Chapter 140: Orochimaru: You Cover for Me

Hinata slowly opened her eyes. After a few seconds, the memories of what had happened earlier came flooding back.

"Date…"

Hinata murmured to herself, and her face flushed red once more. She was no longer the naïve girl she once was—she knew what a date implied.

Does Shinho-kun like me?

Was he joking, or was he serious?

Ahhh!

For the first time, Hinata hated her own personality. She covered her face with her hands, utterly embarrassed.

How could I faint at such a crucial moment?!

After a long while, Hinata calmed herself, placing her hand on her chest and taking a deep breath. She gathered her thoughts, got out of bed, and headed for the living room.

The sun had already begun to set, but there was still some time before nightfall.

In the living room, she saw Shinho sitting cross-legged on the sofa, meditating.

Hinata stood still, unable to take her eyes off him.

"What are you staring at?"

Shinho's lips curved into a small smile as he asked without opening his eyes.

Hinata's body jolted at being caught. Her face turned bright red again, and she quickly lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze.

"I'll take you home," Shinho said, sparing her further embarrassment to prevent her from fainting again.

Hinata nodded instinctively but felt a sense of reluctance welling up inside her. Is our time together really ending so soon?

"Come on, Hinata."

Shinho stood on the lift platform, extending his hand toward her.

Hinata bit her lip and ran forward, taking his hand. At that moment, she felt a warmth spread throughout her body—an overwhelming sense of happiness.

After escorting Hinata home, Shinho returned to the Senju residence. Upon entering the living room, his eyes immediately brightened.

Tsunade had changed into the qipao he had bought for her. She was seated on the sofa, her long, slender legs crossed. 

The high slit of the qipao revealed glimpses of her fair, smooth skin. Further up, the dress hugged her curves, accentuating her full figure.

"Sensei," Shinho said, noticing the fatigue on her face. "You seem troubled. Did something happen?"

"Nothing much," Tsunade waved it off casually. "It's just that Mei Terumi over in the Hidden Mist Village seems to think we need to renegotiate the terms of our exchange."

"Is it about the Byakugan?" Shinho asked, already having a hunch.

The Byakugan held great strategic value, especially for the Hidden Mist.

In the original timeline, it was Ao's Byakugan that uncovered the control placed on the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, by Uchiha Obito. That incident had marked a turning point in the village's history.

If they gave up the Byakugan now, how would they deal with future situations like that?

"Yeah, it's the Byakugan," Tsunade confirmed with a nod.

"How are you planning to handle it?" Shinho asked, though his gaze kept drifting. The qipao flattered her figure too much to ignore.

"We'll stall," Tsunade said with a smirk. "Konoha holds all the cards right now. We've got time."

"Smooth," Shinho agreed. "We're not in a hurry anyway."

"Shinho," Tsunade suddenly crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Do you think I look good in this?"

"Sensei always looks beautiful," Shinho replied without a seconds delay, his heart skipping a beat, but his expression stayed calm.

"Smooth talker." Tsunade gave him a long, scrutinizing look before sighing. "Go make dinner."

"Right away." Shinho nodded and headed into the kitchen, grateful for the escape.

"That little brat is really growing up…" Tsunade muttered to herself, rubbing her temples.

That look in his eyes wasn't so innocent anymore, she thought.

"Being too attractive has its downsides..." tsunade murmured, her proud smile not matching her concerned tone.

Still, Tsunade wasn't too concerned. She knew Shinho admired her, but he was also her student. Even if his teenage hormones ran wildm, she trusted that their bond would keep him in check.

Shinho opened the fridge and grabbed a tomato, taking a bite. The refreshing coldness spread through his mouth, snapping him out of his thoughts about Tsunade.

There would be a time and place to approach things more directly. For now, there was no rush.

As he finished the tomato, he picked up a knife and started preparing dinner.

"Shinho?"

Shizune's voice came from the doorway.

"Shizune-nee, when did you get back?" Shinho asked, glancing up while slicing meat. Shizune was wearing her jonin vest, suggesting she had just returned from a mission.

"Just now," Shizune said with a smile. "What's on the menu for tonight?"

"Stir-fried shredded pork," Shinho answered casually.

"Need help?" Shizune asked, already rolling up her sleeves, revealing her pale wrists.

"No need, you can go relax," Shinho said, shaking his head.

Shizune sighed with mild disappointment. She enjoyed spending time with him.

Half an hour later, dinner was ready. 

After eating, Shinho headed to his training room to cultivate, refining his chakra and expanding his reserves.

It was a long and seemingly endless task, but one that he couldn't afford to neglect.

Early the next morning, Shinho was jolted awake by a sudden scream.

He sat up, startled, and saw Shizune standing at his door, her face bright red as she covered her eyes.

Shinho blinked, then realized the situation. Ah… summer nights.

He had fallen asleep with barely any clothes on—it was too hot.

"Wh-why aren't you wearing anything?!" Shizune stammered, her heart pounding wildly as images of Shinho's well-toned body flashed through her mind.

"Why didn't you knock?" Shinho asked calmly, pulling the blanket over himself.

"I-I…" Shizune muttered, embarrassed as she turned away and quickly closed the door. "Breakfast is ready," she called out, her voice trembling as she tried to compose herself.

Shinho chuckled softly. After getting dressed, he washed up and joined them for breakfast. Shizune, although still flustered, avoided eye contact with him the entire time.

"Sensei," Shinho said, suddenly remembering something. "I have a day off today. I can help you with your work."

"You're not training today?" Tsunade asked, surprised.

"I'll take a break for a day," Shinho said casually, waving it off.

"Well then," Tsunade said, grinning. "You're the Hokage for today!"

"…"

Shinho's mouth twitched.

How could being Hokage feel so worthless?

However, he had another reason for coming to the Hokage's office today, beyond covering her duties: he wanted to check if there was any news about the Joint Chūnin Exams.

In the original timeline, these exams had taken place about a month or two after the mission in the Land of Waves.

Because it was a joint event, the Village Hidden in the Sand would have had to notify Konoha well in advance. 

But now, things were different; Sarutobi Hiruzen was no longer Hokage. Would the Joint Chūnin Exams and the Konoha Crush Plan still occur?

The odds seemes good enough, Shinho thought. 

After all, Orochimaru was still after Uchiha Sasuke's body. Even though the Uchiha clan hadn't been entirely wiped out, Sasuke was undeniably a top-tier talent that Orochimaru couldn't resist. The exact approach, however, was anyone's guess.

Back in his previous life, many fans had theorized that Orochimaru had planned the entire Konoha Crush operation for two main reasons: one, to exact revenge on Konoha, and two, to give his former teacher, Sarutobi Hiruzen, a "worthy send-off." 

If Orochimaru's sole goal had been Sasuke, he could have achieved it with far less trouble—sneaking into the village and abducting Sasuke in secret would have been simpler by far.

Regardless, if Konoha were to host the Joint Chūnin Exams, they'd have to approve it in advance.

After breakfast, Shinho, Tsunade, and Shizune made their way to the Hokage's office. 

As always, Shizune got right to work organizing the files before heading off to track down Nara Shikaku for support with any administrative issues.

"You sit there," Tsunade said, motioning to the Hokage's chair.

"You were being serious?" Shinho hesitated, shaking his head. "It wouldn't look good if someone saw me sitting there."

"Why wouldn't it?" Tsunade demanded with her usual confidence. "I'm the Hokage. Who would dare object?"

Well…if you insist.

Shinho shrugged and took the seat. If anything happened, Tsunade would take the heat any potential outrage.

"Ah, this is fantastic." Tsunade crossed the room and flopped down on the sofa, closing her eyes as a relaxed smile crept onto her face. 

She kicked off her high-heeled sandals, exposing her fair legs as she wiggled her toes happily.

Not exactly dignified for a Hokage, Shinho thought, chuckling as he observed her.

No Hokage aura here, he mused, though he privately preferred Tsunade's composed demeanor. There was something distinctly graceful about her then.

He picked up a file from the desk and began reviewing it. One name caught his attention: Jiraiya.

"Jiraiya?" Shinho raised an eyebrow. "Isn't he supposed to be out searching for the Child of Prophecy? What's this about?"

Opening the file, he read through it quickly. Jiraiya was requesting Konoha's assistance to locate a place called Castle of Neck.

Now that name sounds familiar, Shinho thought, rubbing his forehead until it clicked. 

The mission to the Land of Honey—the one where Naruto, Hinata, and Kiba had to locate a missing daimyo's wife. 

They had found a castle built by a man named Kōza Kubisaki, only to discover it wasn't a castle at all but rather a powerful chameleon summoning beast in disguise.

The mission had stuck with Shinho for one reason: a hidden Easter egg had revealed the contract scroll for Shuzaki's lizard summoning beast bore the name of Masashi Kishimoto, the Creator of the Naruto universe. 

That summoning beast's size and strength rivaled the three Great Sage Summoning Beasts.

Why would Jiraiya be looking for it?

This hadn't happened in the original story. While ninja could have multiple summons, Jiraiya had no reason to add another—he already had access to Mount Myōboku's toads.

"Sensei," Shinho called out, "Jiraiya's asking about a place called Castle of Neck."

"Castle of Neck?" Tsunade looked thoughtful. "Isn't that in the extinct Land of Neck?"

"Yes," Shinho confirmed with a nod.

"Alright, arrange for a squad to start the search," Tsunade replied casually.

Even though Jiraiya spent much of his time outside the village, his standing in Konoha was undeniable. Fulfilling his request was a given.

"Understood." Shinho moved on to the next file. Unfortunately, there was nothing on the Chūnin Exams yet.

….

Land of Rice Fields, Village Hidden in Sound

"Lord Orochimaru." Kabuto Yakushi entered the room, handing over a scroll. "The Edo Tensei technique has been successfully modified."

"Excellent." Orochimaru unfurled the scroll and reviewed its contents with a satisfied smile. "You've done well, Kabuto."

"It's only my duty," Kabuto replied evenly.

Orochimaru had discovered Kabuto five years ago after Kabuto had killed his adoptive mother, Nonō Yakushi, and was drifting aimlessly. 

With just a few words, Orochimaru had given Kabuto a new purpose. He hadn't anticipated Kabuto's exceptional talents, which had proven invaluable over the years.

"And what about my potential vessels?" Orochimaru licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Unfortunately…" Kabuto shook his head. "There's been no success in locating another compatible vessel for your soul."

Eight years ago, Orochimaru had perfected the Living Corpse Reincarnation technique, which allowed him to transfer his soul to another body and thereby attain immortality. However, a soul could reject its new host, resulting in weakness and decay. 

Currently, Orochimaru's host body was a female ninja with an unusually high compatibility. Yet, the body had no bloodline limit, and after eight years, its functions were steadily degrading.

"How about Uchiha Sasuke?" Orochimaru's gaze darkened as he recalled his humiliating defeat at the hands of Itachi. The crushing power of Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan had ignited a burning desire within him. If he could obtain such a vessel, he would be truly unstoppable.

"This is the latest report." Kabuto handed over a dossier.

Orochimaru skimmed through it, his interest growing. It was confirmed—Sasuke had the potential to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.

"With Tsunade now Hokage, it's about time I prepared a little gift for her," Orochimaru said, mulling over his options. "Kabuto, summon Danzō."

"Understood." Kabuto nodded and left.

When news of the Hokage's succession had spread years ago, the shift hadn't caused much of a stir. Tsunade's appointment had seemed natural. 

But Orochimaru knew it was far from normal; in fact, the truth was even more shocking than he had anticipated. 

Driven by curiosity, he had reached out to Danzō and learned the full story, which only intensified his amusement. Orochimaru now suspected that Itachi's defection was a ruse, a way to grant the Uchiha clan a new path to survival.

As part of their arrangement, Orochimaru allowed Danzō to reside in the Hidden Sound Village, where he trained new potential vessels on Orochimaru's behalf. Root had always been adept at raising hunting dogs, and Orochimaru saw no reason to disrupt this useful arrangement.

Shortly after, Danzō entered Orochimaru's chambers.

"Is there something you need?" Danzō asked curtly.

"Do you still want to be Hokage?" Orochimaru's voice was chillingly smooth. "I could help you achieve that."

"What?" Danzō's breath quickened, eyes gleaming with sudden intensity.

"It's exactly as it sounds," Orochimaru replied, licking his lips in anticipation.

His plan was to use Danzō as a distraction—a puppet to stir up chaos while he slipped in quietly to take Sasuke. 

Orochimaru, as a former member of the Sannin, was all too familiar with Konoha's defenses. 

While the Hidden Sound had made strides over the past five years, challenging Konoha head-on was still a fool's errand. So why would he waste resources?

Sound Village served its purpose. After five years of nurturing Danzō's ambitions, it was time for him to bear the weight.

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