Naruto: Reborn as Orochimaru

Chapter 101: Grooming

Orochimaru couldn't help but feel a strange sense of satisfaction. 

He had been right. The little girl standing before him Yakushi Nono was none other than the future director of the orphanage who would go on to raise Kabuto Yakushi, one of Orochimaru's most brilliant and loyal subordinates. Known as the "Wandering Miko," Nonouwould eventually become an expert spy and a highly skilled medical ninja. Seeing her at this age gave Orochimaru an idea.

Perhaps, instead of waiting for Kabuto to come into the picture, why not start earlier and groom Nono as his assistant?

Orochimaru nodded to himself thoughtfully.

He had considered countless individuals to become his assistant. Among them, Tsunade had always been the most fitting candidate. She had the strongest medical expertise, a deep knowledge of poisons and antidotes, and the ability to heal even the most fatal injuries. She was, in many ways, the perfect assistant. 

But she had one fatal flaw: her loyalty to Konoha and her bloodline as a member of the Senju clan. Tsunade would never betray Konoha, not even for him. If Orochimaru ever became an enemy of the village or was forced to conduct more extreme experiments, she would undoubtedly be the first to stand against him. 

And that was something Orochimaru couldn't afford.

Nono, on the other hand, was still young, impressionable, and full of potential. She was already in Root, being trained in the art of espionage, and showed early signs of medical proficiency. If he could mold her from this young age, she might become the perfect assistant, loyal only to him.

"Maybe it's time to give this a try…" Orochimaru thought to himself as he observed the girl.

At the moment, Yakushi Nono was just a four or five-year-old child. An orphan picked up by Danzo for her unique talents and brought to Root for training. She was still adjusting to her new life, looking around with innocent curiosity. Orochimaru noticed her staring at him with wide eyes, wondering who this unfamiliar man was. Unlike the others in Root, who wore the standard armor and masks, Orochimaru was dressed like a normal Chunin, which made her all the more intrigued.

"Who is this person?" Nono thought. "He's not dressed like the others here. He must be important if he's walking around with Danzo-sama."

She had only been here for a short time, but she understood the hierarchy well. Danzo and his subordinates were the silent protectors of Konoha, operating from the shadows. The root ninjas were elite, always masked and armored. Yet here was Orochimaru, walking freely without any of the standard Root attire, alongside Danzo, the leader of Root himself. That meant something.

Danzo, noticing Orochimaru's momentary silence, asked, "What's wrong? Did you want to pick the little girl as your opponent?"

Orochimaru snapped out of his thoughts. "Of course not," he said with a faint smile. "You, you, and the others I picked earlier, come at me together."

"Together?" Danzo raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

The ninjas under Danzo's command weren't ordinary. Every Root member was handpicked by Danzo himself, and even the weakest among them were elite Chunin. Orochimaru had just called out five of them. Even if Orochimaru had the strength of a high-ranking ninja, it would still be difficult to handle all five at once.

Orochimaru simply nodded. "I'm sure."

Danzo, after receiving confirmation, gave the order. "Everyone else, clear the room. Those who were called, stay behind."

The room quickly emptied, leaving Orochimaru and the five Root operatives. The five ninjas glanced at each other, unsure of what to make of the situation. 

Many of them looked down on Orochimaru. To them, he was simply the disciple of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Hokage. None of them knew about his performance during the Chunin exams or his prowess in scientific re

"What just happened?"

"How could a snake take him out that easily?"

As they stood there in shock, the snake, now coiled around Orochimaru's waist, poked its head out and looked up at him, speaking in a voice full of flattery.

"Master, did I do a good job?"

Not only had the snake spoken, but it had "expressed emotions". It was… fawning over Orochimaru?

"This is insane…" one of the Root ninjas muttered under his breath, trying to make sense of what was happening.