Uchiha Ran lay awake all night.
The man who had once vowed to become a "central heating unit," warming every young girl, mature woman, big sister, and little sister alike… was suffering from insomnia over nothing more than a flash of snow-white skin.
How utterly pathetic, Ran couldn't help but mock himself.
Setting aside last night's heart-pounding events, today was shaping up to be another relaxed and pleasant day.
Perhaps because Orochimaru-sensei had taken a keen interest in his newly accepted disciple, he summoned Uchiha Ran and Mitarashi Anko early in the morning and brought them straight to the Forest of Death.
To Orochimaru, though both were his students, Ran and Anko were fundamentally different.
Uchiha Ran hailed from Konoha's greatest clan—the Uchiha—and possessed the envy-inducing three-tomoe Sharingan. Powerful as he was, he wasn't merely Orochimaru's student; he was closer to a partner who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him.
In the laboratory, the two could discuss experiments together, debate theories, and explore the unknown side by side.
Mitarashi Anko, by comparison, was far more innocent.
She hadn't been tempered by darkness, nor had she experienced the pain of life and death. To Anko, the world—and the mysteries of ninjutsu—were still only half-understood.
Even so, that didn't dampen her passion for the snake techniques she was about to learn.
It was obvious from her daily behavior—her affinity for snakes seemed almost innate. Every close interaction with them sparked genuine joy and excitement deep in her heart.
Mitarashi Anko was, without question, someone worthy of inheriting snake ninjutsu.
"So, Orochimaru-sensei, did you bring me here just to watch you train them in snake techniques?"
Uchiha Ran looked utterly baffled. He had zero interest in that.
"No. You and Anko are different," Orochimaru said calmly, producing a scroll from his mouth as he spoke. "She's here to learn snake ninjutsu. You, on the other hand, are here to learn summoning."
"Summoning? A snake summoning?"
Ran frowned, already knowing the answer.
"Ran-kun, you may not know this," Orochimaru's voice echoed softly beside him, "but there are three great training sanctuaries in this world: Mount Myōboku, Shikkotsu Forest, and Ryūchi Cave. Each is presided over by a great sage."
"So why are you telling me all this, Orochimaru-sensei?" Ran asked bluntly.
"You're a clever child," Orochimaru replied, his eyes narrowing slightly. "In the shinobi world, only these three places allow one to learn Sage Mode."
Seeing the interest spark in Ran's gaze, Orochimaru continued, "You're an Uchiha, bearing the power of the Sharingan. The senjutsu of Mount Myōboku and Shikkotsu Forest doesn't suit you. Ryūchi Cave's senjutsu, however, is perfect for you."
"What exactly is senjutsu? And does it have something to do with the summoning I'm learning today?"
It wasn't that Ran didn't know of these places—it was just that Orochimaru bringing it up like this felt abrupt.
"To learn Ryūchi Cave's senjutsu," Orochimaru explained, "you must first qualify to contract with its summon beasts. Second, you must possess sufficient talent."
"Orochimaru-sensei! Can I learn summoning too?" Anko asked, eyes sparkling with curiosity. "What exactly is summoning, anyway?"
"Summoning is calling forth your contracted beasts to fight for you," Orochimaru said with a smile, gently patting Anko on the head.
Anko clearly enjoyed the touch. In her memories, her father had never stroked her head like this.
"Then, Sensei," she asked eagerly, "do you know the sages of Ryūchi Cave?"
"Of course I do~" Orochimaru replied with a knowing smile as he looked at his students.
Was this really Orochimaru?
In everyone else's eyes, he always wore that cold, emotionless expression in front of outsiders.
But perhaps this was the real him.
Maybe Orochimaru had never truly been cold. Maybe warmth existed in his heart—reserved only for those he acknowledged.
At least in Anko's mind, aside from yesterday's trial, Orochimaru-sensei had always been gentle.
"Anko," Orochimaru asked softly, "do you want to learn summoning?"
"Mm! I'll do whatever Sensei says! If Sensei wants me to learn, I'll learn!"
"So obedient," Orochimaru said approvingly. "When you're older, I'll teach you summoning. For now, your chakra reserves are still too small."
Meanwhile, Uchiha Ran accepted the scroll from Orochimaru.
"That's disgusting!" Ran grimaced at the slick, slimy texture. "A scroll that came out of someone's mouth—how is anyone supposed to handle that?"
Unfurling the summoning contract, Ran signed his name beneath Orochimaru's.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Following Orochimaru's instructions, Ran rapidly formed hand seals and slammed his palm into the ground.
A massive black seal spread across the earth.
"This feeling—!"
Sensing something amiss, Orochimaru immediately grabbed Anko and used Body Flicker, vanishing from the spot.
Boom!
A gigantic snake erupted beneath Ran's feet.
"So it's Manda again," Orochimaru muttered from afar, sounding unsurprised. "Every time there's a summoning, this guy is always the most eager."
"Mwahaha! Orochimaru—have the fifty human sacrifices been prepared?"
Manda's voice dripped with hostility.
"I'm Lord Orochimaru's disciple," Uchiha Ran called out from atop the serpent's head. "You filthy beast—what's your name?"
Manda instantly flew into a rage.
Who did this brat think he was, addressing him like that? If it were the White Snake Sage or one of the Three Great Snake Ladies, fine—but a mere human summoning him without tribute?
Furious, Manda whipped his head upward, flinging Ran high into the air.
"Teach this brat a painful lesson!" Manda roared. "Let him learn that summoning Lord Manda comes at a terrible price. Without benefit, why should I bother showing up?"
Yet in that very moment, Manda caught sight of Ran's crimson Sharingan spinning in midair.
…?!
"U–Uchiha… an evil Uchiha?!"
The instant he saw those eyes, Manda knew he was in trouble.
This was bad. He was about to become another victim of the Uchiha's gaze.
Living long-term in Ryūchi Cave, Manda was well aware of the shinobi world. Once caught by the Sharingan, resistance was meaningless.
And yet… how had he fallen for it so easily?
That damnable Uchiha—he only said he was Orochimaru's disciple. He never mentioned being an Uchiha!
Landing once more atop Manda's head, Ran looked down at the rigid, immobilized serpent and spoke calmly:
"Esteemed snake from Ryūchi Cave… for the sake of your reputation, I assume you wouldn't want to be missing two rather important parts of your body, would you?"