As Orochimaru and I walked in the dark and spooky woods, I remembered all the terrible things he did in the original canon. Assassination, illegal experimentation, betraying comrades- the man did it all with a smirk on his face. I like to think that my presence in this world has changed him for the better, but I was so weak for so long that I’m not sure I have made a big enough impact or not. During the Third Ninja War, I served under his command and interacted a little, but other than his teammates, Orochimaru had never gotten that close with anyone I can remember.
“This is far enough,” Orochimaru said as he came to a stop. “The festivities should be ramping up thanks to your little dancing lanterns. Hiruzen should be overjoyed with you. Maybe the money he spent on that ridiculous circus of his won’t go to complete waste.”
“Oh my, Orochimaru, don’t tell me you don’t enjoy the circus. Stale popcorn, loud noises, animal abuse- what is there not to love?”
“Ah yes, that humor of yours, can’t say I missed it very much.” Orochimaru delivered with dry snark.
“You were never that forthcoming with your feelings. An unfortunate side effect of many war orphans turned child soldiers.”
“No need to be so nervous, Amon. I didn’t drag you out here to kill you. I wished to ask you about your new students.”
“Them? They are okay, I guess. About what I expected.”
“As you expected?”
“I was never going to be assigned any of the clan-affiliated kids. My speaking out against the Hyugas treatment of their own people, even if individuals amongst the other clans agreed with me, it made me a pariah amongst the village, that and all the new genin who exceed in traditional ninja arts would be paired up with the clan kids in the hopes of befriending and recruiting new talents, or at the very least using them as protecters for their own.”
“And you don’t think Danzo had something to do with who you received as your students.”
“He most certainly did. I just don’t believe that his actions made any significant impact.”
“Be careful about underestimating that man.”
“Hmm, why? Do you think he placed a spy among my students?”
Orochimaru looks a little surprised at my question. “What makes you think that?”
“He hasn’t. Only one of my students is a relative to a shinobie in the village, and he works for you. I’m guessing Danzo has asked you to gather information about me, seeing I have been purposely training my students out of the public eye. Did Danzo hit you with the “For the good of the village” line yet?” He loves that line. I can't wait for the day I get to use that line against him.
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“He won’t have to. He will go to Gem Miyata and offer him a deal just to ask his sister a question.”
“But the fact that you and I are talking means you want the deal first.”
“I want many things. The first thing I want is what Danzo is going to learn when he investigates your training.”
“Hmm, well, the first thing he’s going to learn about is that I am teaching them the Shadow Clone jutsu.”
Orochimaru’s eyes flashed with recognition at that. “That's a bit ambitious for new graduates.”
“It is, but one, A useful technique to learn, two, something I and my “arrogant mind set” would do.”
“You think Danzo would use that against you?”
“I know he would want to, but he is patient enough to hold on to that. He would wait for a bunch of my trouble-making actions to pile up and then suddenly act like a concerned citizen who just discovered a vast conspiracy and attempt to lay out my dirty laundry for all to see. “Amon is at it again. He recklessly endangers the lives of his students for his own gain. How can we sit back and allow the village's future to be in such hands?” I said, imitating Danzo’s public speaking voice.
“You taught them the Shadow Clone justus to accomplish more than just annoy Danzo,” Orochimaru said, not asking a question.
“I did. They get to learn a “Cool” jutsu right off the bat. Helps with morale; it forces their chakra pools to expand when they use such a taxing jutsu. And after they have exhausted them selfs, chakra control practice works a lot better.”
Orochimaru studies my face. A difficult act seeing I’m always wrapped up like a mummy. “You are hiding things.”
“I am. I haven’t told you even half of the plans I have for my students, but if any of my students were questioned, these are the facts that they would know. If Danzo investigates, these are the things that he will discover. Now you can go to him with all of these juicy secrets. He won’t be satisfied with just this, but unless he believes he has me dead to rights, he will never be happy, and I don’t have the time to make up evidence to send him on a wild goose chase.”
After a moment of staring at me, Orochimaru lifted his hands in mock surrender. “Fine, fine, Danzo shouldn’t be too suspicious of your actions, and you are right that the information you provide wouldn’t be enough for Danzo to use against you. At most, he will try to blackmail you a little about it. It goes without saying that no matter what deal you make with him not to spill your secrets, he will try to use the fact that you are teaching the Shadow Clone jutsu to such young students against you when it comes to you becoming Hokage.”
“The other reason I brought you out here is to talk to you about your godson.” That piqued my interest. The young Hatake is currently on a mission in the Land of Snow. The Kazahana family is in an internal power struggle, and I suspect we are going to see a new ruler taking the crown soon.
“That is interesting. Do you think my godson’s life is in danger?”
“No, it’s not that dangerous, but he is in over his head. The people of that land have begun using an interesting technology. A way to neutralize foreign chakra, they plan to use it as armor.”
“If what you say is true, then that could change the shinobie world. Have you discussed this matter with Lord Third? Collecting samples of such a thing should be a high priority.”
“Sarutobi sensie know about it. He sent Hatake to save the king and princess while Danzo’s people would be in charge of gathering more information. But while I was doing my own research on the matter, I discovered a secret of the Kazahana family. Let me ask you, little Amon. What do you know about Dark Chakra?”
“I can’t say I’ve heard of it.”
“Not surprising. Hashirama banned its teaching in the village. Our government does not officially recognize it. But it is incredibly powerful. During the second shinobi world war, the village was attacked by the village hidden in the sky. A big secret to their power was something called Dark Chakra. A piece of a larger puzzle I have been working on for years.”
“There are three special kinds of Chakra in the world other than the basic elemental nature Chakra and Yin and Yang. There is Nature Chakra, which is found all around us, and my teammates and I use this kind of Chakra. There is another used by ninja monks I call Divinity Chakra, and then there’s finally Dark Chakra.”
“Interesting stuff, but why tell me this?”
“Because Sarutobi sensie is going to send you and your students to begin peace talks with the village hidden in the snow after their current king is killed. When you get there, I believe you will be capable of learning the secrets of the Kazahana family and their connection to Dark Chakra.”
