanced at the notebook that had been placed on the table just moments ago; his snake-like pupils deepened.

"But, how long can this peaceful day last? It really is exciting... Immortality..."

...

As night fell, the streets eere illuminated with activity, bustling with people.

"I didn't expect you to return to the village so soon. After such a significant event, Tsunade still didn't return."

In the barbecue restaurant in the center of Konoha, Orochimaru accepted Jiraiya's invitation to treat him and they dined together.

"You can see that woman has gone crazy. I haven't contacted her for a long time. If she didn't have regular contact with the village, I would have thought she was missing." Jiraiya sighed, expressing frustration about Tsunade's behaviour of not returning to the village.

"Probably because she doesn't want to see the desolation of the village today." Orochimaru guessed. Pouring himself a cup of sake, he took a sip without touching the barbecue on the table. An intriguing smile played on the corner of his mouth, hinting at something he knew.

"It's true that the village is experiencing quick changes recently. Although it seems like nothing has changed, I have a bad feeling that something bad will happensoon."

"What are you referring to? Whoever is behind the Nine-Tails Incident?" Orochimaru played with the cup, looking at Jiraiya. With the occurrence of the Nine Tails Incident, it was undeniable that Konoha's overall strength had declined.

If it weren't for the death of the Fourth Hokage Minato, Kumo wouldn't have dared to restart the war with Konoha at this time. On the surface, this incident appears to have passed, but as a high-level ninja from Konoha. Orochimaru was well aware that the follow-up impact of this incident wasn't over. The Anbu directly under the Hokage had been secretly investigating this incident. There were rumors of the Uchiha involvement.

"That's right. There are rumors suggesting that Sakumo's three students were behind the attack, but I think there's something else behind the incident. It isn't as simple as we've thought." Jiraiya looked serious.

Seeing Orochimaru fall silent, he changed the subject. "Sarutobi-sensei mentioned about your recent behavior becoming a bit strange. Are you having a conflict with sensei?"

"No. I've been doing research in my lab recently, but I don't have time to take care of other things." Orochimaru answered with an unchanged expression.

"No wonder you look gloomier now, i almost didn't recognize you. I'm telling you, stop doing those weird research." Jiraiya watched Orochimaru's increasingly evil temperament, coupled with that pale-like skin and snake-like pupils, he felt like a real dangerous element.

"Jiraiya, even you shouldn't try to interfere with my decision. This is my lifelong dream." Orochimaru snorted softly, expressing his dissatisfaction.

"In other words, you've not given up on your unrealistic dream of immortality?"

Orochimaru had revealed his ultimate ideal to him and Tsunade several times in the past.

"I will not give up lightly on the path of pursuing truth." Orochimaru said firmly.

"How is it possible for someone to live forever? Passing our will to the next generation, letting them complete what we never did. This is the life of a ninja."

Jiraiya shook his head, he felt that Orochimaru, whom he hadn't seen for a long time was having mental issues. Even while familiar, there was a hint of strangeness that couldn't be concealed.

"You still have such a naive idea. Now... since Minato sacrificed himself for the village, where's the Child of prophecy you keep mentioning?" Orochimaru asked rhetorically.

Jiraiya didn't answer either; he just ate his barbecue depressingly, probably unable to replace anything to refute Orochimaru.

"Compared to my dream, the child of prophecy you keep speaking about is truly out of reach."

Orochimaru stood up from the seat, looking at Jiraiya who continued lowering his head. He knew that the Minato's death made Jiraiya feel pained and annoyed.

Jiraiya kept regretting why he had not been in the village during the Nine Tails attack.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving first. In addition, I would like to remind you again Jiraiya. if Sakumo"s three students were really behind the Nine-Tails attack, don't rush over there rashly, you will definitely die." After offering a piece of advice, Orochimaru stood up from his seat and walked out of the private room.

...

After parting ways with Jiraiya, Orochimaru felt deeply unsettled. Instead of returning to the lab, he wandered aimlessly in Konoha, seeking to dispel the turmoil within his heart.

Away from the hustling and bustling night market in the center of the village, the outskirts exuded an unusual peace, Orochimaru found his restless heart getting calm like the peaceful surrounding. Just as he thought about returning, the distinct sound of metal clashing echoed from the deep forest. It was the unmistakable sound of shurikens colliding.

Orochimaru stopped abruptly, directing his gaze towards the source of the sound within the dense woods.His shadow blended seamlessly with the trees. As one of the powerful Jonin, he could conceal his presence from even Jonins when he chose not to reveal himself.

With the help of the shade of the trees, the boy training in the open space ahead couldn't detect Orochimaru's presence. The boy was around five or six years old, he wore clothing with the Uchiha clan's emblem.

'Uchiha clan? Moreover, I seem to have seen this child somewhere before.' Orochimaru thought to himself.

In the forest under the moonlight, the boy's face appeared unusually calm, without the typical expression one would expect from a child. The training area was simply an open space. There were large amounts of of kunai and shurikens, scattered with numerous gaps and remnants.

Around the boy, the trees were entwined with a network of steel wires, creating an intricate system of traps. At that moment, the boy with a calm expression, held a kunai in each hand. It was evident of what he intended to do. He flung Kunai out at lightning speed, severing the steel wire, which triggered a chain of traps.

In the dark depths of the forest, kunai and shurikens rained towards the boy. The boy, seemingly frozen, stood in place.

Observing this, Orochimaru's expression slightly changed. While there was no threat to him at this level, it was undeniably out of bounds for this child that was about five or six years old. However, before he could intervene, the boy disappeared from his spot, evading the initial onslaught of the kunai and shurikens. He jumped into the air, he executed a graceful maneuver while on air, swiftly retrieving a kunai from his tool pouch. He deftly swiped before his eyes.

Every step adeptly avoided the kunai and shuriken, each move precisely deflecting the any of the kunai or shuriken hurtling towards him. All the attack trajectories of the kunai and shurikens induced by the trap were basically seen through by the him within an instant.

Moments later, a fresh batch of shattered kunai and shuriken lay on the ground.

The boy landed gracefully, now slightly panting. He also had a few scratches on his clothes, evidence of Kunai and Shuriken grazing him unnoticed. He frowned slightly.

'Couldn't avoid them all? Or rather, I still have room for growth, far from reaching my limit.' With determination, he proceeded to rearrange the traps, honing his ability to dodge and counterattack.

Orochimaru who observed this scene from the shadows, was slightly stunned. Subconsciously, he stuck out his tongue, lightly licking his lips, with a strange glint in his eyes.

Uchiha…

The training boy suddenly shivered. Without hesitation, he turned, threw the kunai in his hand. Two leaves fell in an empty space.

'Fake? '

The boy was puzzled by the sight of only two falling leaves and no figure. He felt a wave of disgust when being watched by others. But the sensation now was like a snake's tongue touching his body, leaving him physically disgusted.

.....

Orochimaru had left from the forest. He stood outside the forest, he etared into the woods with a meaningful smile gracing the corners of his mouth.

"Interesting. I didn't expect such prowess without even awakening the Sharingan. If his Sharingan does awaken in the future... I'm really looking forward to his future. Perhaps he can…"

The sinister light in Orochimaru's eyes intensified. While he was lost in thought, a shuriken, flew by a sharp wind, suddenly hurtled towards him. He instinctively evaded, but the wind wrapped around the shuriken still inflicted a wound on his face, drawing blood.

Orochimaru fixed his gaze at a certain spot with a gloomy expression, there were two figures standing there at some point. Both of them wore black hoods, and they locked eyes with him.

Orochimaru smirked and remarked, "Oh, who do we have here? Our esteemed Danzo-sama? What brings you to this place so suddenly?"

The leader of the two, Shimura Danzo, the leader Root, stood with impeccable poise. Beside him, Ryoma, Root's deputy commander, maintained a vigilant stance.

"You... are.. not in your lab. What are you doing in a place like this, Orochimaru?" Danzo asked calmly.

"Don't misunderstand me. I was just taking a casual stroll... But, I didn't expect to replace such an interesting child. I believe his name is Uchiha Itachi, am I correct?" Orochimaru chuckled.

Ryoma narrowed his eyes, fixing murderous eyes on Orochimaru.

"What are you trying to say.. Orochimaru?"

"It's impossible for both of you to tail me, so your reason for appearing here shou6 e obvious. That child must be quite important to you... or rather, to Root." Orochimaru seemed to have guessed something.

Danzo remained impassive, taking a step forward, "Remember our agreement; exposing anything would be bad to the both of us."

"Of course, I'm well aware of that. It's just that your intent to kill is quite scary."

"Hmph!! There are matters you should not interfere in."

"So, are you still going to disobey Sarutobi-sensei's orders, interfering with the Uchiha's affairs according to your own schemes? That child may be talented, but he isn't qualified to deal with the powerful Uchiha clan. Be careful, playing with fire might lead to to burning yourself."

"That's none of your concern. If there's nothing else for you, you should return to your stronghold and continue your research." Danzo said coldly.

"As you wish. But, forgive me, joining the shadows makes it impossible for me to get the position of Hokage." Orochimaru seemed to be apologizing to Danzo.

"Is this stemming from your resentment after losing the position of the Fourth Hokage?"

Hearing Danzo's words, Orochimaru couldn't help but laugh. Without uttering a word, He disappeared from the spot.

"Orochimaru's courage is growing each day, and he seems to have forgotten who's supporting his research. Without the Root's assistance, none of his experiments can be successful." Ryoma expressed dissatisfaction with a snort.

"Don't speak that way. At least, his genius is commendable. As long as he continues his research for us, a minor disagreement is nothing."

"For Uchiha Itachi..."

"We'll wait and observe for now. Now isn't the best time to make contact with him." Danzo shook his head, and after uttering these words, he turned and departed.

...

Land Of Rainbows.

In an abandoned wooden house nestled in the mountains, surrounded by dense trees and covered with white snow.

A woman with long red hair stood on a snow-covered branch, as if standing on guard, surveying the surroundings for any signs of abnormality.

On some adjacent trees, there were ninjas hiding.

Their breath expertly concealed, indicating rigorous training in this aspect.

They were using the latest radio communicators from the Land of Demons, facilitating seamless information transfer between the.

As time passed, the falling snow intensified, gradually obscuring their vision.

Within the terrible environment, none of them complained; they persisted in their assigned positions, their vigilant gazes scanning the surroundings unblinkingly.

The red-haired woman, evidently the team leader, sensed something and pressed the button on her radio to communicate with the team.

"Attention, there are intruders detected within the security perimeter. At 3 o'clock, 250 meters away, three people. At 11 o'clock, 310 meters away, six people. At 7 o'clock, 260 meters away, four people. Deal with the enemy swiftly and leave no one standing!"

After the red-haired woman issued the command, three figures dispersed from their respective trees, advancing towards the directions specified by the woman.

The intruders remained unaware that their presence had been exposed. They carefully navigated through the snow, using the wind and snow to conceal their breath.

"The target isn't far, are you ready?"

The leader of one of the ninja team turned, asking in a hushed tone.

"Yes."

"Good. listen to my orders, and attack with full force. Our target is the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura!"

The lead ninja unsheathed a sword from behind, his eyes gleaming with a bloodthirsty intensity.

His subordinates stood ready to strike.

"Now! Begin the operation!"

The lead ninja, satisfied that everything was in order, charged forward, followed closely by the three subordinates.

At that moment, on the snow-covered path ahead, snowflakes swirled frantically, and a figure materialized silently, blocking their way.

"Anbu? Don't get in the way of our mission!"

The lead ninja's gaze were fixed ahead, and the sword in hamd drew a sharp arc resembling a full moon, slicing through the air and passing through the new arrival's body.

"Wh-What!?"

There was no physical impact on the flesh, as if the strike had passed through empty air.

"What's the hell is going on? I attacked accurately, yet I didn't feel any contact..."

The lead ninja was confused, although certain of a lethal blow, but it didn't feel like there was any impact.

This weird sensation was entirely new to him.

'Genjutsu?' The lead ninja thought more about it, but dismissed the idea. This weird feeling of slashing without any impact surpassed the mere genjutsu.

The figure blocking the path was a teenage boy with a hedgehog-like hairstyle. His clothing featured the distinctive round fan emblem.

"You... you're from the Uchiha... Why are Konoha's ninjas here?"

The lead ninja, now discerning the situation, looked at the boy in surprise.

Their mission was to assassinate the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura. Why was there a Konoha ninja in their midst?

Could their intelligence be flawed? It seemed impossible; they had mademeticulous preparations, and such a fundamental error was impossible.

Not disturbed by the speculations of the intruders, the Uchiha paid no heed. He stood there, forming hand seals, and expelled a fireball from his mouth, hurtling it towards one of the enemies.

The targeted jumped out of the way, dodging the incoming fireball.

"Watch out, he's behind you!"

Realizing it was too late for support, a team member could only shout a warning.

"What?"

The man turned in astonishment, only to replace the Uchiha still on the snow, but at some point had mysteriously appeared behind him.

His right eye radiated a crimson glow, and a complex black pattern appeared within the red pupil. Wherever the red eye focused, the air warped like a vortex, inducing an abnormal spatial distortion.

One of the intruders magically disappeared like a trick, leaving no trace in the air.

The other two, and the leader, stared wide-eyed, witnessing this scene in disbelief, they were completely unaware of what had happened.

The Uchiha fixed his gaze on the remaining trio with his glowing eye, he said to them:

"I've dealt with one, next it's your turn. All three of you."