redvbooks Chapter 223 Then let me ask you, where is the Konoha Orphanage now?
Chapter 223 Then let me ask you, where is the Konoha Orphanage now?
Chapter 223 Then let me ask you, where is the Konoha Orphanage now?
Meanwhile, in the audience seats of the theater, Kimimaro finally calmed his tense nerves.
After Yakushi Kabuto's explanation, he understood his current situation.
Looking around, there was a dimly lit, spacious theater.
A huge screen stood in front of me, surrounded by rows of comfortable seats; everything looked just like a movie theater.
But it also has a mysterious quality that defies common sense.
The thought of witnessing Lord Orochimaru's dream firsthand filled Kimimaro with excitement.
An uncontrollable flush rose on her cheeks, and her eyes became excited and expectant.
For Kimimaro, Lord Orochimaru was a god who rescued him from darkness.
Being able to glimpse Lord Orochimaru's world, even for just a moment, would be an immense happiness for him.
[Ding! Kimimaro's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +400!]
on the screen.
Orochimaru stood quietly on a street in Konoha Village, staring at the sign that read "Konoha Orphanage" not far ahead, his expression full of surprise.
"How did we get here?"
Orochimaru looked around in confusion.
The orphanage that came into view seemed to be much larger than I remembered.
Orochimaru remembered that the Konoha Orphanage was founded by Yakushi Nonou after she left the Root organization.
Although it was nominally an orphanage, it was initially very small, housing only a few destitute war orphans in a few simple wooden huts on the edge of the village.
However, the orphanage before him was not the dilapidated scene he remembered. There were several houses with blue tiles, and even a small playground for the children to play in.
Just as Orochimaru was pondering to himself, he suddenly heard a series of hurried footsteps behind him.
A clear, melodious voice rang out: "Master, you've arrived!"
A young man ran out cheerfully from behind and rushed in front of Orochimaru.
It is the Thousand-Handed Rope Tree.
Their young faces were full of energy and joy.
Orochimaru looked at Nawaki, who had suddenly appeared before him, and his originally indifferent expression softened.
The rope tree was already almost as tall as him.
He smiled faintly, a hint of warmth flickering in his golden eyes, and replied softly, "Yes, I've come."
in the audience.
As Tsunade gazed at her radiant younger brother on the screen, her expression softened unconsciously.
A layer of tears welled up in her eyes, and she was completely satisfied.
"Orochimaru's dreams are so much better; he always gets to see Nawaki—"
[Ding! Tsunade's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +500!]
Hiruzen Sarutobi, standing to the side, nodded slightly upon hearing this, saying with a hint of nostalgia and regret, "I remember, Orochimaru valued Nawaki highly back then."
Kimimaro gazed at Orochimaru's gentle smile on the screen, feeling a surge of warmth in his chest.
That was a side of him he had never seen before.
A gentle and humane expression.
Kimimaro blinked, looking at Kabuto with some confusion, and asked in a low voice, "Orochimaru-sama's disciple?"
Unexpectedly, Kabuto did not respond to him. Kimimaro turned his head and saw Kabuto staring blankly at the screen, his eyes wide open in an exaggerated way behind his thin glasses.
Dou's mouth was slightly open, and he stood there motionless, frozen in place.
Kimimaro was stunned.
In his memory, Kabuto Yakushi had always been a calm and composed person, and had never lost his composure like this before.
[Ding! Kabuto's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +500!]
on the screen.
Nawaki led Orochimaru into the orphanage.
As I walked through the orphanage's courtyard, several homemade toys lay scattered on the ground, and a few simply dressed children were huddled under the eaves, whispering amongst themselves.
Upon seeing strangers visiting, they peeked out curiously.
When Rope Tree saw this, he simply waved gently to the children, indicating that they did not need to be afraid, and then continued to lead his master directly to the door of an office in the orphanage's office building.
Pushing open the door, the room was somewhat dimly lit.
In the orphanage director's office, pharmacist Nono was sitting behind her desk.
His brows were filled with a complex expression, a mixture of optimism and determination.
As soon as she saw Orochimaru enter, she immediately stood up to greet him, bowing sincerely and saying, "Lord Orochimaru! I am very grateful for your continued support of the Konoha Orphanage, but I cannot grant your request!"
Orochimaru was somewhat puzzled after hearing this.
He funded orphanages?
Orochimaru thought for a moment, then turned his gaze to Nawaki beside him. Could it be that Nawaki did this in his name?
Before Orochimaru could think too much about it, Nawaki spoke up: "We can guarantee the safety of the experiment!"
"None of the volunteers who participated in the last experiment were injured or killed!"
"We will be fully responsible for the safety of every child!"
Pharmacist Nonou shook her head firmly: "I'm sorry, but I cannot agree. These children are war orphans; they've already suffered enough. I cannot send them to the experimental table!"
Nonou took a deep breath and took a wooden box from the table.
Her hands trembled slightly, but she still managed to push the box in front of Orochimaru, saying apologetically, "This is all the money the orphanage can afford right now. We will definitely try our best to repay you for the money you gave us before."
Seeing this, Rope Tree sighed helplessly, a hint of disappointment flashing across his face, and waved his hand, saying, "Dean, you don't need to do this."
Even if we can't cooperate, it won't affect our determination to support the orphanage. You should take the money back.
However, Yakushi Nonou was extremely determined. She gently pushed the box back and said in a deep voice, "No, we can't take this money."
in the audience.
Tsunade looked at the young Nawaki, who was speaking eloquently on the screen, and couldn't help but show a look of admiration.
"I never expected that Nawaki in Orochimaru's dream would be so reliable and dependable—"
That impulsive younger brother can actually discuss things with people so calmly.
At this moment, the spirited Rope Tree in her dream and her younger brother, forever frozen in his youthful form, gradually overlapped in her mind.
If Rope Tree could live and grow into adulthood, perhaps it would become a reliable and outstanding young man like the one depicted in the picture.
Just then, Kimimaro suddenly cried out in alarm, "Kabuto, are you alright?!"
Upon hearing the sound, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately turned his head to look, only to see that Kabuto Yakushi's face was deathly pale, with large beads of sweat sliding down his temples.
He was trembling slightly, his chest heaving violently, and even breathing became extremely difficult.
[Ding! Kabuto's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +1000!]
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned and squinted as he examined Kabuto Yakushi.
He could only rely on his extensive experience to guess which village the snow-white-haired young man came from; he didn't know his specific identity.
But Kabuto knew about Yakushi's background.
They are children who came from the Konoha Orphanage.
The way Dou is reacting to the scene right now seems to be recalling the past, but isn't his reaction a bit too intense?
on the screen.
These scenes, as Orochimaru watched, caused him to momentarily lose himself in thought.
The scene before him was so familiar that it brought back long-forgotten memories.
In reality, Danzo also targeted this orphanage.
At the time, Danzo's confidant, he and Ryoma Aburame were ordered to accompany him to this place to put pressure on Yakushi Nonou.
In my memory, he and Ryoma Aburame worked in tandem, one threatening to withdraw their funding if they didn't cooperate, the other threatening to steal the children from the orphanage...
However, the unfolding of the dream now is completely different from the experience of that year.
Orochimaru watched the back-and-forth negotiation between Nawaki and Nonou and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Unlike Danzo, the Nawaki in the dream did not press the issue relentlessly, and even persisted in providing support after the other party refused.
Yakushi Nonou remained steadfast in her principles, never backing down even when facing Orochimaru.
Thinking of this, a complex and enigmatic smile appeared on Orochimaru's lips.
Seeing that Nono's attitude was so firm, Nawaki had no choice but to accept the wooden box.
Just then, the office door was suddenly pushed open forcefully!
"Dean! Don't refuse! Let me go!"
Accompanied by an urgent shout from a young boy, a thin, gray-haired boy wearing round-framed glasses burst in.
He stood directly in front of the rope tree, his slightly immature arms blocking its path, his voice trembling slightly with nervousness: "Put that box down! I'll go with you!"
Upon hearing this, Yakushi Nonou was shocked and exclaimed in disbelief, "Kabuto! Why are you—" The boy revealed a cheerful smile, but his eyes were more determined than ever before, yet he couldn't hide his nervousness, unlike when he grew up and remained calm even in the face of a collapsing mountain.
"Dean, I want to become a ninja! I want to get stronger!"
At this moment, this usually quiet and introverted boy seemed to have mustered all the courage he had ever had.
Nawaki paused, then turned to Orochimaru hesitantly, asking softly, "Master, isn't one person too few?"
To everyone's surprise, Orochimaru smiled slightly with interest, a golden glint flashing in his slender snake eyes, and said calmly, "He's enough."
Orochimaru said, slowly walking up to the gray-haired boy, looking down at his slightly nervous face, and said, "Your name is Kabuto, right? I look forward to taking care of you from now on."
As the young Kabuto looked up and met Orochimaru's serpentine vertical pupils, he couldn't help but shiver.
He instinctively shrank back, but quickly mustered his courage and said loudly, "No, but—you have to leave the money!"
Upon hearing this, Rope Tree was taken aback at first, then chuckled and reached out to rub his messy hair: "Don't worry! I never intended to take it with me in the first place!"
Yakushi Nonou stood to the side, watching this scene with a complicated expression. She opened her mouth but ultimately did not make a sound.
Her gaze swept back and forth between Kabuto and the others, her expression filled with worry and reluctance, yet also mixed with a hint of helpless relief.
After a long while, she finally just sighed softly, as if accepting the arrangement of fate.
auditorium.
Hiruzen Sarutobi turned to Kabuto Yakushi and asked in a deep voice, "Did you join Orochimaru's ranks in the same way back then?"
Upon hearing this, Kabuto slowly turned his head, looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, and coldly snorted.
He adjusted his round-framed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, a mocking smile appearing on his face, but he did not answer.
The Third Hokage, hailed as the strongest, indeed knew nothing. Seeing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed almost imperceptibly and slowly shook his head, saying, "Judging from tonight's dream, you were once a boy with the Will of Fire. Why did you become like this—"
The coldness in Kabuto's eyes intensified, and he could no longer suppress his sarcasm.
"Lord Orochimaru is right, you've long since ceased to deserve that position—you mediocre and incompetent fool!"
Tsunade couldn't help but furrow her brows.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression also darkened.
Even with his good temper, being reprimanded in public by a junior was still a blow to his pride.
Kimimaro was completely bewildered, not understanding why Kabuto Yakushi was suddenly so agitated, nor what the "Will of Fire" was.
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, his expression returning to its usual blank look, and slowly began to speak: "One of you is the current Hokage, and the other is the former Hokage. I want to ask you—where is the Konoha Orphanage now?"
Upon hearing this, both Tsunade and Hiruzen Sarutobi were taken aback.
The two looked at each other, neither of them speaking immediately.
After a long pause, Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered and said, "The war ended so many years ago, naturally—there are no more orphans."
Upon hearing this, Kabuto scoffed dismissively.
"What about those children from the orphanage back then? Do you know where they are now?"
Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression froze.
He frowned, trying to recall something, but was shocked to realize that things were indeed as Yakushi Kabuto had said—those orphans from back then had disappeared from everyone's sight one by one at some point, as if they had evaporated into thin air.
A bone-chilling coldness surged up his spine and into Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart.
As the Third Hokage, he had absolutely no idea where those children went!
Realizing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a tightness in his chest, and his breathing became heavy.
Kabuto Yakushi noticed the change in Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression and his gaze grew even colder.
Those painful memories from the past resurfaced in my mind, and my most cherished "dean" collapsed before my eyes—
Under Danzo's deception, she couldn't even recognize herself!
[Ding! Kabuto's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +1000!]
The overwhelming hatred that had been forgotten or deliberately ignored was recalled once again.
"Through coercion and enticement, people were forcibly brought under the devil's control and sent to the most dangerous places to carry out missions. One by one, those children fell on the dark battlefield, their sacrifices unknown, their names forgotten. The few survivors, having lost their usefulness, were assigned to assassinate each other, forced to kill one another."
Kabuto Yakushi sneered, "Ha! This is the Will of Fire of Konoha!"
Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi trembled slightly, frozen in place, unable to utter a single word.
[Ding! An emotional fluctuation from Hiruzen Sarutobi has been detected! Emotional value +500!]
Tsunade, who was just burning with anger, couldn't help but show a look of shock and confusion.
She stared at Kabuto in disbelief, then turned to look at the Third Hokage beside her, as if hoping he would offer some explanation.
However, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent, which made Tsunade's heart sink.
Hiruzen Sarutobi opened his mouth, about to ask for clarification, but the large screen in front of him had already slowly dimmed without him noticing.
As the screen gradually went dark, Tsunade and the others understood.
The dream has ended.
The screen went out, and a somber silence descended upon the theater.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression was complex, his brows furrowed with weariness and sorrow.
Tsunade pursed her lips, her lowered eyes flashing with reluctance and confusion.
Yakushi Kabuto's heavy breathing was particularly clear in the stillness.
The air seemed to freeze.
However, at that moment, something strange happened in the theater.
Unlike usual, the giant screen, which had been turned off, suddenly lit up again!
A dazzling array of fireworks patterns flashed across the screen.
One after another, red, gold, and green sparks exploded, the dazzling colors intertwining to form a dreamlike light screen that illuminated the entire screening room as if it were daytime.
The cheerful children's choir music then began, sounding exceptionally clear in the quiet theater.
Immediately afterwards, a seven-colored light streaked across the sky, so bright that everyone could barely open their eyes for a moment.
After the light faded, several lines of eye-catching characters appeared prominently in the center of the screen.
"Thank you all for your continued support."
"The history of ninjas is full of partings and sacrifices. No matter how time goes by, those departed faces will always remain deep in our memories and will never be truly forgotten."
"Whether it's Senju Nawaki's frankness or Yakushi Nonou's gentleness, they each carry their own different longing and reluctance. Perhaps they have long since passed away, perhaps they only exist in dreams, but as long as someone remembers them, their will will never fade away, so—"
"Whom do you miss more?"
Please vote: 1. Senju Nawaki 2. Yakushi Nonou.