Chapter 5: The Enlightened Are Always Happy
As night deepened over the Hidden Leaf Village, most of its inhabitants were sound asleep.
Of course, there were a precious few who refused to waste their valuable time on something as mundane as rest.
For Orochimaru, time was the most precious treasure in the world.
Although it was already late at night—late enough that even the diligent Third Hokage had returned home to rest—Orochimaru remained hard at work in his laboratory.
As a direct disciple of the Third Hokage and one-third of the legendary Sannin, Orochimaru possessed both the status and authority to maintain his own private research facility. The building was fully equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, dedicated staff, and even relatively rare electrical generators.
In the laboratory, bright as midday under artificial lights, Orochimaru stood in his signature white kimono, quietly observing his latest experimental results.
"Lord Orochimaru," the assistant responsible for recording research data spoke nervously, wiping cold sweat from his forehead. His throat worked as he swallowed hard. "The experiment has... failed. The subject simply couldn't withstand that energy."
Through the reinforced glass window of the isolation chamber, they could see a test subject struggling and screaming in agony. Gradually, horrifyingly, the person's body began transforming into wood.
In mere moments, a living human being was completely consumed by the transformation, becoming a lifelike wooden statue. Tender green branches and leaves sprouted from various parts of the body, creating an extremely eerie sight.
Orochimaru's narrow eyes flickered slightly, his cold, calculating gaze falling on the trembling assistant.
"L-Lord Orochimaru..." The assistant's composure shattered instantly. Under that reptilian stare, he felt as if a venomous snake had coiled around his throat. Deep-seated primal fear erupted within him, causing him to instinctively stumble backward several steps.
After a moment of heavy silence, Orochimaru chose not to pursue the matter. His hoarse voice, like a serpent's hiss, vibrated through the air. "Return and report these results to the Third Hokage."
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru!"
The assistant nearly collapsed with relief before fleeing the laboratory in barely controlled panic.
Terrifying! Absolutely terrifying!
Just being stared at by those pale golden vertical pupils gave him the overwhelming sensation of being swallowed whole by a python.
Watching the assistant flee for his life, Orochimaru remained completely unmoved.
Rather, he simply didn't care about others' opinions. He was too focused on what truly mattered—uncovering the fundamental truths of life and death.
"Another failure," Orochimaru muttered, a cold glint flashing in his narrow eyes. He sneered softly. "The First Hokage's power is indeed not so easily controlled. It seems I'll have to disappoint my teacher once again. Hmm... and the number of test subjects is insufficient."
With that, he sat down at his cluttered desk, pulled out a research scroll, and began meticulously documenting the past few days' experiments.
At the scroll's end, after a moment's consideration, Orochimaru wrote: "Wood Release research progressing slowly. Require at least one hundred additional test subjects for meaningful data."
Having completed this task, even Orochimaru—whose chakra reserves approached Kage level—couldn't help but feel the weight of exhaustion.
Days of sleepless experimentation, combined with this sudden moment of stillness, transformed into overwhelming drowsiness that dragged him slowly toward slumber.
I should rest... just for a moment...
Orochimaru thought hazily, allowing his tense body to relax. His narrow eyes gently closed.
Just as consciousness began to fade, thick black mist swept through the laboratory, mixed with countless low murmurs—as if millions of voices whispered in unison—instantly engulfing him.
I've been attacked?!
This was Orochimaru's final coherent thought.
Immediately afterward, he felt his consciousness being seized by some incomprehensible force, plummeting into infinite darkness.
The instant awareness returned, Orochimaru's body moved on pure instinct. He dropped into a combat stance, eyes darting rapidly to assess his surroundings.
The majestic Cathedral of Bones stretched before him. Its dome was formed from the skeletal remains of countless creatures, their empty eye sockets seeming to scrutinize the tiny figures in the hall below. The structure radiated a strange yet sacred aura—unsettling beauty that somehow felt perfectly natural within these walls.
"It seems another has been chosen by the Lord."
A hazy figure standing beneath the massive bone cross spoke calmly, voice echoing through the cathedral. "Don't be nervous. At least here, within this place, no one can threaten your life."
When did that person appear?
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed sharply as he focused on the figure. I didn't sense any presence at all!
Although he wasn't a sensory-type ninja, as someone approaching Kage-level strength, he naturally possessed well-rounded abilities with no glaring weaknesses.
Yet this mysterious figure had completely escaped his perception!
"Who exactly are you?" Orochimaru's mind raced through possibilities, but his expression remained eerily calm. He licked his dry lips, voice taking on a threatening edge. "Invading Konoha without permission—are you trying to start a war? And this..." His eyes swept the impossible architecture. "A mere genjutsu. Do you really think you can trap me?"
The Cathedral of Bones, the mysterious figure, the darkness after losing consciousness...
Combining these factors, there was only one logical explanation—he was trapped within some form of advanced genjutsu!
Orochimaru's hands blurred through seals, chakra exploding outward. "Genjutsu: Release!"
BOOM!
A shockwave of chakra rippled through the cathedral's hall.
As the disruption dissipated, Orochimaru found himself still standing within the cathedral, his surroundings completely unchanged. His expression darkened considerably. "Such powerful genjutsu... Who are you?"
"I am the Lord's Servant, the King of Angels under His divine authority. You may call me... Adam."
Uchiha Kazuki descended the bone steps with measured grace, his voice calm yet filled with undeniable majesty, echoing through the hall like a sacred hymn. "This is neither genjutsu nor dream, but the divine realm of my Lord. And you, Orochimaru, are one of the chosen messengers. Our meeting is destiny itself—all for the purpose of awakening the sleeping Primordial Creator."
Who am I? Where am I? What the hell is happening?
Orochimaru's mind reeled with confusion. He could understand each individual word perfectly, but strung together, they made absolutely no sense.
"Do you believe in destiny, Orochimaru?"
Kazuki asked calmly, his tone almost conversational.
Orochimaru frowned, a bad feeling creeping up his spine. "What do you mean by that?"
"My meaning is quite simple." Kazuki's voice was soft, almost gentle. "Suppose you knew everything you would experience in the future. Every triumph, every failure, every choice and consequence. Would you feel happy in the present, knowing all that awaits you?"
"Utterly ridiculous!" Orochimaru sneered, crossing his arms. "Are you claiming you can see my future?"
"If one knows their future ending—and all the suffering they will endure on the path to that ending—can that truly be called 'enlightenment'?" Kazuki mused, slowly circling around Orochimaru like a predator assessing prey. "There's an old saying: 'The enlightened are always happy.' What do you think of that, Orochimaru?"
"An interesting philosophical question."
Despite his circumstances, Orochimaru found himself intrigued. He licked his lips, a wicked chuckle escaping his throat. "But knowing fate while being powerless to change it—how can that possibly be called happiness? That's simply slavery."
"Everyone is a slave to fate. You can struggle against it, resist it, rage against it... but you will never defeat it."
Kazuki's voice remained infuriatingly calm. "Since that is the fundamental truth of existence, why not accept it peacefully? If you possess true resolve, even knowing your future destiny, you can face it with equanimity. Isn't that, in itself, a form of happiness?"
"It seems we fundamentally disagree on the nature of fate."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed to slits, his patience wearing thin. "If there's nothing else, you'd better release me from this place immediately. Otherwise..."
He subtly formed a hand seal. Several venomous snakes emerged from the wide sleeves of his kimono, tongues flicking, fangs bared.
"Stop. Right there. Orochimaru."
Instantly, a figure materialized behind him like a ghost—silent as death itself.
SHING!
A flash of chilling white light filled his vision.
Orochimaru felt a subtle coolness against his neck. His eyes shifted downward slightly. A tantō blade rested against his throat—perfectly positioned at the carotid artery.
The razor-sharp edge left no room for doubt: the slightest movement would separate his head from his shoulders.
"This blade...!"
Orochimaru's pupils contracted sharply as he stared at the distinctive weapon pressed against his neck, recognition dawning like lightning. He slowly, carefully turned his head to see who held him hostage.
Long silver-white hair tied in a ponytail. A weathered, middle-aged face—unremarkable, like any other veteran shinobi.
But that familiar face made Orochimaru's breath catch in his throat, his body freezing as if struck by lightning.
"You are... White Fang?!" His voice came out strangled, disbelieving. "Sakumo Hatake! You're supposed to be dead!"
Author's Note: The conspiracy grows deeper! Orochimaru has been pulled into the web. What is Kazuki's true goal? Thanks for reading! Please leave a review!
[End of Chapter 5]
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