Orochimaru stood still for a moment, then suddenly let out a low laugh.
It started as a quiet chuckle, gradually grew louder, and finally became a full-bellied roar.
He sounded like a madman.
Ignoring Shuten-doji and Hatake Kakashi, he headed straight for the secret base Danzo had built for him.
They had just fought.
That Shuten-doji had shown him what he was capable of.
Very good.
The boy was extremely cunning and never trusted anyone's promises.
He was strong and had mastered Senju Tobirama's Water Release: Water Formation Wall. The last technique he had used to leave—if Orochimaru wasn't mistaken—was the S-Rank Ninjutsu Flying Thunder God Technique.
No wonder Shimura Danzō hadn't placed a Cursed Seal on him. The boy truly had unbelievable potential.
But who was he? Why had Orochimaru never heard of a child like him in the village before?
Shuten-doji must have understood what Orochimaru was implying. Some things couldn't be said aloud. The moment you spoke them, you became a slave to your own words.
At Orochimaru's level, pursuing even greater power would inevitably lead him to do things ordinary people couldn't tolerate. The village's rules would only hold him back.
Only by leaving the village and casting off the bonds that tied him down could he become like a fish in the open sea, swimming freely.
But there was another way.
He could become the Hokage and wield the power of those bonds.
"I know that Hiruzen-sensei, Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura all see me as a useful tool. Heh. If I accomplish something in this war that no one can ignore, could I become the next Hokage?"
From Orochimaru's perspective, he was indeed a strong contender for the Hokage Position.
The Third, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was his teacher!
That was crucial.
The Second had also been Sarutobi Hiruzen's teacher. As Orochimaru saw it, the Hokage Position passed from teacher to student!
Jiraiya's personality made him wholly unsuitable to become Hokage, and Tsunade had developed hemophobia. Only Orochimaru was still risking his life for the village!
As for Namikaze Minato, whose fame had recently soared, he was far too young and lacked both the stature and the experience to govern. If he took office, wouldn't the village still be controlled by that bunch of old men? That was unacceptable.
With Shimura Danzō and Root's support, the Hokage Position could really be his for the taking.
For Orochimaru, building a power base in the Land of Fields was only a backup plan. His primary goal was still the Hokage Position.
"We live in a world of lies. People's relationships are nothing more than you deceiving me and me deceiving you. Only by mastering every ninjutsu, understanding the truth of the world, becoming the ultimate being, and transcending the limits of the flesh can one achieve eternity."
"I will become an endless wind myself and set the windmill spinning!"
Senkaku Byakuya, whom Orochimaru had set his sights on, awoke on Hatake Kakashi's back.
He had underestimated his vitality once again—the improved values granted by his Fate Grid, including his stamina.
Even after exhausting his chakra, his remarkably resilient body had brought him back to full awareness in a short time.
"Kakashi, put me down."
"Senior! You're awake!"
Hatake Kakashi was overjoyed and stopped running.
Byakuya rolled his shoulders and stretched.
Storm Release chakra stimulated his exhausted muscles, like a massage that also restored circulation.
His mental energy had climbed back above the danger threshold.
He was even more "durable" than he'd imagined.
Byakuya stood in the moonlight, looking at Hatake Kakashi, who was still just a child. The custom-made Chakra Short Blade in his hand, White Fang, still gave off a faint white glow of chakra. His enemy hadn't managed to break it, either.
"The one who wanted to kill you was Orochimaru."
He hadn't planned to tell Kakashi, but after thinking it over, he realized there was no point holding it back. He might as well be frank.
"Orochimaru?" Confusion appeared on Hatake Kakashi's little face.
Byakuya replied, "One of Konoha's Legendary Sannin."
"Why... why would he want to kill me?"
"Who knows with someone as dangerous as Orochimaru? Maybe he just felt like it on a whim."
Kakashi bowed deeply to him. "Whatever the reason, thank you for saving me, senior. I, Hatake Kakashi, will always remember that you saved my life!"
In the moonlight, Byakuya seemed to transform into a true demon king. "My kindness isn't so easily repaid."
"What would you have me do, senior?"
"Nothing for now. Just keep training hard. In the Shinobi World, being weak is a sin."
"Yes. I understand."
Byakuya took out a bag of Military Ration Pills and tossed one into his mouth. The bag was still the one he'd taken from a Sunagakure Ninja, but he'd bought the pills inside it himself.
The shop that sold them had come up with a new recipe, adding ground rose petals to the Military Ration Pills.
They tasted weird. Disgusting.
"Here, it's yours. Take good care of yourself."
He casually tossed the bag of Military Ration Pills to the unprepared Kakashi, gathered his chakra, and used the Storm Release: Body Flicker Technique. A few wisps of blue-white lightning lingered in the air, and then he was gone.
Hatake Kakashi held the bag of Military Ration Pills, lost in thought.
"That technique he used to take me away... It was... Namikaze Minato-sensei's Flying Thunder God Technique."
He pinched a pill and put it in his mouth.
"Hm? What's this new flavor? It's pretty good."
Ever since his father's suicide, Hatake Kakashi had been sunk in gloom. Now, he seemed to have found a direction to pursue.
"Oh, right, Kakashi."
"Huh? Senior, why are you back again?"
Byakuya appeared and disappeared like a ghost.
He smiled and spoke in a hoarse voice. "Dwelling on the past is for cowards. Better to look ahead. Even if you can't find the answer you're looking for right away, as long as you never stop moving forward, one day you'll write the real answer yourself."
Kakashi stared blankly, his mouth hanging open. His senior's words struck him to the heart, moving the genius whom others saw as cold and aloof.
"Senior, do you know about my situation?"
"Hatake Sakumo, the White Fang of Konoha. I've heard of him."
Hatake Kakashi asked excitedly, "Senior! Senior! Which is more important, the mission or your comrades?!"
Byakuya was a head taller than him. He patted Kakashi on the shoulder. "If you save the land but lose the people, you lose both. If you save the people but lose the land, you can have both again."
"Senior..." Kakashi listened, wide-eyed. He repeated the words softly over and over, as though his senior's brief statement held a profound truth.
Even Namikaze Minato-sensei, whom he respected, had never taught him anything like this.
"Is that your way of the ninja, senior?"
"Way of the ninja, shmay of the ninja. All right, I've said my piece. Kakashi, stay alive. Don't go dying so easily."
This time, Byakuya did nothing else. He slipped back home without a sound, took off his Black Trench Coat, and removed his mask.
His undershirt had been soaked with cold sweat during his fight with Orochimaru. He washed it and hung it out to dry.
After a hot bath, he rested for a while.
His stamina recovered a little more. He gathered his energy and sliced up the live fish he'd bought yesterday.
Thanks to his Sword Mastery Talent Boost, the fish slices came out delicate and translucent, like works of art.
He prepared the dipping sauce.
He brought the water to a boil.
Picking up a slice of sashimi with his chopsticks, he put it into the hot water.
"Let it soak a little. Let it savor the moment."
He quickly scooped it out and dipped it in the sauce.
Then he popped it into his mouth.
"Ah, now that's good eating."
Before you continue