Itachi hugged Beiyuan and walked around the base with a bunch of radish heads. Beiyuan had to admit—it was normal to get lost here.
Even though Itachi carved marks along the path with his kunai and explored several areas, he still couldn't find an exit. The base was huge—clearly an important part of Orochimaru's defection plan.
The exit was so well hidden that even with his Sharingan, Itachi couldn't locate it. If the boy just looked up, though, his troubles would be over.
"Gah!"
Beiyuan stopped Itachi and pointed up at a ceiling vent. The little boy gave a helpless nod as his red eyes flared.
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Jutsu!"
The flame burst upward like a dragon and blew open a wide hole. Light spilled in, and outside, they could just make out the distant lights of the town.
"Gah!"
Once the crow confirmed it was safe, Itachi took the children and jumped up one by one, getting them out through the hole. He'd probably need to send them all home later.
The genius Uchiha had almost become a kindergarten monitor.
After helping the last child out, Itachi looked down through the hole into the dark base. "Beiyuan, let's destroy it."
"Gah?"
Orochimaru hasn't provoked you enough already?
The base was enormous. Even with Earth Style, destroying it would be tough. Beiyuan had noticed earlier that there were large instruments not yet installed.
"His experiments are too cruel. If we don't destroy it…" Itachi glanced at the children he'd saved, then dropped several explosive tags down the hole. He formed hand signs.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire!"
"Fire Style: Great Fireball!"
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Flames exploded underground, rumbling through the stone walls. A red glow lit up the night sky as smoke and fire spewed from the hole.
"Gah…"
Beiyuan watched the boy enviously. What a cathartic explosion. If only he could learn Fire Style too…
Itachi, rubbing his fingers together awkwardly, looked toward the children with a small smile. "Let's go."
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
Ssssssss...
Just then, snakes burst from the darkness, lunging for Itachi's neck. Their sharp fangs glistened with venom.
Beiyuan clutched Itachi's shoulders tightly and dodged just in time. The snakes nearly brushed them.
"Gah!"
The crow trembled. Maybe from disgust. Maybe from fear. He was a bird, after all—and birds naturally feared snakes!
Following the trail of the snakes, Beiyuan saw someone he really didn't want to see. A Konoha flak jacket, no forehead protector, pale face, long black hair… Orochimaru.
He had all the traits of a snake—sinister, cunning, dangerous. He was the type to steal from the gods. Even Death itself had been played by him…
A brilliant scientist in any world. In modern times, he'd win every biology and medicine prize. But here, he was also a terrifying shinobi.
Beiyuan, despite the snake scare, respected that. Orochimaru was pure self-made genius. Compared to him, Beiyuan was just a three-good student. The gap between them was Nobel Prize vs. class monitor...
"Haahahahaha... Itachi!"
Orochimaru's voice was oddly gentle. A familiar smile crossed his face.
"Gah?"
Beiyuan looked at him, then at Itachi. Huh? Why does this feel like a reunion?
"It's really Orochimaru..." Itachi's voice was quiet. This was someone even he used to trust when he was young.
Beiyuan: "…"
You literally just blew up his base! Don't go soft now…
"Hahaha... Itachi, what a coincidence! Do you want to come with me?" Orochimaru licked his lips, pointing to the burning ruins below. "If you join me, I'll forgive you for destroying it."
It was a tempting offer—Orochimaru had lost everything when Danzo exposed him. No capable subordinates, no resources. That base was all he had built from scratch, working odd jobs by day, digging by night.
If he got Itachi, he'd gain a loyal follower, a powerful bloodline, and maybe even approval for... certain experiments.
"Sorry, I don't—" Itachi started to decline, his voice calm.
"Don't be so quick to refuse," Orochimaru smirked. "Let me tell you—"
"Itachi! Don't listen to him!"
A voice rang out, and a tall man stepped from the shadows. Jiraiya!
For parents everywhere, Orochimaru was the boogeyman. His child-kidnapping skills rivaled even the sly tongue of the toad sage. But at least Jiraiya wasn't successful at it.
Orochimaru and Jiraiya had already met earlier—briefly. They hadn't fought seriously. But now, seeing someone try to tempt his student… Jiraiya couldn't stay silent.
"Sensei Jiraiya!" Itachi said in surprise.
"…Jiraiya…sensei…" Orochimaru's smile twisted into something cold and dangerous. So that's how it was.
"Jiraiya…" he said, eyes sharp. "You're not the man you used to be."
"You distracted me… and sent your student to destroy my life's work."
"Heh… heh heh heh… How interesting."
Orochimaru sounded like a heartbroken teenager cheated out of love—and money.
Jiraiya: "…"
Itachi: "…"
Beiyuan: "…gah…"
Would he believe any explanation from the three of them at this point?
o(︶︿︶)o…