A New Snake In The Shinobi World

The news of three major ninja villages preparing to besiege Konoha sent the village's top leaders into an uneasy silence.

While Konoha had famously stood victorious in the Third Shinobi War, fighting against multiple nations, the reality of that conflict was more fragmented than most would recall.

The war had been a series of staggered battles rather than a united assault. First, Konoha faced the Sand Village, then the Stone Village. As the Sand retreated, the Cloud Village entered the fray. After the Stone and Sand withdrew, the Mist Village joined the conflict.

It was as if the nations were taking turns, one after another, like a game of rescuing a trapped grandparent, each stepping in only after the previous one stepped back.

Most importantly, there had been no alliances between these nations. Konoha had never been forced to face three allied nations at the same time.

Even so, the toll from that war had been devastating. Konoha's resources had been stretched thin, to the point that seven- and eight-year-old children had been sent to the battlefield. It was a grim reminder of how costly the war had been.

Now, Konoha's new generation—Kakashi, Guy, and others had just started their academy years. The village was far from ready to withstand another large-scale conflict. Facing even two nations at once would be daunting, let alone three.

During the Second Shinobi World War, Konoha had only survived thanks to the heroics of figures like Hatake Sakumo and Orochimaru, as well as temporary assistance from the Cloud Village. Without those key factors, Konoha would have faced even greater losses.

This time, the other nations had made their demand clear: sacrifice Orochimaru to secure temporary peace or prepare for war that would cost tens of thousands of lives.

Konoha now faced a grim choice…

---

Meanwhile, at Orochimaru's house, he remained blissfully unaware of the storm brewing around him.

His attention was focused entirely on the shy girl kneeling before him.

The girl, dressed in a white t-shirt and shorts, had her long hair falling over her shoulders. She knelt awkwardly, her face flushed with embarrassment.

"Mikoto, are you serious?" Orochimaru asked, unable to hide his disbelief.

The idea seemed absurd to him.

"Yes, my lord… I… I've always admired you…" Mikoto's voice was barely audible, as soft as the buzz of a mosquito.

Her face was scarlet, and her head hung low, overwhelmed with shame.

Orochimaru didn't respond immediately. Instead, he picked up the teacup Mikoto had prepared and took a slow sip. "Did Tsunade put you up to this?"

"No… no! This has nothing to do with Tsunade-sama! It's my own decision…"

"Really?" Orochimaru's lips curled into a faint, knowing smile.

Only now did he fully understand the peculiar dynamics of his household. Who would have thought that teaching one's wife "harmony" could lead to this? Of course, it helped to have a wife who was willing to share what she had learned.

For some time now, Tsunade had been finding excuses to bring Mikoto over—sometimes to help clean, sometimes to learn tea-making or cooking. Whatever the task, Tsunade always found a way to involve her.

As a result, Orochimaru had grown accustomed to seeing Mikoto frequently.

At first, Mikoto had merely stolen glances at him. But over time, her behavior grew more obvious, blushing whenever she saw him, avoiding eye contact, and fidgeting nervously.

Orochimaru had been curious about her odd behavior and once asked Tsunade if she knew what was going on. Tsunade had simply brushed it off, giving him no clear answer.

It wasn't until Orochimaru secretly observed one of Tsunade's conversations with Mikoto that he realized just how outrageous things had gotten.

The conversations were far from innocent, filled with intimate discussions on topics like preferences, techniques, and even certain "prohibited zones" to touch—or not touch.

Initially, Mikoto had tried to tune out such conversations, but Tsunade was a skilled medical ninja and could couch her advice in terms of "anatomical knowledge," which quickly piqued Mikoto's interest.

Over time, the two women had grown closer, and Tsunade had begun speaking even more candidly. She once casually told Mikoto that she didn't mind if the younger woman admired Orochimaru.

Mikoto, who had harbored feelings for Orochimaru for a long time, was shocked. While her pride initially made her reject the idea, Tsunade's encouragement planted a seed of temptation in her heart.

Then, one day, Tsunade gave Mikoto a small dose of a special pharmaceutical powder. While the dose was subtle and didn't compel her to act, it left her thoughts consumed with images of Orochimaru.

From that moment, Mikoto had been unable to suppress her feelings any longer.

Without Orochimaru having to do anything, Tsunade had already paved the way.

To Orochimaru, the whole situation was surreal—a bizarre twist in his understanding of life.

"Come here…" Orochimaru beckoned with his finger.

"Yes… yes, my lord…" Mikoto stammered, rising slowly and sitting next to him.

Orochimaru gently lifted her chin with a single finger, a faint smile playing on his lips. "To be honest, I've never been with anyone other than Tsunade."

"My lord…" Mikoto whispered, her voice trembling.

"Look at me," Orochimaru said, his voice low and magnetic.

Mikoto instinctively raised her eyes, her gaze full of admiration and shyness.

Seeing her expression, Orochimaru's smile deepened. "Have you really made up your mind?"

Mikoto didn't answer verbally, but her flustered expression and the way she tried to look away said it all.

Satisfied, Orochimaru released her chin and lifted her into his arms effortlessly.

Mikoto panicked but didn't resist. Instead, her pale arms wrapped around his neck. Compared to Tsunade, she was much lighter, which brought a touch of amusement to Orochimaru's expression.

"Haha, Tsunade is truly a fascinating woman," he murmured.

Click!

With that, the doors and windows of the room shut automatically, leaving the two alone.

Despite the lack of romantic foundation between them, the moment unfolded purely on instinct.

Tsunade had given her tacit approval, and Orochimaru felt no guilt about what was happening.

---

At the Senju clan compound, Tsunade stood by the window, gazing in the direction of Orochimaru's mansion. She let out a long sigh.

"What's wrong, sis? Did you have a fight with Orochimaru?"

The now-adult Nawaki looked at his sister, who wore a purple robe, and asked curiously.

Tsunade snapped out of her thoughts. "No. Don't talk nonsense."

"If you're not fighting, why are you here? Don't you only come back when you've had a fight?" Nawaki pressed, looking genuinely confused.

"I said no, didn't I? Stop prattling on and go to bed," Tsunade said, laughing lightly as she scolded him.

"Fine, fine, I'll go. Do whatever you want!" Nawaki chuckled sheepishly, retreating to his room.

Even as a Jonin, he still didn't dare talk back to his sister.

Once Nawaki was gone, Tsunade exhaled deeply and leaned against the windowsill, her gaze once again drifting toward Orochimaru's mansion.

"Even though I feel… uncomfortable… I know you'll love me more because of this. Right, Orochimaru?"

She murmured softly, as though reassuring herself of a decision she had clearly thought about for a long time.

***

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