Chapter 210

Orochimaru's calm but dismissive tone left Tsunade frozen in place.

Was he truly annoyed with her?

Did he actually dislike her now?

Looking at Orochimaru's indifferent expression, Tsunade clenched her fists tightly. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Orochimaru, what did you just say?"

"I don't think it was difficult to understand," Orochimaru replied flatly, not even sparing her a glance as he continued to pack.

Tsunade's chest tightened in frustration. How could he say such a thing to her?

Her emotions surged as she tried to suppress her anger. She was, after all, a ninja—a strong, disciplined one at that.

But being rational wasn't helping. The more she held back, the more the frustration turned into something deeper—hurt.

And with hurt came tears.

"You… you really think I'm annoying, don't you?"

Orochimaru didn't reply, but his silence was enough.

"You bastard!" Tsunade suddenly shouted, tears rolling down her cheeks as she yelled at him in anger and pain.

Orochimaru paused for a moment, as if he wanted to respond, but then stopped himself. What was the point?

Apologizing wasn't his way. In his mind, this was an unnecessary conversation, a waste of time. This wasn't what ninja were supposed to be concerned about.

For all his brilliance, Orochimaru failed to consider that, sometimes, emotions weren't about logic.

He picked up his packed things, slung his bag over his shoulder, and walked out without another word.

Tsunade stood frozen in the bedroom, tears streaming down her face as the man she had shared so much of her life with left the house like she wasn't even there.

---

At the Hokage's office, Orochimaru explained his departure to the Third Hokage.

"You're leaving the village again?" Hiruzen asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. I have some things to take care of. Research," Orochimaru replied nonchalantly.

Hiruzen pondered this for a moment. "Alright, but don't be gone too long. Now that the war is over, your presence in the village is still important."

"I'll be back as soon as I can."

Hiruzen nodded. Orochimaru was no ordinary ninja. His skills and intellect made him a critical asset to Konoha, even in peacetime.

"Fine. Go early, come back early," Hiruzen said finally.

Orochimaru nodded and left the office without further discussion.

---

As he approached the gates of Konoha, a familiar voice called out timidly.

"Orochimaru-sama… are you leaving the village?"

He turned to see Uchiha Mikoto standing nearby. She was dressed simply, her long black hair tied neatly behind her, and her fair skin glowed in the sunlight. She looked every bit the elegant and composed young kunoichi she was becoming.

"Yes. I have something to attend to outside the village," Orochimaru replied, giving her a small nod.

Mikoto hesitated for a moment before mustering the courage to speak. "Then… I hope you have a safe trip, Orochimaru-sama."

"Thank you," Orochimaru said with a small nod before turning and leaving the gates.

Mikoto watched him go, her hands clasped tightly in front of her.

---

Back in the house, Tsunade remained in the bedroom, kneeling on the floor with her shoulders slumped and her face buried in her hands.

Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and her heart felt heavy with grief.

She couldn't stop replaying Orochimaru's words in her head.

"Annoying… he said I'm annoying…"

She thought of how they'd grown up together, how they had become inseparable as teammates and lovers. They had always understood each other, or so she thought.

But now, Orochimaru's cold indifference made her question everything.

Had he really grown tired of her? Was he pushing her away?

She tried to hold back her tears, but they continued to flow.

---

"Orochimaru-sama?"

A cheerful voice broke through the quiet house.

Tsunade wiped her tears hastily and turned toward the door. Uzumaki Kushina stood there, looking surprised to see her in such a state.

"Tsunade-sama? What happened? Are you okay?"

Kushina stared at her in shock. She had never seen Tsunade, the fierce and confident kunoichi, looking so vulnerable before.

"Kushina? What are you doing here?" Tsunade asked, her voice trembling slightly as she tried to regain her composure.

"I saw the door was open, so I thought I'd check," Kushina explained.

"Oh… I see." Tsunade quickly stood up, brushing herself off as if to hide her earlier breakdown. "I'm leaving now. Close the door when you're done here."

Without giving Kushina a chance to respond, Tsunade walked out of the house, her head down and her steps hurried.

Kushina watched her leave, her confusion growing.

"Tsunade-sama… was crying?" she murmured to herself.

She thought about following Tsunade to ask what had happened, but before she could decide, she saw Tsunade bump into someone outside the house.

A man with long white hair sat awkwardly on the ground, clearly surprised by the collision.

Kushina didn't recognize him, but something about the encounter felt strange.

"Did Tsunade-sama and Orochimaru-sama… have a fight?" Kushina wondered aloud.

---

As Orochimaru walked further from the village, his mind lingered on the events of the morning.

Did he care about Tsunade? Of course, he did.

It wasn't just some passing sentiment or vague affection born from years of companionship. Tsunade was a constant presence in his life, a force of nature that had bulldozed her way into his cold and calculating heart, whether he liked it or not.

But her questions, her worries while understandable, felt like distractions to him.

"Maybe it's just what happens when two people stay together too long," Orochimaru muttered to himself.

He thought about their relationship. Was he avoiding commitment? Was he afraid of responsibility?

Or was it simply that he didn't see the point in indulging emotions that, in the world of ninja, often brought more harm than good?

He shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside. There were more pressing matters to focus on.

"Forget it," he said to himself. "No use dwelling on this now. I have a cloning base to design."

T/N: What a dick