Sasuke's twin sister, But Neji's first love

The Forgotten Sannin

Sasuke stirred as we made our way toward Orochimaru's hideout, groaning as his eyes opened.

"Good to have you back," I muttered, shifting his weight. "Now get off—you're heavy."

I let go of his legs, and his feet hit the ground with a dull thud.

"How far are we?" he asked, rubbing his temples.

"Not far. Let's move."

We leapt through the trees in silence, the only sound being the steady rhythm of our landings. Eventually, the trees thinned, and the gaping mouth of a cave appeared ahead. Its entrance radiated an eerie, suffocating presence.

We stopped just outside, staring at the darkness within. Suddenly, footsteps echoed from the depths. My body tensed, but I held my ground.

"Ah~ glad to see you both made it." Orochimaru's voice slithered toward us.

He emerged with his usual serpentine smile. "Come. I shall show you around." He turned smoothly, beckoning us forward with a wave of his hand.

Sasuke and I exchanged a glance before following. The hall we entered was lined with cells, their iron bars grim reminders of prisoners—or experiments. The smell of damp stone mixed with something metallic, like old blood.

"Ryuko," Orochimaru called suddenly, pulling me from my thoughts.

I glanced at him. "What?" I replied flatly.

"Watch your tone when speaking to him if you want to live long!" Kabuto snapped from behind, his voice sharp.

I ignored him and kept walking.

Orochimaru chuckled, amused. "I have someone I want you to meet. He will be the one to train you."

My eyes narrowed. "And why's that?"

"Because," Orochimaru's grin widened, "he's taken quite a liking to you."

I arched a brow but said nothing.

"Follow me. Sasuke, stay here with Kabuto."

I trailed behind Orochimaru, tension coiling in my stomach. Curiosity gnawed at me. Who could be worth Orochimaru's respect?

We stopped before a massive boulder. Orochimaru performed a sequence of hand signs, and the cave rumbled as the stone shifted aside, revealing a hidden chamber.

Inside, shelves sagged under scrolls, glass vials glimmered with strange liquids, and weapons gleamed faintly in the dim light. At the center sat a man in a chair, his back turned.

"She has arrived... Sin," Orochimaru announced.

Sin? The one from my dream? My pulse quickened.

The man stood slowly, turning to face us. His hair was split—half black, half white. His eyes burned with a strange intensity.

"Ah, so this is Ryuko," he said, his voice chilling enough to crawl beneath my skin. "At last, we meet in person. I trust you remember me?"

I steadied myself, refusing to flinch. "I do. You're the one from my dream, after Orochimaru marked me. But tell me—what makes you worthy to train me?"

His lips curled into a smirk. "Fiery. I like that. I am Sin—the forgotten Sannin."

"Forgotten?" I echoed.

"Yes, child. Forgotten." His smile darkened. "The Leaf, Jiraiya, Tsunade... they didn't approve of my methods. Too harsh, too selfish, they said. They feared the jutsu I created. When I left, they erased me—erased my name, my history. Tsunade especially... she still hates me." He let out a low, sinister laugh.