5 P2W 5 - Orochimaru

On the golden beach, numerous colorful seashells sparkled under the sunlight, resting quietly on the soft sand. Uchiha Yoru admired the beautiful scenery, smiling as he took it in.

We weren't far from the Land of the Sea, a place featured in the anime.

In my memory, Orochimaru had a human experimentation base in the Land of the Sea, and it was where Mitarashi Anko had obtained the curse seal (Episode 169).

It made sense for Orochimaru to choose the Land of the Sea for his base. It seemed he was stationed here at the border during that time.

"Yoru-niisan, we've arrived. Orochimaru-sama's campsite is in the distance."

Uchiha Shisui, the leader of Team Uchiha, smiled upon seeing the campsite ahead. Several watchtowers along the coastline were clearly visible, cleverly concealed within the dense forest.

The group walked towards the campsite, noticing hidden scouts along the way. Uchiha Shisui silently communicated with them using hand signals and code words.

Finally, they reached the campsite without encountering any obstacles. The camp appeared somewhat disorderly, but Uchiha Yoru was accustomed to it. After all, ninja weren't like conventional military forces, especially in a world dominated by shinobi and their techniques. This kind of disorder allowed each ninja to maximize their advantages.

"Yoru-niisan, come with me to report to Orochimaru-sama. The rest of you, prepare to set up camp."

"Yes!"

On the battlefield, ninjas were tools for carrying out missions. Each Uchiha ninja responded in a low voice. However, they had doubts and even some discontentment regarding Uchiha Yoru, whom they called "Nii-san" or big brother. Uchiha Shisui was their pride. At just thirteen years old, he was already a Jōnin, only one year behind Kakashi. Furthermore, Shisui possessed the Three Tomoe Sharingan.

On the other hand, Uchiha Yoru had recently awakened his Sharingan with a single tomoe. Yet, he received such an honor, which made them skeptical.

Regardless, Uchiha Yoru and Uchiha Shisui followed the guiding ninja and headed towards the center of the camp. Along the way, Yoru quietly contemplated the camp's situation.

As expected, no one was a fool. They had already started deploying more ninja to the front lines. During their journey, Yoru had seen many new tents, indicating recent arrivals and reinforcements from other locations.

"Orochimaru-sama is inside."

The guide ninja respectfully nodded after leading them to their destination and disappeared with a single leap.

"Yoru-niisan, let's go in."

Although Uchiha Shisui maintained a calm expression, excitement gleamed in his eyes. Orochimaru, in his heart, represented the future Fifth Hokage, and Shisui himself carried the Uchiha clan's mission.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Yoru quietly observed his surroundings. Orochimaru's reputation was well-deserved. The campsite was situated in a dark and shady area, perfectly matching his personality.

No one had reported their arrival, or perhaps the ninja's sensory perception was too strong. The fact that they reached this point without encountering any resistance indicated that Orochimaru was inside and had made time to meet them.

Approaching the slightly larger tent, both Uchiha Yoru and Uchiha Shisui halted their steps. Speaking in a low voice, they said, "Uchiha reporting in."

It had nothing to do with clan etiquette but was rather the customary practice in this world.

"Come in."

Orochimaru's husky and magnetic voice sent chills down one's spine. Uchiha Shisui took a deep breath, visibly carrying a heavy burden, and entered. Uchiha Yoru, on the other hand, quietly mumbled to himself, thrilled to finally meet the person behind the voice.

Inside the tent, darkness prevailed, proving snakes' preference for it. Even the interior was dimly lit.

A map of the surrounding area adorned one side of the tent, and at that moment, Orochimaru was engrossed in conversation with a member of the Hyūga clan. Upon seeing Shisui and Yoru, he simply waved his hand in acknowledgement, and they stood to the side, waiting.

"Hizashi, your role as a member of the Hyūga clan carries great responsibility this time. However, rest assured, Uchiha's elite ninja have also arrived. You can form a team with them for patrols."

Despite exuding an air of gloom, Orochimaru's personal charm somehow provided reassurance through his words and actions.

On the other side stood Hizashi, the younger brother of the Hyūga clan leader and father of the future prodigy, Neji.

Hizashi respectfully nodded to Orochimaru and said, "Orochimaru-sama, you can trust that the Hyūga clan will not disappoint you."

The Byakugan of the Hyūga clan was considered the most advanced bloodline for reconnaissance in the ninja world. Its ability to detect the enemy's movements in advance was a tremendous advantage, especially on the battlefield, where it could prevent surprise attacks.

After Hizashi finished speaking, he discreetly glanced at the two young members of the Uchiha clan who had entered. A flash of excitement flickered deep in his eyes, but he quickly lowered his head and respectfully said, "Orochimaru-sama, I need to go and assign tasks."

"Very well."

Orochimaru gestured for Hizashi to leave and then turned his gaze towards the two Uchiha clan members in front of him, clearly intrigued. After observing them for a while, he licked his lips and couldn't help but praise, "Thirteen-year-old Jōnin, truly a talented clan, the Uchiha."

Upon hearing Orochimaru's praise, Uchiha Shisui remained respectful, but instead of being excited, he held a scroll in his hands and bowed his head, saying, "Uchiha Shisui, leading the Uchiha vanguard team of eight, is here to report to Orochimaru-sama."

Orochimaru accepted the scroll and perused its contents with interest, a husky smile gracing his lips. "One Jōnin with the Three Tomoe Sharingan, three Special Jōnin, and four Elite Chunin, all Uchiha with awakened Sharingan, and they're all young."

Uchiha Shisui respectfully nodded at this and added, "More reinforcements will arrive later."

Orochimaru chuckled at Shisui's response, his golden snake-like eyes revealing an eerie expression. Uchiha Yoru couldn't help but shudder secretly. The aura of a Sannin was incredibly potent, especially the oppressive feeling of their chakra. He finally understood the sense of pressure experienced when facing the unleashed chakra of the Second Hokage, as described in the original story.

"Well done, very impressive. Is this the Uchiha clan's investment?" Orochimaru's smile held a hint of intrigue as he looked at the two young Uchiha before him. He had yet to be consumed by his unhealthy obsession with the Sharingan.

After Orochimaru candidly spoke those words, Uchiha Shisui felt somewhat awkward, realizing he might have been too straightforward. Uncertain how to respond, he pondered whether Orochimaru's true nature was someone who never cared about others' opinions.