Oblivion

Chapter VI: Danger no more

The first thing that came to his mind was to go back  to Konoha. He couldn't afford to waste any time.   Kabuto and his group would surely come after him—if they weren't already on his trail. His heart pounded as his breath quickened, the adrenaline pushing him faster than he'd ever run before. Every step, every burst of speed, felt like an eternity as his legs carried him in the direction of the village he called home.

The forest blurred past him, and the sound of his feet hitting the ground seemed distant, drowned out by the urgency of his thoughts.   He had narrowly escaped, but how long would his luck hold out? Kabuto was no fool; the man had a knack for tracking people, especially those with chakra as distinct as his own. He couldn’t stop. He couldn’t slow down.  His team needs him and vice versa.

His mind raced as he recalled every detail from his brief encounter with Kabuto's group. He couldn't afford to get caught, not now. He had to get back to Konoha to warn them, to regroup. Every twist of the path felt familiar, but it was hard to focus with the fear gnawing at him. He had to survive this. He would  survive this.

The village was still hours away, and the thought of being pursued weighed heavily on him. But there was something else—something that kept him going. The idea of returning home to the safety of Konoha, where his friends and sensei  wer e had pushed him forward.

He couldn't let them down. Not after everything they’d been through.  He wants to hear Jiraiya’s boisterous laugh, to feel Tsunade’s warmth and to basks in his sensei’s affection. However,  no matter how fast he ran, the feeling that he was being hunted never went away.

Upon his arrival, the first thing he did was to sneak inside the village to bath and change. Hence, he went to the orphanage where he left his things before he joined his teammates for the C-rank mission that was assigned to them. However, he was so confused when the said orphanage was no longer located where it is supposed to be. Come to think of it, the entire village is different from the last time he was here. He wondered how long he was held captive by Kabuto’s group. Looking at the mountain where the Hokage’s faces were sculpted, he was confused and surprised at the same time to see another face next to his sensei.  

“I need to see Sensei—I must check what is even happening.” Dread lurks in his heart at the idea of his beloved sensei death and only to get replaced by someone unfamiliar.

“Don’t move” Kakashi was not the only one who felt Orochimaru’s chakra in their village. Most if not all the available jonin and ANBU immediately searched the entire village for the Snake Sannin, but just like him, none of them were prepared to see a child version of the heartless Sannin standing at an abandoned lot.

“...” Startled, Orochimaru’s body moves on its own to protect him against an unknown force. He almost successfully stabbed the man if not for multiple hands stopping his attack.

Tension permeates the air. Looking at their target, they knew that it would be dangerous to underestimate the Sannin despite his body size especially of how quick he moved to attack Kakashi Hatake of all people. They almost forgot that the boy in front of them is a legend and one of the topnotch shinobi that Konoha ever produced. On the other hand, distrust reflects on Orochimaru’s big serpentine eyes as he glared at them. He is well-aware of Konoha’s distrust towards his clan, but for these jonin to point their weapon towards him is an overkill.

“He’s small, isn’t he?” Gai was the first to break the awkward silence. Staring at the most dangerous Sannin, they could not help but to agree with Gai. Who would have thought that a sociopathic psychopath like Orochimaru was once upon a time a child too just like the rest of them.

“That’s not the first thing I would describe him with, but I cannot disagree with Gai.” Kurenai muttered. Orochimaru as a child is different from his adult self. She wondered what in the world happened for an adorable kid to end up a twisted bastard.

“What are we going to do with this one?” Asuma sighed. He was tired from tirelessly helping in fixing the damages made by Orochimaru and his ilk to their village and here he is trying to stop a child version of the Snake Sannin.

“I need to see, Sarutobi-sensei.” Orochimaru stares at the weird-looking ninja, his big bright serpentine eyes met those worried dark colored eyes. He could feel the adults tense when he tried to pull away from them. Something was definitely wrong especially that he does not know any of these people. Sure, one of them looks like a mixture of Biwako-san and Hiruzen-sensei. The other one looks like he was from the Hatake clan, a distant relative of the Inazuka clan. The kunoichi is no doubt a Yuhi, with her dark hair and crimson eyes.

“The Hokage wants Hatake Kakashi to keep that child safe until he arrives. He is currently with Tsunade-hime.” One of the pair of ANBU spoke upon their arrival. They also informed the rest of them to keep Danzo and the ROOT away from the child without saying they need to fight them tooth and nail to keep Orochimaru safe until the Hokage’s next order.

“Sir, is Tsunade and Jiraiya safe?” Orochimaru spoke timidly. His priority is to know if his friends are well and safe. Everything would be second to because they were not just his best friends, they are also his family.

“Yes. No need to worry about it, Kid. See this man here, his name is Kakashi Hatake, and he will accompany you until the Hokage finishes his work. I want you to follow everything he’ll say and do not cause any ruckus.” The other ANBU gently albeit awkwardly pat the criminal’s head. If what they suspected were correct, then this Orochimaru has no memories either.

“Okay” There’s no need to fight anyone today as long as Kabuto is not after him, but he wondered why they do not want Danzo near him. As far as he knows, the man was his sensei’s best friend.

They were all about to leave the boy to Kakashi when they heard the child’s stomach growled at them. A pink tinge colored Orochimaru’s pale cheeks. He almost forgot that he has not been able to eat ever since he successfully escaped Kabuto.

“I am sorry” Orochimaru’s pride was wounded. There he is trying to avoid their eyes as his tummy growled the second time. Kami— may the earth swallow him whole.

“Don’t be! How about this, I will treat you to the nearest store. Do you like ramen? I am sure that my eternal rival will not mind waiting for a little bit.” Gai finds the whole thing as hilarious as it could be, but S-rank criminal or not, the Orochimaru in front of them is a child and must be treated with care.