Chapter 211: Chapter 211
Time passed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, seven days had gone by.
Orochimaru was in no rush. He traveled leisurely, taking his time along the way. Even so, it only took seven days to arrive at the coordinates Nonō had provided.
Despite the ongoing chaos in the Land of Fire, where bandits and outlaws roamed freely, Orochimaru hadn't encountered a single one on his journey. Whether this was due to luck or something else, he couldn't say.
Setting aside the matter of Tsunade for the time being, Orochimaru stored his belongings in his system's storage and began exploring the area. Before long, he found the location of Nonō's orphanage.
The orphanage was situated in a remote area, with no towns or villages nearby. It was the kind of place where one might say, "There's no village ahead and no inn behind."
Surprisingly, however, the orphanage was bustling with activity. A group of workers was busy stacking bricks and laying tiles.
"Still under construction?" Orochimaru muttered, somewhat surprised. "I thought it had already been purchased and renovated."
Just then, a figure wearing a cloak and round glasses noticed Orochimaru's arrival and rushed over excitedly.
"Lord Orochimaru!"
Orochimaru glanced at Nonō and gave her a brief once-over. "Do you have a place to rest here? If so, take me in for the night."
That night, in a simple thatched shed, the flickering candlelight cast the silhouettes of two figures against the wall.
The two sat opposite each other at a small, weathered table. Nonō held an old teapot, carefully pouring tea into Orochimaru's cup.
The furnishings were modest. The tables and chairs were basic, and the tea set was equally plain.
"I apologize, Lord Orochimaru," Nonō said with an apologetic smile. "Since the orphanage is still under construction, the accommodations are quite lacking…"
"It doesn't matter," Orochimaru replied casually with a wave of his hand. "I'm not picky about these things."
"As expected, someone of your stature wouldn't—"
"Enough with the formalities," Orochimaru interrupted bluntly. "Let's get straight to the point, Nonō. What's your decision regarding my proposal?"
"Well…" Nonō hesitated, glancing at Orochimaru. "Although I don't doubt your intentions, I still think it would be best to see this village of yours with my own eyes first. Would that be acceptable, Lord Orochimaru?"
Orochimaru considered her words for a moment before nodding. "That's fine. Pack your things, and we'll leave tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? Isn't that a bit rushed?" Nonō blinked in surprise.
"I have other matters to attend to after helping you," Orochimaru said simply.
"I see. In that case, I'll take my leave now to make preparations," Nonō replied, bowing slightly.
"Go ahead," Orochimaru said, waving her off.
Their conversation was concise, and an agreement was quickly reached.
Previously, Nonō had expressed her desire to think things over, and Orochimaru had no objection to that. However, Nonō was not someone who blindly followed orders, unlike the Kabuto of the future. She needed to confirm that Orochimaru's goals aligned with her own.
As for Orochimaru, he wasn't particularly concerned. Even if his plans were discovered, he could always establish a new base elsewhere. Unlike the original Orochimaru, who was often considered unscrupulous, his current approach was far more calculated.
The night passed without incident, and the next morning, Nonō donned casual clothing at Orochimaru's request. After giving instructions to the workers at the orphanage, the two of them set off toward the Land of Sound.
The orphanage was located to the west of Konoha, while the Land of Sound lay to the east. As such, their journey required them to traverse a significant distance, taking more than ten days in total.
Eventually, they arrived at the border of the Land of Sound.
Looking at the peaceful and lively scenery before her, Nonō was taken aback.
The atmosphere here was completely different from the war-torn regions she was accustomed to. There were no signs of conflict, no wandering ninjas or displaced refugees.
The villagers were cheerful and welcoming, greeting travelers with smiles as they passed by.
Orochimaru's reputation here was clearly well-established. Wherever they went, people respectfully addressed him as "Lord Orochimaru."
Nonō found it hard to believe that such a tranquil place could exist in the ninja world.
"The person managing this area is Chana," Orochimaru explained, noticing Nonō's astonished expression. "She's one of the war orphans I rescued."
During their journey, Orochimaru had shared many details about his plans, but there was still much Nonō hadn't fully grasped. Now, seeing the results firsthand, she began to understand the extent of Orochimaru's influence.
Not only had he saved so many orphans, but he had also built and governed an entire nation?
Nonō couldn't help but be impressed.
"Wait… Is that… Lord Jiraiya?"
In the distance, Nonō spotted a white-haired man in wooden clogs sparring with three others. She recognized him immediately.
Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin, known for his strength alongside Orochimaru during the war, was here as well?
At the outskirts of the Sound Village, Jiraiya was engaged in a mock battle with three opponents. Despite his skill, he appeared cautious, clearly taking care not to harm his sparring partners.
Nearby, three children watched the fight nervously, their expressions a mix of awe and excitement.
With a shout, the three opponents lunged forward, kunai in hand, their movements swift and coordinated.
Jiraiya's expression shifted as he clasped his hands together.
"Ninja Art: Needle Jizo!"
His white hair expanded and hardened, forming a spiky shield around him.
Clink, clink, clink!
The kunai clashed harmlessly against the protective barrier of hair.
"Amazing!"
"Jiraiya-sama, keep it up!" Yahiko, the orange-haired boy leading the group, cheered loudly.
Chana stood nearby, smiling as she observed the scene.
"Hah, this guy really knows how to enjoy himself," Orochimaru muttered, smirking slightly as he led Nonoyu toward the training ground.
"Hmm? Orochimaru?"
Jiraiya turned at the sound of his voice, momentarily caught off guard. Before he could say anything, Orochimaru lunged forward with a flying kick.
"Wait, hold on—!" Jiraiya protested, raising his arms to block the attack.
Bang!
The kick landed with enough force to make Jiraiya's arm go numb.
Chana, noticing Orochimaru's arrival, quickly called for the sparring session to end.
"Lord Orochimaru!"
"Lord Orochimaru!"
Voices of respect filled the air as Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan rushed over to greet him.
"Hey, Orochimaru," Jiraiya said, shaking out his arm. "Didn't Tsunade come with you?"
"Tsunade?" Orochimaru echoed, his tone slightly dazed."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone