Konoha Year 33: Clones and the Bemular Puppet

66

"Come in."

Orochimaru and Hiruko, both wearing Jōnin flak jackets, pushed open the door and entered the Hokage Office.

Orochimaru looked at Toji, who sat behind the desk.

Six years had passed in a flash. As both his teacher and biological father, Toji's appearance had not changed at all. Orochimaru, on the other hand, had matured considerably, and a purple diamond-shaped mark had appeared between his brows.

Could the Yin Seal really achieve such a thing on its own?

Now that Orochimaru had mastered the Yin Seal, this question surfaced in his mind every time he saw Toji.

The Yin Seal could indeed preserve one's youth and slow aging, but it could not completely halt bodily changes. Its user would still gradually mature with age, and their vitality would slowly be depleted.

That was true for him, for Tsunade, and even for his teacher's wife, Chiri.

But these natural laws of change did not apply to Toji at all.

Compared to more than a decade ago, his condition had not changed in the slightest.

Orochimaru had privately asked Konoha's elders about it. Those who had lived through that era said that the Third Hokage had looked like this ever since Konoha Year 5, supposedly due to his Bloodline.

For years, no one had ever doubted it.

Only Orochimaru had noticed something strange. He possessed Heavenly Mercy Fear as well, and his use of the Heavenly Mercy Thread it generated had become increasingly skilled, yet he could not feel any enhancement to his vitality whatsoever.

This only made Orochimaru more certain that his biological father was hiding some unknown secret.

"Sit."

Toji pointed at the chairs in front of him, signaling for the two of them to sit and talk.

Today was a long-awaited reunion between teacher and disciples, but