"Easy, easy. I only conducted a jutsu experiment not long ago. I don't have any ill intentions toward you two brothers right now. Even if I did, it would be a few years before I acted on them.
"So, since I have nothing else to do at the moment, I'll grant your request, little brat!"
Orochimaru narrowed his snake-like eyes, a strange glint flashing within them. A wicked smile crept across his face as his hoarse voice slowly emerged.
Jun Tianlin had thought Orochimaru would attack him outright. Hearing those words, he felt as though he'd been granted a reprieve. He let out a heavy breath, his whole body relaxing.
Thank goodness. I thought Orochimaru would definitely kill me this time. I can't believe he let me off so easily!
As his body relaxed, Jun Tianlin immediately rejoiced. It wasn't just because he'd escaped danger so easily this time. More than anything, he was excited that Orochimaru would help him search for members of the Senju and Uzumaki Clans.
"What is it, little brat? I've already agreed to your request, yet you still haven't left. Is there something else you want to tell me?"
Just as Jun Tianlin let out a sigh of relief, Orochimaru's distinctive hoarse voice slowly rang in his ears again.
Hearing Orochimaru's voice, Jun Tianlin immediately came back to his senses. He flashed Orochimaru a brilliant smile, nodded emphatically, then solemnly blinked his big black eyes and put on a cute act.
"Now that you mention it, Orochimaru, I really do have something else I'd like your help with!
"I'm sure you've already figured out that I did get something out of this trip. Otherwise, I wouldn't be so eager to search for members of the Senju and Uzumaki Clans.
"But for the sake of my life, I won't tell you exactly what it is. I'd hate for our legendary Sannin, Cold Lord Orochimaru, to kill me with a single move just to silence me. If that happened, we wouldn't be able to play together anymore...
"Uh, all right, let's get down to business. Orochimaru, I know you defected from Konoha. And before you left Konoha, you were one of the village's strongest fighters, so you must have known secrets ordinary people didn't.
"For example, a special technique that lets someone enter and leave Konoha freely without being detected by the village's warning barrier..."
At first, Jun Tianlin kept trying to act cute for Orochimaru. But when he saw a "#" appear on Orochimaru's forehead, he promptly stopped and changed his tune, getting straight to the point.
"Oh? You want a special technique that lets you enter and leave Konoha freely? Don't tell me you want to go to Konoha with bad intentions!"
As expected of Orochimaru. The moment Jun Tianlin brought it up, Orochimaru had already figured out why he wanted the special technique for entering and leaving Konoha. His quick wit was truly second to none!
But Orochimaru was still Orochimaru. Although he had defected from Konoha years ago, deep down he still cared for the village. He also deeply respected his teacher, the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi. In fact, because of Hiruzen, Orochimaru had once wanted to become Hokage and carry on his teacher's will!
Sadly, fate had other plans for Orochimaru...
As one thing led to another, Orochimaru not only failed to become Hokage and carry on Hiruzen's will, but was also forced to defect from Konoha, becoming the first S-rank missing-nin in the village's history!
But even after becoming a missing-nin, Orochimaru had long since abandoned his emotions and made ruthless coldness a way of life. He no longer felt any attachment to Konoha and no longer dreamed of becoming Hokage. Yet deep in his heart, he still held on to the last trace of respect for his teacher, the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi.
That very respect was why, in the original story, Orochimaru allied with Sunagakure to launch the Konoha Crush Plan!
To get to the bottom of it, destroying Konoha was merely a secondary part of Orochimaru's plan. His main purpose was that he didn't want his teacher—the once-glorious Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, whose name had resounded throughout the Ninja World and who had surpassed an entire generation—to simply waste away and die miserably of old age as the years passed.
A hero of such stature, whose spirit had shone for an entire era, deserved better than a miserable death in old age. Better to let him die an epic death at the height of his glory, giving his illustrious life its final, fitting chapter!
By using Impure World Reincarnation to bring back the First, Senju Hashirama, and the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, and joining them himself as Cold Lord Orochimaru, he had spent so much time and paid such an enormous price, along with countless resources and manpower, all to give his teacher, the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, a final send-off with an extravagantly powerful lineup!
To have three super-strong fighters whose names had shaken the Ninja World lay his teacher to rest—surely that would do justice to his teacher's lifelong fame?
This was the true thought buried in the deepest part of Orochimaru's heart!
Before you continue