After making up, life seemed to return to how it was before.
Tsunade started walking side-by-side with him again, bickering again, and evaluating his training results with that tone of “Tch, nothing special.”
But some things had changed.
Kitahara Kaede didn’t notice.
…
Early morning, before dawn had fully broken.
Kitahara Kaede hung from a branch on the mountain behind the village, Chakra circulating steadily along his meridians.
This was his unwavering daily morning practice.
Fifteen minutes later, he finished, landing silently on the balls of his feet.
It was time to go find Tsunade for breakfast.
As he turned, he heard a sound.
Very soft.
Kitahara Kaede’s footsteps paused.
He followed the sound, pushing aside the bushes.
Orochimaru was squatting on the ground.
In front of him lay a dissected wild rabbit, its abdominal cavity opened, organs separated one by one and arranged neatly on a leaf nearby.
His fingers were stained with blood, his movements precise, every cut clean and efficient.
Orochimaru looked up, his golden slit pupils meeting Kitahara Kaede’s gaze.
No panic, no explanation.
The two stared at each other.
“You’re up quite early,” Kitahara Kaede spoke first.
Orochimaru lowered his head and continued his work.
“Observing the internal structure.
Heart, lungs, liver, kidneys—their position, size, and connections.”
He used the tip of a Kunai to lift a small piece of tissue, examining it closely.
“The basic structure of humans and animals is similar.
Knowing where the organs are is the only way to ensure a lethal strike.”
He paused.
“And to know just how fragile life really is.”
His tone was flat, as if stating a fact.
A child, running into the forest before dawn to dissect a rabbit and study its internal structure.
If anyone else saw this, they would probably find it hair-raising.
Kitahara Kaede squatted down.
He looked at the neatly arranged organs, then at the dissected rabbit.
“The heart is three centimeters to the left, and the aorta’s path is basically the same as in humans.”
Orochimaru’s hand stopped.
He looked up again to scrutinize Kitahara Kaede.
“You’ve studied this too?”
“No,” Kitahara Kaede said, “but knowing where to stab to make the opponent fall the fastest is a basic survival skill.”
He reached out, picked up the rabbit’s hind leg, and weighed it.
“The meat is still fresh.”
Orochimaru blinked.
“What are you doing?”
“Taking it to roast and eat.
You’re done studying the organs, right?
Don’t waste the meat.” This chapter is updated first at g.com.
Orochimaru stared at him for three seconds.
Then he smiled.
Not a polite smile, but one of genuine interest.
“Kaede, you are the weirdest person I’ve ever met.”
“What’s weird about it?”
“When others see this scene, they’re either scared or disgusted.
Your first reaction is to judge the quality of the meat.”
“I’m hungry.”
Kitahara Kaede walked a few steps with the rabbit, then turned back.
“Pick a bigger one next time, the small ones don’t have much meat.”
Orochimaru watched his retreating figure.
For so long at the Ninja Academy, everyone’s gaze toward him had carried a sense of distance—polite, guarded, or vaguely uneasy.
Only this person, from the moment they locked eyes in the classroom on the first day, had never changed.
Orochimaru looked down at his blood-stained fingers.
The arc of his lips didn’t fade.
…
Night.
Konoha Village, Eastern District.
Jiraiya walked along the base of the wall, sneaking around.
After turning two corners, he saw his target—Orochimaru sitting on the stone steps at the end of the alley, reading a book by the streetlamp.
“Orochimaru!”
He hissed, keeping his voice low.
Orochimaru didn’t even look up.
“Busy.”
“I haven’t even said anything yet—”
“You coming to see me at this hour means either you got caught peeping and need a cover-up, or you’ve come up with some stupid idea and need help.” Orochimaru turned a page.
“Either way, I’m busy.”
Jiraiya sat down with a thud.
“This time it’s serious!”
“Your’serious’ business and a normal person’s’serious’ business are not the same thing.”
“Just listen to me!” Jiraiya pressed his hand on Orochimaru’s book.
“I’ve come up with a brilliant plan—a plan to make Tsunade look at me with admiration!”
Orochimaru finally looked up.
Not out of interest.
It was that kind of curiosity: “I really want to see just how stupid you can get.”
“Speak.”
Jiraiya cleared his throat and lowered his voice.
“You remember that time at the Ninja Academy?
The time Kaede saved Tsunade.”
“Mm.”
“Ever since then, Tsunade has been… you know.” Jiraiya’s face twisted.
“Why?
Just because he saved her once?
If I also—”
“So!
I’m going to create a ‘hero saves the beauty’ scene!”
Orochimaru’s hand stopped turning the page.
Then I’ll descend from the sky and punch you away—hero saves the beauty!” Jiraiya grew more excited as he spoke.
“Tsunade will definitely look at me differently!
Maybe even right on the spot—”
“Do you think Tsunade will be scared by you?”
Jiraiya froze.
“…Probably?”
“She cracked a wooden post at the training ground with one punch last time.”
“A surprise attack is different—”
“Are you sure you can beat her?”
Jiraiya was choked for words.
Silence for three seconds.
“That’s why you need to act realistically!” He slapped his thigh again.
“Your Ninjutsu is better than mine, you’d be more convincing as a Rogue Ninja!
I’ll just jump out at the end to finish it.
Perfect!”
Orochimaru put down his book and looked at Jiraiya’s face, which was written all over with “love idiot.”
This plan was outrageously stupid, with so many loopholes that he couldn’t be bothered to point them out one by one.
But—
“Fine.”
Jiraiya was stunned.
“Really?”
“Conditions.” Orochimaru leaned back against the wall.
“You owe me a favor.”
“No problem!
Whatever you want in the future—”
“You ask Tsunade out yourself, and tell me the time and place when you do.”
“Leave it to me!”
Jiraiya was so happy he jumped on the spot, turned to leave, then doubled back at the alley entrance, pressing his hands together.
“Orochimaru!
You’re my best brother!”
The white hair disappeared into the night.
The alley quieted down.
Orochimaru picked up his book, the corners of his mouth curving—not a kind arc.
He knew Tsunade’s strength clearly.
He also knew the outcome of this plan clearly.
Jiraiya would get beaten up badly.
But that didn’t stop him from wanting to see it with his own eyes—what kind of expression that idiot would have when being chased and beaten by Tsunade.
As for why Jiraiya insisted on chasing Tsunade?
Orochimaru didn’t understand, and didn’t want to understand.
Things he couldn’t understand, he would classify as “irrational but worth observing phenomena.”
Just like that rabbit this morning.
Dissected, its structure was simple and clear at a glance.
But when alive, it insisted on jumping around randomly.
Orochimaru opened the book and continued reading.