"Boy, wake up." A large face was close to his eyes, but Orochimaru wasn't startled. He looked around, searching for Sabo.
Seeing Sabo lying on another bed, he checked his injuries, confirmed he was recovering well, and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you for saving Sabo," Orochimaru said very solemnly.
He surveyed the people around him, recognizing only a few familiar faces: Ivankov, the "Okama King," and Inazuma, "The Lightning."
"Excuse me, is there a man on your ship with a green trench coat and a slipper print on his face?" Orochimaru tried hard to describe Monkey D. Dragon, as directly saying his name would be too suspicious.
"Pfft... pfft..." A group of people covered their mouths, trying to hold back their laughter... That was their boss, they couldn't laugh... but they still couldn't resist bursting into laughter.
"It's noisy, what's happening?" Dragon walked out, hearing the laughter. Seeing Dragon, everyone laughed even louder, with Ivankov even rolling on the floor, "Hahahaha... slipper print..."
Dragon looked at Ivankov like that, and although he didn't know what they were laughing about, he felt inexplicably annoyed.
Orochimaru observed the man, feeling a strange sense of respect. He was very strong... In a way, just surviving this long as Garp's son was enough to earn his respect.
"Hello, it's our first meeting. I've heard much about you. May I speak with you privately?" Orochimaru walked over very politely.
Thinking of the young man's miraculous healing abilities, Dragon nodded, wondering what this amazing young man wanted to tell him.
"Hello, Mr. Dragon, I am Luffy's younger brother, Orochimaru. I was picked up by Grandpa Garp. I've heard about you from Grandpa. Could you take Sabo out to sea with you? He's also Luffy's brother."
Using Garp as a reason, Orochimaru told Monkey D. Dragon about Sabo's identity, his past, his relationship with Luffy, and why he wanted to go to sea.
Dragon pondered for a moment; the Revolutionary Army also needed fresh blood. "This will have to wait until Sabo wakes up and decides for himself."
Orochimaru strongly agreed. He walked over to Sabo and continued to channel Chakra, remembering that Sabo had suffered a head injury that would cause memory loss. He focused on treating the head, watching as the person gradually regained consciousness.
"Sabo, wake up. Who am I?"
Sabo woke from the darkness, a bit disoriented. He remembered being hit by a cannonball. Hearing a familiar voice, he clutched his head and slowly recovered.
"Orochimaru?" He reacted and came to his senses. "Orochimaru!! What are you doing here? Where is this?"
Orochimaru recounted what had happened after he left, explaining that Sabo had been rescued and that he knew Sabo didn't want to go back, hoping he could stay on this ship.
Sabo was a little confused.
"Why should I stay here? I can manage on my own."
Orochimaru pulled Sabo aside and whispered, "Do you see that man in green?"
Sabo nodded.
"That's Luffy's father, Garp's son." Sabo was shocked, then stunned, and then showed the same look of sympathy and respect as Orochimaru.
"So, I won't even mention his strength. And they are the Revolutionary Army. I think that place is very suitable for you. If you don't think it's suitable, then it's as we agreed before: go out to sea at 17."
Sabo nodded.
The two went to Dragon together and told him their decision. Dragon also agreed to take Sabo with him and bring him back to the Revolutionary Army headquarters.
The time for farewell was approaching. Orochimaru said goodbye to Sabo and the Revolutionary Army members. Ivankov, for some reason, really liked Orochimaru, believing the child had great potential and was very reluctant to see him go. He offered a standing invitation for Orochimaru to visit Kamabakka Kingdom anytime.
Orochimaru was also very interested in Ivankov's abilities and said he would go if he had the chance. He thanked Dragon again and prepared to leave.
Standing on the ship, Orochimaru was about to jump down, but seeing the vast sea around him, he paused, then decisively turned around and tugged on Dragon's clothes.
???? (Everyone tilted their heads in confusion, why did he turn back?)
(Cough...) Orochimaru tried to maintain his expression. "I don't know the way, could you please give me a ride?"
The group fell over with a thud.
Of course, in the end, Dragon carried him and dropped him off on the land near Foosha Village. After all, he was like one of his own children.
Bidding farewell to Dragon, Orochimaru returned to Dadan's house through the forest. Seeing a group of mountain bandits hugging him and crying, expressing their worry about his disappearance, and then crying about Sabo's death.
Orochimaru was a bit at a loss, unsure what to do. He was unaccustomed to this sudden outpouring of concern.
He stood with his hands raised, watching a group of big men cry. Ten minutes passed, and Orochimaru finally couldn't help but kick them away one by one, then went to shower and change into new clothes.
He told them Sabo wasn't dead and questioned the group, learning they had received Sabo's last letter. The two then went to the cliff near their secret base.
Upon arriving, Orochimaru saw Luffy crying on the ground, muttering, "I want to get stronger, stronger... stronger... stronger.
That way I can protect anything, and no one will ever leave me. So please, I beg you, Ace, don't die."
Ace punched Luffy on the head.
"Before worrying about me, worry about yourself first! You're so much weaker than me. Listen up! Remember this, Luffy! I won't die!"
"Ace, you said it yourself, you won't die... If one day you seek death... I'll drag you back from hell," Orochimaru said, his voice hoarse, as he emerged from the woods.
Luffy looked at the returning Orochimaru and hugged him, crying loudly, "Orochimaru, Sabo, Sabo is dead... Waaahhh..."
Orochimaru tried to push away Luffy, who was hugging him. "Um..."
Ace interrupted him, "I know I'm stupid, so I can't figure out what exactly killed Sabo, but it must be something contrary to freedom."
Orochimaru hesitated, "That..."
"Although Sabo died before he gained freedom," Ace said, looking seriously at the sea.
Orochimaru shuffled his feet, dragging Luffy over. "Actually..."
"But! We, who drank sake with Sabo, are still alive!"
Orochimaru expressed that he didn't want to speak.
(ಥ_ಥ)... Alright, alright, you talk.
Ace stood with his hands on his hips. "So, Luffy! Orochimaru! We must live a life without regrets!"
"Mm," Luffy nodded, crying.
Then silence fell. Ace and Luffy turned to look at Orochimaru, wondering why he wasn't responding.
Orochimaru smiled. "So, are you two finished talking?"
Their eyes filled with tears, they nodded.
"I just wanted to say, Sabo is still alive, but you kept interrupting me, stupid Ace."
╮( •́ ω •̀ )╭
The two stood there, shocked, stunned, happy, and crying tears of joy.
Orochimaru recounted how he had chased after them, searching for Sabo on the sea, only to find that Sabo had already been rescued. Now Sabo was with that group of people, learning and searching for the life he wanted to live.
Luffy hugged Ace and cried loudly. Although he didn't fully understand, he knew Sabo was alive. "That's great, Sabo... Sabo is alive!"
Ace was also very happy, but then he realized the grand words he had just spoken, his face flushed red, and he became angry out of embarrassment. "So... Orochimaru, you knew Sabo wasn't dead... why didn't you say so sooner and just watched Luffy and me cry!!"
o(❛3❛)o "No, I didn't... You were the one who wouldn't let me speak."
"Die! You cunning Snake Snake!"
Ace charged at Orochimaru with a shark-like face, and Luffy joined in the commotion, the three of them getting into a brawl.
Ace: Let you watch us cry from the side.
Luffy: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Ace: Let you pretend to be good in front of the Old Man and watch us get beaten.
Luffy: Yeah, yeah, yeah, cunning Orochimaru.
Orochimaru, in the midst of the roughhousing, had lines of black on his face. How deep was this resentment?
He forcefully pulled at Luffy, who was biting his leg.
"Why are you joining in the fun, you little weakling who can't beat anyone?"
Luffy stood up, picking his nose ◉ཅ◉
"Anyway, Grandpa won't spank me."
The scene instantly fell silent. Ace froze, subconsciously glancing at a certain spot behind Orochimaru... He looked up and saw Orochimaru's originally golden pupils instantly turn blood-red. Luffy also reacted, cold sweat pouring down.
That day, the two witnessed what it meant: I spit snake, snake spits sword, snake spits me, I spit sword. Birds and beasts scattered in the forest, as Ace and Luffy fled frantically.
ε = ε = ε = ┏( ° ロ ° ;)┛!!
"Grandpa!! Help!!"
"Grandpa!! Help!!"