Chapter 23 – The Snake's Shadow
The hidden lair was suffocatingly silent, save for the slow drip of water echoing through its stone halls. Orochimaru sat hunched upon his throne of cold rock, his pale skin splitting like cracked porcelain. Each breath was shallow, uneven — his body rotting faster than his ambitions could keep pace.
His golden eyes narrowed, voice a whisper that hissed like a blade across glass.
"Sasuke… where have you disappeared to?"
The silence was broken by the soft tread of Kabuto's sandals. The medic-nin bowed low, pushing his glasses back as he delivered his report.
"We've searched every lead. Sasuke's trail has gone cold. It's as though he vanished from the world itself." He hesitated, then added, "Orochimaru-sama… your body will not last more than a few weeks."
A smile slithered across Orochimaru's face — cold, cruel. His hand flicked lazily, and from the shadows, snakes dragged forth a bound shinobi, trembling with terror.
"Then let us test a replacement…"
The lair darkened. The ritual of Living Corpse Reincarnation unfolded — seals, screams, the writhing of serpents forcing themselves into the victim's flesh. The body convulsed, then fell still, twisted and broken. Orochimaru rose from the failed vessel, unscathed but unsatisfied.
"Pathetic," he whispered. "None can compare to Sasuke."
His tongue flicked across his lips as he stood, pulling his black cloak around his failing body.
"I cannot wait any longer. If Konoha hides him… I will see for myself."
Kabuto's voice sharpened with alarm. "Orochimaru-sama! It's too dangerous. The ANBU surveillance, Lady Tsunade—"
"Silence." The single word froze the air. "Prepare. We leave tonight."
---
The journey to Fire Country was a quiet nightmare. Cloaked figures moved like shadows beneath the trees, snakes gliding ahead to scout the path. Orochimaru's skin split as though it were made of fragile scales, his chakra leaking erratically, but his eyes burned with hunger.
By the time they reached the forests near Konoha, Kabuto was inwardly grim. His master was little more than a walking corpse — yet still more dangerous than any shinobi alive.
Orochimaru knelt among the roots, summoning snakes that slithered soundlessly toward the village. Through their eyes, he glimpsed children running across the streets, shinobi training in the yards… and then, two figures that made his blood quicken.
Naruto Uzumaki. Sasuke Uchiha.
Sasuke walked freely, alive, unbroken.
Orochimaru's cracked lips parted in a smile. "Found you…"
---
At the same time, far above the village, the barrier seal flickered faintly. Lady Tsunade, drowning in paperwork, froze mid-signature. Her chakra surged as she looked up sharply.
"…What was that?"
Her eyes narrowed. That chakra — sinuous, oily, unmistakable.
"Orochimaru."
She slammed her palm on the desk, cracking the wood.
"Shizune!"
The assistant hurried in, startled.
"Send word to Naruto and Sasuke. Now."
---
In a small apartment on the west side of Konoha, Naruto and Sasuke sat together, bowls of steaming food still half-finished on the table. The evening light painted the room warm, a rare sense of peace lingering between them.
"You're seriously going to eat ten bowls?" Sasuke smirked faintly. "You'll collapse before you reach seven."
"Oi! I'll show you! Believe it!" Naruto shot back, jabbing his chopsticks for emphasis.
The sliding door burst open. Shizune stood there, breathless, eyes grave.
"Both of you—Lady Tsunade summons you immediately."
Naruto blinked, chopsticks dangling. "Huh? What's the big deal?"
Shizune's gaze was sharp as steel. "Because… we've detected Orochimaru's chakra."
The warmth in the room vanished in an instant. Naruto's grin faded, his fists tightening. Sasuke's eyes narrowed, a shadow crossing his face.
---
Beyond the village walls, Orochimaru lingered in the dark woods, snakes coiling endlessly around his figure. His voice was a whisper of venom.
"Sasuke may think he's safe… but no one escapes me forever."
The night swallowed his words.
---