Hokage: Immortal, I Open Unlimited Eight Gates

Training Ground No. 44

As the Jōnin leaders escorted their respective teams out of the classroom, the room quickly emptied, leaving only a few students behind. Chiba, glancing at the clock, wondered if Orochimaru might be as notoriously late as Kakashi in the future.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, Orochimaru appeared silently at the doorway, his presence as quiet and unsettling as a shadow.

"Class 10, follow me," he commanded, his tone leaving no room for delay.

Once at Training Ground No. 44, the three sat cross-legged on the ground. Chiba was already preparing himself for the typical questions: goals, dreams, and skills. However, Orochimaru's first words caught him entirely off guard.

"I won't bother asking about your hobbies or dreams," Orochimaru began, his voice as calm as ever. "I'm not interested in such trivial matters. Besides, we know each other quite well already."

Chiba exchanged a glance with Senju Nawaki, who seemed equally confused. Orochimaru continued.

"As for assessing your strength, there's no need. I'm well aware of your capabilities. Today, I'm merely completing formalities. You can go home and rest. We begin missions tomorrow."

Nawaki, ever the impatient one, immediately raised his hand. "Orochimaru-sensei, what kind of mission will it be? A D-rank? C-rank?"

His question carried a note of disdain; after all, he had already undertaken a B-rank mission under Orochimaru's leadership. He had no interest in mundane tasks like finding lost pets or cleaning.

Orochimaru smiled faintly, sensing Nawaki's anticipation. "Tomorrow's mission will be a B-rank. The Nara family's business in the Land of Hot Springs has been attacked by unidentified individuals. Our objective is to investigate and identify the mastermind behind these incidents. Be warned, this mission is far more dangerous than the previous one, as ninjas from other nations may be involved."

Nawaki frowned slightly, disappointment evident on his face. "Still a B-rank? Can't we take on an A-rank mission instead?"

Orochimaru's faint smile widened. "The previous mission was only categorized as B-rank due to the sheer number of opponents, most of whom were civilians. This time, the danger is considerably higher. Ninjas from other nations are no trivial matter."

Uchiha Chiba sighed internally, amused at Nawaki's boldness. Fresh out of the Academy and already eager for A-rank missions? He thought to himself, This guy has no idea what he's asking for.

Even if Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage, approved such a mission, Tsunade and Uzumaki Mito would certainly intervene to protect Nawaki. A-rank missions were exceptionally risky and rarely assigned in times of peace.

"Come on, Nawaki," Chiba said with a teasing grin. "If you don't like the B-rank mission, why not ask Orochimaru-sensei to assign you some D-rank or C-rank tasks instead? I'm sure cleaning or babysitting would suit you better."

"Shut up!" Nawaki snapped, his face reddening. "I don't want to do low-level missions!"

Chiba smirked. "Then you'd better behave and focus. After all, you're the weakest in our team."

Nawaki fell silent, visibly deflated by the truth in Chiba's words.

Orochimaru, watching the exchange, chuckled. "Chiba-kun is right, but from now on, you should call me sensei, not sir."

"Understood, Orochimaru-sensei," Chiba replied, though the title felt strange to him. Orochimaru wasn't exactly a typical teacher.

"Alright, that's enough for today," Orochimaru concluded. "Remember to meet at the village gates tomorrow morning."

Just as Orochimaru was about to leave, Chiba spoke up. "Sensei, may I ask something? Why are there only two members in our team—Nawaki and me?"

Orochimaru paused, a sly smile creeping onto his face. "Ah, that's simple. I didn't like the other students, so I chose only the two of you."

Chiba could only nod. Orochimaru's answer was unsurprising, yet it carried an air of finality that left no room for further questions.

The Senju Residence

Meanwhile, a somber atmosphere hung over the Senju household. Nawaki returned home to find his parents, Senju Sousuke and Senju Edda Snow, back from the capital. Even more surprising, Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen was present, his expression unusually grave.

"Mom, Dad, Uncle Hiruzen," Nawaki began, sensing the tension. "What's wrong? Why do you all look so serious?"

Senju Sousuke hesitated before speaking, his voice heavy with emotion. "Your grandmother... she doesn't have much time left."

Nawaki froze. "What do you mean? Where is Grandma going? Back to the capital?"

Sousuke sighed deeply. "No, Nawaki. She's losing the ability to suppress the Nine-Tails. Soon, the tailed beast will need to be extracted and sealed into its next Jinchūriki."

The weight of his father's words hit Nawaki like a hammer. He knew what that meant. When the Nine-Tails was extracted, the host would die.

Tears welled up in Nawaki's eyes. "Does Kushina know? Or Chiba?"

"They don't know yet," Sousuke replied. "We'll tell them when the time comes."

Desperate, Nawaki turned to Sarutobi Hiruzen. "Uncle Hiruzen, I don't want to go on tomorrow's mission. I want to stay with Grandma."

Before the Hokage could respond, a familiar voice interrupted.

"Nawaki," Uzumaki Mito said, entering the room with a serene yet commanding presence. "You must complete your mission. If every shinobi abandoned their duties, Konoha would fall into chaos."

"But Grandma—"

Mito smiled gently, cutting him off. "I promise to wait until you return before... moving on. So go, and do your duty as a shinobi of Konoha. That is the legacy of our clan."

Though reluctant, Nawaki nodded, his tears flowing freely.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, moved by Mito's words, spoke solemnly. "Mito-sama, I will ensure the sealing process is delayed until Nawaki returns."

"Thank you, Hiruzen," Mito said, her voice filled with gratitude and unwavering strength.