"I just saw the Mizukage's assassination squad and a large number of Ninja setting out to slaughter the Kekkei Ninjas... The Mizukage summoned the heads of all the Kekkei Clans for a meeting yesterday, then suddenly struck during the meeting, killing all the clan heads... Madara, what exactly are you trying to do?"
Scarlet flashed in Itachi's eyes—the unique color of the Sharingan, appearing exceptionally sinister in the darkness!
Ever since his life was saved by the 'Madara' before him, using that strange, pale creature to replace the large portion of his body consumed by the Ura Shishin Fuuin, he had been able to keep his three-Tomoe Sharingan active indefinitely without any burden. He stared at this Masked Man who claimed to be 'Madara' with intense wariness.
He didn't believe this person was Madara. If Uchiha Madara were still alive, he would be a one-hundred-and-twenty-year-old 'Miracle of the Ninja World' by now.
He would be enough of an auspicious sign of longevity to be enshrined and worshipped. In the Ninja World, whether for Ninjas, civilians, or nobles, those who live past eighty are as rare as phoenix feathers... let alone over one hundred and twenty.
He didn't know who this person claiming to be Madara was—the only certainty was that he was an Uchiha!
Because he possessed the eyes of an Uchiha.
The Sharingan cannot lie.
But—
Strangely, while Itachi didn't believe this person was Uchiha Madara and was even full of wariness toward him, he happened to strongly agree with this person's philosophy that 'this world is wrong.' He was also willing to strive for the ideal of 'creating an ideal world without war'—this philosophy, this ideal, no matter from what angle he thought about it, the result was always the same.
The Masked Man's voice was flippant: "I'm doing this, of course, to clear the obstacles for our great cause..."
"The core strength of Kirigakure is undoubtedly the Kekkei Clans. Previously, due to a lack of opportunity, I could only use mild methods to weaken them. Now the Kaguya rebellion is the perfect excuse, allowing us to use the situation to quickly eliminate them... And a Bloody Mist that has lost its Bloodline Limits, isn't that a good Bloody Mist?"
Although... there was a tiny, insignificant bit of 'revenge' mixed in—but in the face of the great cause, these small thoughts weren't even worth a speck of dust.
Itachi said, "With such obvious movements, using the Three-Tails to indirectly control the Fourth Hokage Mizukage, this matter will easily be exposed!"
The Masked Man said, "It's all worth it!"
...The Bloody Mist was bleeding. Many Kekkei Clans were caught off guard, their women and children killed by Ninjas skilled in slaughter. The sporadic resistance gradually spread outward—but the closer to the center of the Village, the sooner they were eliminated.
Mei Terumī, Suigetsu Hozuki, and some clan elders with sharp instincts who hadn't attended the meeting fled in panic under the cover of their clans' forces... Once out of the Bloody Mist, they temporarily settled in a small Village, and only then did the group have time to reflect on the beginning and end of the whole affair.
"The Mizukage's behavior is extremely abnormal—this isn't a decision a Mizukage should make. Past Mizukages have always used the Kekkei Clans as their foundation, and the Fourth..."
"Regardless... whether this is a change in the Fourth's own personality or due to other reasons, we must take action. Now that the Mizukage is massacring Kekkei Ninjas on a large scale, we have no other choice... Every place in the Ninja World currently has a master; we can neither plunder nor occupy a place, yet we cannot just wait for death..."
"Let's first accumulate strength in secret..." The scene of Yagura Karatachi destroying the Kaguya with a single Ninjutsu reappeared in everyone's minds. "Right now, we are not his match..."
...Finding someone, especially just a small child, was not a difficult task for Orochimaru.
In just one day, Orochimaru found Kimimaro. Kimimaro's small body was dressed in ill-fitting clothes; his clothes were filthy, and his face was dirty... yet it still couldn't hide his delicate features—he was as beautiful as a little girl, with two red birthmarks like cinnabar dots above his eyebrows, looking as if they had been applied with rouge.
"Little child, why are you here alone? Where is your family?" The hoarse, magnetic voice caught Kimimaro's attention.
Kimimaro looked ignorant and lost, his movements when looking up were full of hesitation... "Un... Uncle?"
"Hehehehe..."
Being called "Uncle," Orochimaru couldn't help but laugh, his pale hand resting gently on Kimimaro's head.
Kimimaro instinctively shrugged his shoulders but then timidly leaned into it, letting the large hand rest on his head. Kimimaro looked up at Orochimaru—this man whose name alone was enough to stop a child's crying made him feel an unprecedented warmth. Kimimaro said, "I... I have no family. I don't know what the meaning of my existence is..."
Orochimaru sighed and said, "Living itself has no meaning. But as long as you live on, you will always encounter some interesting things."
"Since you have no family and don't know the meaning of your existence... then come with me. Coincidentally—"
"I am also a lonely person, and I am also searching for the meaning of existence."
...Kimimaro understood "come with me." His face lit up with joy, and his youthful voice was full of determination: "My Lord, I will follow you, I will follow you closely, and find the meaning of life."
"Mhm, I'm looking forward to it..."
..."So, what is your name? Everyone has a name!"
"My name is Kimimaro."
"Kimimaro," a name that implied gentleness, quietness, and loneliness, seemed to be a perfect reflection of this child's personality and appearance.
Orochimaru had seen many Kaguyas, but a "beautiful specimen" like Kimimaro was a first—he was practically an anomaly of the Kaguya Clan.
"Kimimaro..." Orochimaru smiled and took out a silk handkerchief, wiping the dirt from Kimimaro's face. "You really are a beautiful person—almost like the Goddess of the Moon. Kimimaro, have you seen the statue of the Goddess of the Moon? You look very much like her..."
"No."
"The Kaguya Clan has completely disappeared. From now on, use Kaguya as your surname... Kaguya, that is the name of the Goddess of the Moon..."
From then on, a beautiful and delicate child named "Kaguya Kimimaro" was by Orochimaru's side.
Orochimaru took him all the way out of the Land of Water, but just as they were about to reach the border, he suddenly stopped.
A person blocked Orochimaru's path from a distance. The newcomer had orange-red hair, and his face was covered with alternative metal ornaments—black rods pierced his nose, ears, and lips. His purple pupils looked at Orochimaru with a dull, vacant expression.
-------------------------------
Hope you enjoy this fanfiction if you do and would like to read the next 30 chapters in advance, pls do check out my Patreon.
patreon.com/TLScarlet
Also don't forget to give me a Power Stone if you do like this fiction. Your support really motivates me to continue doing my best in translating, Thanks!!