met free Chapter 208 This absolutely cannot be Lord Orochimaru
Chapter 208 This absolutely cannot be Lord Orochimaru
Chapter 208 This absolutely cannot be Lord Orochimaru
auditorium.
Kakashi was slightly surprised.
After all, he had secretly investigated this Wood Release experiment and clearly remembered that the experiment was extremely dangerous, with almost all of the dozens of child subjects dying, leaving only Dai and one survivor.
But now, in this dream world, the experiment has been declared a success without any casualties?
This result left Kakashi in disbelief for a moment.
Jiraiya and Tsunade, standing to the side, were equally shocked.
However, what surprised the two even more than hearing the news of the "experiment's success" was Orochimaru's attitude towards Nawaki.
When Orochimaru smiled just now, it's no exaggeration to say that there was a hint of gentle maternal glow at the corners of his mouth.
Tsunade and Jiraiya exchanged a glance, both looking as if they'd seen a ghost—
[Ding! Jiraiya's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +500!]
[Ding! Tsunade's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +400!]
They had never seen such an expression on Orochimaru's face before!
Especially when Nawaki firmly stated that he would not carelessly take lives, Orochimaru did not object; instead, he nodded in agreement!
Is this still the cold and cruel Orochimaru they know?
Tsunade felt a mix of emotions welling up inside her.
The changes brought about by Nawaki's survival in her dream made her both gratified and heartbroken. If her younger brother hadn't sacrificed himself back then, would Orochimaru have been able to walk down that path of no return?
The thought made her chest tighten slightly, unable to tell whether the scene before her was a beautiful dream or a cruel mockery of reality.
Jiraiya was particularly moved by this.
Many years ago, during the Second Shinobi World War, when the three members of their team were trapped in a collapsing cave due to their own serious injuries,
Orochimaru's first reaction was to prepare to kill him, claiming that this would reduce his suffering.
At the time, dust was flying and boulders were constantly falling from the collapsed cave.
Jiraiya still vividly remembered Orochimaru's cold and ruthless suggestion.
He clearly remembered Orochimaru pulling out a kunai and walking towards him, his expression frighteningly calm.
If Tsunade hadn't angrily rebuked and stopped him on the spot, Orochimaru might have really killed him with his own hands. Jiraiya still vividly remembered such past events, and looking at Orochimaru in the dream at this moment, he could only find it unbelievable.
What surprised him even more was that the Orochimaru in his dream was willing to slow down his research for the sake of the test subjects' lives.
This is clearly completely different from the Orochimaru in reality, who would even dare to harm ordinary ninjas in the village in pursuit of forbidden techniques and truth.
The biggest difference between the dream and reality is that Rope Tree is not dead.
Jiraiya gave Tsunade a wary look from afar.
Just because Nawaki didn't die, does that have such a big impact on Orochimaru?
Just then, a suppressed, slight noise came from the side, as if someone was trying their best to control their emotions.
Jiraiya turned his head alertly in the direction of the sound, and saw in the shadows of the audience not far away, Kabuto Yakushi had his head down, his fists clenched, and his whole body trembling slightly.
In the dim light of the screen, one could see the veins on his forehead throbbing, his face dark and distorted, clearly indicating that he was experiencing intense and turbulent emotions.
[Ding! Kabuto's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +1000!!]
At this moment, Kabuto Yakushi felt that today's dream was utterly ridiculous and absurd!
The man acting strangely on the screen could absolutely not be the Orochimaru-sama he admires!
In particular, the almost benevolent expression on Orochimaru's face just now deeply pierced Kabuto's heart.
When has Lord Orochimaru ever treated anyone with such a gentle expression?
When have I ever agreed with someone else's naive ideas in that tone?
He had never seen or experienced it.
Kabuto Yakushi was the one who knew Orochimaru the most, yet after following him for so many years, he had never seen Orochimaru show him even a hint of such tenderness.
That smile shouldn't appear on Orochimaru's cold face, and it certainly shouldn't be given to anyone else!
He tried to calm himself down, but his fingernails were already digging deep into his palms.
An uncontrollable rage was burning in my chest, along with a bitter bitterness called jealousy.
I'm jealous of that boy named Nawaki, who actually received such special and gentle treatment from Lord Orochimaru!
At that moment, Kabuto Yakushi felt his breath catch in his throat and almost couldn't help but want to growl out.
On the screen, the dream sequence continues to unfold.
In a ward at the experimental base, Orochimaru and Tsunade had followed Nawaki to a hospital bedside.
At that moment, the young volunteer was fast asleep due to the effects of the medication, and Rope Tree gently nudged his shoulder.
Rope Tree excitedly explained her purpose: "Wake up! Quickly show your strength to your older sister and teacher!"
The young man opened his eyes and saw Orochimaru and Tsunade in front of him. He immediately prepared to get out of bed and pay his respects.
Tsunade waved her right hand, stopping him: "Stop dawdling! Nawaki said you've mastered Wood Release? Show us!"
Upon hearing this, the young man sat cross-legged on the hospital bed, closed his eyes and focused his mind, slowly bringing his hands together in front of his chest.
As chakra gathered, his expression showed signs of strain.
Tsunade and Orochimaru watched him intently, holding their breath. The ward was so quiet that only the faint beeping of the medical equipment could be heard.
A moment later, with a soft "click", a tender light green sapling sprouted from the volunteer's hand!
Orochimaru looked at the tiny sapling in front of him, which was not even as thick as his little finger, and couldn't help but shake his head.
He did indeed awaken Wood Release.
However, this intensity...
too low.
It's more accurate to call this Grass Release than Wood Release.
This level of strength is far superior to even the child he abandoned back then, let alone Hashirama Senju.
Unlike Orochimaru's dissatisfaction, Tsunade, having witnessed this scene firsthand, stared wide-eyed, unable to conceal her surprise and excitement: "They actually—they really succeeded in mastering the Unseen Escape technique!"
She couldn't help but step forward, bend down, and carefully examine the new sapling that had sprouted from the soil.
Although the sapling in front of me looks no different from weeds, the wood-style chakra fluctuations it contains are incredibly real.
"Wood Release is Wood Release, no matter how you look at it, there's no doubt about it!"
Upon hearing Tsunade's praise, the volunteer was flattered and broke into a simple, honest smile, repeatedly saying, "You flatter me, sir..."
He was overjoyed that he had successfully obtained the Wood Release power he had always dreamed of.
Seeing his sister so happy, Rope Tree couldn't help but tilt his head back proudly, put his hands on his hips, and laugh, "See? I told you! It proves that Master's experiment was completely correct!"
Seeing this, Tsunade chuckled, then feigned anger and flicked Nawaki's forehead hard with a finger: "Alright, alright, I know! Is it really necessary to be so smug?"
Rope Tree winced and clutched his forehead, pouting aggrievedly, "I'm Master's assistant! I deserve some credit for this!"
After saying that, she pouted at her sister, her face showing both dissatisfaction and mischief.
Seeing her younger brother like this, Tsunade couldn't help but smile, her eyes full of doting affection.
After the laughter subsided, Tsunade quickly noticed that Orochimaru, who was standing to the side, had a strange expression on his face.
Orochimaru shook his head slightly, his golden snake eyes revealing not much joy, but rather an undisguised disappointment.
He even sighed softly, seemingly dissatisfied with the results.
"Orochimaru, what's wrong?" Tsunade frowned, asking in confusion, "Why are you shaking your head? The experiment was a success, aren't you happy?"
Rope Tree, standing to the side, looked at his master with a puzzled expression and couldn't help but ask, "Yes, Master, why do you look like that? Are you dissatisfied with the result?"
Faced with Tsunade and Nawaki's questions, Orochimaru was taken aback at first, then a faint smile appeared on his lips.
He waved his hand, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger: "No, it's nothing."
After a relieved laugh, he didn't explain anything further and simply avoided the topic.
However, the barely concealed disappointment in his eyes still made Tsunade vaguely realize something was wrong.
Orochimaru wasn't as happy as she had imagined.
In Orochimaru's mind, this outcome was practically no different from utter defeat.
However, Tsunade and Nawaki, the master and apprentice beside him, were immersed in joy, and he didn't want to dampen their spirits.
To be honest, Orochimaru didn't have high expectations for this experiment, and the result was within his expectations.
He already knew.
The research into Wood Release was destined to fail.
It was precisely because Orochimaru understood this point that he ultimately gave up his research on Wood Release.
Back in the real world, he secretly conducted research for many years and found a test subject that was a perfect match for Hashirama's cells—an ideal candidate who could perfectly use Wood Release without going berserk or being backfired.
However, even the child on whom he placed such high hopes could not match the power of his Wood Release techniques compared to the former "God of Shinobi," Hashirama Senju.
The most powerful element is never Wood Release itself, but rather the person who uses it – Hashirama Senju.
Unless one can replicate Hashirama Senju's talent, no matter how successfully one transplants Hashirama's cells, it is impossible to reproduce even one-tenth of his legendary power.
Before we knew it, the night had passed quickly.
When a faint glimmer of light appears on the eastern horizon.
In a secret room somewhere in the underground base of the Sound Village in the Land of Rice Fields, in the northern part of the Land of Fire.
The surrounding area consisted of cold, thick rock walls, and in the corner, the indicator lights of a few instruments flickered with a dim green light.
The occasional faint beeping of the medical monitor echoed in the deathly silence.
In the center of the room was a metal hospital bed, on which lay a white-haired man.
His face was as pale as paper, and his handsome features had lost their color due to years of illness. His thin body was covered with various life-sustaining IV tubes and monitoring catheters.
His forehead and cheeks were covered with sealing seals, obscuring his eyes and most of his face, leaving only his thin chin exposed. This dying man was none other than Kimimaro, the leader of the Sound Five.
Although he was still fast asleep, one could still vaguely discern a resolute air about his handsome features, and his long, silvery-white hair lay quietly on the pillow like a thin layer of frost.
Beside the hospital bed, a silver-haired young man wearing glasses leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.
At that moment, as a sliver of dawn light pierced through the ventilation shaft, Kabuto's eyelids twitched slightly, and he abruptly awoke from his dream.
Yakushi Kabuto suddenly opened his eyes, sat up abruptly in his chair, his chest heaving rapidly, and his forehead covered in cold sweat.
The scenes from his dream were still vivid in his mind, leaving him somewhat dazed for a moment.
Several seconds passed before he looked around blankly.
The dimly lit, familiar secret room, the cold instruments, and Kimimaro lying quietly beside him—everything reminded him that he had returned to reality. He let out a long sigh, reached out to adjust his glasses that had slipped off his nose, and tried to calm his disordered breathing and heartbeat.
After calming down a bit, Kabuto immediately stood up and bent down to check on Kimimaro's condition.
His gaze quickly swept over the readings of various monitoring instruments, confirming that the other person's vital signs were stable and there were no abnormalities, before he felt relieved.
"call-.
Kabuto Yakushi let out a soft breath, then sat back down in the chair.
Even so, his expression remained gloomy and uncertain, and his heart was clearly not truly at peace.
The various scenes from his dream kept replaying in his mind, making him frown more and more, unable to let go of them.
Recalling the events of last night, a shadow crossed Kabuto Yakushi's eyes.
That could never be the real Lord Orochimaru!
Some time ago, he and Orochimaru launched a surprise attack on Itachi Uchiha of the Akatsuki organization.
As soon as Orochimaru appeared, before he could even make a move, he was frozen in place by the powerful genjutsu cast by Itachi Uchiha's Mangekyou Sharingan.
At the critical moment, Kabuto Yakushi attempted to attack and restrain Itachi Uchiha to save Orochimaru.
But before he could get close to the other party, a tall figure suddenly blocked his way.
A muffled thud.
He was sent flying by Kisame Hoshigaki's Samehada Wolf.
Later, for some reason, he lost consciousness.
When Kabuto slowly awoke, Lord Orochimaru was nowhere to be seen, leaving only the muddy ground soaked by rain.
He searched frantically everywhere, but found no valuable clues. Helpless, he had no choice but to endure his pain and return to the Sound Village base alone.
After calmly analyzing the situation, he guessed that Orochimaru was most likely captured by the Akatsuki.
Even so, he didn't dare to go back to the Akatsuki organization to inquire about information.
His identity within Akatsuki was that of Sasori of the Red Sand. Now, he was following Lord Orochimaru in attacking Itachi Uchiha, which meant that his identity was exposed on the spot.
Returning now would be tantamount to walking into a trap and courting death.
Since returning to the base, Kabuto Yakushi moved Kimimaro to this secluded secret room, and he stayed here day and night, waiting for Lord Orochimaru to return.
He firmly believed that with Orochimaru's wisdom and strength, there was no cage in the world that could confine him.
As long as I stay in Otogakure and wait patiently, Lord Orochimaru will reappear sooner or later.
However, two consecutive bizarre dream experiences gradually shook Kabuto Yakushi's original confidence.
The abnormal behavior of Lord Orochimaru in his dream kept replaying in his mind, sending chills down his spine.
The Orochimaru who smiled gently in his dreams and was even willing to give up some of his research results to care about the lives of others made Kabuto feel both unfamiliar and terrified.
If those dreams weren't just baseless rumors, but rather reflected Lord Orochimaru's true situation to some extent, could it be that Lord Orochimaru suffered some inhuman torture that led to his mental breakdown?
Otherwise, why would you make that expression in your dream?
"Dou...you seem quite unsettled."
A weak yet firm voice suddenly rang out, interrupting Kabuto Yakushi's thoughts.
Kimimaro's voice was weak and low, but filled with deep concern.
He keenly sensed the unease in Yakushi Kabuto's heart.
Kabuto was silent for a moment, then forced a smile and asked in a low voice, "You're awake?"
Kimimaro turned his neck with difficulty and weakly uttered a soft "hmm".
He stared intently at Kabuto, panting, and asked, "Lord Orochimaru—hasn't he returned yet?"
Yakushi Kabuto's expression darkened, and he did not answer immediately.
He pushed up his glasses and gently shook his head.
Kimimaro was one of Orochimaru's most loyal followers.
Kabuto did not deliberately hide Orochimaru's current movements from Kimimaro.
Therefore, upon hearing Kabuto's tacit reply, Kimimaro remained silent for a few seconds before struggling to lift his arm, which was covered in tubes, in an attempt to prop himself up.
"I'll go take a look," Kimimaro said softly, raising his hand to remove the seal covering his face.
With a soft tearing sound, the seal was forcibly ripped off, revealing emerald green eyes.
"Lord Orochimaru might be coughing, coughing—"
"No!"
Kabuto quickly stepped forward, pressed Kimimaro's shoulders with both hands, and forcefully pushed him back onto the mattress.
"You'd better just lie there obediently!"
"But—if things continue like this, I won't be able to help at all if I stay here." Before he could finish speaking, he was overwhelmed by a sense of powerlessness and could only shut his mouth helplessly.
Seeing that he had finally given up struggling, Kabuto slowly released his grip on his shoulder.
He held Kimimaro's shoulder with one hand, while carefully using the other to reattach the torn-off seal to Kimimaro's face.
As soon as the talisman was applied, the black curse marks spread across Kimimaro's face again, casting a shadow over his unwilling eyes once more.
Kabuto sighed and softened his tone, advising, "Kimimaro, don't move around rashly. I'll take care of Lord Orochimaru's matter. Just focus on recovering and don't do anything rash."
Kimimaro's tightly clenched fist slowly loosened, then fell limply to the side of the bed.
He closed his eyes and exhaled a long breath, as if turning all his resentment into this sigh.
Kimimaro was well aware of his own physical condition.
Even so, he still longed to do his last bit of effort for Lord Orochimaru.
Even if it costs me my life, I want to see Orochimaru-sama's safety with my own eyes.
He hated this feeling of helplessness that prevented him from moving, yet he had no choice but to accept reality.
After a moment, he whispered, "—Sorry, Kabuto."
Knowing his own situation well, he could only condense all his heartfelt words into this one apology.
"Don't say anything, just get some rest." Kabuto gently shook his head, interrupting the other person.
He adjusted his glasses again, a cold glint reflecting off the lenses.
At that moment, he was already rapidly calculating the actions he should take next.
Kabuto was well aware of just how weak Kimimaro's body had become.
I'm afraid I can only manage one more difficult move at most.
Kimimaro's bloodline disease is nearing its end; every time he uses his power, it rapidly burns away what little life he has left.
Kabuto must not allow Kimimaro to act rashly.
As Kimimaro fell back into a deep sleep, Kabuto Yakushi stood quietly by the bedside, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
He slowly lowered his head, his expression shifting between light and shadow, but deep down he made a decision at that moment.
He couldn't just sit idly by; he had to do something!