Naruto: The Clanless Prince

After Sora completed the mission to exterminate the bandits, Orochimaru did not immediately return to Konoha. Instead, he took Sora to meet the Daimyo of Land of Sound. However, Orochimaru instructed Sora to stay behind at the hotel and rest while he met with the Daimyo alone.

Lying on the bed, Sora couldn't help but think about Orochimaru's meeting with the Daimyo. In the future, Orochimaru will establish Otogakure, the Hidden Sound Village, within the territory of Ta no Kuni. It was known that Orochimaru had bribed the Daimyo to gain permission to create the village, though Otogakure itself operated independently and wasn't officially affiliated with Ta no Kuni.

Essentially, Otogakure was Otogakure, and Land of Sound was Land of Sound. The two existed side by side but had no formal connection.

Was Orochimaru already forming a relationship with the Daimyo at this point? If so, it seemed plausible, though his plans might not yet have fully succeeded. Even so, Orochimaru eventually established his shinobi village and developed the Living Corpse Reincarnation, a Forbidden Technique that granted him something akin to immortality.

Looking at Orochimaru's life, much of it could be seen as a success. However, his obsession with the Sharingan would later lead to his downfall. Despite his failures, Orochimaru always managed to survive in the end.

When Sora awoke the next morning, Orochimaru had returned to the hotel.

"Let's head back to Konoha," Orochimaru said.

Sora and Orochimaru began their journey back to the village. Upon their arrival, Orochimaru first accompanied Sora to report the completion of the mission. Afterwards, they went to meet with Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage.

Inside the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen, with his pipe in hand, greeted Sora with a kind smile.

"Sora," he began, "your first mission as a shinobi was a C-rank mission, and you performed exceptionally well."

Sora bowed respectfully. "Thank you very much, Lord Hokage, and thank you, Orochimaru-sensei, for trusting me with this mission."

Sarutobi chuckled warmly. "You've earned it through your own hard work. Orochimaru speaks very highly of you, saying you are both talented and diligent in your training."

Sora glanced at Orochimaru, then replied, "It's all thanks to Orochimaru-sensei's guidance. Without him, I wouldn't have progressed this far so quickly."

Sora's words were sincere. Without Orochimaru's teachings, his training would have been far less effective, and his growth would have been much slower. A good teacher truly made all the difference, helping to avoid unnecessary detours.

Orochimaru had indeed been an excellent mentor, and while Sora remained cautious of him, he couldn't deny his gratitude for Orochimaru's efforts.

Orochimaru's future obsession with the Sharingan weighed on Sora's mind. As long as Orochimaru didn't target Sora's Sharingan, there would be no conflict of interest between them. Perhaps in the future, Orochimaru will still remain his teacher, and Sora will still be his loyal disciple.

Orochimaru did not hesitate to praise Sora in front of Sarutobi Hiruzen. "Sora is an exceptional ninja. Although it was his first mission, the plan he devised, and its execution was flawless. Even some Chūnin with multiple missions under their belt would struggle to perform as well as Sora did."

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a thoughtful puff of his pipe, his expression softening. "This is the first time I've heard you praise a ninja-like this, Orochimaru. It seems you are highly satisfied with your disciple."

Orochimaru glanced at Sora with a faint smile and nodded. "I am indeed very satisfied."

Sarutobi Hiruzen also smiled briefly, but his expression quickly turned serious. Without avoiding Sora, he addressed Orochimaru directly. "Orochimaru, the shinobi world is on the brink of turmoil."

Orochimaru's gaze sharpened. "Are the other ninja villages preparing to make their move?"

The Third Hokage spread out a large map on his desk and began analyzing the situation. "Yes. According to the intelligence we've received, Iwagakure shinobi have been spotted near the border between Taki no Kuni and Hi no Kuni. Meanwhile, shinobi from Kumogakure have been seen on the border between Yu no Kuni and Hi no Kuni.

"And Sunagakure? They've been causing trouble for us sporadically along our borders.

"The current state of Kirigakure is unclear. I've sent multiple letters to the Mizukage, but I have yet to receive any response."

Orochimaru's brow furrowed slightly. "So, Iwagakure and Kumogakure are testing Konoha's defences. If they're acting simultaneously, it's possible they've reached an agreement. If Sunagakure joins them, three of the five great ninja villages will have turned their attention toward Konoha."

He paused, then muttered, "As for Kirigakure... their silence may mean they're avoiding involvement or planning something of their own."

Pointing at the map, Orochimaru asked, "What is the current scale of Iwagakure and Kumogakure's operations?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head. "For now, their movements are minor. They haven't fully entered our borders yet. However, based on their actions, it's only a matter of time before they make more aggressive moves. Right now, they're testing Konoha's resolve."

He sighed and added, "Thankfully, Jiraiya is training Minato. If necessary, Minato can be deployed directly to the battlefield. With them and others of their calibre, we can delay the outbreak of full-scale war for the time being. However, I expect local skirmishes to begin within the next two years."

The Third Hokage's expression grew graver. "It's been only a few years since the Second Ninja World War ended, and peace has been fragile. Now, there are signs of another war on the horizon—one that could be directed squarely at Konoha."

He paused, then continued, "The First Ninja World War began when Kumogakure declared war on Konoha shortly after Senju Hashirama's death. The world had been at peace under the First Hokage's deterrent power, but after his passing, that deterrence was lost. Kumogakure's declaration led to a chain reaction, with the other villages joining the conflict.

"The Second Ninja World War stemmed from economic disparity between the nations. The widening gap sparked militaristic movements, and the countries sought to expand their territories under the pretext of fairness. While neither of these wars saw Land of Fire as the main battlefield, the situation now is different.

"If the four other great villages target Konoha together, the Land of Fire will bear the brunt of the fighting. Our nation will become the primary battlefield, and the resulting devastation will be immense."

Orochimaru's expression turned icy as he studied the map in silence, deep in thought.

Sora, who had been listening intently to the conversation, was taken aback. Signs of war? Was it really so imminent?

On reflection, it seemed inevitable—the timeline fit.

Sora's thoughts drifted to one specific incident: the day when shinobi from Kumogakure would attempt to kidnap Uzumaki Kushina. That day was likely fast approaching.

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