On the Hokage Rock in Konoha, the carved faces of the successive Hokage watched silently over the village. Since its founding, the village had been protected by these legendary shinobi.
The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, was revered as the "God of Shinobi," the founder of Konoha.
The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, was the pioneer who laid the administrative and structural foundations that allowed the village to thrive.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was the leader who truly pushed Konoha to greatness, guiding it through turbulent times.
And the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had sacrificed himself to seal the Nine-Tails inside the young Naruto, shielding the village from the beast's devastation.
For centuries, these figures watched silently, witnessing the village's growth and strength through eras of peace and war alike.
But now, an unfamiliar gaze joined theirs—an eye glowing blood-red, staring down from the shadows of the mountain.
A masked man.
His black cloak billowed softly in the night breeze as he stood atop the Hokage Rock, hands clasped behind his back, silently observing the village below.
After a long moment, the single eye exposed through his orange mask, striped with black, suddenly flickered.
"You're here," he said in his usual low, controlled voice.
From the darkness behind him, a figure slowly emerged.
Pale, almost sickly, with long black hair flowing past his shoulders, and golden eyes with vertical pupils—eyes that radiated cruelty and menace.
One of Konoha's legendary three missing-nin, now a member of Akatsuki: Orochimaru.
"Hehehe…" Orochimaru's laugh was cold and unsettling, a chilling sound that made the night feel heavier.
The masked man spoke. "You're familiar with Konoha, yes?"
Long before meeting with Uchiha Itachi, he had sent someone to summon Orochimaru from the Akatsuki to assist in their plans.
Uchiha Haru had unexpectedly become a wild card in their scheme—possessing strength comparable to a Kage by virtue of his extraordinary physical prowess alone.
Even the masked man, with his Kamui space-time ninjutsu, had suffered minor setbacks due to underestimating him.
Though combined with Itachi and Danzo's covert Root organization, accidents should have been impossible.
But in the Uchiha clan's plans, nothing could be left to chance.
Orochimaru's expression twisted into something unreadable as he faced the masked man. "I'm just curious—who could possibly trouble the legendary Uchiha Madara?"
The masked man's head snapped sharply toward Orochimaru, the red glow of his single eye flaring bright, oppressive like a dragon rising from the abyss.
His aura surged, casting a palpable weight over the space between them.
Orochimaru quickly laughed it off, "I'm only curious about this person. No other intentions."
The masked man's cold, murderous gaze lingered a moment longer before fading.
"My position makes it difficult for me to act directly," he said slowly.
Orochimaru offered no reply.
No matter who the masked man truly was—whether Uchiha Madara or not—his identity didn't concern Orochimaru.
The masked man had his goals. Orochimaru had his own.
They were allied only as far as their interests overlapped.
There was no need to dig deeper.
"Uchiha Haru?" Orochimaru asked, recalling the name.
He had learned fragments about Haru from White Zetsu.
"Indeed," the masked man nodded, pausing. "He is very strong."
"Oh?" Orochimaru's interest sharpened.
He had heard the name before defecting from Konoha, but the impression was faint.
Haru was not known as an outstanding prodigy among his generation.
Otherwise, Orochimaru would have known.
What could have transformed this relatively unknown ninja into someone who gave even the masked man pause within a short time?
Or was Haru a hidden genius comparable to Itachi or Kakashi, deliberately masking his talents since childhood?
Either way, the potential was tantalizing.
Especially for a member of the Uchiha clan.
Uchiha… Sharingan…
Intriguing.
Orochimaru's slender tongue flicked out to wet his dry lips, his cold smile widening.
"I'll go meet him," he said.
With a swift Body Flicker Technique, he vanished.
The masked man remained, eyes fixed on the horizon.
Orochimaru's seeming carelessness was a facade.
He was as cautious as the masked man, if not more so.
There was no need to explain—knowing an opponent's strength in advance was vital.
With Orochimaru involved, the masked man finally felt a measure of ease.
After all, dealing with Orochimaru's strange and unpredictable nature was tricky—even for him.
…
Night had deepened, and silence blanketed the village.
Uchiha Haru was still immersed in his training.
Possessing the Otsutsuki lineage, his body's functions had improved to a degree bordering on the supernatural.
After months of daily practice, he maintained boundless energy without the slightest fatigue.
He closed his eyes, guiding chakra smoothly through his body.
If a Hyuga with Byakugan were present, they would marvel at the immense chakra reserves and precise control flowing within him.
Outside, in the shadows near the house,
Orochimaru approached silently, peering through a crack in the window.
A faint smile curved his lips as he observed the scene—cold and venomous like a snake preparing to strike.
At the same moment,
Haru, eyes closed moments ago, suddenly opened them.
His Sharingan flared to life, blood-red and intense.
His gaze fixed precisely where Orochimaru stood.
"Huh? Discovered?" Orochimaru muttered, surprised.
With his skill, he could have concealed himself from even a Kage-level ninja.
Yet here he was, spotted the instant he neared.
Such sharp perception—he'd only seen it in the masked man, who wielded the Mangekyō Sharingan.
But Haru's eyes were only the three-magatama Sharingan, yet he had reached this level of awareness.
Now he understood why the masked man valued Uchiha Haru so highly.
This boy was truly no ordinary ninja.
Yo, shinobi-in-training!
You've read through intense battles, emotional flashbacks, and probably a few secret forbidden jutsu…
But you still haven't ADDED this story to your COLLECTION, left a REVIEW, or launched a POWER STONE like a Rasengan?
Even Naruto left a shadow clone to drop one.
Sasuke looked back just to judge you.
And Kakashi? He's silently disappointed behind that mask.
Every collection adds chakra to my reserves.
Every review is like unlocking a new jutsu scroll of motivation.
And Power Stones? That's basically Sage Mode fuel—don't leave your author stuck in Genin-level energy!
Be a true comrade—support this humble story so it doesn't vanish like a filler arc!
— Your ever-grateful, totally-not-controlled-by-a-cursed-seal Author
ADD TO COLLECTION | LEAVE A REVIEW | DROP POWER STONES
Or Orochimaru might recruit you next. Just sayin'.
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Let's rise up the rankings together!
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This Week Bonus Chapter - 150 Power stones
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