A Master and Disciple's Journey, A Luo Turns Ten

"Teacher Orochimaru, I think this house is good enough. Let's just settle down here!"

A Luo stood on the wooden roof, watching Orochimaru still ponder what might be unsuitable, and truly felt that it was good enough.

"There'll be a sandstorm tonight. Use Earth Release to make a protective barrier. Leave everything else as it is for now."

Orochimaru raised a hand and adjusted the hat shielding him from the wind and sand, reluctantly agreeing.

Beside him, Kimimaro smiled and lowered his head before following Orochimaru into the house created by Wood Release.

"Sure enough, after so long together, you don't cherish me as much anymore. You complain about me every day..."

Although A Luo was grumbling, he still raised his hands to form seals.

Earth Release: Earth-Flow Rampart!

Rings of earth burrowed up from underground, forming layers of sand barriers around the exquisite wooden building.

Once he had finished, he jumped down from the roof and ran into the house.

Today was the seventh day since they had left the base. They had just crossed the border and entered the Land of Wind.

When Itachi Uchiha had finally been angered into leaving Orochimaru's underground base and returning to Akatsuki, Orochimaru had taken A Luo out, saying he wanted him to see what the outside world was like.

Thus, their first destination was Sunagakure.

Orochimaru had disguised himself as a Sunagakure ninja, A Luo was the wealthy young master under protection, and Kimimaro was the young master's butler.

But they had not yet reached Sunagakure, and they had confirmed there were no ninjas spying nearby, so the work naturally fell to the "wealthy young master," A Luo.

"A gift I prepared for you, A Luo. Happy birthday!"

When Orochimaru saw A Luo enter, he took a scroll from his ninja tool pouch.

He had prepared it earlier as A Luo's birthday present.

Today was A Luo's tenth birthday.

"Thank you, Teacher Orochimaru!"

A Luo took the scroll and hugged it to his chest. Looking up at Orochimaru, he thanked him with a brilliant smile.

"Happy birthday, Lord A Luo!"

Kimimaro walked over from the side, holding a box that appeared to have been hastily made from sand.

"Thank you, Kimimaro, but you really didn't need to make this box..."

A Luo was happy to receive the gift, but when the box crumbled apart the moment it reached his hands, leaving only a sharp bone sword behind, he felt somewhat conflicted.

Especially when Orochimaru and Kimimaro were smiling so happily...

Still, this bone sword was made from Kimimaro's bones!

"Not bad. The weight and quality both suit me perfectly!"

Though he complained that they were enjoying the spectacle, after lifting the sword and playing with it, A Luo was certain it had been tailor-made for him.

"I'm glad you like it. Your wooden sword has many uses. You can use this one in a fight. If it breaks, I'll make another."

Seeing that A Luo liked the gift, Kimimaro was in an exceptionally good mood.

Since his treatment had only recently begun, his physical condition meant that aside from a few everyday tasks, he was forbidden from fighting in most situations.

That status and predicament made Kimimaro feel as if he had lost his value.

It had been A Luo who found him when he was lost and doubting himself.

His loyalty, even with full knowledge of everything, would never result in betrayal.

A Luo had asked Kimimaro to name a second person, but after thinking for a long time, Kimimaro had been unable to give an answer.

Their loyalty is mixed with too many things. If the people protecting Orochimaru in the future are all the sort who might stab him in the back, could you really rest easy?

A single sentence from A Luo had instantly stirred up Kimimaro, who had still been thinking it over.

Whether it was Tayuya, Kidomaru, and the others, or anyone else, Kimimaro felt he could not trust them completely.

Although he believed Jugo would not betray them either, Jugo himself was prone to losing control. If they encountered danger and the guard at their side lost control first, it was obvious how terrifying that would be.

Therefore, unable to trust anyone else with Orochimaru's care, Kimimaro accepted A Luo's reasoning.

This brief period of being protected, this period of treatment, was all so that Orochimaru would not be left with no one he could trust in the future...

So now, aside from tending to everyday matters, Kimimaro would produce some bones whenever he had time. After tempering, polishing, and strengthening them, he would have A Luo and Orochimaru inspect them.

However, turning one into a bone sword for A Luo to use as a weapon was truly a first.

"No problem. But fighting isn't my priority right now. If I run into trouble, I'll choose to run away. I'm heading home to celebrate my birthday with my brother first. Keep an eye on Teacher Orochimaru. Don't let him run around tonight. This sandy ground can easily wear down his snake scales."

Before going home, A Luo did not forget to use a "whisper" to have Kimimaro keep Orochimaru under watch.

Some time ago, when A Luo saw that Orochimaru's soul was fairly stable, he had asked whether he wanted to learn soul cultivation, then taught him the Soul Cultivation Art.

Orochimaru learned this kind of cultivation faster than anyone else.

He had been taught at night, and by the next day, he could already cultivate normally.

But after beginning cultivation, Orochimaru had suddenly entered a strange "rebellious phase."

His soul would leave his body and wander everywhere. Back at the base, Kimimaro had suddenly come looking for A Luo several times, asking him to retrieve Orochimaru's soul after it had gone off somewhere unknown.

So that he could find him if he got lost, A Luo had secretly spent some points to exchange for enough one-time-use chakra and left a Flying Thunder God mark on Orochimaru's soul as well.

After Itachi Uchiha moved into Orochimaru's underground base, Orochimaru's soul had stared at him in the middle of the night often enough to torment him several times. In the end, Itachi had still decided to return to Akatsuki.

Although A Luo also knew that Itachi Uchiha had chosen to return to Akatsuki because he had finally figured things out.

"A gift for Sasuke. He's my student too, after all. Since it's his birthday, it's only right for his teacher to give him a gift."

Orochimaru took out another scroll.

Though they had never met, A Luo would teach Sasuke whatever he learned after returning home. Even some of the nutritional supplements Sasuke frequently used were products of Orochimaru's research.

Thus, Orochimaru insisted that both of them were his students.

Itachi Uchiha had been so angered by this claim that he found excuses to fight Orochimaru several times, but without using genjutsu, it was genuinely hard to say who would win between them.

"Mm, I'm leaving first. I hope tonight's birthday celebration won't be interrupted."

A Luo took the scroll, glanced at Orochimaru, and told him not to cause any trouble tonight.

"There aren't any traces around here. We probably won't be disturbed. Go on, it's already getting dark."

Watching A Luo put away the two scrolls and the bone sword, Orochimaru walked over and held out his hand toward his disciple, who had grown much taller.

Then A Luo, who had just been glaring at him with huge catlike eyes to tell him not to cause trouble, closed his eyes and fell into his arms.

"Even though I should be used to it by now, it still feels a little absurd..."

Kimimaro walked over, took out a blanket, wrapped A Luo in it, then carried him over and placed him on the wooden bed nearby.

After settling the little one, Kimimaro turned back, his gaze somewhat sorrowful as he looked at Orochimaru.

One of them was already asleep, so Lord Orochimaru probably would not leave his body tonight, right?