After seeing off the mother and daughter from the Uzumaki clan, Orochimaru lost interest in staying in Kusagakure, and directly ended the Shadow Clone and Summoning Technique.
The loud roars and screams of the Kusagakure elders, though piercing, weren't even on his mind, nor did they cause him to want to kill them even a little bit.
Honestly, Orochimaru was a bit disappointed. Was it really necessary to be so hysterical just for having a crime exposed in public?
They are just leaders of a small country's ninja village after all, lacking the broad-mindedness and courage.
If Danzo were here, he would loudly proclaim 'This is for the village,' not only not feeling ashamed, but instead seizing the opportunity to gather faith and dye people's hearts with his color.
You fall apart with just a few words…Doesn't that make me seem very foolish?
Far away, in a fortress on the border of Konoha, Orochimaru shook his head. Behind him, the genie, having learned what happened, was laughing and rolling in the air.
What he saw and heard in Kusagakure, that kind of action that treated forced sacrifice and brutality as justice... made him smell a familiar scent.
However, compared to Danzo's Root organization, Kusagakure was definitely still very immature.
So he tried hard to create an atmosphere of 'big country ninja villages don't understand the difficulties of small ninja villages; they are high up and don't know what it's like', intending to help Kusagakure grow. He didn't expect…
Oh well, it was just an experiment anyway.
Even so, a hint of frustration, like 'failed land development,' flashed in Orochimaru's eyes.
"Hehehe… your idea of teaching according to aptitude and fertilizing based on the seedling is good."
The genie smiled. "But from the perspective of mutual benefit and cooperation, a society full of bad people simply cannot survive. Even if there are too many bad people, it will cause the collapse of society."
"Kusagakure is not like Konoha, it doesn't have the soil for Root to survive."
The genie lightly patted Orochimaru's shoulder. "Moreover, this kind of thing is Danzo's area; you should go and do what you are good at."
Remembering the elders of Kusagakure's embarrassing appearance, this was really hard to argue against.
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, turned his head, and directly used the Summoning Technique.
Bang…
After a burst of white smoke, a fat giant snake appeared out of nowhere in the fortress's secret room. It glanced at Orochimaru and reluctantly regurgitated the Karin mother and daughter.
With a soft moan, the red-haired woman woke up from the darkness. Regaining consciousness, she quickly checked her daughter in her arms. Seeing Karin sleeping peacefully, she breathed a sigh of relief and began to look around.
The first thing that caught her eye was the white-faced ninja who had taken her away from Kusagakure.
Meeting his cold gaze, the red-haired woman cried out in alarm and curled up in fear.
Escaping from being treated as a blood bag by the Kusagakure ninjas, she didn't feel any joy. Instead, she felt like she had 'just left the wolf pack and entered the tiger's mouth'. Her whole body couldn't stop shaking, and she subconsciously hugged the girl in her arms tighter.
"The Uzumaki clan, with the sharp perception they are born with…"
Orochimaru licked his lips. The next moment, his demeanor changed suddenly.
The red-haired woman raised her head in surprise. In just an instant, this white-faced man gave her a completely different feeling. If he was cold as ten thousand years of ice, with a strong bloody aura before, now he was like a little angel, warmly reassuring.
This… how is this possible?
"Although the Uzumaki clan's perception is sharp, relying on it too much will only make you lose your judgment."
The genie, controlling Orochimaru's body, revealed that peaceful, genuine saintly smile.
"Moreover, people change after all. Even friends who spend every day together may choose to betray each other because of great benefits, right?"
The red-haired woman was silent for a moment.
Seeing her show this expression, Orochimaru smiled and regained control of his body.
Not everyone in the Uzumaki clan has a healing body. Before this, Orochimaru had never heard of this. It was clear how well they protected this secret.
You have to know that in an era when medical ninjas weren't organized, having someone with this kind of body had strategic meaning.
So, the woman's fate was because the Uzumaki clan was destroyed, and without the elders' constant reminders, she couldn't clearly recognize the seriousness of the matter and didn't guard the secret well.
Perhaps because of an accident, perhaps because of kindness… a secret wasn't kept well and half of her current fate was her own fault.
Orochimaru wouldn't blame her harshly because of this; people with talent naturally need more protection than ordinary people.
Take himself as an example. He easily learned good things, and easily learned bad things. If the old man hadn't protected him in the beginning, he would have easily died on the way. So even now, even though he has surpassed the old man, he will not belittle him for no reason.
After a long, heavy silence, the red-haired woman raised her head, her voice hoarse and trembling. "Who exactly are you? Why did you save me?"
Orochimaru's change in demeanor made the woman feel less sure of her perception, dispelling some of her wariness. At least she used the word 'save'.
Her previous heartbroken appearance clearly treated him like the bad guys of Kusagakure.
Orochimaru smiled, "Who I am isn't important. What's important is that I am a ninja. Saving you is not out of kindness, but to carry out a mission."
"Mission?"
The red-haired woman's eyes widened slightly. What Orochimaru said completely exceeded her expectations.
Carry out a mission? But who would issue a mission to protect her?
Thinking of a certain possibility, the red-haired woman became excited.
Ignoring her fear of Orochimaru, she reached out and grabbed the corner of his clothes, trembling. "Who is it? Can I meet the person who issued the mission?"
"Meet her? Haven't you already met her?"
Orochimaru smiled slightly, a curve appearing at the corners of his mouth. Under the red-haired woman's dazed gaze, he pointed to the sleeping girl in her arms.
"The one who issued the mission is your daughter."
"Didn't you hear? Your daughter is constantly praying for others to help her mother escape disaster. To fulfill this wish, she is willing to give up everything."
"I heard, and now I have done it, and later I will collect the price—take everything from her."
The red-haired woman paused, but didn't stay frozen like before. She almost reacted instantly, because Orochimaru's words directly touched her sore spot.
Hugging her daughter tightly, the red-haired woman's eyes widened. "Karin couldn't possibly issue any commission. She doesn't understand anything yet. She is only a child."
"A child? Perhaps now she is."
Orochimaru smiled, not denying it. "But what about a year from now, five years from now? Will she still be just a child? Seeing her mother being eaten and treated like livestock, won't she want to save her? Won't she pray in her heart?"
"Or, five years later, will you be able to escape that cruel fate in Kusagakure? Instead of letting your daughter follow in your footsteps?"
The red-haired woman froze, speechless, unable to say anything to argue back.
As a mother, protecting her child is a must, but the child understands her mother's suffering and protects her in return…
Can she deny it?
Or would she rather her child be ruthless and selfish, so she can live in this cold world?
But even so, could Karin survive in Kusagakure?
"Don't look at me like this. Influenced by someone, I am actually very willing to fulfill other people's wishes in advance."
Orochimaru licked his lips. "Look, this is not harmful to you mother and daughter. It fulfills your wish and saves you from suffering."
Justice may be late, but he won't be. And he can even come early.
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