Chapter 59: The United Geniuses of the Academy; Orochimaru's Confession
"Look at this, brothers! I brought the Sarutobi Clan's Sovereign Fire Style Fundamentals!" Asuma announced with a flourish, holding the scroll high for all to see.
"Whoa!" the group exclaimed, leaning in. In the Ninja World, the Sarutobi clan's Fire Style was legendary for its efficiency and raw heat.
"If anyone is interested in Kenjutsu or advanced Taijutsu, I have these," Kakashi added, glancing toward Might Guy. He pulled out a worn but well-maintained scroll. "My father selected a few forms he thought would be appropriate for our level."
"OHHH! A gift from the White Fang himself?! My youth is reaching its boiling point!"
Might Guy erupted into a celebratory handstand, flashing a blindingly white smile and a thumbs-up. "As expected of my Eternal Rival! Kakashi, let us celebrate this moment with a duel!"
Kakashi's face went deadpan. He instinctively shuffled a few feet away. Who wants to duel a guy who does handstands for fun?
Guy had attached himself to Kakashi like a shadow since the Academy started, insisting they were destined rivals. But like Obito, Kakashi could sense the genuine kindness and lack of malice behind Guy's eccentric behavior. Being a kid who secretly craved connection, Kakashi's "rejection" was mostly a front—he had effectively accepted Guy into his circle.
"Hey, hey! What about me? I'm the one you have to beat first!" Obito shouted, waving his arms to get attention.
"You're..." Guy narrowed his eyes, clearly struggling. "You're... uh... I'm sorry, what was your name again?"
Obito's face turned bright red. "I've told you five times today! It's Obito Uchiha! Mark it down!"
Shisui Uchiha watched the bickering with a faint smile. He loved this atmosphere—the weightless, unified spirit of his classmates.
Compared to the Uchiha compound, which was currently a pressure cooker of tension and political divide, the Academy felt like a sanctuary. Half the Uchiha praised the Hokage for the new jobs in the Patrol Net; the other half claimed it was a "sugar-coated trap" to dilute their bloodline. The two sides were at each other's throats.
Shisui had once thought his talent would be enough to fix his clan, but after hearing Kakashi's description of the "real world" outside the school, he decided to stay and build his foundation. He didn't want to graduate yet. He didn't want to lose this feeling of brotherhood.
"I have something for the Genjutsu users!" Kurenai Yuhi said, raising her hand.
"I've been studying some basic Medical Theory..." Rin Nohara added shyly.
One by one, the scrolls were laid out like a high-stakes picnic spread. Everyone was offering their "specialties" to the group, eager to trade.
"I brought a Water Style manual," Shisui said, placing a yellowed scroll on the grass.
The group went silent for a second. An Uchiha... bringing Water Style?
Shisui scratched his head awkwardly. "Well, I heard Asuma was bringing Fire Style, and most of my clan's secret arts are hard-wired for the Sharingan anyway. I figured this would be more useful for the group."
"Shisui! I want to learn that!" Obito said, his eyes wide. "I don't have anything to trade you right now, but I promise I'll pay you back later!"
"Don't be a stranger, Obito," Shisui laughed. "We're brothers in the Azure Dragon Brotherhood. We help each other. There's no debt between us."
When they first picked the name, Shisui had found it a bit cringey. But the more they said it, the more he felt a unique sense of pride. Maybe this is just part of being an Uchiha, he thought. We love a bit of drama.
"This isn't just any Water Style, though," Shisui noted, clearing his throat. "It's a simplified version of the Water Dragon Bullet—customized by Lord Tobirama himself."
The students' eyes turned into saucers. Even in the Academy, the Second Hokage's reputation was legendary. Aside from the Uchiha elders, most of the village viewed him as the ultimate genius of the Leaf.
Asuma and Kakashi shared a quick look. As the sons of high-level officials, they found this highly unusual. The Second Hokage left secrets to the Uchiha?
Shisui caught their look and explained softly, "I'm a descendant of Kagami Uchiha. My ancestor was a close friend of Lord Hiruzen and served in Lord Tobirama's personal guard."
The pieces clicked. Asuma and Kakashi nodded in understanding.
"Anyway," Shisui said, "I hope this helps everyone. I think Lord Tobirama and my ancestor would be happy to see us training together."
Someone started clapping, and the rest of the group joined in. The applause grew into a roar of approval. Shisui's face flushed—not from embarrassment, but from the thrill of being accepted.
Asuma stepped into the center of the circle, his voice booming with charisma. "Brothers! Look at us! We are unified! We are strong!"
"With these resources, the Azure Dragon Brotherhood will become a force to be reckoned with! We'll show the adults that the next generation is ready to lead!"
Asuma's eyes burned with a competitive fire. He was still thinking about Minato Namikaze—the student of that "perverted toad" Jiraiya who had caught him sneaking out. A student's debt is a teacher's burden, Asuma thought. If I can't beat the Master, I'll beat the Apprentice!
"Wait! I have a gift for the brotherhood too!"
Guy shouted, reaching into a large canvas bag. He pulled out a stack of skin-tight, forest-green jumpsuits. "Who wants to wear the 'Mighty Youth Suit'? My father and I swear by them! They maximize your range of motion and keep your muscles warm during the grind!"
"Uh... no thanks, Guy," Asuma said, covering his face.
But then, a wicked thought crossed Asuma's mind. Maybe we should save one for Minato... if we beat him, we'll make him wear it as a penalty. Heh heh heh.
"Listen up, everyone," Asuma said, regaining his composure. "My dad—the Hokage—gave me a message for us."
"He said that if we run into a problem we can't solve, we shouldn't force it. We should document our questions and help each other. He calls it 'Learning through Teaching.'"
"And once we've built up a list of questions, he promised that he would personally come to the Academy to give us a guest lecture!"
"Wait, the Hokage?!"
"The Third is coming to teach us?!"
The children erupted into a frenzy of cheers. The prospect of being taught by the "God of Shinobi" was like fuel to an inferno. Their motivation to train for the "Minato Challenge" spiked to an all-time high.
While the children were forging their bonds, a different kind of breakthrough was happening in the village's secret underground lab.
Orochimaru had finally finished it.
The scroll sat on his desk, pulsing with a dark, spiritual energy. The Living Corpse Reincarnation (Fushi Tensei). A jutsu that allowed the soul to forcibly hijack another's body to achieve a form of immortality.
Orochimaru stared at the scroll for a long time.
He felt a moment of hesitation, then shook his head, a thin smile forming on his pale lips. He had already decided. He was going to tell his teacher.
Hiruzen had already sensed his obsession with the soul. The "Old Man" had been feeding him Tobirama's research for weeks. He had practically invited Orochimaru to come forward.
To Orochimaru, Hiruzen was more than a Kage; he was his father. He didn't want to hide anymore. He wanted validation for his path. He wanted the man he respected most to look at his "Ultimate Lifeform" and say it was beautiful.
It's a risk, Orochimaru thought. If he rejects me, I lose this life. I lose my home. I lose him.
But if he accepts it... then I gain everything.
He chose to gamble.
That night, Orochimaru found Hiruzen on a quiet balcony overlooking the village.
"Sensei," Orochimaru whispered, his voice smooth and melodic. "Would you care to take a walk with me?"
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