When Orochimaru left Amegakure, he took Toneri with him.
When Toneri woke from his sleep, the Akatsuki had already departed this world. He felt deeply resentful about it—they hadn't even bothered to wake him to say goodbye. In his eyes, Nagato was being unfair, so he decided he wouldn't stay in Amegakure any longer. He was going to run away from home.
As for where he would go, he hadn't decided yet. Anywhere was fine—as long as it wasn't here.
And so, Orochimaru taking Toneri along became the most natural outcome.
From Amegakure to Orochimaru's base in the Land of Rice Fields, one had to pass through the Land of Fire. Even moving straight through, it would take nearly three days at a ninja's pace. But Toneri, who had lost his chakra, couldn't even match an ordinary traveler's speed—let alone that of a ninja. On top of that, with eight sealing needles embedded in his body, his physical condition was worse than that of a normal person.
Though he had once boldly declared he would cross entire deserts, the truth was quite different. When he had been sent to the Kusagakure before, due to the "hostage incident," the shinobi there didn't dare let him venture into real danger. Instead, they used the village's training grounds as a substitute for the desert, easily deceiving a blind boy. To them, Toneri was practically an "ancestor" in status—someone to be revered and protected.
And so, utterly exhausted, Toneri couldn't help but sigh from the bottom of his heart.
"This is so far… we've been walking for two days already. Why aren't we there yet?"
In truth, those two days of travel barely equaled two hours for a ninja. They hadn't even left the Land of Rain yet.
~~~~~~~
Orochimaru didn't mind walking at Toneri's pace. He had time—plenty of it to spare—and accompanying Toneri at this turtle-like speed was, in its own way, a form of amusement.
Now that Toneri was too tired to continue, Orochimaru chuckled and teased him.
"You were the one who insisted on walking. You wouldn't even let me rent a carriage."
Ninjas didn't need carriages, but ordinary people did. And Toneri, in his current state, was worse off than an ordinary person. Without Obito's space-time ninjutsu, vehicles would have been the best option for him.
This was the perfect example of lifting a stone only to drop it on one's own foot.
Unwilling to admit fault, Toneri puffed his cheeks.
"I'm a descendant of my ancestors, you know. Riding in a carriage would disgrace them."
Even as he said that, he struggled to stand up, forcing himself onward. His legs ached, his toes throbbed—he couldn't understand why. In the past, he could walk for days without tiring. Why was it so different now?
As he pondered this, his foot slipped in the darkness. Instinctively, he reached out—and grabbed onto something cool.
A moment later, he realized.
He was draped over a back that wasn't particularly broad, but steady enough.
It was only natural. Asking Toneri, in his current condition, to walk all the way to the Land of Rice Fields was unreasonable. Even at a normal pace, he'd likely fall gravely ill by the time they arrived.
"Your ancestors are already dead," Orochimaru said casually. "Even if you embarrass them, they won't know."
"I would know," Toneri shot back.
Orochimaru let out a soft chuckle.
"Then get off and walk the rest of the way yourself."
Toneri fell silent.
He obediently stayed on Orochimaru's back.
Orochimaru walked steadily along the country path.
After a long while, Toneri—still sulking from being shut down—finally spoke again.
"Hey, Orochimaru… did I cause trouble for Nagato again?"
Such innocent concern was almost pitiable. If Orochimaru hadn't known Toneri's nature so well, he might have torn him apart with words alone. Instead, he recalled a faint memory—Pain's helpless yet indulgent sigh:
Toneri… you really need to be more aware.
But did Toneri truly need to be?
Who would he guard against? Who would he suspect?
He didn't belong to this world. He belonged to the pure, distant moon hanging in the sky. He had no reason to sacrifice for this world, no reason to change for it—and certainly no reason to be scarred by the very land he had protected.
"Why do you ask?" Orochimaru replied.
"I just feel like… if I'd done better, Nagato and the others wouldn't have gone to the main house."
His voice was filled with genuine self-blame.
"Are you worried they won't come back?" Orochimaru asked.
"Yeah. My dad said they're really strong—the kind of people you can't defeat. There's no way Nagato and the others can win."
"Is that so? I thought Nagato was invincible in your eyes."
"Within the realm of humans, he is. But those people aren't human… so they'll lose."
"And do you want him to win?"
"Of course I do."
"Then hold onto that hope," Orochimaru said. "Power alone doesn't define true strength—"
He paused.
For a fleeting moment, he remembered the words of a certain toad—
True strength isn't about how many techniques you master, but about an unyielding will that never gives up.
Back then, Orochimaru had scoffed at such nonsense—and crushed that toad with sheer power.
Now… how ironic.
Well, fine. I'll reluctantly admit you had a point.
"True strength lies in that perseverance," Orochimaru continued. "Even if it sounds naive. Akatsuki now stands at the pinnacle. In this matter, the Otsutsuki clan doesn't hold absolute victory."
The explanation was convoluted, but not beyond Toneri's understanding.
Still, he frowned.
"I don't get it… Orochimaru. Can wishes really turn into strength?"
"Yes."
The answer came without hesitation.
Even Orochimaru himself found that surprising.
"Then if I pray every day to get my chakra back… when will it come true?"
Once again, Orochimaru found himself hoisted by his own words.
"Didn't you say it didn't matter whether you had chakra or not?"
"But I want to go home."
Toneri's reply was simple—too simple.
And yet, the hope in his voice quickly faded.
"…It's fine if I don't go back. I can just worship my ancestors here. Maybe they'll even be happy."
Then, as if something occurred to him:
"Hey, Orochimaru… do you think the Hyuga will complain about me when they worship our ancestors? Like, saying I stole their eyes?"
Orochimaru fell silent.
Hyūga. Konoha.
Just how cruel must you be to drive eight sealing needles into this boy?
"No, they won't."
"Really?"
"As far as I know, the Hyuga clan doesn't perform ancestor worship. They don't even know about Otsutsuki Hamura's existence. So no—there's nothing like that."
Toneri froze.
His mood sank.
Noticing this, Orochimaru asked:
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing… I just suddenly thought—it's a good thing my ancestor is already dead. If he knew his descendants had forgotten him… he'd be really sad."
"You still remember him, don't you?"
"…Yeah. You're right."
Toneri was easy to appease.
But Orochimaru couldn't deceive himself so easily.
What has this world become?
Endless wars. Constant slaughter. Self-interest everywhere.
On a grand scale, it was about competing for resources. On a smaller scale, it was about survival.
This was a problem left behind by history—one Orochimaru neither had the ability nor the interest to solve.
Even the Sage of Six Paths hadn't resolved it. His so-called solution—entrusting the world to Ashura's ideals of love and peace—had merely led to a system where everyone fought to protect their own.
Conflicts still existed. Opposition still thrived.
Indra and Ashura.
Konoha and Akatsuki.
From Konoha's perspective, they weren't wrong. Hiashi's eyes were taken—they had every right to reclaim them. Punishing Toneri was only natural.
From Akatsuki's perspective, the same held true. Someone they cherished had suffered—they had every right to retaliate.
And so the cycle continued.
A blood feud born from a pair of eyes.
Neither side is willing to yield.
Orochimaru exhaled softly.
Dangerous thoughts.
Leave this madness to those fanatics.
Your path is research. Truth. Not peace.
He shook off the idea.
"So, Toneri," he said, shifting the topic, "when do you usually worship Otsutsuki Hamura? And how?"
"During the winter solstice. As for how… I used to do it at the ancestral shrine. This year, I'll just keep it simple. My ancestor is really kind—he won't mind."
"If he doesn't mind, then there's no need to worship at all."
"No, no, no! Whether he minds or not is his business. I still have to do it."
Orochimaru laughed.
In the distance, the outline of a small town came into view.
At last, they had left Amegakure. This was a border town in the Land of Fire.
The sky was growing dark.
Best to rest here for the night before continuing.
...
The complete fanfic (Chapter 261) is already available on P@treon(.)com/Crimson_Lore