By the time Liuyun returned to Konoha Village, it was already the dead of night. Fortunately, before leaving, he had gone home in advance to let Asuka know.
At the small river not far from home, Liuyun jumped into the water and washed away the foul-smelling bloodstains covering him. He threw his shirt, which was difficult to clean, straight into the river, then walked home bare-chested.
After getting home, he washed himself once more with soap. Only after changing into a clean set of clothes did he finally recover a little.
"Son, are you hungry? Should Mom make you something to eat?"
Asuka's voice sounded from outside his bedroom door.
"Mom, did you just wake up? Or have you been up all night..." Liuyun opened the door and saw Asuka.
"I got up when I heard the noise. Mom doesn't have a job right now, so I can wake up and sleep whenever I want..."
"Wait a moment. I'll go make you something tasty in the kitchen..."
His considerate mother did not immediately ask about the details of Liuyun's mission. Instead, she was afraid that her son had skipped dinner and gone hungry.
"Uh..."
Liuyun rubbed his stomach. He really was a little hungry.
At the dining table, Asuka watched her son wolf down his food. At last, unable to restrain her curiosity and gossiping nature, she asked:
"What mission did you go on with Lord Orochimaru today?"
If she had not personally seen Orochimaru appear at their doorstep earlier, Asuka would never have believed her son.
An Elite Jonin like Orochimaru, the Hokage's disciple, had actually taken an elementary student who had not even graduated from the Ninja Academy out of the village on a mission...
Asuka had been utterly bewildered at the time, but with Orochimaru present, she