Several days later, deep in the night, in a desolate mountain wilderness within the Land of Fire:
The night was gloomy, with a brilliant moon hanging high in the sky. Its silvery light pierced through thin wisps of clouds, illuminating Shimura Danzo, who stood expressionless, leaning heavily on his cane.
It was already December, almost winter. A frigid wind howled ceaselessly across the vast, barren wilderness.
'That venomous serpent actually contacted me first?'
Ever since Orochimaru's human experimentation was exposed several years ago, leading to his defection from Konoha and his status as a rogue ninja, their collaboration had ceased. Orochimaru had vanished as if into thin air, never once initiating contact.
'He must be plotting something again!'
Danzo sneered inwardly. Though he knew Orochimaru's true motives, he had come anyway.
After all, his own body was deteriorating day by day, and his research into the Sharingan and the First Hokage's cells had stalled completely.
As for Orochimaru?
Despite Danzo's deep loathing and wary caution toward the serpent, he couldn't deny Orochimaru's extraordinary talent and genius.
And so, he had come.
Time ticked by, but Orochimaru still hadn't appeared. Yet Shimura Danzo remained calm, patiently waiting.
Just as a drifting cloud obscured the moon in the sky, a slender figure finally emerged at the foot of the mountain.
Orochimaru had arrived!
Danzo narrowed his eyes slightly, fixing his gaze on Orochimaru and observing every movement.
Newly arrived, Orochimaru paid no heed to Danzo's scrutiny.
With a few swift leaps, he stood before Shimura Danzo and rasped, "I want the Sharingan in your possession!"
'Something must have happened to this viper!'
The moment Orochimaru appeared before him, Danzo had keenly sensed the changes in the snake's demeanor.
The Orochimaru of old had been a cunning, inscrutable serpent—one who would strike with venomous fangs the moment his opponent let down their guard.
But the Orochimaru before him now?
Danzo saw in him a deep-seated sense of defeat and a maddened glint in his eyes, like a hysterical wild wolf.
No, 'a stray dog' would be a more fitting comparison!
Realizing this, Shimura Danzo smirked. Instead of answering Orochimaru's demand, he countered with a question:
"How did you know I had the Sharingan?"
Orochimaru sneered, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Don't play coy, Danzo. You and the Old Man think you can hide your little secrets from others, but you can't hide them from me!"
"Heh," Shimura Danzo chuckled softly, nodding in agreement. "Very well."
"That was surprisingly straightforward." Orochimaru licked his lips, his voice laced with menace. "But what's the price, Danzo?"
Orochimaru understood their relationship was one of mutual cooperation, exploitation, and distrust—devoid of any genuine sentiment. Danzo's swift agreement meant he undoubtedly needed something from him.
"The price?" Danzo unwrapped the bandages from his arm, revealing the half-woodified limb. "I need you to create an arm for me—one capable of perfectly transplanting the Sharingan."
Orochimaru glanced at the arm and, without further ado, agreed. "Agreed! But you must first provide me with some Sharingan for research."
"How many pairs do you require?"
"Ten pairs!"
Danzo fell silent for a moment, then said flatly, "I'll give you twenty pairs. But some must be used on my new arm!"
"Heh, looks like you're getting impatient," Orochimaru said with a knowing smile, his words laced with implication.
"Still, pleasant working with you!"
"Hmph!" Danzo glanced around before coldly remarking, "This method of meeting is still unsuitable. Give me a way to contact you, Orochimaru."
"Of course." Orochimaru licked his lips as a pure white snake slithered out from his sleeve and onto his palm. He offered it to Danzo.
Danzo accepted the snake, scrutinizing it carefully for any signs of danger. Satisfied, he withdrew a mysterious scroll from his pocket and sealed the snake inside.
He then activated a technique similar to Reverse Summoning, causing the scroll to vanish instantly.
"I'll have the items delivered to you upon my return," Danzo said, before dissolving into a puff of smoke. It turned out this Danzo had been a Shadow Clone all along!
"That old geezer is still as cautious as ever," Orochimaru scoffed, his tone dripping with sarcasm. But a sudden thought darkened his expression, his face turning ashen.
"Uchiha Itachi!" Orochimaru snarled through gritted teeth, his voice seething with undisguised hatred.
__
Uchiha Clan Compound, Clan Leader's Residence.
"Current Date: Konoha Year 56, December 9th"
As usual, Sasuke began writing his daily summary. He had just written the date when he paused, his pen still hovering over the paper. After a moment of silence, he sighed.
'I've been in this world for over five months already, without even realizing it.'
He missed home. No matter how deeply he buried his emotions, he was still human, and humans miss home.
'I wonder what happened to my original body? Dead? In a coma? Or just missing?'
The melancholic mood passed quickly. Sasuke closed his eyes, gradually regaining his composure, and steeled himself anew.
He shook his head, refocusing his attention on the documents before him.
The current date was December 9, 56th Year of Konoha.
Naruto and his original body had been born in Konoha in the 48th year after its founding. Since graduates typically ranged from 12 to 13 years old, that meant they would graduate in the 61st year.
And since he was now a second-year student about to advance to the third year, his earlier deduction was correct!
Furthermore, the academic year in this world aligns with Japan's real-world education system: students in Japanese schools start in April each year and complete their academic year the following March.
[ "March, Year 61 of Konoha: Ninja Academy Graduation!" ]
Based on information from the original timeline, Team 7 completed a month of basic missions after graduation before encountering the Land of Waves mission.
With this in mind, Sasuke continued writing:
[ "April, Year 61 of Konoha: Land of Waves C-Rank Mission!" ]
Based on the Third Hokage's announcement that the Chūnin Exams would begin on July 1st, Sasuke deduced:
[ "July, Year 61 of Konoha: Chūnin Exams held in Konoha Village." ]
[ "August, Year 61 of Konoha: Chūnin Exams Finals; Orochimaru initiates the Konoha Crush Plan!" ]
[ "September, Year 61 of Konoha: Tsunade becomes the Fifth Hokage of Konoha Village." ]