Only after Orochimaru returned to his secret hideout and relaxed did intense pain shoot through both hands.
"Aaaah—ah—damn it—Naruto!" Orochimaru's pain carried a murderous aura. At that moment, anyone who dared approach him would die.
"Kimimaro!" Orochimaru had lost Kabuto, and Kimimaro was now his most capable subordinate.
Kimimaro was utterly loyal to Orochimaru. The moment he entered the room and saw Orochimaru in agony, he wished he could bear all of Orochimaru's pain for him.
"Orochimaru-sama... is there anything you need me for?" Kimimaro said excitedly. "This ruined body of mine has only its last remaining value left. I hope Orochimaru-sama will take it without hesitation."
"Sasuke! Sasuke! It's Sasuke! I want Sasuke!" Orochimaru cried out Sasuke's name several times in one breath.
Kimimaro felt somewhat envious of Sasuke. He thought Sasuke must be the happiest person in the world.
"Bring Sasuke before me." Orochimaru was in so much pain that he could barely stand. Supporting himself against the table, he said with difficulty, "Kimimaro, take the other four and go to Konoha. Bring Sasuke... before me."
"Yes!" Kimimaro swiftly left Orochimaru's room.
Meanwhile, at Konoha Hospital, Naruto was cuddling with Hinata while Sasuke lay unconscious in the hospital bed beside them.
Hinata trusted Naruto completely, so she believed she had fallen under Genjutsu and that Naruto had never stabbed Sasuke.
"Hinata, when I'm unconscious..." Naruto jumped onto another hospital bed and sprawled flat on it. "I'll need a beautiful princess to kiss me before I wake up. What would you do?"
"Huh?" Hinata did not understand at first.
"I'm unconscious..." Naruto put on an act, completely ignoring Sasuke, who was resting beside him.
Naruto puckered his lips, fantasizing about a beautiful princess coming to awaken him, the sleeping prince.
Suddenly, Naruto felt a sharp pain in his chest.