Orochimaru snorted. "Onoki's satisfaction would have come more from seeing anxiety or fear, as much as my actual death. I wouldn't give him that.
"Yes I see." He nodded. "Still, most impressive. Why;" He laughed "I wouldn't put it past such a man to orchestrate using his own daimyo as a shield to secure an approval to a nomination."
This time, the sannin's eyes turned to him, serpentine gold meeting amused dark brown.
He took a breath after a moment "It seems I underestimated you Magojiro-dono."
"And I'll be sure to never make such a mistake with you. It already cost Onoki more than he's comfortable with." He leaned back in his seat.
"I heard." He admitted. "May I ask why you don't seem eager to have me killed now that you've found out."
"Now?" The man scoffed. "You insult me again. I knew before I ever left the capital."
"Then why come?"
"Iwa's dealings are far too unknown to us. They have been for some time. I wished to see it for myself."
"You couldn't have taken a look at their defenses or anything of import. They have this home watched at all times as they watch all who enter and leave."
"No I couldn't." He admitted. "But you've limited your thinking to mere battlefields as most soldiers do. I did not come here to see the strength of Iwa's sword arm. I came to see the strength of their handshakes."
"The other Kage." He was quick to deduce.
Koutou nodded. "Now we can see that Kumo is as hostile to them as they are to us, how Kiri is reaching out by venturing across the sea and hundreds of miles of land to attend a single gennin team. No doubt it was to open negotiations for trade as they've done with Konoha. They need money some of those rumors of civil unrest must be true. This is all information we can use, knowing how few allies Iwagakure has to call on is a major boon."
"I used you. But it was you who used me." The serpent couldn't help but chuckle at the fair play.
"Move your enemy, do not be moved by him." The man quoted.
They fell into silence before Orochimaru breached it. "How will you proceed now with your information and your...unusual demand of the Tsuchikage."
"All in good time." He laughed. "You're privy to more than most. Be patient."
The pale ninja said nothing for a moment before...
"He may very well try to kill you for this."
Koutou chuckled. "He will try."
-0-
"Jeeze princess what'd you do to your arm? Toss it in a meat crusher?" Ryoko asked, looking at the cast that covered Naruto's arm from wrist to shoulder, flicking her finger against its surface. The doctors had put it on this morning after they deduced the boy had thrashed enough in his sleep to hurt himself all over again.
"I heard about the attack you did." Kyofu said, sitting at his side, a bandage wrapped around her head, her hair cascading down to her back in a dark curtain, pulled down from its usual high tail. The cut went from her temple all the way down under her ear, even with the healing chakra that had stitched the wound back together the white outline of a developing scar was still clearly visible. "Did sensei teach you?"
"Nah." Naruto laughed, scratching at the back of his head. His recollection of the events after Kitsuchi stepping on him but he did remember a Rasen-shuriken and at least a few bits and pieces of the Sannin's late night visit. "Its just something I've been working on myself. Doesn't look like I mastered it though. He shifted his arm for emphasis. "It just has too much of a backlash I guess."
"You still bought us the time we needed to win with that from what I hear though. I'm not sure when I went down. How much time was left?"
"I think it was around thirty or forty seconds. I'm not really sure we got lucky. Kits-err, that Jounin is one of Iwa's best from what I hear."
"You can say that again. How long before they said you can use that arm though."
"Bout two weeks." He shrugged. "I'll go see Tsunade-baa-chan when we get back, she'll fix me right up." He smiled.
"Sensei!" Kyofu greeted the man that appeared in a corner of the room out of seemingly nowhere.
The pale serpent nodded, his face serious.
"Hey sensei when are they going to declare us chuunin here!?" Ryoko asked, the glare between sensei and teammate going over her head.
"We won't be evaluating your performance here." Orochimaru answered. "Magojiro-dono and I feel it would be best if we leave as quickly as possible given the circumstances of our rather limited welcome here."
"So we're leaving tomorrow?"
"No. In two days. A request from Magojiro to the Tsuchikage demands the slightly extended stay. I've reserved Konoha's right to evaluate your performance privately with the letters of recommendations from the Kage and the Jounin that were present here along with the traditional performance evaluating board. Based on that and my testimony, Sarutobi will decide if you are worthy of being chuunin."
"Oh ok. Still, three days? What did Magojiro-sama ask for?"
"You'll see soon enough. Take the time to relax." He drawled. "I suppose you've earned the respite with your performance on the exam." It was as close to a 'Good Job' as they were gonna get.
-0-
Smoke drifted across the man's face, thin little tendrils caressing his eyes and forehead before drifting upwards as he stared out into the nightly splendor of his village.
.
.
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