Yahiko had short orange hair and a lively, cheerful personality, his demeanor naturally drew people in. It was a type of charisma reminiscent of Nawaki or Naruto, as if his very presence radiated sunlight. He had an energy so inviting that others couldn''t help but feel a connection with him.


    In the original timeline, he was meant to lead Akatsuki in Amegakure. However, fate had taken a different path. Orochimaru had brought him to the Sound Ninja Vige, where he had lived ever since.


    Some people in this world had talents that set them apart, and Yahiko was one of those rare individuals.


    Hisbat ability wasn''t exceptional. Even after years of training in ninjutsu under Jiraiya, his skills were at bestparable to an average jounin. But his true strength wasn''t in physical prowess, it was in his mind. Yahiko had an innate ability to inspire others and make decisive, effective judgments. He had been the emotional backbone of his trio since childhood, possessing leadership qualities that neither Konan nor Nagato could fully match.


    Yet, he was only fifteen. It wasn''t surprising that Kana doubted whether he could handle the weight of negotiation, especially with someone as powerful as the Fourth Raikage. But with no one else avable to consult, she reluctantly brought Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan to the negotiations with Kumogakure.


    "A woman?" A frowned, his sharp gaze settling on Chana, who had appeared as the leader of the Sound Ninja Vige at the border of the Land of Sound.


    He hadn''t expected this. A frail woman leading the vige?


    But something quickly struck him as odd. Chana''s behavior and speech didn''t carry themanding aura of someone in charge, nor did she exude the presence of a powerful shinobi.


    "Are you seriously the leader of the Sound Ninja Vige?" A''s confusion was evident.How could someone like hermand such formidable subordinates? It simply didn''t add up.


    "I…" Chana stammered, unsure how to respond.


    But Yahiko smoothly stepped forward. "My sister may not be the leader of the Sound Ninja Vige, but she has full authority to handle the vige''s affairs. If you have questions, you can talk to us, and it''ll be just the same as talking to the leader."


    It was proof of Yahiko''s natural leadership talent. Even when standing before the intimidating A, Yahiko managed to maintainposure.


    Although his heart pounded nervously, outwardly, he appeared calm and confident.


    A, a man usually inclined to assert dominance, saw no reason to waste time on posturing. He cut straight to the point, addressing the prior incident involving Kumogakure''s teams.


    Yahiko handled the situation with a straightforward proposal: one-third of the Land of Sound would be ceded as a battlefield for the ongoing war between Kumogakure and Konoha. As for the Kumogakure ninjas who had been killed, Yahiko promised their vige chief would provide an exnation upon his return.


    Surprisingly, A epted the arrangement.


    At the moment, Kumogakure was locked in conflict with Konoha and couldn''t afford to split its forces to deal with the Sound Ninja Vige. Engaging in an unnecessary war with an unknown vige, especially without solid intelligence, would only lead to avoidable losses.


    And so, the residents of the Land of Sound were evacuated, and the area was turned into a battlefield for the two great nations.


    The situation was bizarre—two major countries waging war on thend of a small nation, but neither dared to provoke the Sound Ninja Vige directly.


    The Sound Ninja Vige didn''t disy overwhelming strength, but it had clearly made an impression on both sides.


    The war between Konoha and Kumogakure, however, was of no concern to Orochimaru.


    For him, the more chaos in the world, the better.


    Even if the shinobi viges tore the earth apart, Orochimaru wouldn''t be bothered.


    ---


    In the southeastern region of the Land of Fire, hidden within a dense forest,y a secluded underground base.


    The entrance was narrow and well-concealed, appearing as nothing more than a small well. But once inside, it opened into a vast, fully equippedboratory that seemed like an entirely different world. ??Ν?β??


    Theb housed cutting-edge equipment: fluorescent lights, experimental chambers, clone pods,puters, silent generators, and a monitoring room.


    The monitoring room alone had 24 screens, each disying critical points within a five-mile radius. Four clones worked in shifts to ensure constant surveince.


    This base was significantlyrger and more concealed than the current Sound Ninja Vige headquarters.


    "Dad, are you heading out?" Mi asked, looking up at Orochimaru with curious eyes.


    "Yes. There''s a small town about five kilometers from here. If you''re bored, you can spend some time there, but make sure to check in at the base asionally," Orochimaru instructed. "And remember—don''t let anyone follow you back."


    "Okay, Dad!" Mi nodded obediently, before hesitating. "Um… Dad, when will Mome to visit me?"


    Seeing the child''s wide, expectant eyes, Orochimaru couldn''t help but smile. "She''lle next time we meet."


    "Really?"


    "Of course." Orochimaru patted Mi''s head affectionately before turning to pack his belongings.


    As Orochimaru donned his ck cloak and left the base, he couldn''t help but chuckle to himself. Talking to the child he had created was oddly entertaining.


    ---


    With a quick set of hand seals, Orochimaru performed a summoning jutsu. Boom!


    A puff of white smoke rose, and a sleek ck snake materialized at his side.


    "Master!" the snake hissed respectfully.


    "Yamata, tell me about the flora, geology, environment, and weather around Ryūchi Cave," Orochimaru ordered.


    "Oh? Master, are you finally heading to Ryūchi Cave?"


    "Yes," Orochimaru replied with a slight nod.


    He had been nning to visit Ryūchi Cave for a long time. But ns often fell victim to the demands of war, personal strength development, and expanding his army.


    Now that his immediate tasks wereplete, he was free to pursue it.


    For most, finding Ryūchi Cave was a daunting challenge. But for Orochimaru, the process was rtively simple.


    By summoning snakes from the cave, he could estimate its location. Systematically eliminating the wrong areas, he was confident he would find the cave soon enough.


    Once he mastered Sage Mode, he could take the next steps in his ns, obtaining the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and eventually the Rinnegan.


    With the Rinnegan, he could unlock abilities far beyond his current scope.


    Guided by the ck snake, Orochimaru moved methodically, narrowing down the possible locations for Ryūchi Cave.


    After a day, one area was ruled out.


    After three days, two more were eliminated.


    On the seventh day, standing in front of a range of rugged mountains, Orochimaru crouched down, sifting soil through his fingers.


    "Hey, you there! Stop right now!"


    A shout suddenly cut through the quiet. The voice, though youthful, carried a steely edge.


    Orochimaru paused and began to turn around when another voice spoke up.


    "K-Kakashi… do we really need to mess with this guy?"


    "It''s wartime. Anyone with a suspicious identity could be an enemy," Kakashi replied firmly. "You there, remove your cloak and identify yourself."


    ***


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