Hearing the name "Orochimaru," Nekomamushi and Inuarashi trembled violently, slowly turning around stiffly. How could it be such a coincidence?
Inuarashi's eyes instantly reddened; so this wasn't a dream?
They looked at Orochimaru, who was dressed in a red kimono and holding an umbrella; his familiar face still faintly showed his childhood appearance.
Memories flooded back like a tide, those long-sealed past events vivid in their minds.
Watching Nekomamushi and Inuarashi crying uncontrollably, Orochimaru felt his scalp tingle.
Perhaps he should just retreat quickly; these people's reactions were too terrifying. Why do they cry at the slightest provocation? Why hasn't Sanji's wedding party arrived yet!
Everyone was puzzled, turning their gaze towards the two continuously weeping individuals.
Orochimaru awkwardly raised the umbrella in his hand and dryly blurted out, "Don't cry... I have an umbrella."
During his time in Wano Country, Orochimaru had no memories of his past, and he was full of doubts as to whether the younger Little Orochimaru was truly his former self.
After all, he couldn't remember what he was like as a child.
In his memory, that child was exceptionally thin and small, but his face was identical to his own childhood appearance.
It wasn't until later, when that inexplicable garbage system made him eat a Devil Fruit, that his body gradually grew stronger.
After recovering his memories, Chakra repaired his body, allowing Orochimaru's abilities to gradually return.
Previously, Orochimaru had always believed that he had taken over the body of a child who resembled him, a soul possession.
After all, he used to do such things often. It was just changing bodies, but as time passed, he increasingly felt that things were not that simple.
Those memories were as clear as if they had happened yesterday, every detail vivid and real, not like something artificially implanted or forcibly pieced together.
Moreover, the compatibility between this body and his soul was astonishingly high.
When performing Ninjutsu, every cell of his body seemed to respond precisely to his will without any hindrance, as if this was the body he was born with.
Orochimaru was full of doubts. If this was truly his own body, then was the child who had no Hokage memories during his infancy him?
If it wasn't him... then where did that soul go?
That mysterious system made him even more perplexed; what was its origin, and what was its purpose?
What puzzled Orochimaru even more was that after he awakened his Hokage memories and underwent a fusion, his body actually transformed into the perfect form he had in the Boruto era.
The changes involved were too bizarre, completely beyond his previous understanding of Ninjutsu and the mysteries of the body.
Was the system secretly manipulating things, using some unknown power to rewrite his physical state and memories?
Or was there a deeper, more complex conspiracy unfolding silently behind all of this?
Orochimaru was deep in thought, trying to unravel this tangled web of mysteries, but he was abruptly pulled back to reality by the renewed crying of Inuarashi and Nekomamushi.
He couldn't help but complain irritably in his heart: Why are they crying again! Haven't I already opened my umbrella!
Due to his special constitution, Orochimaru's body had always appeared sickly white, even in Wano Country, it remained unchanged.
Because of this, the people around him constantly nagged him.
"Lord Orochimaru, remember to use an umbrella when you go out."
"Lord Orochimaru... don't forget your umbrella."
"Lord Orochimaru, don't get sunburned."
"Lord Orochimaru, do you need me to hold your umbrella?"
"Lord Orochimaru! Don't wear white anymore... you're already white enough! Look how nice this red is."
Those words buzzed endlessly in his ears every day, giving him a headache.
For the first time, he felt that having no memories was truly good; if that child really was him and had memories, he would definitely have killed them!!!
Now, looking at Inuarashi and Nekomamushi crying their eyes out, he was utterly helpless, not knowing what to do.
"Stop crying!!" Orochimaru could no longer hold back, his voice suddenly rising, filled with undisguised impatience.
The Straw Hat Pirates nodded upon seeing the impatient Orochimaru. This was more like it; a patiently comforting Orochimaru simply didn't exist. Only an impatient, troublemaking Orochimaru was the right one.
Inuarashi and Nekomamushi quickly wiped their tears, simultaneously kneeling on the ground in unison, slowly bowing, and respectfully performing a salute, their voices trembling slightly:
"Our apologies, Young Master Orochimaru, it's truly wonderful to see you alive."
Their tone was full of reverence, as if the Orochimaru before them was still the young master they had loyally followed many years ago.
At the mention of the title "Young Master," Orochimaru's heart fluttered with unease.
When Denjiro raised him in the Flower Capital, to avoid suspicion, he could only claim to outsiders that he was the young master of the establishment.
The younger Little Orochimaru didn't find anything wrong with it, as he had been called that since childhood.
But this title made Little Orochimaru feel incredibly embarrassed.
Every time he thought of being called that by others, a strange awkwardness seemed to spread in his heart.
After all, with his style of conduct and all he had been through, such a delicate title was truly out of place with his image.
Orochimaru took a deep breath, trying his best to suppress his inner irritation, his eyes like needles fiercely staring at Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, squeezing out words through gritted teeth:
"Can you please not call me that!
Calling me Lord Orochimaru is perfectly fine!
'Young Master Orochimaru' is not good,
'Young Master Orochimaru' doesn't really want to live!"
Due to his embarrassment, Orochimaru's hand, gripping the umbrella, tightened uncontrollably, his knuckles turning white from the effort, looking as if he would crush the umbrella handle the next second.
Usopp looked at Orochimaru, who was as usual. Although he still hadn't figured out the whole story, he was certain that Orochimaru was still the familiar Orochimaru, and there seemed to be no painful, unspoken past he wished to forget.
Thinking this, Usopp's mouth curved into a sly grin, and he sidled over mischievously.
He raised his hand to cover his mouth, feigning a cough twice, and suppressing a laugh, he said:
"Pfft pfft... Young Master Orochimaru,
Does Young Master Orochimaru wish to dine?
Sanji the Butler! Zoro the Butler! Quickly serve Young Master Orochimaru his meal!"
His tone was clearly teasing.
Zoro and Sanji, standing nearby, instinctively nodded simultaneously, even tidying their non-existent suits with feigned seriousness, as if ready to diligently serve "Young Master Orochimaru."
But as soon as they took a step, they instantly realized, wasn't this treating themselves as butlers!
Both of them turned crimson with anger, spun around, grabbed Usopp, and started punching him. Sanji cursed as he hit him: "Who the hell is a butler! What are you yelling about, you idiot!"
Luffy watched this chaotic scene, laughing so hard that tears almost came out, like a frolicking monkey, bouncing on the spot and clapping above his head, shouting at the top of his lungs:
"Hahahaha... Zoro the Butler! Sanji the Butler!" Completely oblivious to the situation, he was immersed in his own joy.
Nami, Robin, and the others had dark lines on their faces, so embarrassed they wished they could sink into the ground, covering their faces in shame, silently thinking:
Help, can they please not know these embarrassing guys.
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