But that did not stop Tsunade from questioning them in her capacity as Hokage. Her expression was icy, her tone sharp.
"What exactly are you trying to accomplish? So many people are dead, the border is in chaos—what possible benefit does this bring you? Don't tell me you did all this out of boredom!"
Faced with her accusation, Orochimaru suddenly smiled. There was something chilling in that smile—something playful… and strangely candid.
"Tsunade, you're quite perceptive… You're right. It was boredom."
The light, offhand remark caused Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Hiruzen Sarutobi's expressions to change drastically. Disbelief filled their faces.
"Orochimaru!" Jiraiya's voice rose sharply, thick with shock and fury. He glared at him. "Do you even understand what you're saying?! All those lives—are they just 'entertainment' to cure your boredom?!"
The killing intent in his eyes was no longer concealed. The cruelty of his former teammate had gone far beyond his limits.
Hiruzen swayed slightly, the color draining from his face, leaving only deep sorrow and complexity.
Looking at Orochimaru's indifferent expression, he seemed to see the brilliant disciple of the past finally stepping onto the darkest possible path.
His voice was hoarse, heavy with regret.
"Orochimaru… how… how did you become like this…? Back then, in Konoha… I shouldn't have… I shouldn't have let you go…"
Faced with Jiraiya's undisguised killing intent and Hiruzen's anguished reproach, Orochimaru merely raised an eyebrow. A trace of indifference flickered through his golden, slit-pupil eyes.
He sensed Jiraiya's murderous resolve and heard the pain in Hiruzen's words—but he did not care.
"Boredom? Not entirely," Orochimaru said in his rasping voice. "This was merely an… interesting experiment. Testing the efficiency of these 'tools.' Testing how the shinobi world reacts to something… new. And testing just how far the power of this so-called 'demonic child' can go."
His gaze drifted toward the experimental subjects in the distance—still fighting with insane devotion even as Konoha's shinobi gradually eliminated them—before settling meaningfully on the furious Karin beside him.
"As for how many died?" Orochimaru's lips curved into a cold smile. "On the path toward truth and power, a few sacrifices are only natural, aren't they?"
Those words laid bare his stance and cruelty without reservation.
Tsunade and the others felt their hearts sink to the bottom.
The man before them was no longer a former comrade who could fight alongside them or debate ideals. He was a monster—one who used the pain and lives of others as experimental material.
"Today, no matter what, we won't let you leave again, Orochimaru!" Tsunade's voice was like polar ice, her amber eyes blazing with killing intent. "You—and that 'demonic child' beside you—are both too dangerous to the shinobi world!"
Jiraiya and Hiruzen also took up battle stances, chakra surging as they locked onto Orochimaru and Karin, determined to prevent another escape.
"Such a pity…" Orochimaru shook his head, a mocking smile on his lips. "You still haven't realized it, have you? The ones standing before you are merely Shadow Clones."
"What?!" Their expressions changed yet again.
Seemingly pleased with their reaction, Orochimaru continued, "The data and observations I wanted are more or less complete. So this farce… oh, pardon me—this 'experiment'—ends here."
He turned to Karin. "Karin, it's time to go."
But Karin only shot him a cold, impatient look, killing intent overflowing from her small frame.
"Finally done talking? I've been waiting forever! If you want to leave, go ahead. I'm killing that ugly woman first!"
At her words, the three Konoha leaders instantly heightened their guard. Hiruzen's hand even moved toward the giant shuriken strapped across his back.
None of them dared underestimate this so-called "demonic child."
A vicious glint flashed in Karin's eyes as she stepped forward.
Poof!
Karin's Shadow Clone… exploded directly into a puff of white smoke and vanished.
Silence fell over the battlefield.
Tsunade and the others froze.
Even Orochimaru's Shadow Clone stiffened briefly. Then he raised a hand to his face, thinking inwardly:
That fool… Did she overdo it? Use too much power and cause her own Shadow Clone to collapse?
Tsunade quickly demanded, "Orochimaru! Where is Karin's real body?! She's just a child seduced by power! Don't drag her further down this dark path!"
"A child?" After a momentary pause, Orochimaru's expression became extremely strange—like he had just heard the most absurd joke imaginable.
Looking at Tsunade's mixture of anger and concern, he gave a hoarse laugh.
"Tsunade, you're mistaken about two things."
"First, that one is no 'child' in need of protection."
"Second…"
His smile turned meaningful.
"You truly believe I'm the one leading her astray?"
"Heh… I'm afraid you greatly underestimate just how… wicked that 'demonic child' is by nature."
"Between the two of us, who's leading whom into greater madness… it's hard to say."
With that, Orochimaru's Shadow Clone also dissolved into white smoke.
He could already imagine the reaction of Karin's real body when she received the memory of her "self-destructing" clone—furious, murderous, and on the verge of exploding.
He had deliberately dispelled his clone to transmit all the details from the front lines immediately.
Only then could he prepare the right words to "placate"—or rather, continue manipulating—that unstable little menace.
With both Orochimaru's and Karin's Shadow Clones gone, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Hiruzen's imposing presence faltered. A strong wave of frustration and helplessness rose in their hearts.
Especially Hiruzen.
His grip on his pipe trembled slightly. The resolute expression he had worn—prepared to settle everything once and for all, even at the cost of his life—was now replaced by deep disappointment and emptiness.
He had been ready to sacrifice himself to correct his past mistake and eliminate his own disciple.
Yet the enemy had not even given him that chance. With nothing more than two Shadow Clones, they had stirred up massive chaos—then vanished effortlessly.
The sensation of striking cotton with a full-force punch felt more crushing than a disastrous defeat. It made him feel older, wearier.
Am I truly destined to carry this stain into my grave?
The thought sent a chill down his spine.
That future—he absolutely could not accept it.
No… it still had to be Orochimaru.
Hiruzen made up his mind. The next time an opportunity arose, he would act decisively.
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