The sun gradually climbed higher, and the warm, gentle morning light was replaced by the scorching heat of noon.
Kacha!—
The door to a heavily guarded quiet room in the Hyūga clan compound opened.
Orochimaru emerged, looking relaxed, with a slight smirk on his face. The results of this trip to the Hyūga estate were, overall, satisfying to him.
The Hyūga clan had recognized Orochimaru's potential and his status as Sarutobi's disciple, intending to use him as a bridge to cement relations between the two parties. Naturally, Orochimaru seized the opportunity and presented his own conditions for Hyūga support.
After an hour or two of intense discussion and negotiation, both sides reached a mutually satisfactory outcome. Hyūga would provide Orochimaru with appropriate support and assistance, and Orochimaru, in turn, would act as a "lubricant" between Hyūga and Sarutobi.
Ostensibly, neither side lost out, and the balance of give-and-take seemed stable. However, the "appropriate support and assistance" Hyūga was to provide could be a small amount or a large amount, both still being "appropriate." To get what he truly wanted, Orochimaru would undoubtedly need further negotiation and requests, and what conditions Hyūga might impose then remained to be seen.
Conversely, Orochimaru's role as a "lubricant" could also be played with a certain amount of trickery!
Orochimaru smiled cryptically. After their exchange, both parties knew the other was not an easy character to deal with, which was a good foundation for a beginning. Sarutobi was only the Acting Hokage, and both Hyūga and Orochimaru knew there would be many more opportunities for cooperation in the future.
Orochimaru tucked the white scroll he held—about three fingers thick and the length of an adult's palm—securely into his inside pocket.
This was the reward of the negotiation: a scroll from the Hyūga clan's archives containing data on human internal structure and composition.
Although Orochimaru had dissected hundreds of powerful ninja bodies in his past life, when it came to understanding the composition and structure of the human body, who could surpass the Hyūga clan, which possessed the mighty Byakugan, the eye of penetrating insight?
Therefore, to better carry out his project of tempering and evolving his body, Orochimaru had subtly introduced this request at the right moment during the negotiations. Predictably, to lure Orochimaru with favors during this first discussion, Hyūga Hoshimi (the Clan Head) agreed without much deliberation.
With this initial test and gain, Orochimaru's mind was filled with covetousness for the Forbidden Jutsu and secret technique information treasured by the Hyūga clan, a lineage with deep roots and long traditions. He instinctively licked his lips, excited, and secretly resolved to plan carefully to firmly bind Hyūga, this newly formed ally, to his personal chariot.
Elder Harano, who had been waiting outside the room for a long time, finally saw Orochimaru emerge. His shrewd old eyes quickly assessed Orochimaru's expression as he walked, instantly discerning the result.
A "brilliant" smile, like a chrysanthemum, immediately plastered itself back onto Elder Harano's face. He approached Orochimaru and said, "Young friend, I trust your meeting with our Clan Head was pleasant."
Orochimaru glanced at the old man, who was solely devoted to the Hyūga clan's well-being, and a hint of respect crossed his mind. He smiled and nodded: "Lord Hoshimi truly lives up to his name as the Hyūga Clan Head. His demeanor and discourse are deeply admirable."
The two exchanged polite, insincere words and walked toward the Hyūga clan's main gate.
Orochimaru was engaging in this composed pretense when he suddenly registered some distracting noise.
"You mongrel, you trash!"
"You deformed brat, how could you be born into our great Hyūga clan? You're defiling our clan's reputation!"
"Hmph, how could a bastard like you awaken the noble Byakugan? It would have been better if you had died outside!"
...
Orochimaru frowned and looked toward the source of the noise.
Elder Harano was also filled with anger. Having always held his clan's status in the highest regard, he believed all clan members were elite ninjas of impeccable manners and strength. To suddenly hear such vulgar, abusive language from within the clan was a loss of dignity, not to mention extremely improper for an outsider like Orochimaru to hear.
Elder Harano's gaze sharply followed the sound. The next instant, having clearly seen the scene, his body subtly shuddered without anyone noticing.
What they saw was a very common instance of children bullying another child. However, based on their clothing, all the participants were Hyūga clan disciples. Furthermore, one or two of the bullies, around ten years old, did not have the sealed mark on their foreheads, meaning they were from the Main Family.
The bullied boy, aged about five or six, let the others curse and hit him without fighting back. He just huddled against the wall, covering his head with his arms, remaining silent.
Suddenly, Orochimaru's snake pupils narrowed slightly. He keenly noticed an interesting detail: the bullied Hyūga child actually possessed a pair of strange dual pupils!
Orochimaru looked at the silent, downcast child, a faint, wicked smile playing on his lips. He turned to Elder Harano and asked, "Is that child a Hyūga?" Orochimaru's words were subtly barbed, hinting at a sharp implication and silently provoking the old man beside him.
As expected, Elder Harano understood Orochimaru's meaning. His body froze, and his expression turned extremely grim. But since the facts were right before their eyes, he had no choice but to explain: "The child's mother was indeed a member of the Hyūga clan. However, during a mission, she conceived a child with an outsider without the clan's knowledge. After returning to the clan, she died in difficult childbirth, giving birth to this child with dual pupils." In the final sentence, Elder Harano's tone was deeply complex, containing both sorrow and recollection.
Orochimaru felt a hint of confusion. In the typical melodrama of such great clans, the outcome should have been the female protagonist being dealt with by the clan discreetly, leaving no trace, and certainly not giving birth to the child.
Then, a single sentence from Elder Harano, tinged with profound grief, answered Orochimaru's confusion: "That child's mother... was my daughter."
Orochimaru's gaze softened, and he nodded apologetically. He knew that facing such a grandson, Elder Harano's feelings were undoubtedly complicated. On one hand, as an Elder second only to the Clan Head, he had to uphold the clan's rules and ancestral teachings. On the other hand, it was the child born to his beloved daughter.
Orochimaru could also sense the ruthlessness and stubbornness of the old man beside him, because in the end, the clan-above-all Elder chose the former, abandoning his own grandson to uphold the clan's rules and teachings, which resulted in the current situation.
Orochimaru's dark-golden snake eyes continuously scrutinized the child with dual pupils. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, and his eyes lit up.
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