Outside Konohagakure, Anko Mitarashi spoke up. "Orochimaru-sensei, Tengen's late again."
This wasn't the first time it had happened.
Since the Chunin Exams, their team hadn't taken on missions for a while. Now, with the opportunity to start again, Anko was brimming with excitement.
Though she hadn't been promoted to Chunin this time, she was confident it wouldn't be long before she joined Tengen's ranks.
Their other teammate, Shujin Uchiha, had surprisingly been promoted to Chunin as well, making Orochimaru's squad notably strong.
Most importantly, Orochimaru was aware of Tengen's prowess, which rivaled his own. Their team could hold its own against elite Jonin squads from other villages, allowing them to retreat unscathed. Thus, during missions, Orochimaru often deferred to Tengen's lead.
This dynamic wasn't new, but the relationship between Orochimaru and Tengen had grown increasingly peculiar.
"Be patient, Anko. Tengen should be here soon." Orochimaru said calmly.
Their other teammate, Shujin Uchiha, waited with a composed expression. The arrogance typical of the Uchiha clan had faded from him, likely due to the humbling impact of Tengen's overwhelming strength.
Despite being younger, Tengen's power was undeniable. During the Chunin Exams, many believed he already possessed the skills of a Jonin. With a bit more time, he could officially claim that rank.
The gap between Jonin and Chunin was far greater than that between Chunin and Genin. Most ninjas could reach Chunin with a lifetime of effort, but becoming a Jonin required exceptional talent. Many only achieved it around age twenty, when their physical abilities, combat experience, and chakra mastery peaked.
Jonin were the elite, one in ten thousand, rising above countless others.
Geniuses like Kakashi and Tengen were thus highly valued, a phenomenon not unique to Konoha but common across all ninja villages.
"I'm here." Tengen announced, arriving with a familiar chuckle.
"Tengen, late again? Let me guess, you got lost on the path of destiny?" Anko teased.
"Anko, when did you get so clever?" Tengen replied, feigning surprise.
"Tengen!" Anko's voice rose in mock indignation.
"Alright, Anko, since Tengen's here, let's move out." Orochimaru interjected. "Tengen, if you have any personal matters to discuss, you can always talk to me."
"Thank you, Orochimaru-sensei." Tengen said with a smile.
Their gazes met, each carrying a trace of something unspoken.
"Let's go." Orochimaru said, motioning to Anko and Shujin.
"We're off! Another mission!" Anko exclaimed, thrilled.
…
Several months later, in a region of the Land of Grass, Anko emerged from behind a large tree. Lilliputian.
"Mission complete." she declared.
Their task had been to track down a group of rogue ninjas. After extensive pursuit and investigation, they had finally eliminated the targets in the Land of Grass.
This mission had kept them away from Konoha for an unusually long time.
Shujin Uchiha, Tengen, and the others appeared from nearby trees.
"With the mission done, it's time to head back." Orochimaru said, appearing on a branch with a cold smile.
The enemy had included a Jonin, but Orochimaru hadn't intervened, leaving Tengen to handle it alone.
Tengen didn't mind. The team was well aware his strength matched that of a Jonin, and Konoha's leadership was likely considering whether to assign him his own squad or solo missions.
Such team-based missions were standard, but the shinobi world seemed to be stirring with undercurrents. Many espionage tasks and infiltrations into other villages were underway, though these were handled by other Jonin, not Tengen's team.
In his spare time, Tengen had collected numerous videos, though none were particularly remarkable. Many were Naruto-related, teaching him various ninjutsu, both forbidden and standard, without needing to copy them with his Sharingan.
It was the 46th year of Konoha's founding, and patches of snow dotted the landscape. The weather had grown cold, but for shinobi, such chill was negligible, their bodies resilient against it.
"Orochimaru-sensei, I have some business to attend to, so I'll need to step away briefly. You all head back to Konoha." Tengen said suddenly.
"Off on your own again, Tengen?" Anko remarked.
It wasn't the first time he'd done this.
"No problem, Tengen. Go and return quickly." Orochimaru said with a nod.
He and Tengen had an understanding, granting each other freedom without overstepping. Orochimaru knew Tengen hadn't revealed anything about his laboratory to the Third Hokage, as Hiruzen would have confronted him otherwise.
Thus, Orochimaru and Tengen maintained a careful balance, partly because Orochimaru lacked the confidence to subdue Tengen, and partly because he still aspired to become the Fourth Hokage, a promise Danzo had made.
Tengen left the team, using the Flying Technique to head toward the Land of Grass's border, where a signal awaited.
"Hm." Tengen spotted a tall figure.
The figure wore a headband with a slash through its village symbol, marking them as a rogue ninja. Half their face was concealed by black cloth.
Kakuzu?
***
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