Chapter 26 – Serpent's Den
The night sky over Konoha had barely faded when Jiraiya knocked on Naruto's door. His white mane gleamed faintly under the rising sun, and his face was unusually serious.
"Come on, gaki. You too, Sasuke. We're heading out."
Naruto yawned, rubbing his eyes as he stumbled to the door. Sasuke was already awake, as if he hadn't slept at all.
"Where?" Naruto asked, though the answer was obvious.
"Orochimaru," Jiraiya replied simply.
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The Search
The three of them moved swiftly, leaving the village behind. Forests blurred past, rivers crossed in silence. Jiraiya's senses were sharp, every step measured.
Naruto glanced sideways at him. "Ero-Sennin, you really think we'll find him just like that?"
Jiraiya didn't look back. "No. But if Orochimaru's stirring again, we need to know where. Traces. Movements. Anything."
Sasuke kept pace quietly, eyes scanning their surroundings. His mind wasn't on the search so much as on the man they sought. Orochimaru. A figure both dangerous and strangely necessary.
They checked old hideouts, half-abandoned shrines, caves rumored to carry the scent of snakes. Nothing but dust and silence greeted them.
By dusk, Naruto stretched, sighing loudly.
"This is going nowhere."
Jiraiya shot him a look. "You expect him to just wave from the bushes and say hello? That's not how Orochimaru works."
Sasuke muttered, almost to himself:
"He's already watching us. If he doesn't want to be found, he won't be."
The words hung heavy, undeniable.
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Shift in View – The Sound Village
Far from the forests of Fire Country, deep underground in a hidden cavern, the air was thick with damp stone and the faint hiss of serpents. Dim lanterns flickered, casting Orochimaru's pale face in a ghostly glow.
He sat upon a throne-like chair of black stone, his body thin, his skin marked by strain. His golden eyes were sharp but shadowed with exhaustion.
Kabuto stood before him, spectacles glinting, voice calm and precise.
"Lord Orochimaru… I've located a vessel. Young, healthy, and most importantly—strong enough to contain your soul for three years."
Orochimaru's tongue flicked across his lips, a slow, serpentine gesture.
"Three years… enough time to prepare… to plan… to wait."
Kabuto stepped closer, holding out a file of notes, medical charts, seals.
"This body is suitable. With the right conditioning, it should last longer than your current one."
Orochimaru's gaze drifted upward, lost in thought. "Three years… That will be enough to see how far Sasuke-kun has grown." His voice was soft, but the hunger beneath it was undeniable.
Kabuto adjusted his glasses. "And if he grows into what you desire…?"
Orochimaru's lips curved into a thin, chilling smile.
"Then this vessel will be my bridge. And Sasuke-kun… my eternity."
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Lingering Shadows
The snakes coiled in the corners of the lab, silent witnesses to the conversation. The air smelled of blood and steel, of parchment and decay.
Kabuto bowed slightly. "Shall I prepare the ritual, Lord Orochimaru?"
"Not yet," Orochimaru whispered. His golden eyes gleamed with something between obsession and patience. "Time is my ally. Sasuke is my obsession… and my prize. Let the boy walk free a little longer. It will only make him more… ripe."
Kabuto inclined his head, though a faint smile tugged at his lips. He knew better than anyone that his master's hunger was insatiable.
And so, while Konoha searched in vain, Orochimaru sank deeper into the shadows—patient, calculating, waiting for the moment his fangs would strike.
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