"Haku, eat fewer sweets. You'll get cavities."
"Oh... got it, sensei..."
Haku had originally been devouring his ice cream in big bites. It had to be said—someone with the Ice Release bloodline limit really could handle the cold.
Gekko Chizan felt chilly even while eating a proper meal, yet Haku was eating ice cream in the middle of a snowstorm as if it were nothing.
The warm scene made Orochimaru chuckle softly.
"Hehehehe, Chizan, you're becoming more and more like a qualified nanny."
"By the way, how are those two little ones, Dōnin and Senka? Why not send them to me? Let me train them for a while."
Gekko Dōnin had excellent talent. Although he seemed just a bit behind his father, he was still one in a hundred—a true prodigy.
Orochimaru was quite invested in that.
"Don't even mention that little brat. No idea what got into him—he insists on learning swordsmanship. Oh, no, I should say blade techniques."
"He chases after Hatake Sakumo every single day to learn from him. He's practically forgotten about me, his own father."
"As for Senka, she's taken Tsunade as her master."
Taken Tsunade as her master?
Orochimaru paused slightly. It wasn't that he thought Tsunade was unqualified—rather, his mind instinctively drifted to her long list of unreliable habits.
Drinking... gambling...
Was it really a good idea to apprentice under her?
Seeing Orochimaru lost in thought, Gekko Chizan spoke up to defend Tsunade.
"Mm, her hemophobia is cured now."
"As for gambling and drinking, that's not really a big deal."
"The key is that Tsunade is the inheritor of Shikkotsu Forest. Of the Three Great Sage Regions, I've already secured Ryūchi Cave."
"As for Mount Myōboku—well, they're all toads. I don't like them. And letting Senka deal with snakes? I'm afraid she wouldn't like that either."
"So after thinking it through, Tsunade's the most suitable choice for my daughter's future."
"Though I can't really appreciate Katsuyu myself."
He didn't hide his intentions at all. He had his eyes on Shikkotsu Forest—on Sage Mode.
And on Tsunade as a powerful backer.
"Hehehe, Chizan-kun, you've always been ahead of your time."
"There must be a reason for everything you do."
"Tsunade is one of the Sannin, and also the princess of the Senju clan. Whether in status or strength, she's an excellent choice."
Orochimaru took a sip of water, a faint smile curling at his lips—perhaps thinking of the past, or perhaps the future.
As for Gekko Chizan, he didn't think much of it. With him around, he was the best umbrella his children could ever have.
"By the way, sensei, you said you came to the Land of Water looking for materials."
"What kind of materials?"
He knew Orochimaru's movements quite well. The man had been holed up in the Land of Waterfalls and on Turtle Island conducting all sorts of experiments.
He never would've guessed Orochimaru would come sightseeing in the Land of Water.
"Hehehe, I recently received news that the unrest in the Land of Water is growing more severe."
"Of course, this may very well be caused by the Akatsuki."
"Places in turmoil often yield unexpected gains."
As he spoke, Orochimaru smiled faintly at Haku.
His gaze assessed the boy with the bloodline limit, a glint of interest flashing in his snake-like pupils.
That very look made Haku's scalp tingle. Orochimaru's eyes were no ordinary eyes—they were serpentine.
Haku's vigilance shot to its peak. From Orochimaru, he could always sense an extreme aura of danger.
"Hey, hey, sensei, don't scare the kid."
"I just happened to run into Haku by chance."
"You know the situation in Kirigakure. With the widespread turmoil, people like us can barely survive."
The Bloody Mist Village wasn't a joke. It was a massacre.
An organized slaughter of bloodline limit users by ordinary ninja—a tyrannical policy carried out within Kirigakure itself.
"Hehehe, and that's precisely the opportunity."
"I plan to visit Kirigakure. Maybe I'll gain something."
"My research has reached a bottleneck. Simply conducting experiments won't help me anymore. I might as well come out and try my luck."
Going to Kirigakure?
Gekko Chizan found it feasible. He had already encountered Haku—who knew what better candidates he might find on another trip to Kirigakure?
He had to keep an eye on Orochimaru. Talented people were better off under his command. If Orochimaru got to them first—
Heh. They might end up walking a crooked path.
"Fine. I'm looking for the Akatsuki anyway."
"Together?"
Orochimaru nodded. From the moment he saw Gekko Chizan, he had already decided to travel together.
Kirigakure's situation was complicated. Having one more person—especially a highly mobile ally—was undoubtedly a good thing.
Over the next few days, Gekko Chizan traveled with Haku and Orochimaru.
Before long, they arrived at the central island of the Land of Water, where Kirigakure was located.
The moment he stepped onto the land, Gekko Chizan felt that familiar oppressive sensation.
It wasn't the approach of a powerful enemy—
It was the weather.
The mist on this island was even thicker, making the entire place feel stifling.
"No matter how many times I come here, that suffocating feeling never changes."
"It's hard to imagine how people on this island even manage to live."
"If you wring your clothes, you could probably squeeze out water."
With a look of disgust, Gekko Chizan twisted his clothes—
And water actually dripped out.
"Hehehe, every land shapes its people. The Land of Water and Kirigakure have existed for so long—there must be a reason."
"Chizan, don't be so harsh."
Orochimaru chuckled lightly, prompting Gekko Chizan to roll his eyes.
Soon, the three continued on their way toward Kirigakure.
As they drew closer, the sky gradually darkened.
"Sensei, do you hear something?"
"Mm, I do. Seems we've arrived at quite the right time."
Orochimaru's gaze shifted into the distance. Though he lacked sensory abilities, as a powerful ninja, he had his own judgment.
"Tagitsuhime, take a look."
"I already did. A large group is charging toward Kirigakure. Looks like a fight's about to break out."
"A fight?"
Gekko Chizan's mind raced, searching his memories.
Soon, it clicked.
The uprising of the Kaguya clan!
They had appeared during the Third Great Ninja War. A warlike clan through and through.
The entire clan revered combat—and they too possessed a bloodline limit.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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