[This Chapter Is Sponsored by BoredMorsel! Everyone, please thank him in the comment!]
Konoha!
Under the gloomy sky, the entire village felt a sense of oppression. With the falling drizzle, it seemed to add a touch of melancholy to the atmosphere.
Inside the prison under the jurisdiction of the 7th Police Squad, it resembled the combat rooms after the Chūnin Exams in the Forest of Death in the original series. There were vigilant ninjas everywhere on the stairs, and the prisoners inside were all hiding in their cells, too scared to come out.
"Brother Yoru!"
"Lord Yoru."
Uchiha Shisui and Hyuga Hizashi, the top commanders of the police department, looked tense when they saw the incoming person, as if they had seen hope.
As the curse mark faded, Uchiha Yoru, looking exhausted, entered the prison. With the somewhat panicked expressions of the crowd, he calmly said, "Rest assured, Orochimaru sensei is innocent. The arrest warrant issued by the Anbu is due to Orochimaru experimenting on fellow village ninjas."
When Uchiha Yoru said this, he looked at Shisui and then at Kakashi and Might Guy who were on guard in the distance. "Shisui, gather all the village ninjas and children in the prison now. All members of the 7th Police Squad, listen!"
"Your primary task is to protect these village ninjas and children! Unless ordered by the Hokage, the police department has the right not to obey any department's order! Even the Anbu!"
With Uchiha Yoru's shout, the previously frantic ninjas found their bearings and unanimously shouted, "Yes!"
They were originally Orochimaru's direct elites. If something happens, they will inevitably be implicated.
"Kid, take me to the missing ninjas."
Jiraiya, who had followed all along, now looked serious, no longer his usual comical self. However, Uchiha Yoru gave a self-mocking smile, "Yugao, bring the list to Lord Jiraiya."
Uzuki Yugao, initially just an observer, looked shocked and at a loss. She genuinely didn't know. Uchiha Yoru saw this and softly said, "Go to the prison office, take the file from the third compartment of the seventh cabinet."
"Yes!" Hearing this, Yugao shouted respectfully and then turned into a shadow and flickered away.
Having the Sannin, Jiraiya, standing there seemed to have calmed their nerves, especially Hyuga Hizashi.
If anything happens to Orochimaru, not only the Uchiha clan but also other civilian ninjas, he might not care much. But almost all of the Hyuga branch family bears Orochimaru's mark, and it's almost inevitable.
The Hyuga branch family and many of Orochimaru's direct ninjas were extremely anxious, hoping that nothing would happen this time, yet still filled with fear.
Soon, Uzuki Yugao brought the scroll over. Meanwhile, inside the spacious enclosed space of the prison, one after another figure began to appear. The ninjas of the 7th squad frowned.
Most were young ninjas, mainly Chūnin and Genin, and even children around ten years old, all of them missing persons.
Seeing this, Jiraiya couldn't help but frown, while Uchiha Yoru gave a self-mocking smile, "Although they lost their freedom in prison, if they appeared in the village, what would await them, Lord Jiraiya? You know the answer, don't you?"
Jiraiya remained silent. If he claimed not to know the root department's actions in the village, it would be a lie, so he just remained silent.
"Captain Yoru," Yugao respectfully handed over the scroll. Uchiha Yoru, with his three-tomoe Sharingan, opened the scroll. After releasing the Sharingan seal on the scroll, Uchiha Yoru directly handed it to Jiraiya, "This information was investigated by the police department. Some wearing black prison uniforms have yet unidentified identities."
At this point, Jiraiya looked at the scroll, each identity and photo, then at the ninjas who walked out of the prison. His face was filled with anger, there were hundreds of them.
"Don't worry, to avoid negligence, Orochimaru sensei only used enemy country ninjas, spies, and rogue ninjas for experiments."
Even though it cost more, Uchiha Yoru sighed with relief. He resisted the temptation not to cut corners and save money, otherwise, these would be serious stains.
Inside the enclosed prison building, more than two hundred ninjas from the 7th Police Squad waited for the conclusion in this oppressive atmosphere. They were all Orochimaru's direct subordinate, and many still couldn't accept Orochimaru's downfall.
This incident was clear to anyone with eyes. Orochimaru had fallen. If it's just this, it would still be alright, but they fear the undercurrents might intensify.
Jiraiya, holding the scroll, also became silent, "Kid, everything will be fine."
Suddenly, Jiraiya clapped his hands, summoning a toad. He then handed the scroll to the toad, and both vanished in a puff of white smoke. Turns out, Jiraiya had been a shadow clone all along.
In the Hokage's office.
"Sensei, what's going on with Orochimaru? I need an explanation!"
Jiraiya, who barged in through the window, demanded angrily. Among the three ignored advisers in the office, if it were any other time, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane would have reprimanded Jiraiya for his behavior. However, this time, they too felt guilty.
Danzo Shimura, however, sternly replied with a stern face, "Jiraiya, you are being disrespectful."
But this time, Jiraiya, not as laid-back as before, angrily retorted, "Danzo! What's going on with the Root? Orochimaru joined the Root. Are you saying he could establish a lab in the village without the support of the Root?"
No one's a fool. To set up a lab under the nose of Konoha and not be discovered? Do the Byakugan, the Anbu, and the Root just sit around doing nothing?
"Jiraiya!"
The raspy voice of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, echoed in the office. The furious Jiraiya turned to look at his teacher. In a face-off, before the peak of his power, Jiraiya slowly fell silent.
"Sensei! What's the deal with Orochimaru? Do you want the village to go through another White Fang incident?"
Jiraiya's raspy voice echoed again. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, in a lower voice replied, "Jiraiya, the village has been through three wars, experienced the Nine-Tails night, and lost the Fourth Hokage. Konoha cannot handle any more instability. Orochimaru has the Uchiha and Hyuga clans behind him, plotting."
"For the stability of Konoha! For peace! I had no choice but to let Orochimaru go. No one wanted this situation."
Seeing the Third's sorrowful yet resolute eyes, Jiraiya's anger was accompanied by more grief. He took out a scroll from his bosom and threw it over in frustration.
"Orochimaru has already discovered everything you've done. The ninjas and children captured by the Root have been placed in prison."
At this moment, a sarcastic smile appeared on Jiraiya's face. Human experimentation, what a ridiculous charge. However, when the Third Hokage saw the scroll, a hint of relief appeared on his worried face.
Even Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane sighed in relief, "Thank goodness! Fortunately, Orochimaru knows his limits."
At this moment, all the malice seemed directed at Danzo. Danzo's face turned red with anger and frustration, "Don't blame me. Since you have information on these missing ninjas, you should investigate carefully. These ninjas are either descendants who betrayed the village or have shown cowardice during missions or even abandoned them."
Although Danzo is ruthless, he's not foolish. He wouldn't just act against ninjas in the village randomly. Otherwise, the Third Hokage wouldn't have let him act so recklessly.
Watching this group of old-timers making excuses, Jiraiya laughed mockingly, "Sensei, I can barely accept that explanation, but why didn't you say anything about the intelligence Orochimaru sent you?"
Jiraiya then took out another scroll from his pocket and threw it, sneering, "This scroll was a gift from Orochimaru when his student, Uchiha, came to visit. It records human experiments. Even though it doesn't say much, Sensei, don't you understand Orochimaru?"
Upon seeing the scroll, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was visibly shaken. He remembered when Uchiha came to visit him, borrowing and gifting, and he had returned a gift of his best A-class ninjutsu.
Damn it! Why can't everyone just be straightforward? Why must they make people guess?
At this moment, Hiruzen felt incredibly frustrated. Who could have imagined that the scroll would be hidden in a gift box? Frustrated and angry, he turned to look at Danzo, who glared back as if saying, "It was your plan that you approved without even looking."
In that moment, Hiruzen felt the world was full of malice, as if everyone was against him.
Jiraiya, unaware of his mentor's anger, said sorrowfully, "Orochimaru probably knows your decision, Sensei. He just wants you to speak up. But you, Sensei..."
Jiraiya angrily shouted, "Do you want to force Orochimaru into a corner?"
The Third Hokage felt dizzy, realizing his oversight had caused all this. Meanwhile, Orochimaru had hinted at him early on, but he didn't notice.
Suddenly, a member of the Anbu appeared in the Hokage's office, and everyone fell silent. Seeing this, the Third Hokage angrily asked, "What happened now?"
Facing the Hokage's furious questioning, the Anbu member lowered his head and said solemnly, "Almost every ninja in the village knows about Lord Orochimaru's human experiments. Numerous ninjas have started protesting."
"Damn it!" shouted Hiruzen. However, another Anbu appeared, this time looking rather distressed.
"Lord Hokage, we've found traces of Lord Orochimaru 60 kilometers from the village."
The out-of-breath Anbu barely finished speaking when his eyes rolled back, and he started to choke, eventually spitting out a large snake. Under everyone's gaze, the snake regurgitated a forehead protector.
The emblem of a Konoha ninja fell to the ground with a clang, clearly marked with a scratch. Seeing this, Jiraiya's pupils shrank.
"Orochimaru!"
Clearly, Orochimaru had used genjutsu and summoning techniques to convey his message, severing ties with the Konoha. The Konoha's high-ranking officials, F4, all fell silent.
It was a real crisis. Everyone understood Orochimaru's decision. They had schemed and abandoned him, and this was Orochimaru's retaliation, a clean break.
…
Under the gloomy sky, a light drizzle fell. This spring rain, which should have brought vitality, now gives Konoha a sense of withering. Even the newly sprouted green buds are bent over.
Konoha, the prison overseen by the Seventh Squad of the Police Department.
In the drizzling rain, the members of the Anbu checked and verified identities. All members of the Seventh Police Squad silently watched as the Anbu checked and took away these missing Konoha personnel.
"Kid."
On the high walls of the prison, Uchiha Yoru stood as if he had lost his soul in the drizzling rain. His upper clothing had been torn from a recent battle, revealing his muscular physique. However, his silhouette in the dim rain seemed so lonely.
The clear sound of wooden sandals echoed, and Jiraiya approached, not knowing how to comfort him. Yet when Uchiha Yoru heard the footsteps behind him, he closed his eyes, bathing in the rain.
"Lord Jiraiya, it seems you can't be trusted either. All the evidence has been taken away. Orochimaru's last hope has been buried by one of the Three Legendary Ninjas," said Uchiha Yoru, his mouth slowly curving into a self-mocking smile. "Orochimaru-sensei once said that there was only one fool in Konoha who always believed in him. Sadly, I think sensei guessed wrong."
Jiraiya, also standing in the rain, fell silent. He looked up at the sky covered with dark clouds and muttered, "Throughout life, there are many choices made out of helplessness. No matter what, Orochimaru's human experimentation has spread throughout Konoha, extinguishing his hopes of becoming the Hokage."
Human experimentation could be done, but not out in the open. The Sarutobi clan revealing this matter is a complete negation of Orochimaru's hopes.
"Konoha needs stability."
Jiraiya's words echoed in Uchiha Yoru's ears. He responded with a mocking smile, "Stability? So, all of this needs Orochimaru-sensei to bear the burden? After all, a Hokage candidate conducting secret human experimentation, and the current Hokage's family suppressing their own villagers. If all of this gets exposed, the village's turmoil will be even greater, right?"
Hearing this, Jiraiya became silent. He was angry and unwilling. But facing the current situation in Konoha, a decision had to be made. If everything was exposed for the sake of feeling better, Konoha would plunge into unprecedented chaos.
Someone needed to oversee the bigger picture for Konoha. Therefore, after his anger, he chose to remain silent. The issue with Orochimaru alone had already shaken Konoha, there couldn't be any more.
"I will stay with the Seventh Police Squad for some time."
Jiraiya made his choice. By personally stepping in with the Seventh Squad, he also ensured the protection of Orochimaru's loyal followers from persecution.
[This Chapter Is Sponsored by BoredMorsel! Everyone, please thank him in the comment!]
Konoha!
Under the gloomy sky, the entire village felt a sense of oppression. With the falling drizzle, it seemed to add a touch of melancholy to the atmosphere.
Inside the prison under the jurisdiction of the 7th Police Squad, it resembled the combat rooms after the Chūnin Exams in the Forest of Death in the original series. There were vigilant ninjas everywhere on the stairs, and the prisoners inside were all hiding in their cells, too scared to come out.
"Brother Yoru!"
"Lord Yoru."
Uchiha Shisui and Hyuga Hizashi, the top commanders of the police department, looked tense when they saw the incoming person, as if they had seen hope.
As the curse mark faded, Uchiha Yoru, looking exhausted, entered the prison. With the somewhat panicked expressions of the crowd, he calmly said, "Rest assured, Orochimaru sensei is innocent. The arrest warrant issued by the Anbu is due to Orochimaru experimenting on fellow village ninjas."
When Uchiha Yoru said this, he looked at Shisui and then at Kakashi and Might Guy who were on guard in the distance. "Shisui, gather all the village ninjas and children in the prison now. All members of the 7th Police Squad, listen!"
"Your primary task is to protect these village ninjas and children! Unless ordered by the Hokage, the police department has the right not to obey any department's order! Even the Anbu!"
With Uchiha Yoru's shout, the previously frantic ninjas found their bearings and unanimously shouted, "Yes!"
They were originally Orochimaru's direct elites. If something happens, they will inevitably be implicated.
"Kid, take me to the missing ninjas."
Jiraiya, who had followed all along, now looked serious, no longer his usual comical self. However, Uchiha Yoru gave a self-mocking smile, "Yugao, bring the list to Lord Jiraiya."
Uzuki Yugao, initially just an observer, looked shocked and at a loss. She genuinely didn't know. Uchiha Yoru saw this and softly said, "Go to the prison office, take the file from the third compartment of the seventh cabinet."
"Yes!" Hearing this, Yugao shouted respectfully and then turned into a shadow and flickered away.
Having the Sannin, Jiraiya, standing there seemed to have calmed their nerves, especially Hyuga Hizashi.
If anything happens to Orochimaru, not only the Uchiha clan but also other civilian ninjas, he might not care much. But almost all of the Hyuga branch family bears Orochimaru's mark, and it's almost inevitable.
The Hyuga branch family and many of Orochimaru's direct ninjas were extremely anxious, hoping that nothing would happen this time, yet still filled with fear.
Soon, Uzuki Yugao brought the scroll over. Meanwhile, inside the spacious enclosed space of the prison, one after another figure began to appear. The ninjas of the 7th squad frowned.
Most were young ninjas, mainly Chūnin and Genin, and even children around ten years old, all of them missing persons.
Seeing this, Jiraiya couldn't help but frown, while Uchiha Yoru gave a self-mocking smile, "Although they lost their freedom in prison, if they appeared in the village, what would await them, Lord Jiraiya? You know the answer, don't you?"
Jiraiya remained silent. If he claimed not to know the root department's actions in the village, it would be a lie, so he just remained silent.
"Captain Yoru," Yugao respectfully handed over the scroll. Uchiha Yoru, with his three-tomoe Sharingan, opened the scroll. After releasing the Sharingan seal on the scroll, Uchiha Yoru directly handed it to Jiraiya, "This information was investigated by the police department. Some wearing black prison uniforms have yet unidentified identities."
At this point, Jiraiya looked at the scroll, each identity and photo, then at the ninjas who walked out of the prison. His face was filled with anger, there were hundreds of them.
"Don't worry, to avoid negligence, Orochimaru sensei only used enemy country ninjas, spies, and rogue ninjas for experiments."
Even though it cost more, Uchiha Yoru sighed with relief. He resisted the temptation not to cut corners and save money, otherwise, these would be serious stains.
Inside the enclosed prison building, more than two hundred ninjas from the 7th Police Squad waited for the conclusion in this oppressive atmosphere. They were all Orochimaru's direct subordinate, and many still couldn't accept Orochimaru's downfall.
This incident was clear to anyone with eyes. Orochimaru had fallen. If it's just this, it would still be alright, but they fear the undercurrents might intensify.
Jiraiya, holding the scroll, also became silent, "Kid, everything will be fine."
Suddenly, Jiraiya clapped his hands, summoning a toad. He then handed the scroll to the toad, and both vanished in a puff of white smoke. Turns out, Jiraiya had been a shadow clone all along.
In the Hokage's office.
"Sensei, what's going on with Orochimaru? I need an explanation!"
Jiraiya, who barged in through the window, demanded angrily. Among the three ignored advisers in the office, if it were any other time, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane would have reprimanded Jiraiya for his behavior. However, this time, they too felt guilty.
Danzo Shimura, however, sternly replied with a stern face, "Jiraiya, you are being disrespectful."
But this time, Jiraiya, not as laid-back as before, angrily retorted, "Danzo! What's going on with the Root? Orochimaru joined the Root. Are you saying he could establish a lab in the village without the support of the Root?"
No one's a fool. To set up a lab under the nose of Konoha and not be discovered? Do the Byakugan, the Anbu, and the Root just sit around doing nothing?
"Jiraiya!"
The raspy voice of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, echoed in the office. The furious Jiraiya turned to look at his teacher. In a face-off, before the peak of his power, Jiraiya slowly fell silent.
"Sensei! What's the deal with Orochimaru? Do you want the village to go through another White Fang incident?"
Jiraiya's raspy voice echoed again. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, in a lower voice replied, "Jiraiya, the village has been through three wars, experienced the Nine-Tails night, and lost the Fourth Hokage. Konoha cannot handle any more instability. Orochimaru has the Uchiha and Hyuga clans behind him, plotting."
"For the stability of Konoha! For peace! I had no choice but to let Orochimaru go. No one wanted this situation."
Seeing the Third's sorrowful yet resolute eyes, Jiraiya's anger was accompanied by more grief. He took out a scroll from his bosom and threw it over in frustration.
"Orochimaru has already discovered everything you've done. The ninjas and children captured by the Root have been placed in prison."
At this moment, a sarcastic smile appeared on Jiraiya's face. Human experimentation, what a ridiculous charge. However, when the Third Hokage saw the scroll, a hint of relief appeared on his worried face.
Even Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane sighed in relief, "Thank goodness! Fortunately, Orochimaru knows his limits."
At this moment, all the malice seemed directed at Danzo. Danzo's face turned red with anger and frustration, "Don't blame me. Since you have information on these missing ninjas, you should investigate carefully. These ninjas are either descendants who betrayed the village or have shown cowardice during missions or even abandoned them."
Although Danzo is ruthless, he's not foolish. He wouldn't just act against ninjas in the village randomly. Otherwise, the Third Hokage wouldn't have let him act so recklessly.
Watching this group of old-timers making excuses, Jiraiya laughed mockingly, "Sensei, I can barely accept that explanation, but why didn't you say anything about the intelligence Orochimaru sent you?"
Jiraiya then took out another scroll from his pocket and threw it, sneering, "This scroll was a gift from Orochimaru when his student, Uchiha, came to visit. It records human experiments. Even though it doesn't say much, Sensei, don't you understand Orochimaru?"
Upon seeing the scroll, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was visibly shaken. He remembered when Uchiha came to visit him, borrowing and gifting, and he had returned a gift of his best A-class ninjutsu.
Damn it! Why can't everyone just be straightforward? Why must they make people guess?
At this moment, Hiruzen felt incredibly frustrated. Who could have imagined that the scroll would be hidden in a gift box? Frustrated and angry, he turned to look at Danzo, who glared back as if saying, "It was your plan that you approved without even looking."
In that moment, Hiruzen felt the world was full of malice, as if everyone was against him.
Jiraiya, unaware of his mentor's anger, said sorrowfully, "Orochimaru probably knows your decision, Sensei. He just wants you to speak up. But you, Sensei..."
Jiraiya angrily shouted, "Do you want to force Orochimaru into a corner?"
The Third Hokage felt dizzy, realizing his oversight had caused all this. Meanwhile, Orochimaru had hinted at him early on, but he didn't notice.
Suddenly, a member of the Anbu appeared in the Hokage's office, and everyone fell silent. Seeing this, the Third Hokage angrily asked, "What happened now?"
Facing the Hokage's furious questioning, the Anbu member lowered his head and said solemnly, "Almost every ninja in the village knows about Lord Orochimaru's human experiments. Numerous ninjas have started protesting."
"Damn it!" shouted Hiruzen. However, another Anbu appeared, this time looking rather distressed.
"Lord Hokage, we've found traces of Lord Orochimaru 60 kilometers from the village."
The out-of-breath Anbu barely finished speaking when his eyes rolled back, and he started to choke, eventually spitting out a large snake. Under everyone's gaze, the snake regurgitated a forehead protector.
The emblem of a Konoha ninja fell to the ground with a clang, clearly marked with a scratch. Seeing this, Jiraiya's pupils shrank.
"Orochimaru!"
Clearly, Orochimaru had used genjutsu and summoning techniques to convey his message, severing ties with the Konoha. The Konoha's high-ranking officials, F4, all fell silent.
It was a real crisis. Everyone understood Orochimaru's decision. They had schemed and abandoned him, and this was Orochimaru's retaliation, a clean break.
…
Under the gloomy sky, a light drizzle fell. This spring rain, which should have brought vitality, now gives Konoha a sense of withering. Even the newly sprouted green buds are bent over.
Konoha, the prison overseen by the Seventh Squad of the Police Department.
In the drizzling rain, the members of the Anbu checked and verified identities. All members of the Seventh Police Squad silently watched as the Anbu checked and took away these missing Konoha personnel.
"Kid."
On the high walls of the prison, Uchiha Yoru stood as if he had lost his soul in the drizzling rain. His upper clothing had been torn from a recent battle, revealing his muscular physique. However, his silhouette in the dim rain seemed so lonely.
The clear sound of wooden sandals echoed, and Jiraiya approached, not knowing how to comfort him. Yet when Uchiha Yoru heard the footsteps behind him, he closed his eyes, bathing in the rain.
"Lord Jiraiya, it seems you can't be trusted either. All the evidence has been taken away. Orochimaru's last hope has been buried by one of the Three Legendary Ninjas," said Uchiha Yoru, his mouth slowly curving into a self-mocking smile. "Orochimaru-sensei once said that there was only one fool in Konoha who always believed in him. Sadly, I think sensei guessed wrong."
Jiraiya, also standing in the rain, fell silent. He looked up at the sky covered with dark clouds and muttered, "Throughout life, there are many choices made out of helplessness. No matter what, Orochimaru's human experimentation has spread throughout Konoha, extinguishing his hopes of becoming the Hokage."
Human experimentation could be done, but not out in the open. The Sarutobi clan revealing this matter is a complete negation of Orochimaru's hopes.
"Konoha needs stability."
Jiraiya's words echoed in Uchiha Yoru's ears. He responded with a mocking smile, "Stability? So, all of this needs Orochimaru-sensei to bear the burden? After all, a Hokage candidate conducting secret human experimentation, and the current Hokage's family suppressing their own villagers. If all of this gets exposed, the village's turmoil will be even greater, right?"
Hearing this, Jiraiya became silent. He was angry and unwilling. But facing the current situation in Konoha, a decision had to be made. If everything was exposed for the sake of feeling better, Konoha would plunge into unprecedented chaos.
Someone needed to oversee the bigger picture for Konoha. Therefore, after his anger, he chose to remain silent. The issue with Orochimaru alone had already shaken Konoha, there couldn't be any more.
"I will stay with the Seventh Police Squad for some time."
Jiraiya made his choice. By personally stepping in with the Seventh Squad, he also ensured the protection of Orochimaru's loyal followers from persecution.
