Naruto: The White Spider of the Leaf

I handed my prisoners over to the Leaf Shinobi at the outpost and watched them get taken away for further questioning. The Yamanaka clan would surely extract every last bit of information they could from those two. Mind manipulation jutsu can be quite scary. 

As for Minato, well, he was still weak and recovering from the ordeal. I got the medical personnel at the outpost to take him to the medical ward. I made sure someone sent him there, knowing that his condition was delicate. He needed more than just a few hours of rest—he needed proper care, and I wasn't about to leave him to fend for himself.

Something I ought to mention is that as we made our way toward the outpost, I felt a slight tug of unease. My clone, the one that had been with Jiraiya and Yukino, undid the jutsu that had created it. The moment my clone dispersed, I felt the rush of extra information flood my senses. Jiraiya had gathered quite a bit, though not the kind of news we had hoped for.

The Rain was preparing to make a move alright. They weren't content to lie low or wait for things to settle. No, they had plans that went beyond mere skirmishes. According to what Jiraiya-sensei found, they were planning to push out the Leaf first. They were preparing to set an example—a statement to the other great nations that the Rain would not simply lay flat on the ground and allow our three ninja villages to do battle over their lands. They wanted to show the world that they were not a small, insignificant force. 

I guess you can't just expect The Rain to stay idle while their lands are used as a chessboard.

This was no longer just about us—it was about the balance of power in the war. The Rain was ready to step up, and they were going to do it by targeting the Leaf.

I had to act fast as there was no time to waste. Their plan was to attack us late at night, so we didn't have long before they were at our doorstep.

I made my way to the command tent of the Leaf outpost, the heavy weight of the situation pressing down on me. I had to deliver Jiraiya's message—warn them about what was coming. I didn't like to be the bearer of bad news, but in this case, I had no choice.

As I entered the tent, my eyes landed on the man seated behind the desk. 

Orochimaru. 

I hadn't expected him to be the one in charge of this outpost, but then again, it made sense. He was young, still not quite a Sannin yet, but he was respected and known to be one of the brightest minds in the Leaf. Some even whispered that he was the Fourth Hokage in the making, after all he was the current Hokage's best student, though I personally found that kind of speculation a bit over the top. Obviously because I knew how the future events with him would unfold, but even without that information there were a lot of potential candidates.

Tsunade's soon to be lover, Dan, is famous enough for me to have heard of him during my days in the academy, he's certainly at a similar level as the sannin. There's also the young Uchiha Fugaku, Sasuke and Itachi's father. He's only like seventeen or eighteen years old at this point, but people are already talking great things about him. He's the current scion of the Uchiha clan after all. 

All that's not even mentioning Hatake Sakumo. He hasn't earned the moniker of white fang yet, but he's probably the strongest ninja in the village aside from Hiruzen and maybe Danzo. Big maybe on that one. If I were a betting man, I'd say he could probably stand toe-to-toe with Hanzo in single combat given all the statements made about him.

The Hokage seat will definitely have a lot of hands reaching to grab it as things stand, though we'll have to see if things still play out the same way or not. If they do, Minato will still be Hokage when the time comes, if not, it might get a bit more interesting. Depends on how I butterfly effect the war moving forward.

In any case, I'm excited to meet all those guys down the line!

Honestly, Orochimaru really doesn't sit right with me because of my knowledge of what he does later on.

The snake bastard looked up from his papers, his eyes narrowing as he studied me. I could sense his calculating gaze, the way his sharp mind was already piecing things together.

"Shirokumo-kun, we meet again," he said, his voice low and smooth, "I trust you have good news."

"No," I said bluntly. "We've just uncovered something troubling. The Rain isn't planning to sit idly by. They're preparing to make a move—against us. The Rain wants to push the Leaf out, set an example for the other nations. They want to show their strength by destroying our outpost tonight." 

I paused briefly, then continued. "That crucial piece of information aside, here is all the information we gathered with Jiraiya in the last two weeks we've spent travelling in the Rain country. I also added a chapter on some movements by the sand to root out spies from the Leaf and Rock. Me and Minato ended up capturing one of their teams. The intelligence gathering unit here should find out more about it than me though."

I handed him the scroll that was marked and written by Jiraiya. After giving it a quick but thorough read, Orochimaru's expression didn't change one bit. I could tell from the way his fingers drummed against the surface of his desk that he was processing the information. The silence between us stretched, thick with unspoken thoughts. I waited for him to speak, knowing he would have questions. He always did.

"So the Rain plans to use us as a stepping stone," he said, his voice almost casual, as though he were discussing a routine mission. "That's what you're saying?"

I nodded. "They're ready to take action, and it's going to start with us. If the Rain pushes us out of the picture—who knows? They probably think they'll have the leverage to make moves against the other nations."

Orochimaru leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepling as he thought. His gaze drifted toward the map of the region pinned to the wall, his eyes scanning it with the precision of someone who could see a hundred moves ahead. There was a cold calculation in his expression, but I wasn't sure if he was pleased by the idea or merely intrigued by the challenge.

"Fascinating," he murmured, almost to himself. "The Rain thinks they can just make a power play like this and we'll sit back and let them?" He chuckled, though there was no warmth in the sound. "It's cute, if anything."

I didn't need to ask what he meant. Orochimaru was a man who enjoyed control—who thrived on it. He'd never let a challenge go unanswered, and this would be no different.

"We need to act quickly," I said, trying to bring the conversation back to the urgency of the situation. "The longer we wait, the harder it will be to respond."

Orochimaru nodded slowly, his eyes still focused on the map. His fingers twitched as though plotting something—likely already thinking several steps ahead.

"I will prepare," he said, his voice cold and confident. "We'll move before they can strike. I'll make sure the necessary forces are mobilized. And, Shirokumo…" He paused, turning his gaze back to me, his eyes gleaming with an unspoken promise. "Since Jiraiya is currently still behind enemy lines, I want you with me."

Uh, oh. 

Honestly I'm not too fond of that idea, if I have to be completely honest. But I can't in good faith decline the orders of my superior here.

So, I nodded. "I'll be there by your side for this." 

"Good. Then you should meet the other member of our team."

Orochimaru's lips curled into a thin smile, though it felt more like a predator baring its teeth than an expression of warmth. He gestured toward the tent flap, calling for someone outside.

A boy, no older than twelve, stepped in with the surety of someone much older. His bright eyes shone with ambition, and though his frame was still young, there was a quiet intensity to his presence. He wore the Leaf headband with pride, the same symbol I wore, though it looked somehow different on him. There was also a peculiar necklace sitting comfortably on his chest, one I knew well from the show. One I knew the meaning of.

"This is my student, Senju Nawaki," Orochimaru said curtly.

I nodded, trying to mask the knot of unease twisting in my stomach. Nawaki. The brother of Tsunade. I'd heard plenty about him—mostly from her during the time when she tended to my broken body. By now, I could already guess how she felt about his reckless ambitions to prove himself early on. Nawaki was strong, full of energy, and yet, I knew how this story played out.

This was the mission, wasn't it? The one that would ultimately claim his life, leaving Tsunade to mourn her beloved brother. The knowledge of what was to come weighed heavily on me as I studied him.

His bright eyes, full of hope, were a stark contrast to the fate that awaited him. The boy was brimming with potential—potential that would ultimately go unfulfilled. In my heart, I couldn't shake the feeling that the Leaf, my village, was about to lose one of its most promising shinobi, all for the sake of an ambition that would prove too costly.

Unless I could change that fate. If only I could prevent it.

Nawaki grinned and stepped forward, his gaze locking onto me with the kind of intensity I'd expect from someone like him. His energy was almost tangible, bouncing off the walls in a way that made him stand out.

"You're Shirokumo, right? The one who's been training under big bro Jiraiya?" Nawaki asked, his voice loud and full of enthusiasm. He didn't wait for an answer before continuing, his hands already in motion as he gestured dramatically. "I heard you were an amazing shinobi from my sister! I can't wait to see what kind of moves you've got!"

I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at his uncontained energy. If there was one thing that stood out about Nawaki, it was his ability to exude that brash, unshakable confidence that felt a bit… over the top. The way he grinned at me also felt familiar. It was the same way Naruto would grin at people and for the audience back when I used to watch the show. These two really are super similar to each other. 

I extended an arm and shook his hand. "I don't know what Lady Tsunade said exactly or how true it might be, but it's nice to meet you, Nawaki."

"Likewise! Let's do our best in the coming days and rack up some achievements!"

 "You think we're ready for the battlefield?"

Nawaki puffed out his chest. "Of course! I'm ready for anything! I've been training hard every day. My dream's to become the strongest ninja—like Grandpa Hashirama!" He grinned even wider at the thought of his dream. "I won't stop until I'm Hokage!"

I couldn't help but grin at his fire. Despite myself, I respected that. There was no doubt that Nawaki had the sort of determination you couldn't teach, the kind that made him stand out even at his age.

"Alright, alright," I said, shaking my head. "I see you're fired up. Just… remember it's not always about strength. You gotta be smart about it, too. One simple mistake can cost you a lot in a fight."

Nawaki just laughed, slapping me on the shoulder—harder than I expected for someone his size. "Don't worry! I've got the strength AND the brains!" His grin made it clear he wasn't taking me too seriously, which was infuriating considering he dies because of that exact thought process of his.

Orochimaru, who had been watching the interaction with an unreadable expression, finally spoke. "Enough chatter. You're on a mission now, not a competition. Nawaki, show Shirokumo you can back up that confidence."

Nawaki gave a mock salute, his grin never fading. "Aye aye, sensei! I'm gonna show everyone what I can do!"

As Nawaki turned back to face me with that same over-the-top enthusiasm, I couldn't help but feel a pang of discomfort deep in my chest. 

Is this really the mission? The one where Nawaki—It must be. Orochimaru is here with him and it's still early on in the second great shinobi war, it hasn't even been announced by that name yet. I know Dan, Tsunade's lover, dies in the middle of it, so it only makes sense that Nawaki would've died during the earlier days of the war.

There's also the necklace, I'm fairly certain he dies soon after receiving it.

If I can prevent that tragedy, I could repay Tsunade for healing me when I ruined my body with the eight inner gates.