Naruto: Reincarnated As Orochimaru

"On your face?"

Orochimaru was taken aback by Tsunade's words.

Was this Tsunade always so bold, or had she changed over time?

Reflecting on it for a moment, Orochimaru leaned toward the latter. When they first became a couple, Tsunade had been affectionate but also somewhat conservative. She would never have said something like this back then.

She probably only made this kind of offer because she was asking for something in return, but until now, she had never taken it this far…

Did Tsunade truly have the potential to act like a devoted wife? Was Orochimaru genuinely moved by her proposition?

Orochimaru's mind cleared up as he recognized his current situation. But it didn't matter much to him now. He was already past caring about that sort of thing.

After all, the original Orochimaru from the series was even more eccentric than he was; they just had different areas of focus.

This time, Orochimaru didn't refuse Tsunade's offer. He wasn't sure why Tsunade would make such a bold promise just for some home-cooked meals, but he wasn't going to question it.

And in the conversation that followed, everything became clear.

Tsunade wanted Kushina to stay at their house because, after they got together, her maternal instincts had started to emerge.

She felt a strange compassion for Kushina.

What an unexpected turn of events.

Tsunade, despite her love for peace, was an elite ninja with a strong sense of duty. She wasn't one to pity someone simply because they had a difficult life story. Even if that person was a distant relative like Kushina from the Uzumaki Clan, sympathy was not something easily given in the ninja world.

Of course, Orochimaru had no objections to Tsunade's request. He was also curious to see how Konoha's higher-ups would react to it.

The result was unsurprising.

Thanks to Tsunade's influence, the Konoha leadership that would typically oppose such a move didn't interfere.

Ordinarily, as the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki, Kushina's movements would be strictly monitored, and living with other ninjas outside the designated areas of surveillance would be forbidden. Although living with other ninja wasn't the issue, the leaders would never risk exposing Kushina's status as the Jinchūriki.

But with Tsunade involved, they had nothing to say. Tsunade wasn't just the princess of the Senju clan; she was also capable of using Wood Release. Her position meant that dealing with Jinchūriki would eventually become part of her duties.

So after some discussion, they didn't oppose the arrangement.

Because of this, two new residents moved into Orochimaru's home: Tsunade and Kushina.

Watching Orochimaru work in the kitchen, Kushina, who already had a certain admiration for him, felt her surprise deepen.

"Is this really one of the legendary Sannin, feared across the battlefield? It's unbelievable."

As this thought crossed her mind, she glanced at Tsunade beside her.

Tsunade, completely enamored, was watching Orochimaru cook with an expression of pure bliss. She didn't notice Kushina's gaze at all.

So this is what happiness looks like, Kushina thought…

By June of Konoha Year 34, preparations for border defense rotations had begun, and many teams were heading to the front lines.

Nawaki and Hyūga Hizashi, having grown stronger and gained battle experience alongside Orochimaru, were now set to participate in missions on their own. They had enough battlefield experience to operate independently, while Orochimaru would be leading a new team of recruits.

Tsunade naturally worried about Nawaki joining another team, but war left no room for hesitation.

Besides, Orochimaru assured her that with his advanced training, Nawaki's current strength was comparable to that of an ordinary jōnin. Even on the battlefield, he wouldn't fall easily.

With that, Tsunade felt somewhat reassured.

"Orochimaru-sama, I'm in your care!"

"Orochimaru-sama, please look after Mikoto!"

On the street outside the Hokage's office, Orochimaru was slightly surprised when he saw the first new recruit reporting to him.

"Uchiha Mikoto? Well, this is an interesting twist."

Battlefield team composition was crucial for maintaining balance, so it was rare to see members of the same clan assigned to the same team.

Thus, it wasn't out of the ordinary for an Uchiha to be part of his unit.

"Yes, it is," Orochimaru nodded, then turned to Uchiha Akihara beside him. "Don't worry. Although this mission involves a six-person squad, there are two jōnin among us, so the risk should be manageable."

"I'm confident with you leading the team, sir," Uchiha Akihara responded respectfully.

It wasn't flattery but an honest sentiment.

This time, Konoha decided to assign two jōnin to some squads because the last war had brought significant casualties.

One jōnin leading five rookies often wasn't enough for protection.

In the previous conflict, many squads suffered losses, and some teams were even wiped out due to the inexperience of their members.

Konoha had adjusted their tactics in response, but Orochimaru's team had remained unchanged.

He didn't need the change.

Not only did he achieve outstanding results with five recruits, but there were no casualties under his leadership.

This demonstrated Orochimaru's exceptional skill in commanding his unit.

After exchanging a few more words with Uchiha Akihara, who then left with his team, Orochimaru looked at the black-haired girl standing in front of him, deep in thought.

"Um… Sir, when are we setting out?" Mikoto's voice broke into his thoughts.

"We'll meet at the village gates at nine tomorrow morning."

"So now…"

"You'll come with me for a bit," Orochimaru said decisively.

Though puzzled, Mikoto obediently followed him.

They had only taken a couple of steps when another Uchiha passed by them, walking in the opposite direction. Their paths barely crossed, and there was no interaction.

But the brief encounter left Orochimaru feeling even more puzzled.

Glancing at the composed Mikoto, he asked, "Mikoto, you're not going to greet your clan member?"

"Clan member?" Uchiha Mikoto was momentarily confused, then turned to look behind her and realized, "Oh, him? I've seen him around the clan, but we're not that close."

".…"

Weren't Fugaku and Mikoto supposed to be childhood friends?

What in the world was going on?