The rooftop of the White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company building was a rest area, filled with numerous green plants and flowers that brought joy to those who saw them. On the right side, there was a platform for cars to land and take off, and on the left, a huge swimming pool and a bar counter where various alcoholic beverages could be enjoyed.
It is worth mentioning that the service staff in the rooftop lounge were members of the Iburi Clan.
Warm sunlight fell on her, and Uzumaki Chigusa lay lazily on a beach chair, holding a book with an 18+ symbol on its cover, clearly a forbidden book for minors.
Footsteps approached, and Uzumaki Chigusa said without raising her head, "Get me a drink… Thank you…"
"Oh? Your body has recovered enough for you to drink?"
A voice with a hint of coldness sounded. Uzumaki Chigusa looked up and saw Orochimaru, whose eyes seemed to be looking at harmful insects.
"Orochimaru?!"
Uzumaki Chigusa's expression froze, then she forced a fawning smile and waved her hands repeatedly, saying, "No, no, I was just joking, just joking."
"How's your body?"
Orouchi looked at Uzumaki Chigusa's rosy cheeks, marveling at the Uzumaki Clan's vitality. Given her previous condition, anyone else, even if they survived, would need a long period of recuperation.
"It's fine now."
Uzumaki Chigusa stood up. During her recuperation at the White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company, she felt she had gained a lot of weight.
"That's good. When you have time, shall I take you to see Grandma Mito?"
Orochimaru looked at Uzumaki Chigusa, who was no longer burdened by the destruction of the Whirlpool Hidden Village, and wanted to take her to see Grandma Mito.
"Orochimaru, do you think I…"
Uzumaki Chigusa lowered her head, her fingers tightly pinching the book's cover, "Should I really go see Lady Mito?"
"Orochimaru, don't misunderstand. I just simply don't know how to face Lady Mito."
Uzumaki Chigusa scratched her cheek with her fingers, her smile a bit forced.
"Chigusa, you've done the best you could. If it weren't for you, more people in the Whirlpool Hidden Village would have died or been injured."
Orochimaru placed her hand on Uzumaki Chigusa's shoulder. How could she not see that Uzumaki Chigusa blamed herself for the destruction of the Whirlpool Hidden Village? How could such a thing be her fault alone?
"I think, in this world, besides the God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama, it would be difficult for anyone else to turn the tide with their own power. Go see Grandma Mito, just to let her know you're safe and put her mind at ease."
If that guy Senju Hashirama hadn't gone crazy, there wouldn't have been so much trouble. No matter how Black Zetsu plotted, it itself had no combat ability.
"Orochimaru, Konoha knows about us…"
Uzumaki Chigusa quickly adjusted her mindset. Even living in the peaceful Whirlpool Hidden Village, during the last Ninja World War, she had witnessed the cruel slaughter on the battlefield, with corpses strewn everywhere, filled with painful wails and battle cries.
"Konoha is very busy with many things and doesn't know you are in the Land of Waves. You haven't shown yourselves in the Land of Waves either, so other Various Ninja Villages probably don't know you are here."
Konoha had many buildings damaged by the Sky Ninja attack and was currently repairing them. They also had to search the Air Fortress, and afterward, whether the ruins of that Air Fortress would remain there or be dismantled would depend on the Konoha Higher-Ups' decision.
The unluckiest was Hiruzen Sarutobi, who not only had to deal with Village affairs but also had to report to the Daimyo about the Sky Ninja attack.
Orochimaru felt that only a great fool would willingly take on the thankless job of Hokage, which came with a basketful of troubles.
"Orochimaru!"
Uzumaki Naino walked quickly to Orochimaru's side, her dull red hair flowing loosely, a smile on her slightly pale face.
"Naino, how are you feeling?"
Orochimaru watched Uzumaki Naino approach with a slight smile on his face.
"I'm fine… I just feel much weaker," Uzumaki Naino said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, a little worried that she would always be like this.
She didn't regret using the Forbidden Technique to kill those people; if she had mastered an even more powerful Forbidden Technique, she definitely would have used it in that situation.
"Don't worry, my research on the Zero-Tails will soon yield results, and then your hair will return to its vibrant red color," Orochimaru said, noticing Uzumaki Naino's concern.
The loss of vitality would inevitably affect her body.
"Mm! I believe you!" Uzumaki Naino narrowed her eyes and hugged Orochimaru.
"Oh, right, Chigusa seemed to mistake me for a server just now; she wanted to drink alcohol…" Orochimaru whispered mischievously into Uzumaki Naino's ear.
"Chief Chigusa, is what Orochimaru just said true?" Uzumaki Naino clenched her fists, her hair moving without a breeze, glaring fiercely at Uzumaki Chigusa.
"Wh-what?" Uzumaki Chigusa looked at the suddenly angry Uzumaki Naino, then at Orochimaru, and saw the 'plan-succeeded' expression on her face.
"How dare you ask! How many times have I told you, your body is still recovering, no alcohol, no alcohol!"
"Eek! Naino, I'm sorry!" Uzumaki Chigusa's wail echoed across the rooftop.
"It's all your fault… Orochimaru, you annoying child…" Uzumaki Chigusa walked into the president's office, covering her head with her black robe, glaring resentfully at Orochimaru.
After Uzumaki Naino's fist-based education, she deeply realized her mistake and promised not to drink alcohol until her body had fully recovered.
"Who told you to want to drink? I merely repeated what you said." Orochimaru stood up and walked over to Uzumaki Chigusa. "Let's go, to see Grandma Mito."
"Mm." Uzumaki Chigusa softly assented, taking Orochimaru's hand.
Land of Fire, Konoha.
At the Senju Residence, to welcome Uzumaki Chigusa's arrival, Uzumaki Mito had set up a barrier to prevent detection, ensuring Uzumaki Chigusa's presence wouldn't be known to others.
She had also coaxed Nawaki to sleep early; judging by his usual sleep schedule, he probably wouldn't wake until the afternoon.
She's here… Uzumaki Mito felt the change in the Kunai with the Flying Thunder God Technique formula in her hand.
Swish—!
Orochimaru and Uzumaki Chigusa appeared before Uzumaki Mito.
Uzumaki Chigusa looked at Uzumaki Mito, opened her mouth, about to speak.
"Chigusa, you've worked hard." Uzumaki Mito didn't wait for Uzumaki Chigusa to speak, embracing her and patting her back.
"Lady Mito… I failed to protect the Village…" Uzumaki Chigusa's eyes reddened, and she tried hard to hold back her tears.
"You tried very hard. I know everything that happened. The fact that so many villagers survived is a blessing in disguise," Uzumaki Mito said, gently comforting Uzumaki Chigusa with a soft voice.
She smiled and added, "Seeing you recover so well, I am relieved. The people of the Village need you."
Having once lived in Uzushiogakure, how could she not understand the Uzumaki Clan's abilities? Sealing Technique was their strong suit, yet almost no one in the Uzumaki Clan studied Ninjutsu.
Years of peace had long diminished the Uzumaki Clan's strength. Moreover, facing the invasion of elite Ninja dispatched by the Four Great Shinobi Villages, it was already remarkable that they weren't wiped out.
"How are the villagers doing?" Uzumaki Mito asked with concern, wanting to know how the Uzushiogakure survivors were living in the Land of Waves.
"Lady Mito, we are living very well in the Land of Waves…" Uzumaki Chigusa began to tell Uzumaki Mito about the lives of the Uzushiogakure people in the Land of Waves.
Upon learning that the Uzushiogakure survivors were living well in the Land of Waves, Uzumaki Mito was completely relieved.
"Orochimaru, establishing the Sealing Team was your idea, wasn't it?" Uzumaki Mito looked at Orochimaru, who was diligently writing in a notebook, thinking of Hiruzen Sarutobi's recent idea to establish a Sealing Team and wanting her to come out of retirement to teach its members.
"How could it be… Alright, it was my suggestion." Orochimaru shrank her neck and slowly walked to Uzumaki Mito's side. "Grandma Mito, if you find it troublesome, couldn't you just refuse? Didn't Konoha copy many Uzushiogakure Sealing Technique scrolls? Let them study on their own!"
"Do you think everyone is as fond of research as you are?!" Uzumaki Mito playfully tapped Orochimaru's head, pinching her cheek and saying, "You child, you're always causing me trouble!"
"Grandma Mito, I only made a suggestion. You can't blame me; blame Teacher Hiruzen. He's the Hokage; it was his decision, and it has nothing to do with me."
Orochimaru, adamantly refusing to take the blame, placed it squarely on Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Anyway, the Hokage's wretched position comes with plenty of blame; one more or one less won't make much difference.
Orochimaru, you're finally getting what you deserve! That's what you get for badmouthing me in front of Naino before, see? You're getting your comeuppance, aren't you?
Rarely seeing Orochimaru in such a discomfited state, Uzumaki Chigusa couldn't help but show a schadenfreude expression.
Orochimaru noticed Uzumaki Chigusa's gloating expression, shot her a sidelong glance, and gave her a 'you'll get yours' look.
"I agree to the Sealing Team matter. Since it was your suggestion, don't think of running away; come and help." Uzumaki Mito looked at Orochimaru, who had found a good chore for her in her later years, and how could she let this girl escape?
"Um… Grandma Mito, I'm very busy…" Orochimaru looked at Uzumaki Mito with difficulty.
She had many things to research, and currently, the most important was studying the Zero-Tails while it was still controllable.
If the Zero-Tails, which relied on instinct, were to become a sentient being, it wouldn't be so easy to experiment with it.
"It's not impossible to make time to look at it…" Orochimaru said, utterly depressed.
She shouldn't have been so loose-lipped back then.
If her mouth hadn't been so loose, there wouldn't be so many problems. She already had plenty to do, and now she'd taken on another wretched task.
"Then it's settled." Uzumaki Mito stroked Orochimaru's head, a gentle, benevolent smile on her face.
Grandma Mito, your smile looks a bit terrifying… Orochimaru sighed helplessly and said, "Grandma Mito, do you and Chigusa have anything else to say? If not, I'll send her back. Maintaining the barrier you set up for too long will arouse suspicion."
"There's nothing else to say. Knowing that the villagers are doing well in the Land of Waves puts my mind at ease," Uzumaki Mito said kindly, narrowing her eyes.
She guessed that Orochimaru's relationship with White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company was not merely a collaboration.
This child, Orochimaru, she had watched her grow up, from 6 to 14, over 8 years, and she understood her somewhat.
"Chigusa, you've done very well. In that situation, you did everything you could." Uzumaki Mito looked gently at Uzumaki Chigusa, saying earnestly, "No one is omnipotent. Even Hashirama, who was known as the God of Shinobi, had many regrets."
"Yes, Lady Mito!" Uzumaki Chigusa, though not entirely over it, would no longer dwell on it so much.
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