Orochimaru Before His Fall (Third Update)

Konoha Hospital.

"Shiraha!"

"Shiraha-chan, why have you been coming to the hospital less often lately?"

"Little Shiraha, why don't you come over to your big sister's place to play anymore?"

"Shiraha."

Shiraha and Nawaki arrived on the third floor. Along the way, every nurse they met greeted Shiraha warmly, and some even got handsy with him.

"Shiraha, you're way too popular with girls, aren't you?" Nawaki said sourly.

Unless Tsunade was there, he rarely came to the hospital. He had not expected Shiraha to be this popular.

When he was in school, he had gotten along well with people too, but the ones he was close with had mostly been boys.

"Everyone's just too enthusiastic. I don't want it to be this way either!" Shiraha spread his hands helplessly.

There was nothing he could do. Good looks combined with a sunny personality came with side effects like this.

"Damn it! You really are enviable!" Nawaki gritted his teeth and locked an arm around Shiraha's neck from behind.

"Nawaki? Shiraha?"

They turned toward the voice and saw Tsunade walking out of the ward on the right.

"Big Sister!" The moment Nawaki saw Tsunade, he immediately released Shiraha and ran over to her.

"Nawaki!"

Seeing her energetic little brother, Tsunade's somewhat heavy mood relaxed. She scooped Nawaki into her arms.

"Big Sister! Let me go." With his face pressed into her chest, Nawaki began struggling.

"What's the problem? We haven't seen each other in over a year. Don't you miss your big sister?!" Tsunade held Nawaki even tighter without a care.

Damn it! I'm the one who envies you. Shiraha stood to the side and watched. A genuine face-washing.

A moment later, Tsunade finally released Nawaki.

"Honestly, don't treat me like a child!" Nawaki complained, though his face was full of happiness.

"Shiraha won't laugh at you," Tsunade said dismissively, then looked at Shiraha with a threatening glint in her eyes. "Right?"

"Of course not. What a touching reunion scene." Shiraha's mouth twitched.

Compared to when the original story began, Tsunade was much more lively and outgoing now. She was a big sister in every sense of the word.

"See? Even Shiraha says so."

"He only said that because you threatened him with violence!"

"You're treating your big sister, whom you haven't seen in so long, like this? Looks like Orochimaru hasn't taught you properly!"

"Orochimaru-sensei went to the front lines before he had the chance to teach me anything. You're the one being childish, Big Sister!"

Shiraha quietly watched the bickering siblings, and something suddenly came to mind.

By the time the first part of the story began, Nawaki had already been dead for a long time.

According to Tsunade's recollection back then, Nawaki had died in the war.

But it seemed he had not died on the main battlefield. After all, Orochimaru, one of the Three Ninja, had been protecting him, and he was the First Hokage's grandson. There was no reason for him to be sent into the dangers of the main battlefield.

Judging by Nawaki's current age and Tsunade's bust size, Shiraha guessed that Nawaki would die two or three years from now.

Although the Ninja World War had temporarily died down, Kumogakure and Iwagakure were still fighting. No one could guarantee that the victor would not launch an attack on Konoha.

Sunagakure to the west had not participated in the First Shinobi World War. After developing for so many years, it had grown powerful. It probably would not easily give up its chance to contend with Konoha.

"Kushina didn't appear in the first part of the story either! Could she have died in the later wars as well?!" Shiraha's heart jolted.

His experiences in the Wizarding World had made Shiraha cherish his friendship with Kushina even more.

"Looks like I need to do something." Shiraha secretly made up his mind.

"Nawaki, I still have a meeting later. You and Shiraha head back first. We'll have dinner together tonight, and remember to invite Kushina too!" Tsunade stopped fooling around with her brother and spoke seriously.

"Got it, Big Sister."

High-Class Restaurant.

Shiraha, Kushina, and Tsunade arrived early. The dishes had already begun arriving at the table, but Nawaki had yet to show up.

"That Nawaki, honestly! Where did he go? Why isn't he here yet?"

Tsunade looked at the wine bottles before her, barely able to restrain herself. She could not drink while fighting on the front lines, and she had been holding back for far too long.

Shiraha was puzzled as well. He had gone to get Kushina, so Nawaki should have arrived at the restaurant first.

After waiting a while longer, footsteps sounded outside the door.

Shiraha sensed the Energy Particles in the air becoming active.

Sixth Sense activated, and Shiraha's expression changed slightly.

At that moment, the door slid open. Nawaki stood outside with a grin, and beside him was a young man dressed in a black kimono.

He had long black hair falling to his shoulders, slightly pale skin, and a lean face. His eyes were narrow, lined with black eyeliner and purple eyeshadow, while his pupils were strange golden vertical slits. Blue-green Magatama-shaped Earrings hung from his ears.

"Orochimaru? Why are you here?!" Tsunade looked astonished.

At her words, a trace of helplessness appeared on Orochimaru's otherwise expressionless face.

Nawaki beamed as he pushed Orochimaru into the room. "It wasn't easy getting Orochimaru-sensei to come. I did it to keep you from getting drunk and throwing a fit later, Big Sister. We wouldn't be able to stop you!"

"You little brat! What are you talking about?!" Tsunade's face flushed red in anger, as though he had hit a sore spot.

The corners of Orochimaru's lips rose slightly as he walked over and sat beside Tsunade.

As for Nawaki, since Shiraha and Kushina were sitting together, he sat off to one side by himself.

Shiraha was a little stunned. Was this really the Orochimaru from the original story, the one who had stabbed the Third Hokage with a sword before turning around and stabbing Tsunade?

When he had watched Naruto in his first life, Orochimaru had been an absolute standard villain. Peeling off faces, swallowing scrolls whole, casually reshaping his body—he had been a living monster, giving off nothing but an eerie, terrifying feeling.

But the Orochimaru before him, while somewhat cold, was undoubtedly a normal person.

Seeming to notice Shiraha's gaze, Orochimaru tilted his head slightly and glanced at him.

"Are you Lord Orochimaru? My name is Yagami Shiraha." Shiraha straightened his back and spoke respectfully, putting on the perfect reaction of a little fanboy.

Orochimaru nodded and unexpectedly revealed a faint smile.

"Shiraha is my student in the Medical Corps, and his grades are excellent. He also likes tinkering with strange research projects. In that regard, he's rather like you."

Tsunade added a few words.

"The one beside him is Kushina, my younger sister."

Orochimaru was slightly startled and glanced at Kushina. He had never heard that Tsunade had a younger sister.

"Hello, Lord Orochimaru. My name is Kushina Uzumaki," Kushina said respectfully.

Uzumaki!

Orochimaru understood.

Since Orochimaru spoke very little, the atmosphere at the table never livened up. Halfway through the meal, after Tsunade had downed several bottles of alcohol, she suddenly slapped Orochimaru hard on the back and shouted:

"Orochimaru, you're too cold. You're making these little brats afraid to speak."

"..." Orochimaru looked at Tsunade as she began drunkenly making a scene, and an awkward expression appeared on his face.

"Let's go! We're leaving first!" Tsunade stood up.

"Big Sister, I think you just aren't satisfied with the amount of alcohol here!" Nawaki quipped.

After being exposed, Tsunade quickly dragged Orochimaru away with her.

Shiraha watched with great interest as Orochimaru tried to resist, only to be hauled away by Tsunade with a helpless expression.

What had happened to make the future Orochimaru break with Konoha, kill his teacher, the Third Hokage, and even try to kill his two good friends, Jiraiya and Tsunade?

Of course, compared to such pointless curiosity, Shiraha was more interested in Orochimaru's body.

To advance to Third-Class Apprentice, he could reuse Kushina's and Tsunade's cells once more, but he was still short one.

Orochimaru was an excellent candidate, but obtaining cells from him would probably not be easy.

Fortunately, he was still quite far from becoming a Third-Class Apprentice, so he could take his time and plan it out.

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