The Root operatives moved swiftly, arriving at the border by noon.
Two squads, all clad in black robes and animal masks, stood in formation. But the leader of the group left Hoshita Shūichi utterly stunned.
Orochimaru.
Snake Sage himself.
Had he already joined Root?
Spotting Orochimaru, Namikaze Minato quickly stepped forward and bowed. "Lord Orochimaru."
"Minato..." Orochimaru's golden eyes flickered as they swept over the captives on the ground. "Is this all?"
Minato nodded. "Two Suna-nin, two rogue ninjas, and the rest are villagers from that settlement."
Orochimaru hummed in acknowledgment before his gaze shifted to Shūichi and his two teammates—Uchiha Shisui and Kurama Sanyō. The trio instinctively stiffened under his scrutiny.
The aura of cold malice radiating from Orochimaru was palpable, and his piercing stare made them feel like prey cornered by a serpent. Yet, they had no choice but to step forward and bow. "Lord Orochimaru."
Orochimaru's lips curled into a faint smile as he addressed Minato. "You've trained them well."
He already knew their backgrounds: an Uchiha prodigy, a Kurama clansman, and the famed civilian genius.
"Minato, lend me one of your students," Orochimaru said smoothly. "We need a guide to that village."
Minato's expression tightened. Before he could protest, Orochimaru added, "You're needed here to guard these prisoners. Just one guide will suffice. Don't worry—nothing will happen to them."
Minato hesitated, his eyes flickering with concern as he glanced at his students. The trio, meanwhile, sensed the veiled threat beneath Orochimaru's words.
Evil.
This man is pure evil.
Shūichi met Orochimaru's gaze and detected something else—a twisted amusement. With Root's arrival, the fate of the village was sealed. Whoever guided them would witness horrors beyond imagination.
And then—
Orochimaru's eyes locked onto Shūichi. His heart pounded.
But before he could react, Shisui stepped forward. "Sensei, I'll guide Lord Orochimaru."
Kurama Sanyō exhaled in silent relief, though guilt quickly followed. Shūichi stayed silent, watching as Minato reluctantly agreed. With a final nod, Shisui led Orochimaru and the Root operatives away.
Sanyō opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it.
The wind howled as Shisui guided the group to the northern mountain overlooking the village in less than an hour.
"There it is," Shisui said.
Orochimaru studied the settlement below. "You wish to plead for them?"
Shisui clenched his fists. "Based on our intel, the village's men participated in raids into the Land of Fire—ordered by Suna. They might've been coerced at first, but... actions have consequences."
His voice hardened. "But the elderly, women, and children are innocent."
Orochimaru chuckled. "Konoha stands for justice. To win the Land of Rivers' allegiance, we won't harm innocents."
Shisui's shoulders relaxed slightly—until Orochimaru added, "Unless they resist. Then, we'll have no choice."
Shisui's stomach dropped. His gaze lingered on the villagers—the elderly toiling in fields, women tending to chores, children playing. Resolve solidified in his heart.
"Lord Orochimaru," he said firmly, "let me handle this. They're just civilians. Root shouldn't waste effort here."
Orochimaru's grin widened. "By all means."
Shisui inhaled deeply, then leaped from the cliff like a hawk diving for prey.
Watching him, Orochimaru mused, "The Uchiha... so naive."
He turned to his squad. "Ensure no one escapes."
"Hai!"
The Root operatives vanished.
In the village, Shisui moved like a shadow.
He slipped into a home where two men drank, their laughter dying as his blade flashed. Blood splattered the walls.
House by house, he struck with lethal precision. When he encountered children, he cast Genjutsu, lulling them into unconsciousness.
Five minutes.
That's all it took to slaughter every able-bodied man in the village.
Then he turned to the fields.
Screams erupted as villagers fled, but the men couldn't outrun Shisui's wrath. By the time the last body fell, his clothes were drenched in blood.
Root operatives emerged, rounding up the remaining villagers. Corpses littered the ground.
Orochimaru observed Shisui's crimson eyes—the Sharingan flickering with the emergence of a second tomoe.
Interesting.
Most Uchiha awakened their Sharingan through personal loss. Shisui's first tomoe had appeared after his team's tragedy. Yet here he was, stirred by the deaths of strangers.
Orochimaru approached. "Impressive."
Shisui's Sharingan faded as he sheathed his blade and bowed.
Orochimaru continued, "We'll take over. You may return."
Shisui hesitated. "Lord Orochimaru... what will happen to the villagers?"
Orochimaru smiled. "They'll be handed to the Land of Rivers' daimyo as evidence of Suna's crimes."
Relief washed over Shisui. He bowed again and departed.
Once Shisui was out of sight, a Root operative materialized. "Lord Orochimaru, the targets are secured. Your orders?"
"Send the children to Laboratory Two. Preserve the corpses for Laboratory Three."
"Hai!"
Orochimaru hadn't lied—not entirely. The villagers would be handed over... on paper.
But he knew the daimyo would surrender them to Root to avoid Konoha's wrath.
And that wasn't deception—just politics.
Before rejoining his team, Shisui washed away the blood in a river. By the time he returned, the scent of iron was gone, and his teammates noticed nothing amiss.
(+20 Chapter ahead)
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