Uzumaki Mito walked over to Orochimaru with a broad, kindly smile.
"Please don't make fun of me," Orochimaru replied helplessly. "I still haven't figured out why the sealing technique failed and then exploded."
He stroked his chin, deep in thought. The failure of the Three-Point Seal causing an explosion was something even he—its creator—had never anticipated.
"Perhaps," Uzumaki Mito said slowly, "it was caused by the collision of different chakra nature transformations when the seal collapsed?"
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed.
"Actually… the Three-Point Seal itself involves chakra nature transformations and elemental opposition." He paused, then exhaled softly. "I completely overlooked that."
When he had developed the Three-Point Seal, his own mastery over chakra nature transformation ensured that even a failed attempt would never explode. That personal experience had caused him to subconsciously dismiss the possibility altogether.
The children still training at the Ninja Academy, however, were different. Many of them had not yet awakened or stabilized their chakra nature transformations. Even after becoming genin, some might never formally train in that aspect at all.
If Orochimaru had not been the one to invent the Three-Point Seal, he would have noticed this flaw immediately. Precisely because it was his own creation, he had failed to see it.
"Grandmother!"
Nawaki ran toward Uzumaki Mito, his face bright with excitement. "When I go to the Ninja Academy, I want to attend classes with the Sealing Team too!"
"Nawaki," Mito said gently, "you're better suited to a regular class."
She did not want Nawaki to grow up as a pure sealing specialist. While she did intend to teach him some fuinjutsu, she hoped more that he would develop evenly in all aspects.
As for Tsunade… she had already given up hope entirely.
"Why?" Nawaki protested. "I want to attend Sister Orochimaru's classes too! They're really interesting!"
If he joined the Sealing Team, he could naturally attend Orochimaru's lectures as well.
Mito saw through his little scheme immediately. She bent down and whispered something into his ear.
Orochimaru overheard part of it and could only watch helplessly as Nawaki's eyes grew even brighter.
I heard everything, you know. Thanks for adding another chore to my already impossible workload.
He had never wanted to be a jōnin instructor. Teaching disciples was exhausting, and if one did poorly, the teacher would be blamed first.
At this point, it was worth mentioning a certain Uchiha Obito—who had not yet been born.
Teaching Nawaki a little in his spare time, however, wasn't entirely impossible.
Orochimaru was genuinely fond of the boy. Especially that laugh—slightly silly, and strikingly similar to Tsunade's.
"Orochimaru, do you have another class?"
Uchiha Hikari, who had been standing beneath a tree during the practical session, walked over and quietly took his hand.
"They're finished," Orochimaru replied with a faint smile. "I only come here occasionally to teach the Sealing Team. Grandma Mito is their main instructor."
If he had to teach them every single day, he truly wouldn't be able to endure it.
"Sister Orochimaru!" Nawaki ran over again, eyes shining. "When I go to the Ninja Academy, you have to teach me ninjutsu when you have time! Grandma said you know a lot!"
"I want to become a great ninja like you!"
"Well…" Orochimaru smiled slightly. "That's not impossible."
Flattery, after all, could open many doors. And Orochimaru was enjoying it more than he cared to admit.
"This is great!" Nawaki cheered, throwing his hands into the air.
"Orochimaru, come here for a moment," Uzumaki Mito said. "There's something I need to tell you."
She explained her concerns about the Spiral Tower—her declining strength, her weakening suppression of the Nine-Tails, and the inevitability of moving there one day.
Orochimaru's face darkened. "Building the Spiral Tower now is unnecessary. You don't need to enhance the seal yet."
"I feel my body failing," Mito said calmly. "One day, I won't have a choice. I don't want to bring disaster upon the village."
Orochimaru understood. He also understood why she was saying this now—to prevent him from resenting Sarutobi and the others.
"I won't blame them," he said quietly.
"You're very intelligent," Mito sighed, "but also very foolish in some matters."
Her real frustration, however, lay elsewhere.
Tsunade, you say you like him—so why won't you take the initiative?
You're not even as bold as that child Mio.
Orochimaru sensed her sudden irritation and silently took several steps back.
Why was she angry again?
At the Ninja Academy's main gate, Uchiha Hikari stared at the old swing Nawaki had played on earlier.
"Would you like to try it?" Orochimaru asked.
"I… can I?"
"Of course."
He pushed the swing gently. Hikari's black hair fluttered in the wind, and a clear, joyful laugh escaped her lips.
Later, on the way home, she tugged at his sleeve.
"Abla Orochimaru…?"
"Hikari," he said firmly, "just call me Orochimaru."
Despite her appearance, she had lived for over a hundred years. Being called 'sister' unsettled him.
"Tell me," he added, "what do you want?"
She hesitated, then asked softly, "Can you teach me ninjutsu?"
"That depends on your chakra nature," Orochimaru replied. "But there's plenty I can teach you."
Soon after, near his home, Orochimaru handed her a sheet of chakra paper.
"This tests nature transformation. Inject chakra into it."
The paper burned, split, and crumpled.
"Fire, Wind, Lightning," Orochimaru muttered. "And Yin Release as well."
He smiled faintly. "Very good."
Then he demonstrated his own techniques—Lightning Bullet without hand seals, Five-Fingered Lightning Projectile, Wind Release: Night Wind, and the Fast Wind Wall.
Hikari watched in stunned silence, Sharingan spinning as she analyzed every movement.
Ninjutsu without hand seals…
If he had used this against me earlier, I might never have activated Susanoo at all.
Orochimaru lowered his hands and looked at her calmly.
"This is only the beginning."
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)