After Sasuke finished speaking with hatred in his voice, he heard a rattling sound at his wrist.
Clatter...
He slowly raised his hand, and an amethyst bracelet came into view. Sasuke pressed it against his cheek, as though trying to feel Naruto's presence through it.
"Naruto, wait for me..."
From the moment Naruto died, he knew his only purpose in living was to kill Itachi, then end his own life and go find Naruto.
Creak...
Just then, the room's stone door was slowly pushed open.
Sasuke turned to look. Seeing only a petite girl of thirteen or fourteen, he paid the newcomer no further attention.
"Where's Orochimaru? When do I start training?"
Sasuke instinctively assumed the newcomer was merely a maid here.
After all, during the Chunin Ninja Exams, the Orochimaru he had seen in the Forest of Death had looked like an adult man.
Of course, he had no idea that the man's appearance had actually been Orochimaru's Transformation Technique.
Snake Aunt smiled at his words. "What an eager child you are. There's no rush to train, Sasuke."
Hearing that tone, Sasuke immediately rose, his face wary. "Who are you, really?"
"Heh, naturally, I'm the Orochimaru you're looking for."
Sasuke stared at Snake Aunt in shock. "Y-you... why do you look like a girl?"
Faced with Sasuke's wariness, Snake Aunt merely smiled and shook his head. "You're far too weak right now. Don't worry, I won't make a move on you anytime soon."
"I need power-the power to kill Uchiha Itachi! As long as you can help me, you can have this body of mine!"
Seeing the resolve in Sasuke's eyes, Snake Aunt nodded. "Not only do you possess a pure Uchiha bloodline, but you also awakened the Mangekyo by killing the person you loved with your own hands.