Tagitsuhime, the Snake Princess, had absolutely no sense of moderation. Her hypnosis kept the poor woman asleep for an entire day.
Little Karin had been so hungry that, if not for Nonō's skill at caring for children, the baby alone might have driven Orochimaru to his wits' end.
"Terrible… truly terrible. I have no idea what to do with this little thing."
"Well, well, well. My famous sensei Orochimaru can't even handle a baby? Hahahaha! If word got out, I wonder how many people would be shocked."
Kazuyama Gekkō nearly burst out laughing at the sight of his exhausted teacher.
Orochimaru shot him a venomous glare. "If you hadn't brought them here, I'd have dealt with it already. I have plenty of ways to shut people up."
Then his tone shifted, sounding almost resigned.
"But looking at the way you treat this mother and child… you plan to raise that little one, don't you?"
"That's right. An Uzumaki trained properly can be a tremendous asset."
Kazuyama glanced at Nonō tending to the child, then at the woman who had just woken up and still looked dazed, and he nodded. It was indeed his plan. The Uzumaki Clan's innate abilities were too valuable—whether the Mind's Eye of Kagura or the Adamantine Sealing Chains, both were powerful assets.
Against Madara Uchiha and Black Zetsu, he needed every possible advantage.
"Madara and the Rinnegan have already attacked Konoha once. They've exposed themselves now, but knowing their personalities, this won't be the end.
"I suspect they're hiding in Kirigakure. That village's policies make it perfect for outside interference."
Rinnegan? That caught Orochimaru's attention.
For him, only a few things could truly spark interest—immortality and new, unusual techniques or abilities. The Sharingan and Rinnegan were naturally among them.
"Who are you people?"
"Where is this place? Why did you bring us here?"
The woman's eyes went to her child, now in another woman's arms. She watched as the stranger fed her baby formula with practiced ease.
She was shocked, but when her gaze landed on Kazuyama again, she wasted no time in demanding answers.
"I told you before—Kusagakure isn't the right place for you."
"You're now in the Land of Waterfalls. This is my sensei, Orochimaru. And I am Kazuyama Gekkō."
Kazuyama Gekkō? The one called one of the Twin Stars of Konoha… the Ghost of the Battlefield?
Kazuyama was already striking a pose, ready for the awe and admiration—
"You're that disgusting, war-crazed madman from the battlefield?
"You never kill outright because you like to torture people. You spend your time setting snakes on them, and you use that revolting technique called One Thousand Years of Death to give your enemies both psychological and physical trauma. You're that devil?"
Kazuyama: …
Orochimaru: … Pfft!
"Ahahahaha!"
Orochimaru couldn't hold it in any longer. It was too funny—absolutely priceless.
Watching his disciple's face darken like the bottom of a pot only made it harder for him to stop laughing.
"Who… which bastard spread that rumor…?"
Kazuyama felt like an entire year's worth of good mood had just been wiped out. How could his reputation have turned into this?
He was the head of the Gekkō Clan of Konoha! One of Konoha's Twin Stars! The Ghost of Konoha!
How could he be some perverted lunatic?
"Plenty of people in Kusagakure say so. Same in Iwagakure.
"And now you've kidnapped me and my daughter? I think the rumors are spot on—you are a perverted madman!"
The woman's voice rose with her anger, her cheeks flushing.
Even Nonō, nearby, had stopped working to cover her mouth and stifle her laughter.
"Nonsense! All lies! I'm not that twisted!"
"This is slander! Kusagakure, huh? Just wait—I'll kill them all!"
The more Kazuyama thought about it, the angrier he got. This was outright defamation. Kusagakure and Iwa both—fine! This grudge was set in stone now.
He, Kazuyama Gekkō, would never rest until he had his revenge.
"Hahaha, I think the rumors aren't wrong. You might not act often, but when you do, it's always with the most underhanded tricks."
"I can't take it—this is too funny."
"It's been a long time since I've heard something this entertaining."
Orochimaru sat back in his chair, laughing so hard his face was cramping.
The woman didn't flinch at Kazuyama's anger. She figured she'd already been captured—why bother holding back her words now?
"Stop laughing! Your disciple is being insulted, and you're just sitting there laughing? Too much!"
"Enough about me. Your turn—introduce yourself."
"After all, you'll be living in the Land of Waterfalls from now on."
Kazuyama took a deep breath, forcing down his irritation, and began asking about her background.
Nonō stepped forward, handing the now-awake Karin back into her mother's arms.
Looking at the three in front of her—Kazuyama, Orochimaru, and the bespectacled woman—she still couldn't feel at ease.
"My name is Tomotsuki."
"Tomotsuki Uzumaki?"
"No. I've given up that surname. My name is just Tomotsuki, and this is my daughter, Karin."
She had abandoned the Uzumaki name…
The destruction of the Land of Whirlpools and the annihilation of her clan had left wounds too deep to heal. In such chaotic times, survival came first.
She had given up the name to earn the chance to live.
"All right, sensei, anything else?"
"If not, I'll take her to Takigakure. Nonō, you can handle her day-to-day needs, right?"
Kazuyama had originally considered entrusting her to Konan, but with recent strains on the information network, he decided not to add to her burdens.
Nonō, now serving as Orochimaru's assistant, had also established a new orphanage within Takigakure.
"Sure, no problem. But… what about expenses?"
Since leaving the Land of Fire, Nonō had lived more easily, and as Orochimaru's assistant she earned a modest income. But the orphanage's founding and daily upkeep were still financial headaches.
Now, with a big opportunity in front of her, she wasn't about to let it slip.
Through her glasses, Kazuyama could practically see the gold coin symbols gleaming in her eyes. This really wasn't his year.
In the past, he was the one extorting others. Now everyone seemed to be lining up to shake him down.
Didn't they know he was like a pixiu—money came in, but never went out?
Money? Forget it. Every coin he had, he'd earned with effort.
"Ask my sensei!"
"That's it, I'm leaving!"