Tsunade's fury swept through the entire Senju estate in an instant, like flames doused in oil.
Jiraiya's face, usually sporting a roguish grin, was now grave. He held Tsunade firmly by the shoulders, applying deft force as he barked, "Tsunade! What can you do by rushing out now? Who will you go after? Fight those gossiping Genin? That will only make things worse!"
"Worse?" Tsunade's blonde hair stirred without a breeze. The nearly tangible killing intent in her eyes startled even Jiraiya. "Can it get any worse than this?! My little brother, my lover-the word 'comrade' they paid for with their lives has become 'trash' in other people's mouths! Jiraiya, let go! I'm going to ask that old Third today: is this the village he protects? Are these the ninja he taught?!"
Senju Chen stood to one side, his small body trembling slightly with "fear." He tilted his head up, watching his enraged sister and the anxious Jiraiya. That helpless yet stubborn look only stoked Tsunade's fury and made her hate the people spreading those rumors to her very bones.
"Sis..." Senju Chen's voice quivered with tears as he gently tugged at the hem of Tsunade's clothes. "Did I say something wrong? Please don't be angry..."
That single "Sis" shattered the last of Tsunade's strained reason. She violently shook off Jiraiya's hands with enough force to make him stagger half a step. But instead of rushing out the door, she turned and pulled Senju Chen into a tight embrace.
"No, Little Chen, you did nothing wrong. You didn't say anything wrong." Tsunade's voice was hoarse, trembling beyond her control. "This village is wrong... those ungrateful bastards are wrong! I'm wrong... I'm useless. I can't protect you..."
Warm liquid dripped onto Senju Chen's neck.
He knew those were Tsunade's tears.
Watching the siblings embrace, Jiraiya heaved a heavy sigh and cast a complicated glance at Senju Chen, sheltered in Tsunade's arms. This child... something about him just feels off. But looking into those utterly innocent eyes, Jiraiya suppressed that trace of suspicion. Perhaps the Senju Clan's blood simply made its descendants more sensitive by nature.
That night, Tsunade did not go out gambling. She drank herself into a stupor in her room instead.
Jiraiya helplessly settled her in, then took another look at Senju Chen, who was already "asleep," before quietly leaving.
The night deepened.
Konoha fell asleep. Only the patrolling ninja and a few lights that burned all night bore witness to the village's vitality.
Senju Chen's room was utterly silent.
He lay beneath his bedding, eyes shut and breathing steady, looking just like an ordinary child fast asleep.
Yet his mind was clearer than ever.
It worked.
The first step was complete. Tsunade's fury was the first boulder thrown into this stagnant pool. With her standing and temperament, she could never let this go. Tomorrow-no, perhaps tonight-the debate over "comrades versus missions" would unleash a storm within Konoha High Command. The pressure weighing on Hatake Sakumo would be diluted and diverted by this greater tide.
But this probably still wasn't enough.
Rumors were rooted in people's hearts. As long as Hatake Sakumo lived, as long as the "stain" of that mission remained, he could never escape that invisible net.
So he needed a more thorough solution. One... that would shut everyone up.
Just as Senju Chen's thoughts raced, the air in the room turned cold and clammy without warning.
It was as though an invisible snake had silently slithered into the space, bringing an air of death and ill omen.
Senju Chen's body instantly tensed, every muscle on full alert. But he did not move, maintaining his sleeping posture without even the slightest change in his breathing.
A tall, slender, pale figure "seeped" out of the shadows in the corner like a ghost. He made no sound, his movements as fluid as liquid.
The newcomer wore ninja attire, his long black hair hanging loose and making his face look even more bloodless.
Most striking of all were his eyes.
Golden snake eyes with vertical pupils.
They were filled with cold scrutiny, undisguised desire, and... a hint of amusement.
Orochimaru.
One of the legendary Sannin, Konoha's future S-rank missing-nin.
Senju Chen's heart hammered wildly in his chest.
Holy crap, Auntie Snake... no, he's still Orochimaru right now. What is he doing in my room?!
Senju Chen did not dare move a muscle. Orochimaru was an early boss in Naruto. Although he was whitewashed later, at this point...
Orochimaru simply stood quietly beside the bed, looking down at him, his golden snake eyes glowing faintly in the dark.
Time seemed to freeze.
Hundreds of thoughts flashed through Senju Chen's mind in a fraction of a second. Have I been exposed? Why is he here? For the Senju bloodline? Or something else? Is there any point in pretending to sleep now?
As he wrestled with himself, a husky, resonant voice, carrying a hint of a snake's distinctive hiss, broke the silence.
"Senju Chen, you're even more interesting than I imagined."
"How does it feel to stir things up in Konoha?"
In an instant, all of Senju Chen's pretense became meaningless.
He slowly opened his eyes. He did not sit up immediately, merely looking calmly at the dangerous man before him. Rather than showing panic, he played the bewilderment and confusion of a five-year-old woken from sleep to perfection.
"...Uncle?" His voice was soft and hoarse with sleep. "Who are you? Why are you... in my room? Are you my sister's friend?"
Looking into those clear black eyes that reflected his own figure, Orochimaru curled his lips into a cold smile. He extended his scarlet, slender tongue and slowly licked his lips, the gesture brimming with sinister charm.
"Heh heh heh... stop pretending."
His laughter was soft, yet it pierced Senju Chen's carefully maintained facade like a poisoned needle.
"Your acting can fool that simple-minded woman Tsunade, and even Jiraiya, but... it cannot fool me."
Orochimaru bent down slightly, bringing his golden snake eyes almost against Senju Chen's face. That icy gaze seemed ready to see straight through his soul.
"I've been watching you ever since you approached the Hatake Clan. Your 'deconstruction' of Hatake Sakumo's swordsmanship, your 'guidance' of Kakashi and Might Guy, and tonight, your 'detonation' of Tsunade's emotions... if I hadn't followed you for so many days... heh heh heh... brat, you're even more of a genius than I imagined."
Orochimaru straightened and slowly paced to the window, moonlight falling across his pale face.
"You want to save Konoha's White Fang from the mire he's trapped in, don't you?"
Senju Chen's heart sank to rock bottom at that moment, only for the feeling to be replaced by intense excitement.
He knew there was no use pretending anymore.
The real negotiation had begun.
He slowly sat up beneath his bedding, his earlier childish bewilderment and innocence receding like the tide. His bright black eyes held no further pretense, only unfathomable composure and scrutiny utterly at odds with his age.
"Uncle Hatake Sakumo did nothing wrong." Rather than answering Orochimaru's question, he spoke calmly, stating a fact.
"Does right or wrong matter?" Orochimaru turned around and watched him with interest. "By the rules, he was wrong. And you want to break those rules."
A strange gleam flickered in his golden snake eyes.
"I can help you. Help you save Hatake Sakumo."
Senju Chen's heart skipped a beat. He stared at Orochimaru, waiting for his terms.
"But I need your cooperation." Orochimaru's voice brimmed with temptation.
"What do you need me to do?"
"Your blood..."