A New Snake In The Shinobi World

Nawaki's startled exclamation of "Brother-in-law?!" left the Konoha ninja dumbfounded.

Most of Nawaki's subordinates were unaware of his family background, much less the significance of his "brother-in-law."

Their confusion only deepened when the cloaked figure lowered his hood.

"Y-You… Who are you—?"

"Orochimaru-sama?!"

The group was struck silent as they recognized the Sannin, a figure whose reputation was both legendary and tainted.

"Go ahead and proceed without me. I'll catch up later," Nawaki ordered, his voice firm.

"But, Captain—!"

"This is an order!"

Once his team had left, Nawaki broke into a grin. "Teacher, I'm glad you're alright."

---

Fifteen minutes later, as Nawaki's team moved swiftly through the forest, whispers filled the air.

"Was that really Orochimaru-sama?"

"Yeah, it was him."

"Incredible… But wait—Orochimaru-sama is the captain's brother-in-law?"

"You didn't even know Tsunade-sama is his sister? Idiot."

"You're the idiot! It's not like the captain goes around talking about his family!"

"Enough," Nawaki interjected. "Focus. We're at war. Stay sharp."

"Yes, Captain!"

As the chatter ceased, Nawaki glanced back briefly toward the spot where he had left Orochimaru. A small smile crept onto his face.

"Even as a missing-nin, he's still looking out for my sister's safety…"

---

After watching Nawaki and his group disappear into the distance, Orochimaru stroked his chin thoughtfully before turning back toward the orphanage.

Upon his arrival, he noticed three Konoha ninjas speaking with Nono.

One had spiky hair tied into a pineapple-shaped ponytail, another was a rotund man with red hair, and the third was a slender young man with blond hair.

Nara Shikaku, Akimichi Choza, and Yamanaka Inoichi.

Seeing them all grown up gave Orochimaru pause.

He remained hidden in the shadows, unwilling to reveal himself and risk exposing his connection to Nono. He observed in silence as the three spoke with her before leaving the orphanage grounds.

Once they were gone, Orochimaru stepped into the open.

---

"Nono, what did they want?"

Nono turned at the sound of his voice, her expression softening. "They came to request my help."

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, motioning for her to explain.

"They said the situation at the border is worsening. With so many wounded, Konoha has sent Tsunade to the frontlines against the Cloud Ninja," Nono began. "But on the Sand Ninja side, there are few medics available. So, the Third Hokage remembered me and asked if I could assist at the base."

"Ah," Orochimaru said, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "And this frightens you?"

"It's not fear," Nono replied hesitantly, glancing away. "It's just… I don't want to leave the orphanage unattended."

Orochimaru chuckled softly, tilting her chin upward with a single finger. "Do you think you can manage?"

The silence spoke volumes.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

---

The next morning, with Orochimaru's consent, Nono packed up the children and departed for Konoha's border camp.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru left the orphanage as well, taking thirty clones with him.

Armed with the intelligence he'd gathered from Nawaki about the current state of the war, Orochimaru had no intention of staying idle.

With his clones in tow, he ventured into the Land of Rain, slipping past their borders and into the Land of Earth.

---

Infiltrating the enemy's territory was a trivial task for Orochimaru.

Though storming an enemy village would have been risky even for someone of his caliber, quietly eliminating border guards and slipping through their defenses was a much simpler matter.

The Land of Earth, as always, was barren and rocky. Dust and stone stretched endlessly in every direction.

Over the course of a month, Orochimaru methodically scouted the area, navigating through treacherous terrain until he located the primary Iwa Ninja forces.

---

Hidden among the jagged hills, Orochimaru's thirty clones knelt before him, now disguised as Iwa ninjas.

Though their heights, builds, and features varied, they all wore Iwa uniforms and forehead protectors, blending seamlessly with the enemy's ranks.

Even Orochimaru himself had donned an Iwa ninja disguise.

"Lord Orochimaru," one of the clones reported. "Preparations are complete."

"Good," Orochimaru said, a satisfied gleam in his eyes. "Your mission is simple: kill as many Iwa ninjas as possible. Eliminate half, leave the rest alive to spread panic. If necessary, use the Sharingan."

"Understood!" the clones replied in unison.

Orochimaru then pulled out three Flying Thunder God kunai, which he handed to the leaders of the three squads.

"Split into three groups of ten. Each squad leader will carry one of these kunai," Orochimaru instructed. "Return to this rendezvous point before midnight in three days."

"Understood!"

The three leaders carefully placed the kunai into their pouches before vanishing into the rocky terrain with their squads.

As he watched them disappear, Orochimaru allowed himself a rare grin.

"War… How could I possibly miss out on the fun?"

---

Fifteen days later.

"Urgent report! Lord Tsuchikage!"

The door to Onoki's office slammed open, revealing a frantic Iwa ninja clutching a red-sealed scroll.

Onoki scowled at the disruption. "What's the meaning of this? Calm yourself!"

"Apologies, Lord Tsuchikage," the ninja stammered. "But we've lost all contact with our border guards on the Rain Country side. Upon investigation… we found no survivors."

"What?!" Onoki's eyes narrowed. "Not a single one?"

"No, sir."

"Could it have been Hanzo of the Rain attacking us?"

The ninja shook his head. "No, Lord Tsuchikage. Based on our intelligence, the attackers seem to be… Konoha ninjas."

"Konoha?" Onoki frowned, skepticism etched into his features. "That's impossible. Konoha is already locked in battles against both the Sand and Cloud Ninja. They wouldn't have the manpower to attack us."

The messenger hesitated before adding, "These ninja teams… they were highly skilled and… some of them were seen using Sharingan."

Onoki's eyes widened slightly at the mention of the Sharingan.

"Sharingan?" he muttered, his mind racing. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir," the ninja confirmed.

---

Onoki's frown deepened as he read the emergency report.

The attackers had not only decimated the border guards but had also left no bodies behind for Iwa to recover.

"Konoha… You've sent Uchiha clansmen to attack us now?" Onoki murmured.

"Ishika!" he barked suddenly.

Ishika stepped forward, awaiting orders.

"Take a force to the Rain Country border and reinforce our defenses," Onoki ordered. "Monitor Konoha's movements closely. I want updates immediately."

"Yes, sir!"