The irregular sound of blood dripping into a puddle, *plop, plop*, echoed clearly in his ears. The damp, cold wind brushed against Haku's skin, and the thick scent of blood filled his nostrils. His stomach churned with discomfort, a wave of nausea rolling through his chest.
His face and hands felt sticky. The wind quickly sucked away the warmth from the liquid, leaving the cooled blood clinging to his skin.
Yet, the blade that had killed was still as brilliantly sharp as ever, without a trace of bloodstains.
The raised blade gleamed like a mirror, and Haku could clearly see his reflection. His long black hair was tied into a single ponytail reaching his waist, and he wore a moon-Haku patterned haori over black hakama. The eight-sided snowflake crest of his family adorned the haori's front, back, and sleeves.
The reflection on the blade was so unfamiliar.
He barely recognized himself.
This outfit had been custom-made. Lord Orochimaru had taken him to a strange city called "Daimyo's Capital," where they found some tailors who worked day and night to create it. The eight-sided snowflake, no—it was a family crest, as Lord Orochimaru explained. It was his family's emblem.
Even though, at the time, it was the first he had ever heard of such a thing as a family crest.
It was during that trip to the Daimyo's Capital that they encountered enemies who began pursuing them.
Dressed in this new attire, Haku no longer looked like the disheveled boy he once was. Even though it was a traditional male outfit, he still mesmerized a group of passersby when they stepped out of the shop. Coincidentally, among the onlookers was a long line of carriages belonging to nobles. One noble, upon seeing Haku, was immediately captivated and sent men to capture him.
That noble was killed by Lord Orochimaru, who publicly dismembered him into eight pieces with his katana—literally eight pieces, leaving no more and no less. Blood splattered everywhere, but the noble's body was neatly divided.
Afterward, they faced relentless pursuit.
But Lord Orochimaru remained completely unfazed. In fact, he used the pursuers as sharpening stones for Haku's skills—a new term Haku had recently learned. Orochimaru assigned him an overwhelming amount of work: swordsmanship, chakra refinement, hand-seal practice, academic studies...
"You've done well, Haku."
A cool hand rested on his head. Orochimaru's face wore a genuine, pleased smile. "You've done better than I expected!"
"Lord Orochimaru, have I... really done well?"
Haku looked up, his eyes filled with confusion as he gazed at his master.
"Of course, Haku. You've done exceptionally well."
Orochimaru nodded in affirmation, smiling. "There's no need to feel guilt. They tried to kill us, so there's no shame in killing them. When they set out to kill, they should have been prepared to be killed. Dying by your blade is an honor for them! At least, in their last moments, they saw something beautiful... enough to make them die with a smile."
The dead cannot argue with the living.
Even though their faces, hidden behind masks, were contorted in pain and rage, Orochimaru could still claim they died smiling.
"Now, Haku! Stop wasting your energy on these worthless trash. We're about to leave this country by sea. You're going to see a much wider world. Your future isn't confined to this gloomy, clouded sky."
Orochimaru's mood was genuinely joyful.
Although he had lost to Uchiha Shisui and lost the Sky Sword, and even Kimimaro had fallen into Konoha's hands, these unpleasant memories no longer weighed on him. Seeing Haku diligently studying or practicing swordsmanship lifted his spirits.
After losing Kimimaro, he had found Haku.
If he had sought out Kimimaro because of the *Shikotsumyaku* bloodline ability, then Haku's *Ice Release*—a bloodline thought long extinct—had fallen into Orochimaru's lap by sheer chance.
And compared to Kimimaro, Orochimaru preferred Haku.
Kimimaro was a natural-born genius in battle, growing stronger through pure instinct. Haku, on the other hand, was a brilliant prodigy.
His talents weren't just in ninjutsu and swordsmanship. Outside of combat, Haku excelled in academic knowledge as well.
In contrast, Kimimaro struggled in this area.
Orochimaru had once tried to teach Kimimaro academic knowledge. Though diligent and hardworking, Kimimaro's talents in learning paled in comparison to his combat abilities. He could barely absorb the knowledge Orochimaru imparted and failed to apply it creatively. Latest content published on NoveI★Fire.net
He could extrapolate and innovate.
Sometimes, the questions Haku asked during lessons even gave Orochimaru pause. Despite only having spent half a month together, Orochimaru had already left Kimimaro in the dust. He even hesitated to use Haku as a mere vessel for his rebirth.
In the barren scientific landscape of the ninja world,
Orochimaru was utterly alone.
Seen as a madman, ahead of his time by too many steps, he had no one to share the joy of discovery or the real purpose of his research. No one could inherit the knowledge and creations he had uncovered.
Yes, his loneliness wasn't just due to the lack of companions moving forward. When he looked back, he saw no followers at all. In that moment, he felt a crushing, almost despairing loneliness.
Would all his discoveries and creations die with him?
During the wars, he witnessed many of his friends die, watched people grieve, and then forget...
Forgetfulness—what a terrifying word! Orochimaru feared being forgotten even more than death.
He yearned for immortality.
As long as he lived forever, he wouldn't have to worry about death or being forgotten.
Yet, even after embarking on the path of immortality, Orochimaru remained lonely, exploring a desolate world alone—until he met Haku... The old adage that you can see a person's future in their childhood might be an exaggeration, but the traits Haku displayed at just eight years old shone with the potential of a true companion.
This child might not surpass him one day,
But at least, he could keep up.
That's why he hesitated to raise Haku as merely a vessel. Though he hadn't made a final decision, he had already instinctively adjusted Haku's lessons, reducing ninjutsu and swordsmanship training and increasing his academic studies.
Given a bit more time, he would make the final decision.
Orochimaru carefully taught Haku how to clean a battlefield, how to erase traces, and made sure Haku practiced by handling the bodies of their pursuers. Once they finished, they continued their journey, crossing the last stretch of forest to reach the port.
A ship was ready to sail abroad.
Orochimaru used genjutsu to smuggle them aboard a passenger ship bound for the Land of Hot Water.
"Lord Orochimaru, why are we going to the Land of Hot Water?"
Haku had just completed an assignment Orochimaru had given him. According to the study plan, he had twenty minutes to rest before starting the next task. During this time, he could do whatever he wanted, as long as it didn't interfere with the schedule.
Asking questions was one way to spend this time.
"To seize opportunities," Orochimaru said with a smile, lifting his head from a scroll. "According to the latest information I've gathered, a war is about to break out in the Land of Hot Water. And a battlefield is a great place to find opportunities. With luck, we might come across something valuable!" Perhaps even a pair of intact Sharingan eyes from a fallen Uchiha ninja.
He had many spies in Konoha.
The moment anything happened, Orochimaru would know. This time, news of the Cloud Village's southern advance was no exception. Knowing this, he was certain that Konoha and the Cloud would soon clash. The battlefield... would likely be in the Land of Hot Water.
In all three previous Great Ninja Wars, battles had largely been fought on the territories of smaller nations, with few conflicts directly hitting the lands of the Five Great Nations.
That's why he chose a ship bound for the Land of Hot Water instead of returning directly to the Land of Fire.
Haku had only read about wars in books. He had never witnessed one. His naturally kind heart wasn't too eager to see something where many people might die. If not for Lord Orochimaru, he wouldn't want to kill anyone at all.
"Are we... going to join the fight?"
"Probably not. I already said we're just there to seize opportunities. But scavenging on a battlefield is a risky job—if you're not careful, you might end up being hunted by both sides... Fighting is something we'll try to avoid, but I can't guarantee we'll stay out of it."
Orochimaru's raspy voice filled the cabin.
Haku, feeling heavier, stopped asking questions. He picked up his pen and moved on to the next task his master had assigned.