What truly made Orochimaru take notice was when he habitually searched for the source of a familiar feeling.
Ninja have astonishing memories, and Orochimaru was particularly exceptional among them.
Orochimaru was well aware of the changes Kotoamatsukami had caused him, including his previous memories.
As for the significant difference between his current self and his former self, didn't Orochimaru feel awkward?
He truly didn't!
Everything felt so natural, as if he had suddenly achieved enlightenment and discovered some truth about life.
Orochimaru also felt as though he had suddenly understood many things, so naturally, as if he had always believed them from the bottom of his heart.
He constantly recalled past experiences, again and again.
Orochimaru confirmed two things.
First, he had never seen that Otogakure Ninja!
Second, Orochimaru discovered that his memory had issues!
He had already identified a few distinct periods: the several days after he controlled the First Hokage and fought Pain.
Orochimaru had completely lost those memories, as if he had been unconscious.
He had no recollection of what happened during that time!
Then, there were the several days not long ago when Orochimaru again found a gap in his memory; he didn't know what he had done during those missing days.
What he could confirm was that he had most likely stayed in the laboratory the entire time.
Combining this with his subsequent extremely weak condition, Orochimaru had some suspicions.
After meticulously checking himself multiple times and finding no seals, Orochimaru increased the likelihood of his suspicion being true by several percent.
Could that Otogakure Ninja, who felt so familiar, be a clone he created?
While Orochimaru's will had indeed been altered by Kotoamatsukami, it hadn't made him stupid; he was still the incredibly shrewd Orochimaru.
It was highly probable, but still just a guess, so Orochimaru decided to verify it.
Orochimaru didn't tell anyone about this; after all, it seemed unrelated to Yuuki and posed no threat to Konoha.
Orochimaru was still the Orochimaru loyal to Yuuki, loyal to Konoha.
As Orochimaru left his residence, he recalled the look in the Otogakure Ninja's eyes when they met.
Now, it seemed to hold another meaning.
Arriving at the location where they met, Orochimaru scanned the surroundings.
If it were me, what would I do?
After several twists and turns, Orochimaru arrived at an open space and summoned a small snake using the Summoning Jutsu.
Through questioning, he learned what the snake saw.
Orochimaru obtained an address.
Familiar methods!
Orochimaru walked towards the address he had obtained, sighing with emotion.
This was a slightly sloping dirt hill, not far from Konoha's largest cemetery.
Originally, this was a dense forest.
As a child, Orochimaru would always ponder silently in this small forest after visiting his parents' graves.
He would contemplate questions like the meaning of life, questions that would never have an answer.
Now, due to urban planning, the trees had long been cleared, and the land had been simply leveled.
Orochimaru walked to the spot where the tree he often stayed at as a child once stood and stopped.
A few seconds later, a figure slowly emerged; it was the other Orochimaru (Uchiha Un-chidori).
(PS: To differentiate, when the two meet, the new Orochimaru will use the new name, and so on.)
Unlike all of Orochimaru's other bodies, which possessed flowing, soft hair.
Uchiha Un-chidori's explosive, spiky black hair made him so distinct, strongly resembling a certain clan.
From the problems in his own memory, Orochimaru knew that he was the one who had been discarded.
However, Orochimaru didn't show much emotion; instead, he opened his mouth wide, then spat out a head dripping with viscous fluid, a human head on a snake body.
The young man opposite, Uchiha Un-chidori, showed no disgust at this sight.
He likewise opened his mouth, stretching it to an extent impossible for a human, and swallowed the still-dripping, viscous body into his belly.
Since they were originally the same person, exchanging information was this simple.
With the serious business concluded, it was time for casual conversation, and Orochimaru spoke first.
"Seeing you, I feel I must have succeeded. The fragmented memories must be related to the Uchiha, and for me to value it so much, could it be that important figure?"
Many things, Orochimaru had guessed almost entirely the moment he saw Uchiha Un-chidori.
Uchiha Un-chidori, having digested the information Orochimaru provided, looked at him as if he were a dead man.
Uchiha Un-chidori wasn't sure how to define a person, but he was certain that after one's free will was forcibly altered, the original person was no different from being dead.
Uchiha Un-chidori knew his own situation; he was, after all, merely a small fragment of a soul combined with parts of other people's souls.
He possessed all of Orochimaru's memories and thoughts, but as time passed, the influence of the other souls on him would grow stronger.
He was ultimately not Orochimaru.
And the true Orochimaru, in Uchiha Un-chidori's eyes, was already dead.
A strange sense of sorrow arose; after making so many preparations, was that existence named Orochimaru still destined to vanish?
Taking a deep breath, Uchiha Un-chidori asked Orochimaru.
"Is there any possibility of recovery?"
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