Naruto: The Clanless Prince

After praising Sora, Orochimaru's tone shifted as he began pointing out areas for improvement.

"First of all," he began, "your hand seal speed needs significant work.

"In a duel between shinobi of equal strength, victory often depends on who can form their hand seals faster. If you're slow, you'll lose the initiative and be forced into a defensive position. This could be fatal in your next battle.

"From now on, incorporate additional hand seal practice into your training regimen. This is the main issue.

"As for the others," he continued, "they're minor flaws that have been exposed during your regular training. Continue addressing those when you return."

Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed as he added, "Overall, your progress is commendable. Because you had so many problems early on, I put off teaching you the Summoning Technique. However, once these minor issues are resolved, you'll sign a contract with Ryūchi Cave and begin learning to summon. Gradually, you'll also start mastering my secret techniques."

Sora's excitement was immediate. The thought of finally learning Orochimaru's secret techniques filled her with determination. She replied eagerly, "Yes, Teacher Orochimaru!"

Orochimaru placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Sora, I know what drives you. To you, Konoha is a prison. You push yourself so hard because you want to escape it. One day, you'll leave Konoha."

"Teacher Orochimaru…" Sora frowned, her tone defensive, but Orochimaru pressed on, ignoring her protest.

"I've said it before—we are alike.

"I desire to master every jutsu in existence, but this body of mine is a prison, just as Konoha is yours. Eventually, this body will become a hindrance to me, and I will do whatever it takes to break free of it.

"As someone like me, I know exactly what you're thinking."

A gust of wind swept through the area, carrying a chill as it lifted both their hair. Orochimaru turned his gaze to the bright moon above, his voice raspy yet filled with a magnetic allure.

"I have expectations for you now, Sora," he said, his words heavy with meaning. "I want to see where the wind will take you as my disciple."

Sora stared at him, her expression blank with uncertainty. Orochimaru's words carried layers of meaning she couldn't fully understand.

Even so, she decided to respond firmly. "Teacher Orochimaru, I will always be a ninja of Konoha."

Orochimaru lowered his head, smiling faintly at Sora. But behind the smile, his eyes carried a mysterious, unreadable emotion.

At that moment, even Orochimaru himself was conflicted.

The Second Ninja World War had left deep scars on him. He had witnessed the deaths of his friend Kato Dan and his disciple Nawaki.

Nawaki's death, in particular, had left a profound impact on Orochimaru. Though Nawaki's personality was closer to Jiraiya's—idealistic and optimistic—Orochimaru still cared deeply for him.

During the war, Nawaki charged into battle with boundless enthusiasm, only to fall victim to a detonating trap laid by the enemy.

By the time Orochimaru and Tsunade arrived, it was too late. Nawaki was already gone—his body destroyed, his internal organs scattered.

Even Tsunade, a master of medical ninjutsu, couldn't save him.

Confronted with the brutal reality of Nawaki's death, Orochimaru found himself questioning the meaning of life. He had also borne witness to the war's disregard for the value of human existence. To Orochimaru, life itself seemed fragile and fleeting.

But within that fragility, he saw potential. Orochimaru believed the human body held untapped power—an endless reservoir of possibilities. To him, the key to unlocking the truth of existence lay in mastering all ninjutsu.

Only then could one truly comprehend the essence of the world?

The vast number of ninjutsu in the ninja world meant that even with a lifetime of effort, it was impossible to master them all. This realization left Orochimaru feeling that his body was nothing more than a burden, limiting his ambitions.

Driven by his insatiable thirst for knowledge, Orochimaru secretly eliminated the guards and infiltrated Konoha's Forbidden Jutsu archives, seizing numerous scrolls. Among them was the Reanimation Jutsu, a technique that could summon the souls of the deceased from the underworld and temporarily revive them in the present world.

Orochimaru had been studying the Reanimation Jutsu intensely. Though he hadn't yet mastered it, the research provided him with an invaluable insight: the essence of existence lay in the soul.

To Orochimaru, the human body was merely a vessel, a container for the soul. This revelation led to a groundbreaking question: if one could transfer their soul into another's body, could immortality be achieved?

At this point, Orochimaru's hypothesis was purely theoretical. He had yet to initiate experiments. However, to bring this vision to life, he knew it would inevitably involve human experimentation—a taboo throughout the ninja world, and especially in Konoha.

Human experimentation violated ethics and was strictly forbidden. Moreover, Orochimaru's status as a disciple of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, further restrained him.

He began to feel suffocated—not only by the limitations of his physical body but also by the moral and societal constraints imposed upon him.

If he were not the Third Hokage's disciple, if he were not a shinobi of Konoha, he could experiment freely, unhindered by the judgment of others.

Orochimaru found himself at a crossroads, torn between his ambition and the rules binding him.

And then, there was Sora.

At first, Orochimaru evaluated Sora only in favour of Hiruzen, agreeing to determine whether the boy had the potential to become his disciple. Sora had proven to be remarkably talented—a true genius.

But it wasn't Sora's raw ability that captured Orochimaru's attention. What truly intrigued him was the fleeting look in Sora's eyes—a look that revealed an unrelenting determination to achieve his goals, no matter the cost.

That look reminded Orochimaru of himself.

During the Second Ninja World War, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade were trapped in a cave surrounded by Iwagakure shinobi. Jiraiya had been gravely injured, and even he believed he wouldn't survive.

Orochimaru's solution at the time had been cold and calculated: Jiraiya was too severely wounded to continue, and his condition would only drag them down. Orochimaru resolved to kill Jiraiya himself, ensuring that he and Tsunade could escape.

Tsunade had been horrified, accusing him of being heartless for considering such a thing.

She wasn't wrong. Orochimaru had always known he was ruthless.

Looking at Sora now, Orochimaru saw a reflection of his younger self. He believed that if placed in a similar situation, Sora would make the same choices he had. This alignment in their natures made Qianyu a disciple who resonated with Orochimaru's ideals.

But there was a lingering curiosity within Orochimaru: would Sora remain steadfast, or would he falter along the way?

Sora, meanwhile, felt uneasy under Orochimaru's intense gaze. He couldn't discern what his teacher was thinking, and that uncertainty left him tense.

Turning his back to Sora, Orochimaru spoke in a low, deliberate voice. "Don't worry. Follow your own plan. I won't stand in your way. In fact, I'll support you—because you are my disciple. I'll do everything I can to train you to ensure you become the wind that cuts through the air."

Sora stared at Orochimaru's back, his expression conflicted.

Something about Orochimaru seemed... different. And his attitude toward Sora felt strangely altered.

"Because you are my disciple."

The words sounded genuine as if Orochimaru truly recognized him as more than just another subordinate. But Sora couldn't help but wonder: was this recognition real? Or would Orochimaru see him as nothing more than another tool, like so many others before him?

Sora's mind swirled with questions, but he chose to remain silent.

Orochimaru had said that Sora would eventually leave Konoha, yet he also told him to proceed with his plans. For now, it seemed Orochimaru didn't intend to expose Sora's true thoughts to others.

Sora exhaled softly, his resolve firm. No matter Orochimaru's intentions, he would stay vigilant and continue forward on his chosen path.

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