A New Snake In The Shinobi World

The conflicts between the five great Villages had always been cyclical, either one struck first, or the other retaliated.

But Orochimaru's unexpected strength had forced a temporary alliance between them.

Konoha, unwilling to risk fighting three major villages at once, chose to sacrifice Orochimaru to protect itself.

Yet, no one could have foreseen that Orochimaru wouldn't just survive the ambush, he would defeat the combined forces of three ninja villages on his own.

This was something that would go down as a legend in the ninja world.

---

Sunagakure

In the medical bay, Chiyo stared solemnly at the heavily bandaged Rasa. "How did you get hurt so badly? Did the Iwa or Kumo ninjas betray us and attack you?"

"It was Orochimaru," Rasa replied, his voice strained as he clutched his chest, forcing himself into a sitting position.

As the interim leader of Sunagakure, Chiyo still handled most of the village's affairs. However, Rasa had already been chosen as the next Kazekage, given Chiyo's lack of interest in politics following her son's death.

This meant Rasa had represented Sunagakure in the ambush on Orochimaru.

But the mission had gone horribly wrong.

"Orochimaru?" Chiyo's eyes widened in shock.

"Yes," Rasa said with a pained nod. "I used my Gold Dust to shield myself, but the force of the explosion was overwhelming…"

As Rasa recounted what had happened, Chiyo's expression grew darker with each word.

Susanoo?

Orochimaru's power was far greater than anyone had imagined.

Why would Konoha willingly hand over such a powerful ninja to the other villages?

If Orochimaru's abilities were so formidable, even a coalition of three villages would need to think twice before challenging him.

"This… this is troubling," Chiyo muttered, shaking her head as she tried to process the news. "Luckily, your injuries aren't fatal. If they had been, the village would have been left without a leader."

She glanced at Rasa, her tone softening. "Focus on recovering. I'll handle the village in the meantime."

"Thank you," Rasa said, bowing his head slightly.

Chiyo waved a hand dismissively. "It's my duty."

With Rasa's life no longer in danger, Chiyo's immediate concerns shifted. The village's leadership wasn't the primary issue, there would always be someone to step into the role.

The real problem was Orochimaru's potential revenge.

Ordinarily, no matter how powerful a shinobi might be, they couldn't single-handedly pose a threat to an entire village. Chakra had limits, and a prolonged battle of attrition could eventually exhaust even the strongest ninja.

But Orochimaru was different.

His mastery of Wood Release gave him absurd chakra reserves and unparalleled recovery abilities.

Coupled with his raw power, he wasn't someone who could be worn down with typical tactics.

The possibility of Orochimaru retaliating had everyone in Sunagakure on edge. And they weren't the only ones.

Kumo and Iwa were just as anxious.

They had already failed to kill Orochimaru once, even with their combined strength.

Now that he was no longer in Konoha, finding him would be almost impossible.

With the lack of advanced technology in the ninja world, searching for a single person was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Even if they did find him, what good would it do?

Three villages had been unable to defeat him when working together, what hope did any one of them have on their own?

Their only option was to wait, brace themselves, and prepare for the day Orochimaru came for them.

---

In the newly built residential area of the Sound Village, Orochimaru lay on a bed, staring at the ceiling.

Next to him, Tsunade reclined lazily, wearing nothing but her underwear.

Orochimaru had initially asked her to return to Konoha the next day, but she insisted on staying longer. Unable to refuse her, he reluctantly agreed.

"Your abilities have been exposed," Tsunade remarked, breaking the silence. "If you face them again, it won't be as easy as last time."

"Of course, I know that," Orochimaru replied calmly. "But who's to say I won't have something new to show them next time?"

A faint smirk tugged at his lips. "I promise, when we meet again, they'll pay the price they deserve."

Tsunade sighed. "I don't agree with you seeking revenge, but I understand. Still, about Konoha…"

"You're worried I'll turn on Konoha, aren't you?" Orochimaru said, cutting her off.

He knew what she wanted to say before the words left her mouth.

"Well… after all, it's where we grew up," Tsunade admitted quietly.

Orochimaru had no lingering attachments to Konoha, but Tsunade's feelings were different.

For her, Konoha wasn't just a village, it was her home.

It was the legacy of the Senju Clan, the place where she was raised.

Her grandfather, the First Hokage, had founded it. Her granduncle, the Second Hokage, had protected it. And her teacher, the Third Hokage, now led it.

Even though the Third Hokage's actions had been deeply flawed, she understood his intentions to protect the village, no matter the cost.

If Orochimaru were to target Konoha, Tsunade would undoubtedly stand in his way.

Seeing the conflict in her expression, Orochimaru sighed and said, "Alright, I'll think about it."

"Thank you," Tsunade said softly.

"There's no need to thank me," Orochimaru replied. "Not between us."

Tsunade smiled faintly. "I knew you'd say that."

With that, she leaned over and straddled him.

"What are you doing?" Orochimaru asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Doing what I love," Tsunade replied with a teasing grin.

"I'm too tired to move."

"Then just lie there. I'll take care of everything," she said, her voice playful.

"…"

Though it wasn't their first time, Orochimaru couldn't deny the genuine affection behind her boldness.

---

Betraying one's village was no small thing.

For most shinobi, such an act was tantamount to treason against their homeland, a last resort in the face of unbearable circumstances.

But for a village to betray one of its own? That was far rarer.

Orochimaru's situation was one of the few exceptions.

Tsunade stayed in the Sound Village for seven days before finally agreeing to return to Konoha.

Accompanying her was Jiraiya, who had decided it was time to leave the three children he had been training. At eleven years old, they no longer needed constant supervision.

Neither Orochimaru nor Tsunade told Jiraiya about the ambush. They felt there was no point in dredging up something that couldn't be changed.

When Jiraiya eventually returned to Konoha and learned of Orochimaru's defection, he was stunned.

His first instinct was to confront the Third Hokage, but instead, he sought out Tsunade for answers.

Without holding anything back, Tsunade explained the full story.

Jiraiya was left feeling both angry and helpless.

He understood the injustice done to Orochimaru, but he also grasped the Third Hokage's reasoning.

As the leader of Konoha, the Hokage's duty was to the village above all else. Sacrificing Orochimaru had been a way to avoid war and save countless lives.

In the end, Jiraiya came to the same conclusion as Orochimaru and the Third Hokage.

No one was entirely right. No one was entirely wrong.

The true villain in all of this was the era they lived in.

---

"Alright, Nagato."

"Drink this. Let's see what your Rinnegan can really do."

***

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