Orochimaru suddenly felt he was in over his head.


    In the original series, Orochimaru hadn''t yet built his own vige or even begun serious research when he encountered the three war orphans. Back then, he hadn''t realized just how powerful Nagato''s Rinnegan would be. His thoughts of killing them came simply from a sense of twisted mercy—the cold, practical mercy of a ninja.


    But now? Things were different.


    He had been conducting research for a while now, and he''d already secretly established his own hidden vige. If he could take in someone like Chana (Karin''s Mother), then why not these kids? He could study the Rinnegan in depth while also undermining Uchiha Madara''s ns, all without having to kill them.


    Why waste such a valuable opportunity?


    Thinking of this, Orochimaru''s lips curled into a slight smile. His voice took on a hoarse, almost mocking tone as he said, "Jiraiya, don''t be so tense. I was only joking with them."


    "Joking…?" Jiraiya was dumbfounded, his face a mix of confusion and disbelief.


    Orochimaru chuckled. "Look at the kid with the long red hair. He''s probably from the Uzumaki n. Since he may have Uzumaki blood, why would I harm him?"


    Hearing this, Jiraiya turned and took a closer look, noticing Nagato''s red hair for the first time. It hadn''t urred to him before, but now that Orochimaru mentioned it… If Nagato was an Uzumaki, then he was likely a distant rtive of Tsunade, a descendant of the Senju n.Tsunade, who hadn''t paid much attention at first, now looked at Nagato with a sh of realization in her eyes.


    "Could he really be a child of the Uzumaki n?" she murmured.


    Orochimaru didn''t linger on the topic. Instead, he pulled out a scroll from his waist, unsealing a box and taking out bread and milk he''d stored earlier. Handing them to the three kids, he said, "Biscuits are hardly a decent meal. Here, eat something better."


    These supplies were among the necessities Orochimaru had prepared before heading to the battlefield. As a ninja with both skill and resources, he had the luxury to maintain a certain quality of life, even in the middle of a war zone.


    "This is…" Yahiko hesitated, still wary of Orochimaru. But his hunger quickly overpowered his fear, and he reached out, grabbing the food eagerly. "Nagato, Konan,e on!"


    The three children each took some bread and milk, devouring them like they hadn''t eaten in days. Dirty and ragged, they looked like tiny beggars, worn down by a world that showed them no kindness.


    Once they''d eaten their fill, Orochimaru began his pitch. "So, your parents are gone?"


    Yahiko, now a little more rxed after eating, nodded. "Yeah…"


    "That''s tragic," Orochimaru continued, his tone surprisingly gentle. "But what do you n to do now?"


    Yahiko froze, unsure of how to respond. "I… I just want to stay with Nagato and Konan… We''ll figure something out."


    "But how do you n to survive? The ninja world is in chaos. You''re just kids." Orochimaru''s voice turned persuasive, almost hypnotic. "Would you considering with me? You''d be safe."


    "Go… with you?" Yahiko looked up, startled. His eyes darted to Orochimaru''s forehead protector. "You mean… to Konoha?"


    "Orochimaru…" Tsunade spoke up, a hint of warning in her tone, but Orochimaru raised a hand to silence her.


    "It''s fine, Tsunade," he assured her before turning back to Yahiko. "No, I''m not talking about Konoha. I''m offering you a ce somewhere else."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Somewhere… else?" Yahiko repeated, confused.


    Orochimaru''s words left not only the three children but also Tsunade and Jiraiya in shock.


    "What are you talking about, Orochimaru?" Tsunade asked, frowning.


    Orochimaru looked at his two teammates calmly. "I''ll be honest with you… I''ve built my own vige."


    "What?"


    Both Tsunade and Jiraiya stared at him in stunned silence, struggling to process what he''d just said.


    "How… how is that possible?" Jiraiya stammered, disbelief clear in his voice.


    Orochimaru continued, unfazed. "It''s a hidden ce. Specifically established to shelter orphans of war like these kids."


    The two of them were still reeling, trying to grasp the implications.


    "When did you do this?" Jiraiya finally asked, as if he could barely believe the wordsing out of his own mouth.


    "Now''s not the time to go into details," Orochimaru replied curtly, cutting off further questions. He turned to Yahiko and spoke with a kind of cold sincerity. "Yahiko, right? Would you like toe to my vige? There, you''ll find other children who''ve lost everything to this war, just like you. No one will be able to harm you." ?á?????Ε?


    Yahiko looked unsure but intrigued. The thought of a ce where he and his friends could be safe was tempting. In a world ravaged by war, the idea of a safe haven, especially one filled with kids like them, sounded like a miracle.


    "I… I need to discuss it with Nagato and Konan first," Yahiko said hesitantly.


    "Of course. But don''t take too long to decide," Orochimaru said with a thin smile.


    The three children moved a short distance away to discuss in hushed voices, leaving Tsunade and Jiraiya to confront Orochimaru directly.


    "Orochimaru, are you serious? You really built your own vige?" Jiraiya asked, still in shock.


    Orochimaru nodded slightly. "Yes. Is there a problem?"


    Jiraiya''s expression darkened. "A problem? Orochimaru, do you realize that doing this… it''s treason! Building a vige outside Konoha''s jurisdiction? That''s betraying the Leaf!"


    In Jiraiya''s eyes, Konoha was home. Its interests came first, especially in times of war. For Orochimaru to go off and start his own vige, it felt like a betrayal of everything they''d fought for.


    Even Tsunade was looking at Orochimaru with confusion. She knew Orochimaru had secrets, but she hadn''t expected something like this.


    Orochimaru, however, remained calm and unbothered. "Treason? Only if you tell the vige, Jiraiya."


    He shifted his gaze to Tsunade, his expression unreadable. "You''ve often asked me if there''s a way to end this endless cycle of war, haven''t you? Well, this is my answer."