Recently, Fugaku had been using his ninja crows to relay village affairs to Kawasaki.
Through one such message, Kawasaki learned that the old guard of the Hyuga main family had attempted to use their Byakugan to spy on his food production methods and secret recipes. Fortunately, Kawasaki had long prepared a contingency plan and immediately activated his withdrawal strategy. Such an incident was always bound to happen; it was merely a matter of time.
In truth, the Uchiha clan had already freed itself from Konoha's control, achieving operational independence in terms of missions. From now on, the Uchiha could heed the village's commands without being bound by its constraints. Once his business in the Hidden Sound Village was concluded, he had to return to formally assume his duties as clan head.
...
Within the dreamscape.
"Water Style: Water Flow Wave!" Kawasaki opened his mouth and spat.
A jet of water shot out like a pressure washer, blasting a large crater into the ground. He wiped his mouth. The Water Flow Wave was certainly no match for the Water Severing Wave. The Second Hokage Tobirama's Water Severing Wave was like a high-pressure water blade, capable of slicing through anything it was aimed at.
Kawasaki admired the technique greatly, but even with his enhanced affinity for the water element, the Water Severing Wave was no easy jutsu to master. He still had a long way to go.
Kawasaki continued forming hand seals.
"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"
*Boom!*
A wall of water erupted from the ground in front of him. Kawasaki frowned. The effect of the Water Formation Wall was less than ideal; his own Susanoo offered better protection. The Second Hokage could manifest a Water Formation Wall that completely encircled his body. In contrast, Kawasaki could only manage this single, stationary barrier. He was far from being able to use it flexibly.
Deciding to end his practice for the day, Kawasaki soon exited the dreamscape. He had received a message from Itachi the day before, confirming that he had successfully brought Karin and Jugo back to the Hidden Sound Village.
Kawasaki was beginning to form some new theories regarding Itachi and Shisui's Sharingan, but his research on Hashirama cells would require many more experiments to verify. The process, however, would consume a vast amount of rare materials and an enormous sum of money. While Kawasaki had no shortage of funds, some things simply couldn't be bought easily.
Given the limited resources within Konoha and the Land of Rice Paddies, gathering all the necessary materials would take considerable time. With this in mind, Kawasaki quickened his pace, leading his group on a rapid journey toward the Land of Rice Paddies.
...
In the Land of Rice Paddies, there was a place known as the Hidden Sound Village.
Jiraiya, with his iconic white hair and powerful build, appeared at the village entrance. Thanks to the Uchiha clan's recent integration, the Hidden Sound had surged in power, becoming a formidable force second only to the five great ninja villages. Its mission efficiency was remarkably high.
Through its development, the village was no longer the destitute place Itachi and Shisui had first encountered. As Jiraiya walked, he saw many people entering and leaving the mission hall. Some were clients posting requests, while others were Hidden Sound ninja accepting assignments.
Among them, Jiraiya spotted several Uchiha clan members, but they paid him no mind, each busy with their own tasks. Inside the mission hall, Jiraiya unexpectedly ran into Uchiha Takuya, the third elder of the clan, whom he had met on a few occasions before.
"Well, if it isn't Lord Jiraiya! What wind blew you all the way out here?" Takuya handed off his work to an assistant and approached Jiraiya with a greeting.
Jiraiya glanced around. "Let's find somewhere quiet to talk."
Takuya understood immediately and led Jiraiya to a secluded room. The moment they sat down, Jiraiya lowered his voice and asked, "Have Itachi and Shisui betrayed the village!?"
Takuya feigned surprise. "Lord Jiraiya, wherever did you hear such a thing? We are merely here to accept missions and make a living."
Jiraiya frowned. "You can accept missions in Konoha."
Takuya chuckled dryly. "Let's not kid ourselves. Back in Konoha, our every move was watched, and we were always at risk of losing our eyes. This may be a small village, but at least we have our freedom here."
Jiraiya was momentarily speechless. The fact that Danzo harvested Uchiha eyes was common knowledge. He had no counter to Takuya's justification. He understood the elder's underlying message: they had suffered too much discrimination in Konoha.
Jiraiya sighed. Perhaps it was better for this group of Uchiha to be out here. If they were still in the village, they might very well be plotting a coup.
"Is Orochimaru here?" Jiraiya asked directly.
Takuya's expression flickered. "I wouldn't know. I'm just here to earn my keep. If you're looking for Orochimaru, you could simply post a mission request."
From Takuya's face, Jiraiya knew the elder had information about Orochimaru but was unwilling to provide it for free. After weighing his options, he pulled out 100,000 ryo. "In that case, I'll pay 100,000 ryo to post a mission to find Orochimaru. How does that sound?"
Takuya glanced at Jiraiya, realizing the Sannin was determined. "Very well. I'll post it immediately. Feel free to enjoy the local cuisine, Lord Jiraiya. You should have a response within three days at the latest."
Jiraiya nodded in agreement, guessing that Takuya was going to ask Orochimaru if he was willing to meet.
As Takuya was leaving, he paused at the door. "By the way, Lord Jiraiya, all the bathhouses here are equipped with sealing barriers."
Jiraiya's face instantly darkened.
...
The Orochimaru of this timeline was different from his original counterpart. He was completely absorbed in his research, with various projects demanding his full attention. He had neither joined the Akatsuki nor had any interest in plotting Konoha's destruction. He no longer cared what the Third Hokage thought of him; he had far more important matters to attend to. His past grievances with Konoha were long forgotten.
Having taken Jiraiya's money, Takuya went directly to request an audience with Orochimaru. The third elder had contributed significantly to the management of the Hidden Sound, so despite his busy schedule, Orochimaru made time to see him.
"Lord Orochimaru, Jiraiya is looking for you. He posted a 100,000 ryo bounty for information on your whereabouts. He's in the village right now."
"Oh?" Orochimaru was rather surprised. It seemed Jiraiya wasn't here seeking revenge. Offering money instead of force suggested he didn't intend to fight. "It appears the situation has changed."
Orochimaru had not been paying much attention to Konoha's affairs. He was currently vexed by the lack of several special herbs for his research, and now Jiraiya had appeared. After a moment of thought, a faint smile spread across Orochimaru's lips.
...
With the support of the Land of Rice Paddies, the "Imperial Cuisine" restaurant chain was indeed highly profitable. The Hidden Sound Village expanded year after year and now boasted a mature commercial district. After completing missions, many ninja would spend their earnings in the shops and restaurants, contributing to the village's prosperity. As the population grew, some clients even chose to post their missions directly in the Sound Village, creating a virtuous cycle of growth.
Jiraiya checked into an inn and, after a stroll through the night market, returned with a large amount of grilled skewers and sake. He settled in, enjoying the food and drink with relish. He had to admit, the cuisine was truly delicious.
As he was eating, his expression suddenly shifted, and he looked toward the door.
Orochimaru pushed aside the door curtain and entered. He sat down opposite Jiraiya, and for a moment, neither spoke.
Jiraiya studied his former teammate, feeling that something was not quite right, though he couldn't put his finger on it. A persistent sense of disharmony lingered. In truth, it was because Orochimaru had already performed his Living Corpse Reincarnation, and the body he now inhabited was not his original one. As a teammate of many years who also practiced senjutsu, Jiraiya could naturally sense a subtle wrongness.
Over the past few years, Orochimaru had barely engaged in combat, spending his days buried in experiments. The sinister aura that once clung to him had faded significantly, replaced by a somewhat scholarly air.
...
Finally, it was Jiraiya who broke the silence. "Orochimaru, did you establish the Hidden Sound Village?"
Orochimaru chuckled softly. "It's merely a cooperative relationship. Now that I'm here, I doubt you came just to reminisce."
Jiraiya felt a profound sense of unfamiliarity. In just a few years, Orochimaru seemed to have become a completely different person. The old Orochimaru had never been this reasonable.
"Back then... the case of the missing infants in the village... was it Danzo's doing?" Jiraiya asked in a low voice.
"What's the point of bringing that up now? What if it was, and what if it wasn't?" Orochimaru replied evasively, his tone casual.
"It's important," Jiraiya said seriously.
Orochimaru met Jiraiya's gaze and, after a long pause, uttered a single word: "Yes."
Jiraiya let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "Why didn't you explain it to Sensei?"
Orochimaru laughed faintly. "Why should I? I was Danzo's accomplice. What was there to deny?"
Jiraiya sighed. "You didn't have to go that far."
At his words, Orochimaru's expression turned cold, and his voice grew sharp. "Why did he choose Minato as the Fourth Hokage instead of me!" This had always been a thorn in Orochimaru's side, and Jiraiya's probing had touched a raw nerve.
"The old man had his reasons at the time," Jiraiya said quickly, sensing Orochimaru's anger and trying to defend the Third.
Orochimaru grunted, his mood seemingly settling. "It's all in the past. There's no use talking about it. If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving." He stood up, preparing to depart.
"Wait," Jiraiya called out. "Sensei said... it doesn't matter anymore whether you come back or not."
Orochimaru didn't respond. After a long silence, he walked to the door and stood with his back to the room.
"Sensei seems to have aged a lot recently," Jiraiya added, unable to help himself.
Orochimaru's steps faltered. Still facing away, he said, "My latest experiments happen to be missing a few rare herbs. Deer Heart Grass, Red Sand Vine, and..." He listed several other rare medicinal plants, all of which were specialties grown only within Konoha's territory. These herbs were incredibly valuable and not sold to outsiders, but with the Hokage's authority, obtaining them was not impossible.
Jiraiya, in a moment of cleverness, believed Orochimaru was giving the Third Hokage a way to save face. He puffed out his chest excitedly. "Don't worry, Orochimaru! I can get my hands on them!"
A sudden idea struck Jiraiya. "Orochimaru, wait a moment."
Orochimaru didn't turn around. "What is it now?"
Jiraiya bit his thumb and formed a hand seal. "Summoning Jutsu!"
With a puff of smoke, a small red toad appeared on the floor. "Leave this communication toad with you for now. I'll contact you when I have everything."
"Do as you wish." A smirk touched the lips of the unseen Orochimaru as he walked away.
...
The Land of Hot Water bordered the Land of Rice Paddies, and Kawasaki planned to travel directly from one to the other. When his party entered a town in the Land of Hot Water, however, they found it strangely deserted. The rumored crowds of tourists were nowhere to be seen. The few ninja they encountered were hurrying along with grim expressions.
Upon asking around, Kawasaki learned that a cult known as the Way of Jashin had appeared in the country. They preached a religion that glorified slaughter for pleasure. The Hidden Hot Water Village was originally a peaceful place, but its rich natural resources had attracted the cult's attention. Many of its ninja had been brainwashed and turned into followers of the evil god.
The Land of Hot Water had already requested aid from its neighbor, the Hidden Sound Village, which had dispatched members of the Uchiha clan to assist. Kawasaki suddenly wondered if this was the home base of the homicidal maniac, Hidan. With the rise of the Hidden Sound, it made sense that the Land of Hot Water would turn to them for help. Kawasaki had always found it strange on the map how Pain could have received a mission from this nation. To reach the Hidden Rain Village from here, one would have to cross most of the Land of Fire.
The sound of weeping drew them closer. They found a man's body hanging from a tree in a bizarre posture. The corpse was horribly mutilated, and a pool of blood had formed on the ground below, near a strange symbol of a triangle inside a circle. A woman was crying on the ground; the deceased was her husband. The tree was too tall for her to have managed on her own.
Kawasaki's face hardened. He gave a subtle nod to Kimimaro beside him. Kimimaro acknowledged the command, flicking a shuriken to sever the rope and leaping up to catch the falling body.
The sounds of a battle, along with rising smoke, came from a distance. Kawasaki turned his head sharply and ordered, "Stay here. I'm going to check it out."
...
Deep within the forest.
"You dare disrespect Lord Jashin!"
"Hraagh!"
Hidan, with a look of pure madness, charged directly through a massive fireball.
Uchiha Yogetsu's brow furrowed. The man had just run straight through his Great Fireball Technique. Though Hidan's body was covered in fresh burns, he swung his massive scythe with ferocious power. Yogetsu met the blow with his own blade, successfully parrying it. However, the scythe was so large that its sharp, protruding spikes still managed to slice a small gash in Yogetsu's arm.
As Hidan's weapon recoiled, Yogetsu seized the opening and slashed his sword across Hidan's throat. Hidan's body went rigid and collapsed to the ground.
Yogetsu frowned. Was it really over that easily?
As expected, a noise came from behind him. He whirled around to see Hidan, a gaping wound in his throat, climbing back to his feet. "Ugh... that... really... hurt!" Hidan's voice was hoarse and muffled.
Yogetsu's heart pounded in shock. How is he not dead? What kind of jutsu is this?
He braced himself.
"Time for your divine punishment!" Hidan roared. Stepping into his own pool of blood, he quickly drew a circle and a triangle.
Yogetsu immediately hurled five shuriken.
*Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish...*
The sound of steel embedding in flesh echoed through the clearing.
"Agh... ah... ah..." Hidan cried out in pain but refused to move from the circle on the ground. A sinister smile spread across his face. "Now for your judgment!"
He ran a hand along his scythe, about to bring the blood to his mouth. Just then, a figure blurred past, accompanied by a brilliant flash of a blade.
Hidan only had time to raise his scythe defensively in front of his chest.
*CLANG—*
The scythe, along with his neck, was instantly severed. Hidan's head flew high into the air before thudding to the ground.
A familiar figure now stood before Yogetsu.
"Lord Kawasaki!" Yogetsu's face lit up with surprise. He had been away on missions with Itachi's group for several years and hadn't seen the clan's vice-commander in all that time.
"What are you shouting for!" Kawasaki slapped Yogetsu on the back of the head, sending him staggering. "Why didn't you interrupt his wind-up!" he said, his voice laced with disappointment.
...
In the forests of the Land of Hot Water.
"What's... a wind-up?" Yogetsu asked, still dazed from the blow.
Just then, Hidan's eyes snapped open on the ground. He began to howl madly, "Aaaargh, it hurts! You bastard, you dare interrupt Lord Jashin's sacred ritual!"
"You're dead!"
"He's still not dead?" Uchiha Yogetsu was thoroughly terrified. A talking head was a deeply unsettling sight.
"Hahaha, this is the blessing of Lord Jashin! I am immortal! Immortal!" Hidan's head shrieked. "Even if I'm just a head, I'll crawl over there and bite your throat out!"
Kawasaki's face remained impassive. He pulled out a kunai and threw it with force. It flew straight into Hidan's open mouth, pulverizing his tongue. Hidan could now only make muffled, gurgling sounds.
Kawasaki turned back to Yogetsu. "Look at the symbol at his feet. His scythe was coated in your blood. If he had licked it while standing in that circle, he would have linked his life to yours. One stab to his own heart, and you would have died right here."
The color drained from Yogetsu's face. He now realized how close he had come to death.
"You clearly saw him drawing that symbol on the ground, and you saw him take your shuriken hits without leaving the circle. Why didn't you interrupt him?" Kawasaki was furious that one of his own Uchiha clansmen had nearly been lost to such a reckless mistake.
Yogetsu lowered his head. "I'm sorry, Lord Kawasaki."
"Forget it." Kawasaki's anger subsided. After all, he had prior knowledge of Hidan's abilities. For someone who didn't, acting with caution was understandable. "Are you here to deal with the Jashin cult?"
Yogetsu nodded. "Yes, Lord Kawasaki. The cult appeared suddenly in the Land of Hot Water. Some of them are impossible to kill, so they requested help from the Hidden Sound. That's why we're here."
"How many of you came? Who's in charge?"
"Six of us in total, my lord. Shisui is leading the team. We've already eliminated three of their strongholds. I ran into this man while I was out on reconnaissance," Yogetsu answered respectfully.
In a small nation like this, the skill level of ninja varied greatly. Most had not received formal training, and some couldn't even defeat a Konoha genin, let alone an elite Uchiha. Sending six men, with Shisui as the leader, was already a sign of great respect.
Kawasaki glanced down at Hidan's head, which was still mumbling incoherently. A man with a severed tongue couldn't form clear words.