The two of them traveled at a leisurely pace, almost as if they were on a sightseeing trip.
Despite their unhurried progress, they reached the forest outside Konoha Village by dusk the following day.
"Itachi, should we investigate the Foundation right away, or should we infiltrate Konoha first and gather some information?"
Orochimaru asked softly, looking at the daydreaming Itachi.
His tone was casual, making it clear that he didn't think sneaking into Konoha was a big deal.
"Let's go now. No need to delay and risk complications."
Itachi had initially wanted to check on his foolish little brother, but he worried Sasuke might be under surveillance, and his presence might raise suspicions. After some thought, he decided to focus on the more pressing task first.
---
Orochimaru smiled faintly at Itachi's words.
He then spat out a scroll from his mouth.
Unsealing the scroll and breaking its seals, two sets of Foundation uniforms and masks appeared.
Orochimaru handed one set to Itachi but didn't put on the other himself.
"I've worked with Danzo before and occasionally visited the Foundation's base to retrieve some things," Orochimaru explained quietly when he noticed Itachi's slightly puzzled expression.
"How convenient..."
After a moment of silence, Itachi commented nonchalantly.
---
Once Itachi donned the Foundation uniform and mask, Orochimaru wiped his hand across his face. In an instant, his appearance completely changed.
"Impressive, isn't it?"
Orochimaru, now looking like a completely different person, spoke with pride when he noticed Itachi's astonished gaze.
Itachi couldn't discern the trick behind the transformation. It was as if Orochimaru had always looked that way—a truly remarkable skill.
"Incredible," Itachi muttered softly, unable to detect any flaws.
"If you're interested, I could teach you someday~," Orochimaru teased, seeing Itachi's faint annoyance.
"We'll see about that. For now, how do we get into Konoha?"
Ignoring Orochimaru's offer, Itachi changed the subject. He knew of a way into Konoha besides the main gate: a special route used by the Anbu.
---
Orochimaru didn't respond directly to Itachi's question. Instead, he silently led the way.
Itachi followed closely, refraining from further conversation.
Rather than heading directly toward Konoha, Orochimaru took a detour, veering sideways.
Soon, they arrived at a rocky mountain. Orochimaru's hand extended unnaturally, becoming longer and thinner, as he manipulated something.
The seemingly solid boulder before them emitted a series of mechanical sounds before splitting apart, revealing a dark tunnel.
"Well done," Itachi remarked from behind, impressed.
He hadn't expected such a passage outside Konoha's perimeter. Orochimaru's talent for creating bases was astonishing—there seemed to be hideouts everywhere.
"This was originally an abandoned experimental base. One of my little creations found it, so I refurbished it for temporary use," Orochimaru explained lightly in response to Itachi's comment.
However, he didn't seem particularly pleased, as his mood grew more subdued, and he lost interest in conversation.
Itachi observed silently. Orochimaru seemed like a man carrying a story.
---
They stepped into the dark tunnel, where Orochimaru tapped lightly on the wall. One by one, pale lights flickered on. A few bulbs remained broken, but the tunnel became brightly illuminated overall.
The tunnel, carved into the mountain, was damp and poorly maintained. The air carried a faint stench.
The two walked through the tunnel for about half an hour. Orochimaru showed no intention of giving Itachi a tour, and Itachi wasn't particularly interested either.
When they reached a cone-shaped rock, Orochimaru tapped on it several times. The stone split apart.
After stepping through, Orochimaru turned back, turned off the lights, and smiled faintly.
"Let's go. We've entered Konoha," he said softly, his tone carrying a complexity that Itachi couldn't quite decipher.
After they exited, the stone sealed itself behind them, revealing a solid rock wall ahead.
Just as Itachi was about to ask if the passage was blocked, Orochimaru pushed lightly against the stone wall.
The wall slowly opened.
---
Itachi was momentarily startled but followed behind Orochimaru as they stepped out.
At this moment, the two had entered a room bathed in moonlight, filled with cobwebs, and covered in dust—a place that exuded desolation and decay.
This was clearly a room that had been uninhabited for a long time.
The two of them glanced around. Itachi's gaze was filled with curiosity as he observed the surroundings, while Orochimaru's expression was far more complicated—at times soft, at other times profound, enveloped by a heavy sense of nostalgia.
...
Itachi could naturally sense the complexity in Orochimaru's demeanor. Sensibly, he chose not to speak or make any unnecessary movements, avoiding any risk of disturbing Orochimaru, who seemed lost in thought.
After a long pause, Orochimaru snapped out of his daze.
"This used to be my home..." he said, his voice heavy. The word "home" carried extra weight, a single syllable that seemed to awaken countless memories, surging toward him like an unstoppable tide.
Every piece of decaying furniture seemed to possess a soul of its own, holding memories unique to it.
"Let's go. Time to take care of business."
This time, Orochimaru recovered quickly. Within moments, the melancholy on his face dissipated entirely.
Whether he had subdued it or simply waved it away, it was unclear.
However, the way he carefully opened the door amused Itachi slightly, even bringing an inexplicable sense of sadness to his heart.
...
Dust scattered into the air, and Itachi quickly stepped out of the room.
Orochimaru slowly closed the door, his eyes scanning the moonlit room as if seeing through time itself.
Then, Orochimaru led Itachi down a shadowy path.
"Are we heading to the Root base now?" Itachi asked curiously. He had been here before but hadn't expected the path to feel so different at night.
"We're going to Danzo's residence first," Orochimaru replied calmly. "If Danzo is home, it'll be simpler in some ways, but it also means that if a fight breaks out, we'll be surrounded almost immediately. At that point, we'd be dealing with more than just the Root operatives."
Itachi nodded slightly, and Orochimaru's response made him mutter to himself, "A master tactician, for sure."
For Itachi, following Orochimaru meant he could relax and not think too much—it was a strangely pleasant feeling.
"Tactician? Heh, and what does that make you, Itachi?" Orochimaru asked with a hint of amusement at Itachi's occasional peculiar thoughts.
Itachi was momentarily taken aback by the question and chose not to respond.
...
"Looks like everything is working in our favor—Danzo isn't home," Itachi remarked softly after sensing the situation from afar.
"Heh, Danzo rarely stays at his residence. Most of the time, he's busy with the organization. You sure know how to boost morale," Orochimaru replied. His tone revealed neither approval nor disapproval—it was just indifferent.
It was nothing extraordinary, just average, he thought to himself.
...
...
---