At Konoha Hospital, a single ward was filled with angry shouts.
"Orochimaru, what the hell do you think you're doing?!"
The Third Hokage was furious. "Do you have any idea how much chaos you've caused in the village with this stunt of yours?"
"It's one thing to injure yourself in training, but to be seen like this by so many people and collapse in public? Do you think the villagers aren't already stressed enough?"
Orochimaru, still lying in the hospital bed, shifted slightly, propped up by pillows. His pale, sickly face looked even more drained, but a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"Too harsh, old man." He spoke in a soft, almost teasing tone. "Your lovely disciple is seriously injured, you know."
Hearing such shameless words, the Third Hokage froze, momentarily cooled by the audacity of Orochimaru's behavior. His anger faltered.
"Orochimaru, you..."
Orochimaru straightened a bit, ignoring the irritation in the Hokage's voice. "Alright, old man, I didn't intentionally let my body get like this. As for the villagers..."
He casually rubbed his chin, his tone unconcerned. "Just tell them I was fighting the enemy responsible for destroying the village. Though I got injured, I didn't die. That's good news, right?"
"See? Coming up with an explanation is easy."
The Third Hokage was momentarily taken aback. The suggestion was actually quite a good one—one that could help smooth things over quickly.
However, his mind was still racing with questions. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself before asking again, "Orochimaru, tell me the truth. Did you really encounter the enemy controlling the Nine-Tails?"
In the Hokage's eyes, Orochimaru had always been reckless, not thinking about the village's best interests. If this were truly the case, how could he come up with such a method unless he had firsthand experience? It was a political move, and it seemed too specific to be a coincidence.
Orochimaru shook his head, insisting, "Of course not. This is just a personal issue with my training."
The Third Hokage sighed, his anger now dissipating. He gave Orochimaru a long, hard look, filled with unspoken complexity.
"Forget it this time, Orochimaru. Just take care of yourself."
With that, the Third Hokage turned and left, his mind focused on the bigger changes the village was facing. He had no time to waste arguing further with Orochimaru.
Soon after the Hokage left, Danzo walked in. The soundproof barrier that had just been removed closed again as he approached the bed.
Danzo's face was tense, his eyes narrowed. He had woken Orochimaru from his rest and spoke coldly.
"Orochimaru, I need an explanation."
Orochimaru blinked, clearly groggy from sleep. Seeing Danzo's hand retract from the bed, he joked, "Danzo, with that kind of move, I thought you were trying to kill me."
Danzo glared at Orochimaru with venomous eyes. If killing him would have no repercussions, he would've done it without hesitation. However, he doubted his ability to kill Orochimaru. The man had too many life-saving abilities, making him difficult to eliminate.
Danzo even wondered if Orochimaru's injuries were real. After all, last night, Orochimaru's sudden display of acting skills had left a lasting impression on him.
Not wanting to waste time, Danzo asked the same question the Third Hokage had earlier. "Did your injuries come from an enemy last night?"
"No," Orochimaru replied flatly, "These are the consequences of failing a ninjutsu."
Danzo's anger flared. "Then why did the Third Hokage say that? What kind of deal is between you two?"
The fabricated story of an enemy had disrupted many of Danzo's plans and, in the process, given Orochimaru more leverage. The Fourth Hokage had been defeated and killed, while Orochimaru had managed to escape unharmed—clearly, something was off.
"I don't know," Orochimaru replied nonchalantly, adjusting his pillow. "Maybe the old man was just too ashamed."
"Orochimaru!" Danzo shouted, his voice rising. "Don't forget our deal!"
"This is what I wanted to say to you," Orochimaru retorted with a sneer. "The hundred million taels isn't ready yet, but give me the person and information I requested as soon as possible."
"You'll regret this," Danzo muttered angrily, slamming the door behind him as he left.
Orochimaru closed his eyes and drifted back into a deep sleep.
---
Later that night, as the moon reached its peak, Orochimaru woke up to find his injuries had healed significantly. He glanced at the lamp god floating near him and spoke.
"I don't understand."
The lamp god, now in human form, smiled. "What don't you understand? This is all part of the plan. We work together, so you don't need to worry about the details."
Orochimaru licked his lips, intrigued. "But I'm curious... it seems you're not just forcing Danzo to fulfill his end of the deal."
"Yes, that's only part of it," the lamp god nodded. "There's more going on here."
Before they could continue, a nurse knocked on the door and announced, "Master Orochimaru, the head of the Uchiha clan is here to see you."
Orochimaru frowned. He was about to decline when he heard the lamp god's voice: "Let him in."
Uchiha Fugaku entered the room, looking serious and preoccupied.
The lamp god took control of Orochimaru's body and asked, "It's late—why has the Uchiha clan leader come to see me?"
"Master Orochimaru," Fugaku began, his tone solemn, "I heard that you encountered the enemy who controlled the Nine-Tails and attacked the village. Can you tell me who they are, what methods they used, and what their characteristics were?"
Orochimaru smirked. "Patriarch Fugaku, you seem quite eager to see me at this hour."
"I didn't expect the Uchiha clan to be so concerned about the village's safety," Orochimaru continued, his smile widening.
Fugaku's expression hardened. "What do you mean by that, Orochimaru? Uchiha is Konoha's Uchiha. We are naturally concerned about the village and will do whatever it takes to deal with the enemies who attacked it."
"Heh," Orochimaru sneered, "Patriarch Fugaku, you're not being entirely truthful. You came here because you suspect Uchiha's involvement with the one controlling the Nine-Tails, right?"
Fugaku stiffened, surprised that Orochimaru would say it so directly. He had been concerned, especially with the events of that night—his own guards had been ordered to stay away from the battle, and there had been some troubling rumors circulating in the village since.
"But it's a shame," Orochimaru continued, "My injuries weren't from an enemy at all. They were just a result of failing at a ninjutsu. The so-called mysterious enemy? That was a story made up by the Third Hokage to boost morale."
"To clear Uchiha's name? Well, you've come to the wrong person, Chief Fugaku."
Fugaku's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Are you saying that's not true?"
Orochimaru nodded. "It was all fake."
Fugaku's face contorted in confusion and anger. "What are you saying?"
Orochimaru's smile faded into a serious expression. "The failure of my ninjutsu was just a cover-up to fool the Third Hokage. I really did fight the one behind this—and I was severely injured in the process."
He narrowed his eyes, leaning closer. "The mastermind behind this had a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan."
Fugaku's expression grew dark, realization dawning on him.
"What do you think would happen if I told the truth to the Third Hokage?" Orochimaru mused, his voice cold and calculated.
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