Naruto: As a genin, I just want to live a normal life.

Page 158

"My...talent?" Bai Xing looked puzzled.

After all, he is still a genin.

"Don't you want to know the secrets of your body? Or... haven't you noticed that even after seven or eight years, you're still young?"

As Orochimaru spoke, an endless possessiveness flashed in his eyes.

To Orochimaru's disappointment, Shirahoshi wasn't buying it at all. Instead, she tossed the rotten leaf in her hand into the air and calmly responded:

"Do not."

"I don't want to."

Orochimaru was stunned for a moment, but Shirahoshi's voice did not stop, "To be honest, these kinds of things are meaningless."

Even if you understand, the outcome won't change.

"After four years of travel."

"I witnessed many things along the way."

"Whether it's the future or the past."

"I cannot see into all of this."

"But I know that I am still alive, and that is enough."

Orochimaru initially thought the other party had discovered something, but now it seems that Shirahoshi's trip has completely erased the ninja's fierceness... just like Jiraiya.

"How boring," Orochimaru said calmly. "Shirahoshi, you've become a boring man too."

"Probably," Shirahoshi said with a smile. "After all, I was just an ordinary ninja."

Suddenly, Orochimaru revealed an experiment that had recently moved from the shadows to the light of day.

"You know about the Wood Release experiment?"

"Wood Release? Isn't that the First Hokage's ability?" Shirahoshi asked doubtfully.

"Currently, the village is recruiting volunteers, both as subjects and participants in the experiments."

"The purpose... supposedly it's because of that surgeon from Loulan, oh. Now he should be called the All-Powerful Minister." Orochimaru's tone was provocative, while his eyes carefully observed Shirahoshi's facial expressions. Noticing the other's astonishment, he felt a pang of regret.

"Because of the incident in which the 1,000 ninjas of the Land of Earth were wiped out."

As the most powerful village in the ninja world, Konohagakure wants to maintain its position as the number one ninja village.

Naturally, some extraordinary methods would also be necessary, such as developing a ninja with Wood Release bloodlines.

"For the war?" Shirahoshi frowned, her face and eyes filled with unease and confusion. Orochimaru looked even more disappointed.

Has he really become Jiraiya?!

"Do not."

Orochimaru still gave the answer.

"It's to prevent war."

"After all, in that great battle, the All-Powerful Minister used a super S-class forbidden technique with a radius of up to five kilometers."

"There was a similar incident in Yanwo City, but because no specific destruction occurred and the area was only about one kilometer in radius, the village did not pay attention to it."

"But it's different now."

Orochimaru's expression was serious:

"The current battle record and intelligence can prove that the power of the All-Powerful Minister is not just a facade, but truly possesses the power to destroy a ninja village or a city in an instant!"

"even......"

"The power of this technique may not be his limit yet."

"H-How could this be... That...that person...is he really that strong?!" Shirahoshi's expression was filled with fear and confusion. Orochimaru nodded in agreement.

"That's right, Shirahoshi."

"That's why I want your help."

"How about it? Think it over. Become my assistant, and who knows, I might be able to help you obtain the power of Wood Release, or even get that person in the future..."

"..."

Orochimaru was getting more and more excited as he spoke, but then he noticed that Shirahoshi's expression was somewhat gloomy, so he stopped talking.

"Sorry teacher."

"I know some things about the Wood Release experiments."

“For me, I don’t want to see my companions become guinea pigs.”

"Shirahoshi..." Orochimaru was truly disappointed this time.

Cowardly, timid, and afraid of war.

These personality traits are surprisingly present in a young man who has almost always completed his tasks perfectly in the past.

Moreover, since returning this time, Shirahoshi's mission execution efficiency has decreased, and she is not as motivated as before.

"They've regressed."

"I'm sorry, Orochimaru-sensei," Shirahoshi said with a wry smile, "Perhaps I shouldn't have gone on this trip."

"Thus."

"I might still be the same person."

"..."

Orochimaru remained silent for a moment, then turned his back to Shirahoshi, seemingly preparing to leave.

But next second.

A crack suddenly appeared in the stone floor of the observation deck, startling Bai Xing.

Then, a summoning snake belonging to Orochimaru appeared from within.

Shortly after the snake's head appeared, its entire body wrapped around Bai Xing, rendering him unable to move.

"teacher?"

"Shirahoshi. Why don't you just obediently agree to the teacher's request?" Ever since the Morino Yuzuki incident ended, Orochimaru has been locked up again.

Two consecutive periods of confinement left Orochimaru somewhat disheartened.

But after the Loulan incident, the Hokage released him again, only to find out that he was to return to his old ways and become the leader and technical backbone of the Wood Release experiments... hypocritical.

How utterly hypocritical!

Therefore, Orochimaru believed that even if he attacked Shirahoshi here, the Hokage would still forgive him.

"Teacher...why...?"

As the snake's coils tightened, Orochimaru showed no sign of stopping.

stab-

The sudden white light flashed by, but Orochimaru was not surprised. Instead, he calmly turned his back to Shirahoshi and the white-haired youth who had suddenly appeared.

"Orochimaru!"

"You've actually started targeting students now?!"

The person who appeared was, of course, Jiraiya, who was responsible for protecting Shirahoshi.

Some time ago, after Hiruzen Sarutobi rejected Danzo, I had already suspected it.

Since Danzo couldn't get Shirahoshi, the suspected product of a surgeon, from him, he naturally let someone else find an opportunity to take action.

But to Jiraiya's surprise, this person was actually Orochimaru, who had been teaching Shirahoshi for quite some time!

Released from his restraints, Shirahoshi collapsed to the ground, letting out a sigh of relief: "Thank you, Jiraiya-senpai."

"You're welcome," Jiraiya replied, thinking to himself that Shirahoshi was definitely not a surgeon, otherwise she would have broken free from such a binding ninjutsu long ago.

"Why aren't you speaking! Orochimaru! What exactly do you want! You don't even care about your disciple Nawaki anymore?!"

"Rope Tree." Orochimaru's eyes flashed with a hint of recollection, quickly turning into a cold laugh:

"What is lost will not return on its own. Some things will become less precious as time goes by."

"That's human nature."

Orochimaru turned his head slightly and glanced back: "War is coming soon."

"The precious lives that everyone recognizes will, at that time, be nothing more than worthless things."

"Ghana."

After Orochimaru finished speaking, he transformed into a series of emerald green leaves and disappeared before their eyes.

"A combination of the Body Flicker Technique and the Substitution Technique? Orochimaru... his strength is becoming more and more incomprehensible."

Jiraiya, lost in thought, turned and saw the dazed Shirahoshi. He gritted his teeth and patted Shirahoshi's shoulder: "Are you alright, kid?"

"No. Jiraiya-senpai, what exactly is Orochimaru-sensei...?"

"Don't trust Orochimaru so easily anymore. He's not the same person he used to be."

"how come..."

Seeing Shirahoshi's dejected face, Jiraiya's heart was filled with torment and sorrow: Orochimaru was no longer the close friend and companion he could entrust his back to; he seemed to have become a real venomous snake.

Afterwards, Jiraiya told Shirahoshi to keep today's events a secret and to be careful on his way back. Then, he went to the Hokage Building and explained the matter to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Orochimaru.

"Danzo couldn't sit still any longer after all."

At the table, Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped his long pipe and exhaled a puff of white smoke.

Seeing this, Jiraiya couldn't help but ask, "Old man, why are you restarting this cruel plan? You know... it won't end well."

Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi spun around in his chair, stood up, went to the window, turned his back to Jiraiya, and said:

"Jiraiya."

“If there were any other way, I would not want Danzo to start this plan.”