Meeting the Parents

A few days later.

Orochimaru left his temporary laboratory.

He was carrying a rather exquisite-looking wooden box.

Inside were, naturally, the gifts he'd prepared for Tsunade and the wife of the legendary First.

Skincare products made in his laboratory and mixed by his own hand.

The earlier improvements to the Military Ration Pills had been small potatoes—just a way to earn some startup money and win a little goodwill from the higher-ups.

Now that he had a bit of capital, he'd been thinking about a more efficient way to "make money."

Cosmetics and skincare products were his next move.

As the saying went, women and children were the easiest to sell to.

With his knowledge of biotechnology and chemistry, the products he'd come up with worked far better than similar items on the market.

A while back, he'd casually mentioned to Tsunade that he was interested in the study materials she usually read and wanted to "borrow" them for reference.

He hadn't expected her to agree so readily. She'd waved a hand and invited him over to the Senju Mansion.

He couldn't show up at a teammate's house for the first time empty-handed, could he?

He wasn't an idiot like Jiraiya. He understood these social niceties~

After crossing Konoha's fairly bustling streets, Orochimaru soon arrived at the legendary Senju Clan compound.

Well, rather than a compound, it was more like an enormous estate.

There wasn't even a "Senju" sign at the entrance; the place seemed rather low-key.

As he approached the gate, he spotted a golden-haired girl with twin tails bouncing on her toes as she looked around.

"Orochimaru! Over here!"

Tsunade spotted him and immediately waved excitedly, full of energy.

Standing beside her was an elderly woman with red hair pinned up. She had an elegant, distinguished air about her.

The old woman wore a simple, elegant kimono and had a gentle smile on her face. She merely stood there, yet gave off an indescribably serene presence.

"Tsunade."

Orochimaru walked over and nodded.

"Hehe, let me introduce you."

Tsunade pulled Orochimaru over and pointed to the old woman beside her, her tone carrying a hint of pride.

"This is my grandmother, Mito Uzumaki!"

"Lady Mito, it's a pleasure. I'm—"

Orochimaru's heart stirred, but he kept his expression calm and bowed slightly.

"Hehe, no need for formalities, dear.

I've often heard Tsunade talk about you. She says you're an incredibly talented young man."

Mito Uzumaki interrupted him with a warm, kindly voice and a smile.

"Grandma! Don't say things like that!

I've only mentioned him once or twice~"

Tsunade's face turned bright red. She stomped her foot and protested.

"Yes, yes~"

Mito Uzumaki smiled and played along.

Watching the grandmother and granddaughter interact, Orochimaru's lips curled into a faint smile.

"A small gift for my first visit. It's nothing much, but I hope you'll accept it."

He handed over the wooden box.

"Oh?"

Mito Uzumaki seemed a little surprised as she took the box.

When she opened it, she found several unusually shaped little porcelain bottles inside.

She picked one up, uncorked it, and took a sniff. A faint, pleasant fragrance wafted out.

Then she poured out a little of the milky-white cream and gently spread it over the back of her hand.

It felt cool to the touch and was quickly absorbed into her skin, leaving the dry skin feeling a little more moisturized.

"This..."

Surprise flickered in Mito Uzumaki's eyes.

"Wow! What is this?"

Tsunade leaned closer, examining it curiously.

She followed suit, squeezed a little onto her own hand, and rubbed it in before giving it a sniff.

"This smells like puncture vine, poria, and coix seed..."

Watching Tsunade list the ingredients in his skincare product like she was reading from a menu, Orochimaru's mouth twitched. Had his secret formula really been exposed just like that?

"Hehe, I like this gift very much. Thank you, dear.

Come on in."

Seeing Orochimaru's reaction, Mito Uzumaki's surprise faded, and her smile grew even warmer.

Orochimaru nodded and followed the two of them into the Senju Mansion.

However, the moment he stepped into the estate, Orochimaru keenly sensed something was off.

The vast estate was meticulously maintained, but... there were far too few people.

Apart from a few servants responsible for cleaning, he could barely see any other members of the Senju Clan.

It didn't quite match his idea of a top-tier family estate belonging to one of Konoha's two founding clans.

"Do you think this place is... a little too quiet?"

Noticing Orochimaru's gaze, Mito Uzumaki paused, then slowed her pace and asked softly.

At her words, Orochimaru nodded. He was indeed curious.

"During the Warring States period, shinobi were bound together by their clans and bloodlines, and they fought one another without end. That was what led to wars that spread endlessly."

"Hashirama founded the shinobi village to bring all of that to an end."

"As one of the village's founders, Hashirama wanted the other clans to set aside their misgivings and truly become part of the Konoha family. To set an example, he... voluntarily announced the dissolution of the Senju Clan.

"Of course, it was more of a symbolic dissolution.

The clan members remained, and so did the bloodline. They simply stopped banding together under the name 'Senju Clan' and instead fully integrated into Konoha's system."

Mito Uzumaki sighed and explained softly.

Orochimaru nodded thoughtfully.

There was no denying that Hashirama Senju, the First, had been a man of great vision and courage.

Not everyone would be willing to sacrifice their own clan's prestige for the greater good.

But it was precisely because of choices like that that the shinobi village could be established...

The three of them arrived at an elegant reception room.

The servants soon brought tea and refreshments.

"Tsunade, go fetch the herb encyclopedia I asked you to put away last time. It'll be a good chance for Orochimaru to take a look, too."

Not long after they sat down, Mito Uzumaki smiled and spoke to Tsunade.

"Oh, all right, Grandma!"

Tsunade scratched her head, not quite understanding why, but obediently got up and left.

As Tsunade's figure disappeared through the doorway, the smile gradually faded from Mito Uzumaki's face. She turned to look at Orochimaru.

Her expression grew stern, especially her eyes, which seemed able to pierce every disguise and see straight into a person's heart.

Is this... Nine-Tails Mode?

Orochimaru wasn't afraid. On the contrary, his eyes lit up.

He remembered from the Naruto setting that Mito Uzumaki, as a Perfect Jinchuriki, had the ability to perceive malice, like Naruto did later on.

"Orochimaru."

"I've heard a little about the things you've been doing in the village lately."

"I have to admit, you truly have a talent and ability far beyond ordinary people."

"But..."

"Power that is too great, if not guided by a good heart, often leads down a path from which there is no return."

Mito Uzumaki was taken aback by his reaction. She hadn't expected Orochimaru to respond like that, but she still spoke gravely.

Because of Tsunade, she'd been keeping an eye on Orochimaru, especially after he'd read the Scroll of Sealing and asked to see the Senju family's records.

She knew all too well what those forbidden techniques meant. Though this showed a lack of trust in the Third Hokage, as the First's wife, she had to see for herself what kind of person Orochimaru was.

"Tell me, Orochimaru."

"Why do you want those research records?"

"You're so passionate about research, about seeking knowledge and power. What is your goal?"

Mito Uzumaki stared into Orochimaru's eyes. As the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, her ability to sense malice far surpassed that of ordinary people.

She had to understand what kind of person Orochimaru was. She had to make sure where his talent would ultimately lead him.

Facing this old woman who had weathered countless storms and witnessed Konoha's founding and its rise and decline.

Facing her gaze, which seemed to see through everything, Orochimaru's expression remained calm.

"Lady Mito, you're worrying too much."

Orochimaru smiled at her words, picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and set it down.

He lifted his head and met Mito Uzumaki's gaze without the slightest hesitation.

"My goal?"

"It's actually very simple."

"The knowledge gathered by those who came before us is inherited by the next generation, who then continue to explore."

"Someday, humanity will turn everything unknown into something known."

"I just think the process of exploring the unknown is interesting in itself."

Mito Uzumaki was taken aback by his answer.

She studied Orochimaru's eyes carefully, as if trying to find even the slightest trace of hypocrisy or ambition.

But there was none.

In those golden, slit-pupiled eyes, all she could sense was pure curiosity and a desire to seek knowledge for its own sake.

After a long while.

The tension in Mito Uzumaki's expression suddenly eased, and she smiled with relief.

"Hehe..."

She chuckled softly and shook her head.

"What an... interesting young man."

She picked up her teacup and took a sip as well.

"All right."

"If you want to read them, then go ahead."

"The Senju family's archives are open to you."