Orochimaru looked down at Tsunade's still-pale face and gently brushed his fingers across her cheek.
Her breathing was steady now, the tightness between her brows gone. Seeing that, the sharp edges in Orochimaru's eyes softened slightly. His thoughts drifted back to the conversation they had shared earlier, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared on his lips.
"It's almost time to cook," he murmured to himself.
He glanced toward the nearby river. The water was clear, flowing quietly beneath the moonlight, and beneath its surface, schools of fish swam leisurely, unaware of what was about to happen.
A moment later, lightning crackled across the river.
For an instant, the surface of the water glowed white.
When the light faded, the fish floating belly-up on the water were unmistakable proof of what had just occurred.
Not long after, footsteps sounded behind him.
Uchiha Hikari approached, holding several freshly cleaned fish in each hand. His eyes were wide with disbelief.
"Is… is that even possible?" he exclaimed.
His steps were still a little unsteady. This was the first time in his life he had seen someone use Lightning Release ninjutsu to catch fish.
Does he… cook often?
As Uchiha Hikari watched Orochimaru calmly and skillfully prepare the ingredients, a strange feeling welled up inside him. Just watching didn't feel like enough.
"Um…" he hesitated before speaking. "Is there anything I can help with?"
Orochimaru paused, then casually tossed a few small packets toward him, as if performing a magic trick.
"Here. Have some snacks and wait a moment."
Seeing the confusion on the child's face, Orochimaru added calmly, "Some things don't benefit from having too many people involved. Cooking is one of them. I can manage on my own. If you help, you'll only disrupt my rhythm."
"I—I understand," Hikari replied quickly.
He sat down a short distance away, clutching the snacks. As soon as he tasted them, his eyes lit up. The flavor was something he had never experienced before—strange, rich, and surprisingly addictive.
Soon, the campsite was filled with mouthwatering aromas.
Milky white fish soup began to bubble gently in the pot, releasing a warm, comforting scent. Over the campfire, skewered fish sizzled as Orochimaru brushed them with seasoning, the fat dripping into the flames with soft crackling sounds. Nearby, a portable rice cooker powered by a chakra battery quietly steamed, releasing the unmistakable fragrance of freshly cooked rice.
Uchiha Hikari stared.
His gaze moved from the fish soup, to the grilled fish, to the rice cooker.
His mouth watered uncontrollably.
The potato chips in his hands suddenly seemed completely unappealing.
He couldn't even remember how long it had been since he'd eaten a proper meal.
"Mmm…"
A soft sound broke the silence.
Tsunade stirred.
Drawn awake by the smell, she opened her eyes and immediately spotted Uchiha Hikari sitting by the fire, staring at the food as if entranced.
She tried to sit up—
—and immediately felt dizzy.
Before she could fall back down, a cool, pale arm wrapped around her shoulders and steadied her.
"Do you think this is the time to do sit-ups?" Orochimaru asked dryly, reproach clear in his voice.
Tsunade frowned slightly, then noticed Uchiha Hikari.
Her expression sharpened instantly.
"Why is he here?"
She pointed at him and shot Orochimaru a questioning look that clearly said: Explain. Now.
"Where else could he go?" Orochimaru replied calmly.
He placed a hand against her forehead, checking her condition. "Grilled fish, fish soup, rice… and the pickles I made earlier."
"I feel a little dizzy," Tsunade said softly, pouting. "I don't think I can eat by myself…"
She looked at him with blatant expectation.
"Orochimaru… will you feed me?"
"…You're impossible," he sighed.
Faced with her gaze, he found himself completely helpless.
Are you really a ninja?
Uchiha Hikari had never seen anyone like Tsunade before. Her shamelessly spoiled behavior made his scalp tingle.
"Hehe, Orochimaru is so considerate!" Tsunade said happily.
Orochimaru carefully removed every bone from the fish before bringing it to her lips. She ate obediently, clearly enjoying herself.
"Oh, who told you to get sick…" he muttered. "Of course you need taking care of."
He sighed again, continuing to prepare the food.
This turned out to be the happiest meal Tsunade had eaten in a long time.
Even Uchiha Hikari, who normally would have annoyed her just by existing nearby, didn't seem so irritating tonight.
"One more… just one more bowl…"
Uchiha Hikari had already eaten three bowls of rice. His cheeks were faintly flushed as he nervously held out his bowl again.
"Am I… eating too much?"
"No," Orochimaru said without hesitation. "You're still growing. That's perfectly normal."
He scooped more rice into Hikari's bowl, then glanced at Tsunade. "Isn't that right?"
"Of course," Tsunade nodded seriously, eating even more herself thanks to Orochimaru's feeding. "I eat far more than you."
Uchiha Hikari finally relaxed.
He had been afraid they would dislike him for eating too much.
After the meal, the atmosphere grew quieter.
Uchiha Hikari suddenly looked at Tsunade with an unusually serious expression.
"…What is it?" Tsunade asked warily.
Without warning, Hikari bowed deeply.
"I—I'm really sorry! Please forgive me!"
He lowered his head sincerely.
"After being sealed for so many years… it's understandable that you'd harbor resentment toward the Senju Clan…"
Tsunade blinked, taken aback by his sudden apology.
She glanced at Orochimaru, silently begging him to say something and ease the situation.
I'm terrible at this kind of thing, Orochimaru thought.
"Tsunade has forgiven you," he said simply.
His hand rested on Hikari's head, gently patting his hair.
"Hm!"
Hikari looked up at Orochimaru, then at Tsunade. Relief spread across his face, and a small, genuine smile appeared.
As night deepened and it became time to rest, Uchiha Hikari was about to volunteer for night watch when he saw Orochimaru raise his hand.
Hundreds of snakes of various patterns and sizes slithered out in response.
Above them, a swarm of Kikaichu gathered, then dispersed as if responding to a silent command.
"Rest well," Orochimaru said calmly. "Leave the night watch to them. Nothing will happen."
He adjusted Tsunade's posture so she could sleep more comfortably. As for himself, exhaustion weighed on him heavily—he could fall asleep no matter what happened.
Feeling his movement, Tsunade's heart warmed.
She nestled closer, rubbing against him like a satisfied cat that had just eaten fish.
"Sleep…" she murmured.
Orochimaru gently stroked her hair.
Tsunade wrapped her arms around his waist, rested her head against his chest, closed her eyes, and quickly drifted into deep sleep.
She fell asleep fast…
Orochimaru watched her quietly, then slowly closed his own eyes.
…Hmm?
Just as he was drifting off, he sensed someone approaching.
He cracked one eye open.
Uchiha Hikari was creeping over quietly.
What is he doing?
Hikari glanced at Orochimaru and Tsunade, confirming they were still asleep. Then he slipped into his sleeping bag beside Orochimaru and cautiously reached out, hugging his arm.
The anxiety in his heart finally faded.
The nightmares that had haunted him dispersed at that very moment.
A lack of security, Orochimaru thought.
From a psychological standpoint, this behavior stemmed from insecurity and a need for protection from a stronger presence.
After all, he was still just a child—his mind not yet fully matured.
Or perhaps… because he was easy to control?
Orochimaru opened his eyes slightly.
"Summoning Technique."
Puff.
Smoke dispersed, revealing a dark blue snake.
"Orochimaru-sama, it's been a long time," the snake said respectfully, excitement evident in its voice.
"Orochimaru, is that your summoned beast?" Tsunade asked, staring at the snake's rotund body before bursting into laughter.
Uchiha Hikari covered his mouth.
He had never seen such a fat snake in his life.
"…Are you Blue Snake?" Orochimaru asked, staring at it doubtfully.
The Blue Snake of the past had been massive—but not obese.
The one before him looked like it hadn't left the house in years.
"…Why are you so fat?"
The snake fell silent.
"…I ate too many soldier pills," it admitted at last. "Shinza and Manda are about the same…"
Orochimaru sighed deeply.
Sitting atop the Blue Snake as it moved through the forest, Orochimaru resolved firmly:
They have to lose weight.
Otherwise, calling three giant fat snakes onto the battlefield would make him the laughingstock of the ninja world.
Later, Tsunade leaned against him again.
"Orochimaru… I'm tired…"
Uchiha Hikari quietly leaned back against Orochimaru's back.
Between the two of them, Orochimaru found himself unable to move at all.
"Hikari," he murmured, "there's something I need to tell you…"
---
Chapter 150 Preview: My Home Is Your Home
Two days later, they arrived at Konoha.
Uchiha Hikari stared at the massive village gates, the bustling crowd, and the four-wheeled rectangular vehicles he had never seen before.
"Konoha is amazing, isn't it?" Tsunade said with a smile. "And it only gets better inside."
Orochimaru took Hikari's hand and led him forward.
The guards bowed respectfully.
"Orochimaru-sama, welcome back."
Hikari's eyes widened.
He really is someone incredible…