Leaving the Village

Orochimaru was not surprised by his situation, but it was impossible for him to turn himself in. If he continued to be monitored by the village, his research on immortality would have to be forced to stop.

Hesitation only leads to more trouble. Although there are still many things about Konoha that he cherishes, leaving has become an inevitable choice.

"If possible, I'll have to trouble you to make the trip." A complex expression flashed across Orochimaru's face, but he quickly recovered, as if nothing had happened. "After I leave, Anko is in your care."

"Okay, I'll go get ready." Shuichi understood.

The pursuit of immortality is his Ninja Way. Now, the research on the First Hokage Cells is almost complete. There are still projects such as the fusion of soul and body that require a large number of Human Experimentation. Staying in Konoha will not allow him to act freely. Only by leaving the village can he do whatever he wants without restrictions.

During the past few days of waiting, Shuichi had guessed that he might leave Konoha. Currently, there were a large number of Anbu active outside the village, and those exposed basements were also being monitored. Fortunately, he had placed the Flying Thunder God Spell Formula in several other hidden laboratories in advance.

Experimental equipment, data Scrolls, reserve funds, and a whole host of other important items had already been sorted out. Shuichi categorized and packed these things away. With his good disciple around, Orochimaru at least wouldn't run away naked like in the original story.

"Brush!

Finding a suitable opportunity, Shuichi created another Shadow Clone to help, successfully teleporting Orochimaru several kilometers away without the Anbu's knowledge, and then they headed north together.

"I've stored away the important things. There are some others that I'll have to wait until after the surveillance period is over. I'll use Summoning Jutsu to send them to you then."

Orochimaru was carrying a huge, bulging bag on his back, making it the strangest he'd looked in years. Even Shuichi almost laughed when he saw it. "This direction... is it the Land of Fields or the Land of Hot Springs? Looks like I don't need to worry, you were prepared for this."

For a seasoned expert like him, he could thrive anywhere. He had Dark Operatives all over the Shinobi World, and he might even have already built a backup base.

After running alongside Konoha for more than ten kilometers, Shuichi stopped, turned around, and went back. Getting closer and dispelling the Shadow Clone would let his main body know that everything was going smoothly.

Both are resolute and excellent ninjas, so there's no way they'd create any melodramatic farewell scenes. After all, the Shinobi World isn't that big for them, and they can stay in touch through Ryūchi Cave. They might even bump into each other unexpectedly while on a mission...

The Konoha Anbu searched the area around the village for over a month without finding any trace of Orochimaru; it was as if he had simply vanished. The Third Hokage quickly stopped the search. It was clear that Orochimaru had left Konoha and even the Land of Fire; this needle-in-a-haystack search was pointless and a waste of manpower.

In the Hokage's Office, Sarutobi Hiruzen's complexion appeared normal, but those around him could sense his deep exhaustion—a psychological issue that couldn't be resolved simply by eating and drinking.

"Now we're all done. All three disciples have left the village. It must be tough, buddy." Shuichi wasn't gloating. Every generation has different values, and even the closest relationships will have conflicts over time.

The difference between Orochimaru and the Third Hokage was simply a difference in ideology. The ideas passed down from the Warring States Period may Jonin world, but being too unconventional will also lead to rejection by those around you. Going with the tide of the times is the right way.

"Shuichi, Anko, Orochimaru has been missing for over a month. If nothing unexpected happens, he probably won't return to the village," the Third Hokage said in a low voice. "If you find any trace of him in the future, you'd better report it to the village immediately."

The main responsibility for the Nine-Tails Incident Danzo, while Orochimaru's crime is stealing Forbidden Jutsu and leaving the village without permission. Whether to list him as missing-nin has been discussed by the Konoha High Command for a long time.

Aside from Danzo's strong insistence, the two advisors felt it was best to suppress the news and handle it discreetly. After all, Orochimaru had considerable prestige and an outstanding disciple like Shuichi; there was no need to make a fool of himself in front of other villages.

"Why? Why did Master leave?" Anko asked in disbelief. In her heart, Orochimaru's status was probably similar to that of her father, and hearing this news suddenly was simply unacceptable to her.

"That's a fait accompli." Seeing her pitiful state, the Third Hokage couldn't bear to tell the truth. "Why don't you go and rest for a while?"

Anko gritted her teeth, desperately trying to hold back the tears that were about to fall, and turned to leave, even slamming the door a little louder.

Shuichi shrugged. Perhaps in this life she had spent more time with Orochimaru, and their feelings were much deeper than she had imagined. She was still just a child.

But he was incredibly thick-skinned, completely unconcerned about what had happened before, and instead asked about the Wood Release Ninja and the Nine-Tails Chakra with a grin.

Despite being knocked down by the Third Hokage of blows, Bing survived. After a thorough Medical Department examination, it was discovered that his body had been fundamentally damaged.

Before this incident escalated, he had gone berserk twice at Danzo's Danzo. Even though his Life Energy was not weak after the Genes modification, he could not withstand the continuous forced recovery.

Although Danzo messed things up, the entire experiment was very valuable for Konoha, at least in terms of deepening their understanding of Wood Release and Nine-Tails Chakra.

"The reason why Bing lost control was mainly due to the unique nature of the Nine-Tails Chakra." The Third Hokage knew far more secrets than Danzo; if it were him, he would never have sealed the tail into Root ninja. "The key issue lies in negative emotions, not in the strength of willpower..."

Shuichi listened calmly to his vague explanation, but he actually understood quite well. If it were the tail of another Tailed Beast, the chances of successfully sealing one into Bing would be very high.

Of course, due to strength issues, it's estimated that it can't achieve Partial Tailed Beast Transformation, at most it can only create a Chakra Cloak, but with this kind of foundation, as long as it is nurtured, it can definitely reach the level of Elite Jonin, at least be able to use one Kekkei Genkai, and if it's lucky, it can even use two.

However, if the Nine-Tails Chakra can be sealed, it's different. The Root's training method fills the ninja's heart with darkness, and encountering the Nine-Tails Chakra is like adding fuel to the fire. Although the body can withstand it, the emotions will completely lose control.

"To put it bluntly, it's a lack of love!" Shuichi succinctly concluded in his mind.

After this lesson, Danzo's, or rather Konoha's, idea was shattered. Using Wood Release to mass-produce small Tailed Beast weapons was not feasible. It was a pity that there wasn't a single "normal" Tailed Beast in the village, otherwise, there would still be a good chance of producing a small number of Jonin.

Bing is currently under control and recuperating. Fortunately, his life has been saved, and he can provide some Nine-Tails Chakra to help the village with research in the future.

As for Yamato and another Wood Release girl, they have already joined the secret training program, making the Third Hokage the biggest "winner" without doing anything...

After leaving the Hokage Building, Shuichi originally planned to talk to Anko again in a few days, but to his surprise, she did not leave and was waiting downstairs.

Upon seeing Shuichi appear, she immediately rushed over and shouted, "Why didn't you let Teacher Orochimaru stay? It must have been so easy for you, right?"