Naruto: Reincarnated As Orochimaru

My name is Uchiha Mikoto. I am fifteen years old, and I hail from the Uchiha clan of Konoha Village in the Land of Fire. Although I'm a girl, I am already a chūnin—and not just any chūnin, but one who possesses the Sharingan.

The Sharingan is the Uchiha clan's unique kekkei genkai.

Being a chūnin means being a ninja capable of holding one's own on the battlefield.

Of course, these details aren't the most important. What truly matters is how I awakened my Sharingan.

There are widespread rumors that the Uchiha clan's Sharingan is cursed, that its awakening requires going through intense emotional pain and tears.

But that wasn't the case for me.

I remember first awakening my eyes at the age of eleven when I met Orochimaru-sama.

That night, he gave me a special potion.

Following the advice of my father and the clan head, I took it.

After a period of searing pain, I thought I'd go blind, but instead, my vision sharpened and my eyes awakened.

And over the years, I never experienced any negative side effects.

I was naive back then, unaware of the potion's significance or why Orochimaru-sama would give me such a precious item.

I just thought Orochimaru-sama was incredibly powerful if he could awaken the Sharingan in an Uchiha without the usual trauma.

Even my father, a proud and stoic man, had nothing but praise for him.

But as I grew older, I came to understand many things, and my respect for Orochimaru-sama only deepened.

Not only is he a genius in developing ninja tools and conducting groundbreaking research, but his strength is almost beyond belief.

Thanks to his countless contributions, our village repelled Sand Village's assaults and defeated Hanzo, the leader of the Rain Village, earning a formidable reputation in the ninja world.

Everyone in the village revered Orochimaru-sama as a hero, myself included.

And what I didn't expect was that my first mission on the battlefield would be under his command.

It felt like a dream come true.

In battle, Orochimaru-sama was not only experienced but surprisingly attentive to newcomers like me.

His words were often cold and detached, but when danger loomed, he was always the first to shield us.

Being near Orochimaru-sama brought a sense of safety that I had never felt before.

If I were to choose a future partner, I'd want someone like him—a powerful and unwavering shinobi.

Thinking about it, I couldn't help but smile softly as the wind rushed past me. I glanced at the massive, purple-patterned serpent beneath me and spoke up.

"Lord Manda, are we really going to leave Orochimaru-sama behind like this?"

"Yes, Lord Manda. Orochimaru-sama is strong, but he's facing the Third Kazekage!" another chūnin added nervously.

"And the number of enemies… I'm afraid—"

"Hmm?" Manda's eyes narrowed, his expression turning into a smirk. "Ha! What, are you thinking of going back and holding him back?"

"H-Holding him back?"

They all froze for a moment.

When facing a Kage-level opponent, chūnin like them or even the jōnin with them would be nothing more than liabilities.

"Enough chatter. I'm dropping you here. Once we're far enough from that guy, the summoning contract will end. I need to return and deal with any pursuers."

"Thank you for your assistance, Lord Manda!" …

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The battle raged within the makeshift arena Orochimaru had created using Earth Release.

Thunderous noises echoed as the two clashed.

"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Drizzle!"

Buzz!

Hammer-like projectiles and iron spikes hovered in the air, spinning like tops as they relentlessly pursued Orochimaru.

He leaped and twisted gracefully, narrowly dodging each strike. To an outsider, his movements seemed chaotic, but there was a method to his evasion.

Smoke and debris filled the arena, now littered with craters and the bodies of Sand shinobi.

The scene resembled a battlefield that had seen countless skirmishes.

The Third Kazekage's hands moved fluidly, iron sand pouring from his sleeves as he tracked Orochimaru's every move with hawk-like focus.

"This guy…"

Orochimaru smirked mid-leap, and in an instant, his form flickered out of sight.

Snap!

He reappeared behind the Kazekage, hands forming a seal as his chakra surged, flaring like a wild flame.

"Let's see how you handle this."

"Summoning Jutsu: Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes!"

Hiss, hiss!

A torrent of serpents burst from Orochimaru's sleeves, their tongues flicking as they writhed and expanded.

Within moments, the small stream of snakes multiplied, one becoming two, two becoming four, four becoming eight, and so on.

In seconds, an ocean of snakes swarmed the battlefield.

"Impressive…"

Faced with the incoming wave, the Third Kazekage didn't hesitate. He manipulated the iron sand, slicing through the mass of serpents with deadly precision.

Slash! Slash!

The iron spikes shredded countless snakes, scattering pieces everywhere.

"What kind of battle is this?"

"This is terrifying!"

"Can Orochimaru really push Lord Kazekage this far?"

The Sand shinobi who hadn't managed to follow Manda's escape stood at the perimeter, watching the duel from a distance.

They wanted to jump in and help, but this level of combat was beyond them. Entering would do nothing but disrupt their own leader.

In the arena, Orochimaru seized the moment while the Third Kazekage was occupied with the serpents. He extended his right hand, and space rippled as the Kusanagi Sword, gleaming with a silver light, materialized in his grasp.

Against an opponent like the Kazekage, Orochimaru had to play all his cards.

The Kazekage wasn't an enemy to take lightly; he was leagues above ordinary shinobi.

So Orochimaru had no intention of holding back.

The Kazekage's eyes narrowed as Orochimaru disappeared again. The memory of the serpents swarming toward him was fresh in his mind, but now Orochimaru's speed reminded him of someone.

It felt eerily similar to the stories of the Second Hokage, known as the fastest in the ninja world.

But there was no time to dwell on it. He pushed off the ground with a swift motion, dodging Orochimaru's strike and propelling himself into the air.

Massive black wings formed behind him, shimmering with an iron-like gleam.

"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Wing!"

The wings flapped once, lifting the Kazekage higher into the sky.

Seeing his opponent soar into the air, Orochimaru paused, eyes glinting with excitement.

"Flying? Now that's an ability worth having."

"Orochimaru, I'll admit you're strong, but this is as far as you go."

As the Kazekage spoke, the hammers and spikes of iron sand merged, falling like a storm from above and splitting into countless shards as they descended.

"Magnet Release: Iron Sand World!"