Chapter 114: Leaving the Village
On the rooftop of the Hokage Tower, Sarutobi stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing toward the distant village gates. He sighed softly, his expression complex—a mix of reminiscence, bewildernt, and satisfaction...
Sarutobi seed to be muttering to himself: "The young eagle must eventually spread its wings."
Hatake Gen, standing a step behind Sarutobi in a rare non-Anbu attire, heard the low murmur. His throat moved, and he hesitated to speak.
However, Sarutobi asked him: "Gen, I heard Orochimaru took you as his master, and that you let Sakumo leave the village with him?"
Hatake Gen carefully considered his words before answering: "That boy, Orochimaru, ca to ask about Taijutsu and Kenjutsu. I taught him so of the frawork and essence of the Supre Blade Style and the Deceptive Blade Style. Since he ntioned going out to train, I asked him to take Sakumo along. I want my son to learn a few things from Orochimaru too!"
Sarutobi offered a helpless smile. He no longer needed to personally worry about Orochimaru's training progress. Of course, he had never been hands-on in the first place; the boy had always been highly self-disciplined and consistently surprised him.
He then said nostalgically: "That boy and Sakumo truly remind of our own days."
Hatake Gen, too, was caught up in the mory, a hazy look of recollection in his eyes.
On the Road
Orochimaru did not indulge in a dramatic farewell. He simply inford Sarutobi, left a note, and quietly departed.
At this mont, Orochimaru, clad in a long, dark-black traveler's coat, and Hatake Sakumo were walking silently along the main road outside the gates of Konoha Village.
This strange, quiet atmosphere had persisted for so ti.
Orochimaru offered a slight smile. This guy certainly has patience. Since they were outside the village, however, it was ti to clarify a few things.
"Sakumo," Orochimaru called out.
The thin Sakumo stopped and looked at Orochimaru.
Orochimaru's dark-golden eyes fixed on Sakumo's own. His sharp, penetrating, and charismatic gaze montarily gave Sakumo the illusion that his entire being was being seen through.
After a mont of scrutiny, Orochimaru slowly said: "Sensei Gen asked to take you out this ti, and I have no objection. However, throughout this journey, you must follow my orders. Any issues with that?"
Hearing Orochimaru's words, Sakumo recalled his father's instructions before he left.
After Hatake Gen had passed on so of the Hatake clan's Taijutsu secrets and the essence of the two Kenjutsu styles to Orochimaru, he turned to Sakumo, who had erged from the back room, and said: "Go. You will leave the village with him."
"Father?" Sakumo asked back, seemingly unsure, his expression one of extre surprise.
"Do not doubt. Lord Sarutobi and I went through the sa thing back then! Follow his commands all the way! When you return, I believe you will give a pleasant surprise!" Hatake Gen's words continued to surprise Sakumo.
In the end, however, Sakumo, who always trusted his father, nodded in agreent.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Sakumo's face beca respectful. He whispered: "Yes, Lord Orochimaru!"
Orochimaru was briefly taken aback by Sakumo's sudden change in attitude. He quickly guessed what might have happened but didn't dwell on it. He simply let it be and resud their journey.
Orochimaru did not use Shunshin (Chakra-enhanced speed) for travel, choosing instead to simply walk with Hatake Sakumo.
Having received so of the Hatake clan's body refinent secrets and the essence of the two sword styles from Hatake Gen, whom he had accepted as a master, Orochimaru knew that Gen had taught him virtually everything, excluding only the most private clan secrets.
Thus, having agreed to take Sakumo out for training, Orochimaru did not slack off. Along the way, he effortlessly explained various insights and knowledge about Ninjutsu to Sakumo. Of course, for Orochimaru, this was only shallow material. As for the deeper knowledge, he intended to test this future White Fang of Konoha first before deciding how much more to impart.
For Sakumo, however, the series of profound yet accessible lessons from Orochimaru was enough to be imnsely beneficial. He naturally beca more trusting of his father's words, and his speech and attitude grew more genuine and respectful.
The two walked and rested, walking and talking, for an entire day. As dusk fell, they found an inn on the road for lodging.
After traveling this way for three days, they finally left Konoha and entered the territory of the Grass Village. This marked half the distance of Orochimaru's planned journey.
Orochimaru looked up at the sky. The sun was setting, and night would soon descend.
As they had on previous days, Orochimaru and Sakumo found an inn. He pushed the door open and started to walk inside.
However, the mont he stepped in, he heard a string of curses: "Old man, you looking for trouble? How long have you been overdue on this month's rent? We boys have been waiting so long the damn flowers have wilted! Oh, is this your granddaughter? Quite a fresh blossom, eh? Heh heh. Let us boys have so fun tonight, and we'll call this month even. What do you say?"
Squeak—
The sound of the old wooden door opening was particularly grating at that mont.
After Orochimaru entered, he looked up. It was a common scene: six ruffians were trying to collect protection money from the innkeeper. Everyone else in the inn had already vanished.
When the group saw Orochimaru walk in so openly after witnessing the scene, they all froze, stopping their actions.
The leering, skinny leader of the ruffians seed to feel challenged by Orochimaru's action. He shoved the innkeeper and his granddaughter aside, turned around, pushed away his subordinates, and walked with a swagger toward Orochimaru. He spoke nacingly: "You two brats..."
Pffft—
A few strange sounds were heard!
"Ah—" The ruffian heard a scream, apparently from the innkeeper's granddaughter, behind him.
Then, he felt an intense surge of pain in his chest. Looking down in terror, he saw that his chest had been completely pierced through by a mottled, poisonous python the thickness of a man's arm.
The brutal, bloodthirsty python, after penetrating the ruffian's chest, snaked its body around his neck, flicking its tongue out behind him. It tilted its triangular head, staring coldly at the thug, who was not quite dead.
The ruffian endured the pain and struggled to raise his head. His eyes followed the snake's body forward.
He saw that the mottled python's body extended all the way into the sleeve of Orochimaru, who was wearing the black hooded coat.
The ruffian's eyes, filled with eight parts fear and two parts plea, t Orochimaru's cold, emotionless dark-golden gaze. He tried to speak but was blocked by fragnts of internal organs and blood welling up in his throat. He could only make a weak "Hoo-hoo-hoo—" sound before, along with his other four brothers, he collapsed to the ground with a dull "Thud—," bleeding into a pool of blood.
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