This was a successful mission.
Even though the one who gave the mission was only a baby of eight or nine months who hadn't even learned to talk, the giving and finishing of this mission really did happen.
It's common for people who can't or don't speak to have others speak for them.
Now, the red-haired woman can't deny the mission, even if it was forced, it was based on the big idea of mother-child relationships.
And after the mission is done, the price must be paid.
No need to be thankful, and not trying to get payback, even though that's pretty much what happened.
The red-haired woman doesn't want to break the deal. She's not so dumb that she doesn't understand that she and her child have nothing now, and the only thing that this powerful ninja wants is their blood.
He likes Karin's talent, so he has to help her grow first, so he can get what he wants later.
In this deal, they're making a profit until the very last moment of getting paid and feeling that cut.
The red-haired woman looked up, not really looking him in the eye, but trying hard not to run from his cold, snake-like eyes. "What do you want Karin to do? Can I… can I do it instead?"
"You? Of course not."
The red-haired woman's heart sank, but then she heard Orochimaru say, "But only for now. If you try hard enough and bring out the full power of the Uzumaki family's blood, you might be able to do it instead."
"I… I can definitely do it."
The red-haired woman gritted her teeth, seeming to want to show how strong she was. She stood up with effort.
"Heh… You can brag later."
Orochimaru smiled a little, narrowing his eyes. "Just know that I'll need you to do something in the future. And when that time comes, the stronger you and your daughter are, the more likely you'll be chosen to do it. This isn't something you can decide with words."
The red-haired woman nodded slowly, her eyes showing strong will.
Orochimaru nodded almost invisibly, a hint of a smile on his face.
He lied, or at least didn't say everything. He wanted them to think that doing that thing would kill them.
But really, like with Yamato, he only needs the cells with the Uzumaki family's blood, that's been made stronger, to take some every so often. It won't hurt them too much.
Still, he can't just let this woman grow on her own like Yamato.
She's too old.
Twenty-four or twenty-five years old, she's already past the best time for a ninja to grow. Also, her blood has been weak for a long time. If he wants her to have cells that are strong enough, she'll have to go through a lot of hard training.
The strong life force of the Uzumaki blood, and the medicine he'll give her later, might help her body, but they can't give her the will to keep going.
She has to have something driving her, something she believes in.
Even Orochimaru wouldn't think lightly of the power that comes from protecting or guarding something.
What he has to do is help grow and use that power, and that's what he's best at.
Ninja skills are second. This is the best skill he learned from the old man.
'The Will of Fire... Heh, is this like making it greater?'
Orochimaru licked his lips, glancing at the shaky, red-haired woman.
"Rest for a while. Tomorrow I'll have someone help your body get better. Oh, what's your name?"
The red-haired woman opened her mouth a little, and said something quietly.
"Never mind. Names are just names. I'll call you 'Aoi'." Orochimaru smiled. "As for your daughter, whether she keeps her name depends on how hard you try."
The red-haired woman—Aoi—nodded silently.
…
The next day, Orochimaru went into the room again, and took Aoi, who had rested for one night, and Karin to the medical room.
On the way, the Konoha Ninja passing by looked at them strangely. After Orochimaru sent people to bring them food, the news had already spread in the base, but they still didn't understand it when they actually saw them.
Why were there a mother and daughter they didn't know in the base? What was their relationship with Orochimaru-sama? What were those marks on their arms and shoulders?
The fire of gossip burned brightly in their hearts, and their desire to know went straight up.
Of course, who would dare bother Orochimaru?
They could only quickly share their guesses with their eyes, and even learned to make up a new code.
But, even though normal ninjas didn't dare, some people did.
As soon as they went into the medical room, Tsunade, who was sitting on the side of the bed, saw them.
A strange look on her face, she raised her eyebrows and joked, "This is a surprise, Orochimaru. You've actually walked together with a mother and daughter. It's a strange fit. Who are they? Your daughters?"
"These two aren't related to me much, but they're very related to you."
Orochimaru smirked. "The Uzumaki family and the Senju clan are distant relatives."
Tsunade frowned a little, looking at Aoi and Karin's hair.
Red hair isn't only had by the Uzumaki family, but pure-blood Uzumaki people always have red hair. She had guessed it when they came in, and it turned out to be true.
But this woman's life force is so weak. Is she mixed?
"Heh…"
As if she could see what Tsunade was thinking , Orochimaru lightly laughed and briefly told their story.
He wasn't worried about letting out secrets. The big scene at Kusagakure couldn't be hidden for too long. Soon most people in Konoha would know about it, including her special body.
No one would want it. Konoha's medical ninja skills are much better than Kusagakure's. Even Danzo wouldn't care that much about the medical abilities of this body.
"Those stupid Kusagakure Ninjas!"
After listening, Tsunade suddenly changed her face. With a loud bang, the square table next to the bed broke and fell apart.
"Don't be so angry. The Kusagakure Ninjas are just trying to live."
Orochimaru looked calm and relaxed. He narrowed his eyes and became reasonable, even explaining the cruel actions of the Kusagakure Ninjas.
Tsunade glared, looking like she couldn't believe it. Orochimaru went on,
"They're mean and cruel, but if they don't do this, they'll die."
"When it comes to life and death, all moral rules are just chains."
"You want to judge them? But you have to understand that not all ninja villages have Konoha's medical skills, and not all ninjas can heal on their own like you. If they get hurt, they can't just leave it and let it heal."
Tsunade heard the meaning in Orochimaru's words. She glared at him. "Orochimaru, what are you trying to say?"
"There are many cruel things in the ninja world, and many of them can't be avoided. You can't control that much."
Orochimaru smiled. "But Konoha's Tsunade, the best medical expert in the ninja world, can do so much in the medical field."
"Make medical ninja skills better, build a full medical system... If you do more, there will be less of this kind of evil in the world."
Looking at the surprised Tsunade, Orochimaru smirked.
"Or do you want to keep wasting your talent, keep living in the shadow of Nawaki and Dan's deaths?"
"Shut up!" Tsunade suddenly stood up and punched Orochimaru in the chest, sending him flying.
Boom!
Crashing through a wall and lying in the ruins, Orochimaru smirked.
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