Yanbai gazed quietly at Tobirama Senju. He neither agreed immediately nor refused; he was thinking.
While Yanbai remained silent, Tobirama Senju cast Madara Uchiha a meaningful glance.
Madara Uchiha caught the look at once, immediately recalling how Tobirama Senju had suddenly appeared in his room the previous night and what he had said.
Madara Uchiha's expression grew complicated.
Yanbai had no time to concern himself with the tangled emotions of the two men beside him. He was still thinking.
Back then, Yanbai had only used this educational method, where one second equaled one year, on Tobirama Senju and Madara Uchiha.
And at the time, Tobirama Senju and Madara Uchiha had clearly already passed through childhood and adolescence. They were adults with minds of their own.
Having experienced the cruelty of the Warring States Era, they knew exactly what they needed and actively worked to make up for their shortcomings.
Even when the learning was grueling and force-fed, they hungrily absorbed the knowledge.
That was different from the young Orochimaru before him now.
Orochimaru, who had yet to experience a brutal adolescence, was still highly impressionable in many ways.
Perhaps Orochimaru would develop the personality he had in his original fate no matter what, but once he was placed in Yanbai's hands...
Yanbai suddenly gave a kindly smile. "All right. If we really do this, you can't regret it, brother."
Seeing that smile on Yanbai's face again, Tobirama Senju instinctively felt a chill run through him, but he gritted his teeth and said, "Then... thank you for your help."
As he spoke, Tobirama Senju pushed the trembling Orochimaru forward to stand before Yanbai.
Looking at the fear on Orochimaru's face, Yanbai smiled and took his little hand. "Don't be afraid, child."
Orochimaru looked cautiously at Yanbai and said in a very