The citizens of Rōran, who had noticed the commotion from a distance, had retreated to safer ground, terrified of being caught in the crossfire.
When they saw Sasuke crash into a wall after being sent flying, they silently thanked their decision to hide earlier.
In the battlefield, Sasuke's Susanoo had vanished. He struggled to pull himself out from the debris, his breathing heavy and labored.
Orochimaru stood calmly in front of him, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "You're aware that I possess the Sharingan, yet you didn't account for the Flying Thunder God technique?"
"F-Flying Thunder God?" Sasuke stammered, his eyes widening in disbelief. "When… when did you—?"
Subconsciously, Sasuke glanced down at his ankle—the spot Orochimaru had grabbed earlier. Sure enough, there was a snake-shaped Flying Thunder God seal engraved on his shoe.
"Using a Mangekyo Sharingan against me?" Orochimaru's voice carried a trace of mockery. "I've had these eyes long before your father ever did. Susanoo's defense may be formidable, but the space where the user stands is vulnerable. With the Flying Thunder God technique, slipping inside and targeting the main body is child's play."
"Damn it…" Sasuke muttered, clenching his fists in frustration.
"Enough, Sasuke!" Kakashi intervened, stepping between Sasuke and Orochimaru as the young Uchiha tried to rise again. "No matter what time period, Lord Orochimaru's strength is far beyond anything you can handle!"
"If you keep this up, you'll stand no chance!" Kakashi's tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.
"Sasuke, don't do this!" Sakura added, gripping his shoulders.
"But—" Sasuke began, still unwilling to admit defeat.
"Heh, I told you from the start you wouldn't last twenty seconds," Reige chimed in playfully, skipping over to Kushina. "You didn't believe me before. Do you believe me now?"
Her tone was teasing, and she clung naturally to Kushina's arm, smiling brightly. The gesture was so casual and affectionate that Kushina didn't know how to react.
Kushina froze, unsure how to handle the sudden intimacy. She didn't even care about the outcome of Sasuke's battle anymore. Despite her initial discomfort, the girl's actions felt oddly comforting, as though they had always shared this closeness. It was a strange and conflicting feeling.
Orochimaru, watching the scene unfold, quickly pieced things together. So Sasuke's reckless challenge was fueled by the provocations of this so-called "daughter"? Typical of the Uchiha—competitive to a fault unless brought to heel by something extraordinary.
Shaking his head, Orochimaru dismissed the matter. "Let's go, Kushina," he said, turning away.
"Uh… alright," Kushina replied hesitantly. She glanced at Reige, torn between her curiosity and her reluctance to disobey Orochimaru's command.
"Wait, Dad!" Reige called out. "I'm coming with you!" She eagerly ran after him.
"Hey, Reige, slow down! Wait for us!" Naruto called after her.
Kushina, who had been lagging behind, finally mustered the courage to ask, "So… you're really my daughter?"
"Of course, Mom!" Reige replied cheerfully, her smile wide and genuine.
"This… this is such a strange feeling," Kushina murmured. Yet despite her confusion, Reige's happy demeanor was infectious, and for the first time, Kushina found herself smiling sincerely.
As they walked, Orochimaru's thoughts wandered. He recalled the fundamentals of Yin-Yang Release—the technique that creates life and form.
Yin Release draws upon spiritual energy to create form from nothing, while Yang Release uses physical energy to give life to that form. In essence, Yin creates the shape, and Yang breathes life into it.
Sasuke, as the reincarnation of Indra, was once destined to become the savior of the ninja world. By the age of sixteen or seventeen, he should have wielded one of the strongest forms of Yin Release, surpassed only by the Sage of Six Paths himself. His visual prowess should have evolved to the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and, eventually, the Rinnegan with six tomoe.
But something was amiss. Despite nearing the age of seventeen, Sasuke had yet to unlock the power he was meant to possess. Instead, he only had a pair of six-pointed-star Mangekyo Sharingan.
Orochimaru didn't know what had occurred in the intervening years to cause this divergence, but he didn't care to speculate. He had no desire to meddle in future events.
As a reincarnator, Orochimaru already knew more about the future than most. Yet the stronger he grew, the less these memories served him. Instead, they became a hindrance, clouding his judgment of the present.
Take, for instance, the moment when three great ninja villages had demanded Konoha hand him over. Based on his knowledge of the future, he should have anticipated such a scenario. And yet, when it happened, he was genuinely caught off guard because it didn't align with his memories.
The frustration of being wrong—of relying on faulty information—was a feeling he despised.
Knowing too much about the future robbed life of its spontaneity and led only to a tedious cycle of overthinking. Constantly debating whether to preserve or alter the timeline was a miserable way to live.
That's why Orochimaru didn't ask further questions about the future. He didn't care how it unfolded or what fate awaited others.
As they approached Rōran's largest and most ornate building, a guard clad in armor stepped forward, blocking their path.
"Halt! State your business!" the guard barked.
"Who leads this city?" Orochimaru asked calmly. "Take me to them."
"Who are you? Do you think you can meet the queen just like that?" the guard demanded, his tone growing hostile.
"Queen?" Orochimaru raised an eyebrow. "All the more reason to meet her. Lead the way. Unless…" He paused, a sinister smile spreading across his face. "Unless you want me to destroy this place."
"What? You dare threaten—"
Bang!
Before the guard could finish, he was sent flying, crashing to the ground with a heavy thud.
Inside the palace, Queen Sara sat on her throne. Her crimson hair and dark brown eyes gave her an air of elegance and authority.
According to the original timeline, Naruto's team would arrive in Rōran in Konoha Year 63 to assist the Sand Village in pursuing a rogue ninja. They would then travel twenty years into the past—Konoha Year 43—where Naruto would meet his father, Minato. Together, they would defeat the rogue ninja, Mukade.
But Orochimaru knew that such events were impossible in this timeline. By Konoha Year 43, the Third Great Ninja War had yet to end, and relations between the five great nations were strained. There was no alliance between Konoha and the Land of Wind, and Minato had no reason to be in Rōran.
Whether this supposed rogue ninja even existed was irrelevant. Orochimaru's goal was simple: the dragon vein.
"Stop! Who dares disturb the peace of this palace?" Sara's voice rang out as she stepped into the hall, her gaze falling on the fallen guards.
"Ah, so you're the queen," Orochimaru said smoothly, his lips curving into a faint smile as he approached. "Not bad. Shall we talk… in private?"
***
For every 300 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on patreon to read 30+ advanced chapters: /Blownleaves.