Naruto: The White Spider of the Leaf

The sun began its descent, casting long shadows over the camp as Orochimaru moved swiftly through the bustling site, barking orders at the shinobi preparing for the upcoming conflict. The camp, once a chaotic mess of disorganization, was now running like a well-oiled machine. Orochimaru's precise guidance had sharpened everyone's focus, and it was clear that the Rain shinobi's plans to push us out of our territory would not go unanswered.

I moved through the camp with Nawaki at my side, both of us checking our gear one last time. The tension was palpable. Everyone knew this fight was coming, and though the air was thick with it, there was little time for anxiety. There was only one way forward.

Minato's condition had stabilized, but he was still resting in the medic tent. As much as I wanted him to be out there with us, it was clear that he needed more time to recover. But I trusted that once he was able, he'd be right back into the fray.

Orochimaru caught my eye as he passed, and with a firm nod, he motioned for us to follow. "We'll be heading into the forest. The Rain shinobi will make their move soon, and we'll be ready for them. You know your roles. Stick to the plan."

"Understood," I replied, the gravity of his words settling in. Nawaki gave a quick thumbs-up, his usual enthusiasm only partially masked by the looming reality of battle.

We made our way to the edge of the camp, where the forest loomed dark and silent. The trees stretched up into the sky, casting deep shadows in the growing dusk. Orochimaru moved ahead, leading us toward the forest with calculated steps. "We're going to set up an ambush," he explained, his voice cold and steady. "The Rain shinobi are likely to approach through here. We'll hit them hard, fast, and before they know what hit them."

Nawaki's voice was full of excitement. "This is gonna be great! I can't wait to show them what I've got!" He bounced on his heels, eager to prove himself.

"Keep your focus, Nawaki," I muttered, a flicker of unease creeping through me. "This is no time to be reckless. We need to win this quickly, not play around."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he replied, his grin wide despite my warning. "I'm ready."

We reached a small clearing in the forest where the path through the trees narrowed, creating the perfect chokepoint for an ambush. Orochimaru gave quick, precise orders as he split our group into smaller teams. Each squad was assigned a section of the perimeter to cover, ensuring that no matter which way the Rain shinobi came from, they would be surrounded.

"We'll move in fast," Orochimaru said, his voice lowering to a sharp whisper. "Once they're in range, we hit them with everything we've got. Don't hesitate."

We moved with purpose, but now, the forest held an eerie silence. The air felt thick as we positioned ourselves in the shadows, weapons ready and senses heightened. I could feel Nawaki's energy at my side, his excitement barely contained as he scanned the trees. I knew he was itching for action, but I just hoped he wouldn't let that energy cloud his judgment.

The moments passed slowly, the world around us feeling suspended in time. The sun dipped lower, casting golden hues across the forest floor before sinking behind the horizon. The only sound was the soft rustling of leaves and the distant chatter of the other teams as they took their positions. The night arrived, it stretched on and the stars aligned to light up the canopy with their soft hues. The new moon did little to help as the hours passed.

Then, without warning, a shift in the air. Movement in the trees. A figure—then another—stepping cautiously into the narrow path. The Rain shinobi had finally arrived.

I glanced at Nawaki, his hand gripping a kunai with a fierce determination. I couldn't help but feel a little admiration for his resolve. The boy was fearless, but this was no game. His survival depended on staying sharp.

Then, Orochimaru's voice cut through the silence like a blade. "Now."

The ambush hit like a storm.

Shuriken and kunai flew through the air, cutting through the night as teams dropped from the trees, landing in perfect formation around the Rain shinobi. They were caught off guard, thrown into chaos as we surged forward. I darted through the shadows, my movements fluid and quick, closing the distance between myself and the nearest enemy.

Nawaki was at my side, grinning like he had been waiting for this moment his entire life. "Let's go!" he yelled, charging forward without hesitation.

I slashed with my kunai, taking down the first Rain shinobi I encountered by cutting his neck open. The forest erupted into chaos, the sounds of combat filling the air. Orochimaru's voice echoed through the trees, giving orders and guiding the shinobi teams as they dismantled the enemy forces one by one.

Nawaki was already engaged with two Rain shinobi, his speed and agility putting him at an advantage. He didn't hesitate to strike, his grin widening with every clash of blades. "This is it!" he shouted, eyes shining with excitement. "I'm gonna show 'em what the Senju bloodline can do!"

I moved to cover his back, cutting down another Rain shinobi who tried to flank him. Despite his cocky attitude, Nawaki wasn't a fool. He fought smart, and I could see the promise in his movements.

The ambush was a success—at least for now. The Rain shinobi were retreating, disorganized and caught off guard. But I knew they'd regroup quickly, and the fight was far from over.

Orochimaru's voice rang out again, this time sharper. "Finish them off! Don't let any of them escape!"

Nawaki rushed forward at those words, and I noticed Orochimaru watching him with a proud look on his face. He seemed rather satisfied with Nawaki's performance during this ambush.

I remember this moment.

This is it, this is the exact moment that Nawaki dies.

I hesitated for a fraction of a second, scanning the scene ahead of me. Something was definitely wrong. The way the Rain shinobi were retreating—too hastily, too disorganized. There was no way they would just run without a last-ditch attempt to turn the tide. My instincts screamed at me to stop Nawaki, to pull him back before he went too far.

I cursed under my breath. "Nawaki, stop!" But my voice was drowned out by the roar of combat.

This was surely a trap, just like in the original timeline!

Without thinking, I sprinted forward as I opened the First Gate for a boost, the adrenaline pumping through my veins, drowning out everything else. Nawaki's back was to me, too focused on the enemies in front of him to notice the danger beneath his feet.

I was almost there—just a few more steps. But time was running out. I could hear the faintest hiss of a fuse, the unmistakable sound of an explosive tag being triggered.

"Nawaki!" I screamed, my voice frantic now.

But it was too late.

In one motion, I dove forward, grabbing Nawaki by the arm and yanking him back just as the trap went off. The explosion rocked the forest, the force of it sending shockwaves through the ground beneath us. A deafening boom filled my ears, and dirt and debris rained down around us, the trees shaking from the blast.

I managed to pull Nawaki out of the blast radius just in time, but it hit me. Both of us tumbled to the ground, rolling away from the epicenter as I clung to him. My heart pounded in my chest as I fought to regain my footing, still holding onto Nawaki, who had been knocked off balance but was otherwise unhurt.

"Shirokumo?" Nawaki blinked up at me, confusion in his eyes. His face was streaked with dirt, and his breathing was heavy from the shock, but his grin was still there, albeit slightly rattled. "What... what just happened?"

I didn't give him the chance to speak any further. My heart was still hammering in my chest as I pulled him up with one hand. I think I broke my other one from the shockwave that hit us. It hung sideways in an unnatural way, yeah, definitely broken.

"You almost got yourself killed, you idiot!" I growled, my voice tight with fury and relief.

Nawaki blinked, clearly processing what had just occurred. His eyes went wide. "The trap... I didn't—"

"Of course you didn't," I muttered, my hands still trembling from the close call. "You were too busy rushing in without thinking. What if I hadn't pulled you back? You'd be in too many pieces to even be considering the consequences right now!"

Nawaki took a moment to glance back at the crater left by the explosion, the remnants of the trap still smoldering in the air. The truth of it hit him, and for a brief second, the cocky grin slipped from his face.

"I—I didn't know..." Nawaki said, his voice uncharacteristically subdued.

I gritted my teeth, looking at him sternly. "You don't know until it's too late, Nawaki. We're not invincible, no matter how strong we are or how much blood runs in our veins."

He seemed to process my words, his usual confidence replaced by a newfound awareness of the dangers surrounding us. He gave a slow nod, and his grin returned, though it was tempered now with a more serious edge. "Thanks, Shirokumo. I owe you one."

I had to be hard on him here, otherwise he would just repeat the same mistake again later.

Before I could respond to him, Orochimaru's voice cut through the air, sharp and demanding. "What's the delay? Finish them off!" He was still coordinating the remaining forces, ensuring the enemy didn't regroup.

Nawaki straightened up, brushing the dirt off his clothes with a sheepish grin. "Right! No more messing around."

I watched him for a moment, still slightly shaken, but I knew better than to show it. This was a battle, and the fight was far from over. I gave him a hard look before glancing back at the retreating Rain shinobi, now disorganized and vulnerable.

"Stay focused, Nawaki," I said, voice firm but quieter now, urging him to remain calm. 

With a quick nod, Nawaki fell into step beside me once again, his attitude back in place but with a new edge of caution. We weren't invincible, but together, we could make sure it wouldn't be the last time we fought side by side.

I grabbed my arm and tried to apply a little of the medical ninjutsu I'd grasped. It wasn't much as of the moment, but it was what I'd learned. 

I think I was wrong about breaking it, it seems to only be dislocated, so putting it back in place wasn't the hardest of things to do even on the go. Though, I swear I felt like I heard it snap. 

Guess I was lucky.

The Rain Shinobi's plans practically went up in flames from then on. We surely lost some good men on both sides, but by the end of things we caught several of the Rain Shinobi while the rest made their escape back through the wilderness, probably super confused about how we knew they'd be coming right now.

The fight was now over.

I'd done it.

I'd actually done it.

I changed a canon event by preventing Senju Nawaki's death!

Before I could say anything to him, Orochimaru's voice sliced through the tension like a blade. He was approaching us, his usual cold expression replaced with something that could only be described as curious.

"Shirokumo," he said, stopping just a few paces from me. "How did you know there was a trap? Even I, a Jonin, missed it."

His words hit me like a thunderclap, and I froze, my heart skipping a beat. My eyes flicked to Nawaki, then back to Orochimaru. I'd been on edge since the explosion, but this—this question—caught me off guard. There was no way I could tell the truth. I cursed inwardly. How could I explain it? Do I just tell him that in that moment, something about the way the Rain shinobi had been retreating had just felt wrong? That I knew, deep down, that something was off, and that my gut had screamed at me to act, even though I couldn't pinpoint why?

I cleared my throat, trying to mask the nervousness creeping up on me. "I must've just been lucky," I said, trying to keep my voice steady, forcing a nonchalant shrug. "I've learned to trust my instincts, that's all. Just happened to notice something felt... off."

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, studying me for a long moment, and I could feel the weight of his gaze, as if he were trying to see right through me. I was no stranger to such scrutiny, but this felt different. There was something in his expression that made the air feel even thicker, as though he was assessing me more than he usually would.

But after what felt like an eternity, he nodded, seemingly satisfied with my answer, though there was still a flicker of doubt in his eyes.

"That's probably right, and it's impressive," he said, his voice colder than usual, but then his tone softened slightly, a hint of something almost… grateful. "Still, thank you. If you hadn't been paying attention..."

He paused, his lips pressing together in a tight line, before he continued. "I don't know how I would've been able to look Tsunade in the eyes if anything had happened to her little brother while he was under my tutelage. My protection."

My heart skipped at the mention of Tsunade, and I couldn't help but flinch. Orochimaru's words hit harder than I expected. I could see it now—the weight of the responsibility on his shoulders. Not just as a Jonin commander, but as a friend and teammate to Tsunade, Nawaki's older sister. She'd entrusted her brother to him, there's no way that he wouldn't be at least a little shaken after such a close call, right?

I glanced at Nawaki, who seemed completely oblivious to the depth of the conversation. He was back to his usual self, eager for the next battle. What a dolt.

"No need to thank me," I said, my voice steady now, though it felt hollow. "I just did what had to be done."

Orochimaru regarded me for a moment longer, his gaze unreadable, before he turned away. "That's all anyone can ask for. Let's return to the outpost."

As he walked off, I exhaled a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. The adrenaline was wearing off, and my body was starting to feel the aftermath of the battle. But there was something else beneath it all—a knot in my stomach. I couldn't shake the feeling that I had just crossed a line. I had saved Nawaki's life by using the knowledge of my past life, and Orochimaru… Knowing how shrewd that man can be, I just knew he would've figured I was hiding something.

I just hope it doesn't pique his interest too much.