"I should take the mother and daughter myself."
The moment that thought crossed Orochimaru's mind, a long-forgotten warmth stirred in his chest. It felt almost noble—like he was suddenly a righteous man, dispensing justice on behalf of the heavens. The feeling was strange… but not unpleasant.
A faint smile crept across his lips as he narrowed his eyes and made his way through the streets of Kusanagi Village, heading straight toward the medical building.
He had already learned from a helpful Kusa-nin that the Uzumaki mother and daughter were being held in the medical facility—closely watched, with virtually no chance of escape.
That was perfect. It meant the villagers didn't just feast on human blood; they had practically laid the meal out for him. No chasing required.
---
The medical room was close to Kusanagi's mission center. Though far less lively than Konoha's, the street was busy—lined with open shops and bustling with traffic.
Unlike the larger shinobi villages, Kusanagi's mission center also doubled as a black market hub. The area was a haven for shady characters, outcasts, and information brokers. It was, in a way, a crouching tiger, hidden dragon kind of place.
But Orochimaru paid them no mind. Even if he felt like killing them all, he could do so in an instant. The real issue was his current limitation—this body was only a shadow clone.
More importantly, he hadn't come here to kill.
He understood how the wicked thought. If the grass ninjas discovered his true purpose and realized they couldn't keep the Uzumaki mother and daughter, they'd try to leverage them—blackmail, threats, anything to gain an advantage.
If that failed, they'd rather destroy their "assets" than let Orochimaru take them.
That was the way of petty villains: hypocrites who endured disgrace, pretended to be harmless—but snapped the moment they lost control.
Orochimaru wasn't about to pay them compensation. Not this time. Not even for appearances.
Killing the mother and daughter to end their suffering was a possibility, but the risks were too high. This was a shadow clone—if it failed, there'd be no second chance.
So he'd take a more... direct approach.
---
Shua—
With a burst of wind, Orochimaru leapt to the roof of the medical building. He raised his voice and declared coldly to the crowd below:
"I've come for revenge. If you are not involved, leave within ten breaths."
His voice echoed across the street, crashing into the ears of everyone within a hundred meters like a thunderclap.
Ninjas from the mission center bolted outside, sensing the immense chakra pressure. As their eyes adjusted, they recognized the pale, snake-eyed man on the roof—and someone shouted in panic:
"Orochimaru! It's one of the Sannin!"
Even in a crowd, Orochimaru's cold, serpentine face was unmistakable. Chaos erupted. From a bird's-eye view, it looked like an anthill struck by a stick—people scattering in every direction.
Shua. Shua. Shua…
Amid the panic, several elite ninja charged against the flow. Two of them wore animal masks—one a cow, the other a sheep.
There was no Kage in Kusanagi Village; the four elders governed it instead. These two were among them.
The cow-masked elder landed on a nearby rooftop and shouted across the street:
"Orochimaru! Kusanagi has done nothing to provoke Konoha. Even if you are one of the legendary Sannin, you cannot act as you please in our village!"
His words were stern, meant to rally his comrades—but the distance he kept from Orochimaru betrayed his fear.
And who could blame him?
Ordinary ninjas might not grasp the threat, but the elders knew exactly what Orochimaru was capable of. The recent rebellion in the Hidden Cloud had made that painfully clear. This man had transformed into a monstrous, snake-headed abomination and survived blows that even tailed beasts would struggle with.
If someone like him truly became an enemy of Kusanagi, it wouldn't just be dangerous—it would be the end.
But that shouldn't be the case. Konoha already has enough enemies. No matter how powerful Orochimaru is, he wouldn't destroy the entire Kusanagi Village over a petty dispute. He wasn't the type to fear small-time ninja villages, and Kusanagi was still under the influence of one of the larger powers, like a rabbit clinging to a fox.
Orochimaru smirked, choosing not to waste words. Instead, he began silently counting down in his head. When the tenth breath passed, he formed a seal with both hands.
"Summoning Jutsu."
Boom!
A puff of white smoke exploded outward, and a massive python appeared—though not Manda, nor any of the other top-ranking gray-backed serpents. They were far too large for this environment.
Still, the summoned snake was enormous, its body filling the broad street. It lowered its head, revealing long, gleaming fangs—a terrifying presence.
Panic surged in the hearts of the cow- and sheep-masked elders. The oppressive aura from the snake made it clear: Orochimaru wasn't bluffing. He meant every word. The elders, who had relied on diplomacy and subservience to survive past wars, now found their usual strategies collapsing before sheer power.
The sheep-masked elder was the first to adjust, quickly softening his stance as he stepped forward to play the "good cop."
"Lord Orochimaru, Kusanagi Village has maintained economic ties with Konoha. We are allies, in a way. If you say you're here for revenge, surely there's a misunderstanding. We're open to discussing this."
Orochimaru waved his hand, signaling the snake to hold back. A cold smile curved at the corner of his lips.
He'd long known how people like this operated. If you pleaded for their help, you ended up like that poor Uzumaki mother and daughter—wrung dry, exploited until there was nothing left. If you tried to cooperate with them as equals, you had to constantly watch your back, like when dealing with Danzo.
Talking never worked with the wicked. Cooperation was tedious and dangerous.
Luckily, he had other ways to make people listen.
"Konoha doesn't hold much of a grudge against your village," Orochimaru said, his voice low and cold. "At least not enough for me to personally intervene."
He looked down and chuckled darkly.
"But someone hired me. She offered a reward I couldn't ignore—and asked me to help her take revenge."
He shrugged.
"Nothing personal. Just a job. You should understand that… we're all ninjas, after all."
No, we don't understand! thought the two elders, exchanging uneasy glances. If it were anything else, they could find a workaround. But if this was just a mission for hire, what could they say? This was the very definition of a ninja's duty.
The sheep-masked elder's eyes shifted with hesitation before he spoke again, more seriously now:
"Lord Orochimaru, what reward did she offer you? Our Kusanagi Village will double it. Just kill her instead."
Orochimaru clicked his tongue.
"Tsk tsk… I'm not like you. I don't betray my clients."
His smile turned mocking.
"But I'll give you a choice. Her target is in that medical room. Bring them all out. Let me kill the one she wants, and I'll leave. Otherwise…"
His smile widened, fangs gleaming.
"They all die."
____________________
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