Long before Uchiha Jin brought Itachi to meet Orochimaru, Itachi Uchiha had already crossed paths with him once.
It was at a small memorial service.
For the first time, Itachi truly felt the weight of death pressing down on him. By chance, he encountered Orochimaru there—and asked a question from the depths of his heart:
What is the meaning of life?
Orochimaru's answer had been philosophical in its own cold way:
Everyone dies. Life has no inherent meaning.
Taking that conclusion to its extreme, Itachi had walked to a cliff and jumped—intending to end a life that meant nothing.
But in the final instant, clarity struck.
He chose to live.
From that experience, he drew a new conclusion:
Life may have no inherent meaning, but instinctively, no one wishes to die.
That was as far as he could go at the time.
Later, after meeting Uchiha Jin, Itachi asked him the same question.
Jin's answer had resembled Orochimaru's—yet differed at its core:
Life may not possess meaning by default,
but death gives life its value.
And now, hearing Orochimaru speak of immortality, Itachi understood Jin's words on a deeper level.
Orochimaru nodded slowly.
"To master every technique in this world. To uncover all knowledge that exists. That is the meaning of my life."
"Techniques are endless. Knowledge is endless. Therefore, my life must also be endless."
Itachi studied him quietly.
"Someone once told me," he said, "that life is precious precisely because it cannot be repeated."
"When you truly understand that life is finite—that is when it becomes beautiful."
"One day you will eat your last meal. See your last sunrise. Smell your last flower. Share your last moment with those you cherish."
"And you never know when that last time will come."
"That uncertainty is why you must live passionately. Treasure each fragment of time."
"When you lose passion for everything—your life loses meaning."
Orochimaru fell silent.
He was already aware that his interests had narrowed. Many things no longer stirred him. Passion had become selective.
And humans could not remain endlessly passionate about the same pursuit.
If he truly gained infinite life…
Would he still feel the same hunger for ninjutsu after centuries? Millennia?
If not—
What meaning would immortality have then?
For the first time, a trace of uncertainty flickered across his face.
"A fascinating perspective," he murmured. "So you are no longer interested in eternal life?"
Itachi shook his head.
"That same person also told me—passion is an attitude. It has nothing to do with lifespan."
"The world is constantly changing."
"The food you eat today may vanish from history tomorrow."
"Landscapes transform. Flowers wither. Loved ones die."
"A longer life does not spare you from experiencing 'the last time.' On the contrary—the longer you live, the more last times you will witness."
"So if immortality exists, it is good."
"But one must not live as you do—indifferent to everything."
"Otherwise, one day, even infinite life will lose meaning."
Orochimaru: "..."
He had not expected to become a negative example.
He already suspected who had planted these thoughts in Itachi's mind.
"You know," Orochimaru said dryly, "speaking ill of others behind their backs is not a good habit."
"Is Jin-kun worried about my mental state?"
Itachi did not deny it.
"Yes. Jin-nii believes that for a scientist, passion and imagination are essential."
"Most knowledge cannot be found solely in laboratories or books."
"Why does the sun rise in the east?"
"Why is the sky blue?"
"Why does an apple fall downward?"
"Why do two iron spheres of different sizes hit the ground at the same time?"
"The world itself contains answers."
"If you maintain passion for the world, you will see knowledge everywhere."
Orochimaru's eyes shone brightly.
It felt as though a new door had opened in his mind.
He had overlooked too much.
Now, even the grass and trees around him seemed… vivid.
"Please thank Jin-kun for the reminder," he said softly.
"There is a battle ahead. Get some rest."
But Orochimaru himself did not rest.
Ideas flooded him.
He pulled out paper and began writing feverishly.
Itachi withdrew quietly, observing the resting Konoha shinobi around him.
How many of them would not see tomorrow?
Dawn approached.
"Report! The Three-Village Alliance is mobilizing! They're advancing toward Orange Blossom Mountain Fortress!"
A scout broke the silence.
Orochimaru's gaze sharpened instantly.
He gathered his notes.
"Notify all units. Prepare for combat."
"Do not rush. Maintain concealment."
They were the hidden blade.
Surprise was everything.
Soon, the two thousand Konoha shinobi moved out from the ravine and approached the battlefield.
By the time they arrived near the fortress, the alliance and Konoha forces were already locked in fierce combat.
"Report! Nara has sent word—he will draw away the enemy reserves. We are to strike when the opportunity arises!"
Orochimaru nodded.
"Good."
"Divide one thousand men to assist the Second and Third Hills. Coordinate with defenders and eliminate remaining enemies quickly."
"The remaining thousand—follow me to the First Hill."
Among the four hills:
The Second Hill (Uchiha Jin) and Third Hill (Uchiha Obito) were already collapsing the enemy lines.The First Hill remained locked in stalemate.The Fourth Hill, reinforced by elite alliance shinobi, favored the enemy.
Orochimaru understood a simple principle:
Support the strong. Do not waste strength shoring up the weak.
Only by swiftly ending battles where Konoha already held advantage could they free superior forces to dominate the rest of the war.
And once momentum shifted—
The tide would not stop.
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