Chapter 29 Aftermath
The situation on the battlefield was far from clear in Shiroshi's eyes.
Although it was a 2-on-2 situation, Ayane had already lost her combat capabilities. She had very little chakra left, probably barely enough to activate her Byakugan, let alone attempt any Gentle Fist fighting.
Shiroshi had taken out two of the Root shinobi with a surprise attack, but the remaining two were a different story. One of them was the team leader, undoubtedly a high-ranking shinobi.
The other person who could enter Root was certainly not a simple ninja either.
It would be very difficult to catch them off guard again and kill them.
After the previous scene, the two of them were now extremely vigilant.
The anger in the eyes of the two Root shinobi had cooled down after some time, and they regained their composure. Although their gazes were colder than ever, wishing to kill Shiroshi swiftly, they couldn't act recklessly due to the unknown strength Shiroshi possessed.
The member next to the Root captain suddenly extended his palm, and a large number of black bugs flew out from his sleeve, surrounding Shiroshi from all directions.
Aburame clan, huh? Shiroshi thought to himself.
Seeing the bugs used for combat, Shiroshi could identify the other party's clan.
In Konoha, only the Aburame clan possessed such insect-based secret techniques.
This clan was assigned a forest in Konoha, specifically for cultivating combat-ready insects, each with various types and unique attributes, skilled in reconnaissance, defense, and offense.
It was said that there were even more special poisonous bugs; once touched, things would become very troublesome.
Seeing the cloud of bugs forming an irregular shape and surrounding him from all sides, Shiroshi remained calm; his body disappeared from its original position.
Those bugs surrounded the spot where Shiroshi vanished, hesitated for a moment, then rushed towards the direction he moved.
In Shiroshi's eyes, the bugs' flight speed was relatively fast, but compared to his own speed, their movements were quite clumsy.
Escaping the bug's attack wasn't difficult.
However, his opponent wasn't just the Aburame shinobi; the captain was the strongest among the four.
Sure enough, the captain could see through Shiroshi's movements, drew a ninjato from his back, held it with one hand, and formed hand seals with the other.
Shiroshi narrowed his eyes.
Faint currents of air swept through the surroundings.
Shiroshi shifted to avoid the blade, using his own ninjato to counter-attack.
The captain's eyes shot out a chilling light as he retrieved his sword, clashing it against Shiroshi's ninjato.
A crack appeared on Shiroshi's ninjato, while the captain's blade emitted a strange sound as it sliced through the air.
That sound was like pebbles scraping against glass, sharp and piercing.
"Konoha Sword Style: Vibration!" the captain announced.
Shiroshi furrowed his brows and instinctively turned his head, but he still received a cut on his face.
Not just on his face, but his calf and arm were also sliced open by invisible blades.
Wind, huh? After a failed attack, Shiroshi took a step back, pondering.
Seeing the ninjato in his hand, he estimated that a few more attacks would break it.
Seeing Shiroshi retreat, the captain tightly gripped his ninjato and aggressively pursued.
Shiroshi had no choice but to continue evading, but he kept hearing that strange, sharp sound of pebbles scraping against glass as the invisible air blades missed him.
"Evaded?"
The captain was surprised to see Shiroshi avoiding all the invisible wind blades with impeccable timing, and he couldn't detect any air pressure disturbances either.
He was even more astonished.
Staring at the calm-faced Shiroshi, he couldn't see anything special about this kid with such incredible abilities. Yet, just in one instance, he had seen through the captain's sword style.
This guy, who was friends with Uchiha, must be eliminated immediately according to Danzo's will. The captain thought.
"You're the first to see through my sword style so quickly."
Despite being enemies, the captain didn't hesitate to praise Shiroshi's talent.
Shiroshi, however, modestly replied, "It's nothing. I just have some understanding of wind-based sword techniques, and those air blades, are they triggered by sound? I happened to have seen something similar before."
"Is that so?"
If you ignored the chilling tone in their conversation, it almost sounded like they were casually chatting as friends, so relaxed and effortless.
"Although it's a pity that the second attack was ineffective, it might be good for you. That way, you won't suffer as much when you die."
The captain naturally lowered his ninjato, conceding the fight.
Shiroshi's eyes widened slightly, and then the wounds that had been sliced open by the invisible air blades suddenly spewed out a large amount of blood, flying into the air. He fell to the ground, weakened.
"Such a pity. If a young shinobi like you had obediently followed Danzo-sama, you would have been highly valued in the future. But you chose your own path, and even if it means enduring pain, you'll have to stick to it."
The captain returned his ninjato to his back, sounding regretful.
"Your biggest mistake was challenging me in swordsmanship. In Konoha, the only one who can surpass me in sword techniques is the White Fang."
A young ninja like Shiroshi, possessing such strength, made the captain feel truly regretful.
Furthermore, he was a very rare medical ninja. If he truly joined Root's service, their grand plan might be accomplished a bit faster.
Let Konoha enter a brand-new era.
An era ruled by our Root.
"Shiroshi-kun!?"
Seeing Shiroshi collapse weakly, Ayane's face turned pale, and she ran towards him.
The captain ninja did not intervene.
Because with such injuries, no one could possibly survive.
Once struck by his air blades, his chakra would settle inside the enemy's body for a while, and finally, he would guide it with a jutsu, attacking from within and annihilating them completely.
However, this move consumed a large amount of chakra, so it was only used as a last resort against strong opponents.
In the captain's eyes, Shiroshi was qualified to experience this technique.
"No need to mourn the passing of your friend. Hyuga girl, at least in the records of this mission, you will be the heroes. Of course, dying heroically in battle against Suna-nin while exhausted."
This might be the greatest kindness.
It was also the darkness Root carried.
The captain walked towards Ayane, his killing intent reaching its peak.
This time, he wouldn't be careless again.
He just needed to retrieve the Uchiha's Sharingan and secretly dispose of the bodies of the three, and the mission would be complete.
"Captain! Be careful!?"
The Aburame ninja seemed to sense something and shouted anxiously at the captain.
"Hmm?"
The captain tilted his head slightly, looking at his subordinates with doubt.
Then, he felt a coolness under his neck.
A black shadow was right before his eyes, then it swiftly passed by.
It made a cut.
Blood splattered from the wound.
The captain couldn't scream; he could only clutch the deep wound on his throat, continuously gushing blood, convulsing and struggling on the ground.
Shiroshi, panting, approached the captain, dragging his blood-stained body, glaring at him with a wary gaze.
When those eerie air currents entered his body, Shiroshi keenly sensed it with his natural energy. So he used the natural energy to protect the vital parts of his body beforehand, making the injuries much less severe when the air blades exploded than he had expected.
Shiroshi crouched down, drew a kunai from his pouch, and ruthlessly stabbed the captain in the chest, mercilessly ending his life.
"I don't like being called a hero, so I'll let you have that title."
Afterward, Shiroshi looked at the last Root ninja with cold eyes.
The opponent was completely frightened by Shiroshi's imposing aura. He could hear the sound of him swallowing saliva as his hands controlling the swarm of bugs trembled.
Ayane felt relieved seeing Shiroshi unharmed. Since he hadn't revealed the plan to fake his death in advance, she thought he was truly killed.
Shiroshi-kun is still so good at deceiving people. Ayane couldn't help but complain in her heart.
Mainly, the scene of him spewing blood just now was too terrifying. Usually, under such circumstances, no one could survive.
Now, there was only one enemy left.
Ayane also stared at the last Root ninja with a fierce gaze.
"You may go."
Shiroshi suddenly said.
This statement surprised not only Ayane but even the Root ninja. He seemed to have difficulty believing that Shiroshi would say that.
"Let me... go?"
The opponent seemed somewhat incredulous about Shiroshi's words.
"I'm injured now, and I'm not sure I can take you down. And you don't want to die here either, so how about we call it a draw? After all, you need to report the situation to your superiors, right?"
Shiroshi calmly persuaded.
Ayane paused, seemingly understanding something, and silently agreed to Shiroshi's idea.
The Root ninja was even more bewildered. At this moment, if Shiroshi was truly very weak, he should have used a more aggressive approach.
As a result, Shiroshi candidly admitted to his severe injuries, making the Root ninja hesitate.
Honestly, while he wanted revenge for his fallen comrades, the pressure Shiroshi put on him was overwhelming.
Indeed, ending the conflict now would be advantageous for both sides.
He wanted to confirm again, "Are you really willing to let me go?"
"Ah, as I said, I'm injured badly. At most, we'll both be seriously injured or die together. I still have decades of life to enjoy; I don't want to die so young. So, a truce is the best outcome for both of us."
The Root ninja's emotions settled down, and he took a deep breath.
He started to step back, and seeing that Shiroshi and Ayane didn't react, he finally believed Shiroshi's words and used Body Flicker Jutsu to leave the area.
About three to five seconds after he left, Shiroshi suddenly collapsed, gasping for breath, his face contorting in pain, and his skin turned deathly pale.
The captain ninja's sword technique had inflicted extremely severe injuries on him.
If he didn't have natural energy, he would probably have become a lifeless corpse by now.
"Are you okay?"
Ayane hurriedly came over and supported Shiroshi, her face filled with concern.
"I'm fine. It will take some time for my chakra to recover, and during this time, I can't use medical ninjutsu."
Shiroshi gasped and managed to force a smile.
Ayane nodded and was about to help Shiroshi back.
Footsteps came from behind.
The Root ninja had returned.
Seeing Shiroshi in his incredibly weakened state, he immediately understood everything.
"I see, so it was all a trick just now? You little brat, you almost fooled me. If I hadn't come back, maybe you could have escaped."
Ayane's body stiffened.
Shiroshi's pale face also broke out in cold sweat.
"Haha, aren't you afraid of me anymore? I've killed your captain, you know."
Shiroshi tried to use words to salvage the situation.
"When you came into this world, you probably never spoke a truthful word. Sorry, because of your character, I don't believe a single word you say anymore."
The Root ninja stared at Shiroshi with eyes that seemed to see through everything.
"Hey, isn't that too ironic? I—"
Shiroshi was still trying to use words to manipulate the Root ninja, leading his thoughts into a dead end, and resolving the current crisis.
However, the opponent was very confident in his conjecture and filled every word of Shiroshi's speech with distrust.
"Chūgyo!"
A swarm of black bugs flew over at high speed.
Shiroshi roughly pushed Ayane aside, but when it was his turn, he could only barely dodge and roll on the ground.
He paid no attention to the bugs and quickly charged towards the Root ninja.
The Root ninja wouldn't let Shiroshi have his way and released another large number of black bugs from his sleeve, creating a solid barrier in front of him.
The Root ninja had already foreseen Shiroshi being surrounded by the bugs and then being devoured in a miserable state.
He was filled with dark emotions, wanting to exact cruel revenge.
Footsteps approached from behind.
The Root ninja turned his head, and the captain's ninja sword swiftly slashed across his neck.
With blood splattering, the already fractured ninja sword finally broke from the middle due to excessive force.
The blood-stained blade fell and stabbed straight into the ground.
As the sound of the falling blade echoed, the Root ninja's body also fell to the ground at the same time.
With resentful and hateful eyes, he stared at Shiroshi. He opened his mouth, seeming to want to say, "You're lying again."
While gasping for breath, Shiroshi crouched down and closed the Root ninja's eyes, sighing softly.
"Sorry, I am such a despicable person. You're right; I've filled every word I said to you with deceit. But isn't it because you made your own judgments, believing them to be the most correct?"
Seeing this scene from the side, Ayane had an expression that didn't know what to say.
Should she describe Shiroshi as despicable or terrifying?
His injuries were indeed severe, but not so much that he couldn't fight.
He just couldn't be certain that he could one hundred percent kill the opponent. So, he set a trap of deception, allowing the enemy to judge and verify themselves, leading to their conclusion, which they believed to be correct.
If you don't believe the enemy's words, then believe in the judgments you verified yourself.
It was only at the last moment that they realized, and it was still a trap carefully designed by Shiroshi.
This was the first time Ayane had seen that ninja battles could be conducted this way.
If Rui's fights were crude and brutal oppression, then Shiroshi's battles were deceptive.
Neither glamorous nor graceful, they were full of danger and cunning.
I can't help but believe in such a person; I'm probably beyond saving. Ayane pitied herself.
Shiroshi lay on the ground without any semblance of strength left in him. "What a terrible day. I'll remember you Root..." He murmured these words and then wearily closed his eyes, wanting to rest for a while.
...
About a day later.
In the forest at the border between the Land of Rivers and the Land of Fire, a three-person team was hurrying back towards the direction of the Land of Fire. Compared to the sense of urgency they had when going to the Land of Rivers, the atmosphere now felt much more relaxed.
This team rushing back to the Land of Fire was none other than Shiroshi, Rui, and Ayane.
After eliminating the Root team, they hadn't encountered any enemies, and they had spent a peaceful day. Shiroshi and Ayane's chakra had recovered, and half a day ago, Rui had also awakened from her slumber. Although her injuries caused by the Sage technique had not fully healed yet, and her face still looked quite pale, she had regained some strength and self-preservation ability.
Considering the many illusions involved in this mission, as well as the power play between the higher-ups of Konoha and the uncertainty of whether there were any pursuit teams from the Sand Village, after Rui woke up half a day ago, the three of them decided to rush back to the Land of Fire to find out the truth behind this mission.
It was probably around 3:00 AM now, and the sky was still very dark.
Ayane carried Rui on her back and pushed forward at full speed, with Shiroshi following closely.
"By the way, is it really okay for us to go back like this?" Ayane seemed a little worried and suddenly spoke up.
"What do you mean?" Shiroshi glanced at her.
"The Root ninjas are members of the ANBU Black Ops. Although we are from different factions, they died by our hands."
Ayane didn't believe that they could just return without any consequences. Even though the Root ninjas had set them up first, if the mastermind behind this was someone from the higher-ups in Konoha, what could they do even if they found out?
Perhaps they would use their killing of the Root ninjas as a reason to convict the three of them.
"It's fine. Those bodies were taken care of beforehand, right? When we get back, we just need to explain that we fell into a trap set by the Sand ninjas. If they ask, we just firmly deny seeing any Root ninjas," Rui, lying on Ayane's back, breathed softly and spoke slowly.
"Is that enough?"
"Of course not. But as long as we firmly deny seeing them, they won't be able to do anything without evidence. In the end, I will use the Uchiha's power to put pressure on the village by claiming that the information source was wrong. If they want to dig deeper, then we'll make this whole thing widely known. Let's see how they handle it."
Rui spoke calmly.
Ayane nodded, agreeing with Rui's plan.
She couldn't use the Hyuga's power to put pressure on the higher-ups of Konoha, but Rui was different. As one of the candidates for the next Uchiha clan head, she had enough influence within the Uchiha clan, and even had a group of loyal fans.
This was the power of a prestigious clan, which could even make the higher-ups of Konoha consider carefully.
"Sometimes, I envy you, Rui," Ayane said with a slight smile, lowering her head.
"Envy? Speaking of which, I haven't settled the score yet with you two hooking up behind my back."
Rui raised an eyebrow, showing dissatisfaction. She had heard about Ayane's difficult personality from school, so she didn't find this surprising.
"Stop teasing. Let's talk about it when we get back. It's not a big deal, right?"
Shiroshi scratched his head, looking a bit troubled.
He wondered whether he should tell everything from the beginning, or tell half and hide half, to smoothly get through this matter. The power of words was truly charming.
"However, I didn't expect you to choose such a risky approach. Using an incomplete Sage technique to trigger Fire Release... It's better to get a follow-up check after we return, for safety," Shiroshi said.
"Stop nagging. I'll do what I want," Rui retorted, shaking her head with her flowing black hair.
"What a hassle…"
Hearing Shiroshi complaining again, Ayane chuckled and was about to say something when, suddenly, two figures appeared in her white eyes' field of vision.
"Some people are catching up from behind. It's Jiraiya, a top ninja, and an old classmate from the adjacent class."
Ayane quickly identified the two ninjas chasing them from behind.
Shiroshi and Rui frowned.
Although they were puzzled as to why Jiraiya and Minato would be here, the three of them stopped and waited for the two to catch up.
Soon, Jiraiya and Minato appeared in front of them. Both of them looked dusty and had traces of battle on their bodies, indicating that they had also faced some difficulties.
Seeing that the three of them were unharmed, Jiraiya heaved a sigh of relief and smiled, saying, "Great, as long as you three are safe."
If these three had died due to the conspiracy, he might have felt guilty for the rest of his life.
The clothes on Shiroshi and the others were somewhat tattered, with bloodstains, indicating that they had experienced very cruel battles and managed to escape from the brink of death.
"Jiraiya-senpai, and that blonde guy, why are you two here?" Rui inquired with a cold tone.
"Um, Uchiha classmate, my name is Minato…"
"Shut up, you blond brat, I didn't ask you, I was asking your teacher."
Jiraiya patted Minato's shoulder, who was smiling wryly. Minato had heard about Rui being difficult to deal with back at school, so he didn't take offense.
"The story behind this is quite lengthy, but what's most important is your safety. The village will definitely provide an explanation afterwards."
"An explanation?"
Rui's mouth curved into a contemptuous smirk.
"Yes, I'll personally vouch for you..."
"No need. The Uchiha matters will be handled by the Uchiha themselves; we don't need outsiders meddling!"
Rui's attitude was exceptionally firm.
Hearing this, Jiraiya became even more certain that Rui and her team understood some of the issues in this mission.
Like with Root... no, they must have figured it out.
Especially Rui, a ninja from a prestigious clan, her insight and intellect were impressive. Jiraiya dared not try to deceive her regarding this matter.
"I'm just doing what I should. If the Uchiha want to pursue it, that's their business. I'm helping you out of a sense of duty and responsibility as fellow village ninjas."
Jiraiya smiled; in fact, he was quite content to see this turn of events.
Being able to make that Danzo guy eat dirt, there was nothing more satisfying.
"Let's hope so."
Regarding Jiraiya's commitment, Rui didn't take it to heart.
In the eyes of the entire Uchiha clan, the so-called Three Ninjas were just that level of significance.
Moreover, they were affiliated with the Senju lineage; Rui only believed half of what Jiraiya said.
"Compared to these bland matters, I'm really curious about how the Hokage will punish that high-ranking official who made a mistake. That's the real key, isn't it?"
Rui's words dripped with sarcasm, causing Jiraiya to sigh helplessly.
To think that even a young girl like her grasps the situation so well. The Uchiha clan is indeed a formidable force that can't be ignored.
Shiroshi stood off to the side, silently fulfilling his role as an inconspicuous onlooker.
…
It was a few hours later when they returned to the Konoha camp.
The sun had only just risen, and Konoha ninjas were emerging from their tents.
Shift changes for guards, medical ninjas rushing to the makeshift infirmary even before having breakfast to take over from the ones who'd been busy all night.
Since the leader of Team Sakumo, Sakumo Hatake, hasn't returned and is still on a mission, Rui temporarily acts as the leader. She's reporting the details of this mission to the highest-ranking officer, Orochimaru.
Jiraiya took Minato to handle their own tasks.
Shiroshi and Ayane lingered not far from the tents, seemingly idle.
"Hey there, little troublemaker Shiroshi, it's been a while. You've grown much sturdier compared to before."
A voice came from the side, familiar and cheerful.
Turning his head, Shiroshi saw a beautiful woman with light golden hair.
After a moment of daze, Shiroshi grinned and the woman smirked. "What, can't recognize me anymore?"
Shiroshi finally realized and bowed to the female ninja. "Long time no see, Tsunade-sensei."
Though not a direct disciple, Tsunade was indeed the instructor of the first batch of medical ninja experimental training in Konoha. She had imparted a lot of medical ninjutsu knowledge to Shiroshi.
"Jonin Tsunade, hello."
Ayane also bowed and respectfully greeted Tsunade.
Tsunade just waved her hand with a smile. "No need to be so formal, a more casual approach is fine. Were there any problems with this mission?"
She asked intentionally or unintentionally.
Without much thought, Shiroshi answered honestly, "I heard from Rui that this was a Sand Village trap. They deliberately used false information to lead us, Leaf Village ninjas, into an ambush."
Then, he looked quite puzzled, seemingly not entirely comprehending the nature of this mission.
Ayane coughed lightly beside him.
"Miss Hyuga, are you feeling unwell?"
Tsunade looked at her.
"Yes, I noticed my throat was a bit uncomfortable when we returned. I might have caught a cold."
Ayane responded.
"Girls should take care of themselves." Tsunade shifted her gaze to Shiroshi, gently patting his head and softening her tone. "It's okay, things will get better. I'll handle what comes next for you guys."
"Thank you, Tsunade-sensei. But the Sand Village ninjas are really despicable; you should also be cautious."
Seeing Shiroshi's sincere and innocent concern for her, Tsunade sighed internally.
That Danzo guy was truly despicable.
These are all the pillars of Konoha's future.
Tsunade showed genuine concern for Shiroshi a bit more, and before entering the tent, she handed him a few scrolls, containing her valuable experiences in medical ninjutsu.
She genuinely admired Shiroshi's straightforward and upright nature. Although his talent in medical ninjutsu wasn't outstanding, and his entry into Team Sakumo might have had something to do with female influence, his sincere and dedicated spirit was worth her investment in nurturing such an earnest, striving young ninja.
The Uchiha girl also saw this in him. Tsunade speculated in her mind.
"Shiroshi-kun, you're really something."
Watching Tsunade enter the tent, Ayane teased Shiroshi.
"If I could help it, but this is the capital I rely on to survive. Moreover, deceiving someone who genuinely cares about me also weighs on my heart. Apart from you all, she, just like Sensei Fujimura, genuinely wishes for my well-being."
Speaking up to this point, Shiroshi was reminded of his homeroom teacher, Daigo Fujimura, who had accompanied him through six years of his educational journey.
He wondered if Fujimura had escaped his single life yet; he was a nearly thirty-year-old Chunin, causing some anxiety.
A dozen minutes later, Rui walked out of the tent with a displeased expression. Due to her injuries, her walking speed wasn't fast.
"What did they say up there?"
Shiroshi and Ayane approached and asked.
Rui glanced at them and suppressed her inner anger as she said, "What else can be done? Commander Orochimaru-sama ordered us three to immediately return to the village and await further orders."
"Immediately?"
"Return to the village and wait?"
These two questions were uttered in succession by Shiroshi and Ayane, both with astonished expressions.
"Hold on, Teacher Sakumo hasn't returned yet..."
"He told us not to wait for him. We need to leave now and escort the injured non-combatants back to the village with other teams."
Rui repeated this order with a frustrated tone.
"Is that so? It seems like things are more complicated than I imagined."
Shiroshi said with a meaningful look.
Although Team Sakumo had a special role, the overall commander on the battlefield was Orochimaru, one of the Three Sannin. He had higher authority in on-the-spot command than their team leader, Sakumo Hatake.
Thus, no matter how much Shiroshi's team protested, it wouldn't change anything; they had to obediently return to the village and wait for further orders.
As for the situation with Team Sakumo, the three of them were completely in the dark. There were many unresolved questions about this mission's failure, but Orochimaru, as a commanding jounin, wouldn't likely disclose that to them.
Ultimately, it boiled down to their identity and power being insufficient.
If Sakumo were here, even if Orochimaru held a higher position, he wouldn't be able to disregard Sakumo's inquiries, right?
"That's how it is, so pack up and get ready to leave."
Rui felt extremely displeased. She hadn't planned on returning to the village.
Only half an hour later, the Konoha camp gathered quite a number of ninja, prepared numerous carriages, with many wounded resting inside.
In addition to Shiroshi's team, there were over thirty Konoha ninja, including four jounin. Several medical personnel were also present, responsible for tending to the wounded.
...
"Why are they sending those three back?"
Inside the tent, Tsunade sat to the side, looking puzzled at the pale-faced young ninja.
His long, jet-black hair fell straight, and despite his handsome features, he exuded a slightly gloomy aura.
This man was Orochimaru, the overall commander of the Konoha frontline force against the Sand Village. He stood alongside Jiraiya and Tsunade as one of the Three Sannin.
Facing Tsunade's question, Orochimaru's reason was also straightforward: "The big battle is approaching, and I don't want this place to become chaotic due to such troublesome political disputes."
"But sending those three back like this..."
"This matter shouldn't be known to Sakumo. He's not suited for political matters; he might stir up unnecessary trouble. Konoha's main goal now is to repel the Sand Village ninja. I don't want to be distracted by such issues."
Orochimaru shook his head. Regardless of the truth behind this matter, he wasn't interested. He wouldn't be diverted by it. Moreover, the final outcome would depend on the Hokage's decision; he wasn't the ultimate decision-maker.
"I'm not worried about the Uchiha and Hyuga girls, but that boy..."
"Do you care about him a lot?"
Orochimaru looked at Tsunade with apparent interest.
"He's one of the students I've taught. I don't want him to get involved in the village's darker side. It's enough if he continues to fulfill his duty as a medical ninja and survives."
Tsunade sighed.
"Yes, in these turbulent times, just surviving is the best outcome. Yet, human growth often comes with pain, experiencing the world's coldness. Just as it was for you with Jiraiya, the same goes for me."
Orochimaru, saying this, looked at his hands, his eyes inadvertently reflecting a trace of melancholy.
"In truth, there's nothing we can do, and we can't change anything..."
(Chapter End)