In front of a lake, a silver-haired boy scrubbed his hands in the water, desperately trying to wash the blood away.
No matter how hard he rubbed, they never felt clean.
Even when the skin on his hands was raw, the blood in his mind still looked so vivid.
"Why did the dean forget me?"
"Why doesn't she remember me? Why?"
"If that's the case… what have I been all along?"
"What was everything she gave me worth?"
"My name was given by her. She adopted me. Even these glasses…"
The boy reached for his glasses—only to remember they were gone, placed on someone else.
He stared blankly at his reflection in the rippling water. The face was blurry, distorted.
"Who is this guy? This isn't me. This isn't the real me."
His muttering grew frantic, his expression unhinged, his eyes clouded in confusion.
"It seems you still don't see yourself clearly."
A hoarse, eerie voice echoed, and suddenly the reflection in the water shifted into another face.
Startled, the boy stumbled back.
Splash!
A figure burst out of the lake—long black hair, pale skin, snake-like eyes gleaming with cold malice. The man leaned close, staring at him.
"Just as I thought… you've become an excellent shinobi. I remember you, Kabuto."
"You… you're—"
The man stepped from the water, and Kabuto found himself retreating under the sheer pressure of his presence.
"I've been watching you. Watching you and Nonoyu."
"Come with me. I'll tell you what you want to know."
"What I want to know? What is it?"
Kabuto's voice rose, his expression twisting like a wounded animal cornered.
"Why the dean wanted to kill you. And why she doesn't remember you."
Kabuto froze. The air turned to ice.
"Don't you want those answers?"
"And even if you do… no one can answer them better than the one involved herself. Don't you agree, Orochimaru?"
The man's voice was filled with temptation.
Kabuto's resolve wavered—until another voice cut in, mocking, teasing.
Both Kabuto and Orochimaru snapped their heads toward the sound.
A man in jet-black armor appeared, a woman dressed in Rock Shinobi garb at his side.
Kabuto's eyes went wide.
"Dean? You're not dead?!"
"Dou? Are you really Dou? Why do you look so different from the photo?" Nonoyu's eyes filled with confusion as she looked him over.
"Why, Dean?! Why did you forget me?!"
The question burst out, the obsession clawing its way back.
Naruto sneered. "Why else? The answer's simple. Kids grow fast. A few years apart, and they look different. Root just swapped in a new photo and claimed it was you. After being brainwashed again and again, even the gods wouldn't recognize you."
Kabuto's body trembled. "Is that… true?"
"Dou… it really is you? I didn't expect you'd grow so much in just a few years."
"President, I'm sorry. I didn't know… it hurt too much."
"It doesn't matter. I'm fine now…"
Kabuto broke down, embracing Nonoyu, crying into her shoulder. The fog in his heart finally cleared.
Orochimaru watched in silence, then let his gaze slide toward Naruto.
"The Red Sun Society… Kira," he said suddenly, exposing Naruto's identity.
Naruto smirked. "Orochimaru, you defected from Konoha… and yet you have a base here in Iwagakure too. A rabbit with three burrows—no, a snake with holes everywhere."
He tilted his head and added casually, "Orochimaru, why don't you come with me? I'll give you a massive research facility, limitless funding. Work for me."
Orochimaru chuckled, low and unsettling. "I'm flattered… but you ruined my plan today. Shouldn't you give me an explanation first?"
His golden snake-eyes glinted coldly.
According to his intelligence, Kira of the Red Sun Society had been behind the Hyuga Incident, nearly throwing Konoha into chaos. Even the Third Hokage couldn't contain him. Later, Kira had struck Root, leaving Danzo humiliated.
This was no ordinary opponent. Strong, dangerous—worth fearing.
But to simply let him walk away? Orochimaru's pride couldn't accept it. He'd waited years for Kabuto to ripen into the perfect pawn. To lose him now? Unforgivable.
"You want an explanation?" Naruto sneered. "How about this one?"
In a blur, he appeared before Orochimaru and threw a punch like lightning.
Even Orochimaru couldn't react in time.
Boom!
Orochimaru was blasted away like a ragdoll, skipping across the lake's surface dozens of times before crashing to a halt.
The impact drew the attention of nearby Rock Shinobi.
Kabuto and Nonoyu froze where they stood, staring at Naruto with wide, disbelieving eyes.
That was one of the Sannin—Orochimaru.
And Naruto had swatted him away like nothing.
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