Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its character belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I make.
Chapter 168: Orochimaru Problem
Having Kurama sealed within his body meant that Setsuna's child would likely inherit some of Kurama's features, including the distinctive whisker marks. After three months of Haruko's pregnancy, Setsuna decided it was time to reveal this secret. He couldn't bear the thought of Haruko being shocked upon seeing their baby with whiskers, potentially harming her or their child.
One evening, Setsuna approached his wife with a serious expression.
"Haruko, there's something I need to tell you," Setsuna said, trying to keep his tone steady.
Haruko smiled, her curiosity piqued. "What is it, dear?"
"I've been keeping something from you," he admitted, feeling the weight of his secret.
"A secret? What kind of secret?" Haruko asked, her smile faltering slightly.
"Do you remember when I told you about the tailed beasts?" Setsuna began cautiously.
"Of course, how could I forget?" Haruko replied. The tailed beasts had altered the scale of the last war, and she vividly remembered the day Setsuna explained their existence to her.
"Well… one of them is sealed inside me," Setsuna confessed, touching his chakra coil where the beast resided.
Haruko blinked, struggling to process his words. Then, her eyes widened in disbelief. "Really? Are you serious?"
"Yes," Setsuna nodded. "Would you like to see the transformation?"
"Transformation? As in turning into the tailed beast?" Haruko asked, her voice filled with a mix of concern and curiosity.
"Yes, but it's a bit different from what you might expect," Setsuna explained.
"Alright, show me," Haruko agreed, bracing herself for what was to come.
Closing his eyes, Setsuna called out to Kurama, "It's time."
Suddenly, a brilliant red-yellow chakra began to radiate from his body, enveloping him in a glowing aura.
"Husband," Haruko whispered, instinctively activating her Byakugan to get a deeper look. What she saw astounded her—the harmony of chakra between Setsuna and Kurama was unlike anything she'd ever seen. It was both powerful and calming, an exquisite balance that filled her with awe.
Setsuna noticed the wonder in Haruko's eyes as she admired his new KCM 3 mode, a far more advanced and potent form than his previous KCM 2 or Naruto original KCM 2.
"So, what do you think, wife?" he asked with a smile.
Haruko deactivated her Byakugan and smiled softly. "You've become much stronger than before."
"Yeah, I feel it too," Setsuna agreed. But his face turned serious again. "There's something else you should know. Our child might inherit the power of the nine tails."
Haruko frowned slightly, not fully understanding. "Inherit the power of the nine tails? When did you seal the tailed beast inside you?"
"Before you got pregnant," Setsuna explained.
Haruko crossed her arms, her tone more firm now. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"I'm sorry. It was a village secret, and I shouldn't tell anyone about it. But now, I feel it's important for you to know because our child might have whisker marks like Kurama," he said.
"Whisker marks?" Haruko repeated, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Kurama, the nine-tailed fox, has whiskers. Our child might inherit that trait as part of inheriting Kurama's power. But it's not a bad thing. In fact, it will make our child stronger," Setsuna explained.
Though Haruko wasn't entirely ready for the idea of her child having whiskers, hearing that it would make their baby stronger helped her accept it.
"So, is that why you're telling me now, even though it was a secret?" Haruko asked softly.
"Yes. I didn't want you to be shocked when you saw the baby. A mother's body is fragile after giving birth, and I didn't want you to go through any unnecessary distress," Setsuna said with concern in his voice.
Haruko smiled warmly, her heart swelling with gratitude. "Thank you, husband. I'm glad you told me."
Setsuna smiled back, feeling a sense of relief wash over him because Haruko accepted it with an open mind.
---Orochimaru POV---
It had been a year since his teacher, Setsuna, had left him. Orochimaru remembered vividly the last time they had met, the argument still fresh in his mind. He had boldly told Setsuna that he wanted to quit studying science and become a ninja instead. To his surprise, Setsuna didn't argue or try to convince him otherwise. Instead, his teacher simply agreed, not pushing him to continue his science studies. Orochimaru had thought that this meant everything would go smoothly, but things didn't turn out the way he expected.
Setsuna had informed him that he would no longer be his student. Orochimaru had waited, thinking perhaps his teacher would return or change his mind. But now, a full year had passed, and Setsuna sensei still hadn't come to teach him. The only time he ever saw Setsuna was when Setsuna met with his parents, and those meetings were strictly about work, never about Orochimaru's education.
Orochimaru was growing frustrated. Before all this, even though he wasn't passionate about science, at least he had something to focus on—something to learn from Setsuna. But now, he no longer had the privilege of learning directly from his teacher. The absence left a void, and the longer it went on, the more Orochimaru felt abandoned.
One day, he couldn't hold it in anymore and decided to voice his concerns.
"Father, is it true that Setsuna sensei is no longer going to teach me?" Orochimaru asked, the frustration clear in his voice.
He had always been an excellent student, and the idea that Setsuna had decided to abandon him was something he couldn't accept.
"Orochimaru, it's been a year," Hebimaru replied, his tone serious. "That means Setsuna-sama isn't going to teach you anymore."
"But why?" Orochimaru pressed, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Why doesn't he want to teach me?"
Before Hebimaru could answer, Orochimaru's mother entered the room, cutting into their conversation.
"Orochimaru," she began gently, "your father and I are both ninja. You know about our past, don't you?" Her voice was soft but filled with a deep sense of warning. "We were nearly killed on more than one occasion. It's because of that—because of what we went through—that Setsuna-sama doesn't want you to follow this path."
"Mother..." Orochimaru sighed, his gaze meeting his mother's. Her face held concern, but his resolve wouldn't be swayed.
"Father, please. Can you apply for me to join the ninja academy?" Orochimaru pleaded, his eyes filled with determination.
There was a voice deep inside him, a persistent whisper, telling him that he was destined to become one of the greatest ninja the world had ever known—feared by many, respected by all. But it felt like Setsuna was the one standing in the way of that future, blocking his path to becoming the powerful shinobi he was certain he was meant to be.
Author Notes -
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