Isolation

While Kai and others after knowing that he would be in the village for a good amount of time had started their training, Tsunade herself was forced into a dilemma.

"No."

Tsunade's utter, blatant rejection froze Orochimaru's smirk.

Once he returned from the war zone, and after being made painfully about his mortality, Orochimaru was highly motivated to solve problems that would stop him from achieving his dreams. It has been a week and aside from a few missions to keep his team active, Orochimaru gave his students some homework and was cooped in for most of the time and it gave results. Positive ones.

"Tsunade," Orochimaru sat down on his seat and took a deep breath while adjusting his lab coat, "If this technique is formed, even your limitations of aging will disappear."

Tsunade set the folder down. The work was revolutionary, indeed. Orochimaru's ideas... as usual, surpassed S-ranked Jutsu and threaded into the ranks of forbidden ones that would have him hunted down even by Konoha forces. Taking a seat herself and knowing full well that even the usually cool and collected Orochimaru will be excited about the revelations from his research going on for years, she remarked softly.

"Orochimaru, when I sponsored your research... we made a deal, remember? Others including Sensei wouldn't believe your idea but I made it clear that the only way I will utilize Senju funds is if we... do not cross that line."

Fully aware of what boundaries she was mentioning, Orochimaru grew silent for a second before revealing a bitter smile. "I haven't told you this Tsunade... but I am in a race against time. If you've got the problem of aging to tackle and Jiraiya has his ideals to satisfy then... I need to continue to keep myself alive."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Tsunade frowned.

"It means that it is either your own morals or my life," Orochimaru revealed a sincere expression in his slitted snake-like yellow pupils. It would be a lie to say the two weren't close. The fact that they had worked together on various projects made it clear that while Tsunade wasn't open to the idea of dating the youth, she was fond of him greatly and the funny thing was... he was the one who rejected her when they were young. Orochimaru himself never desired... her. But working together made Tsunade aware of many things about Orochimaru.

The only thing Orochimaru was attracted by wasn't any gender but excellence. He only desired excellence.

His sincere words put Tsunade in a terrible spot. She continued to stare at Orochimaru who didn't avert his gaze.

"So... no matter what I choose... I would live knowing the fact that my decision either damned you or many others?" Tsunade questioned since she didn't believe Orochimaru would lie about his own conditions. This was a blatant attempt at manipulation, she saw through it, but both of them were aware that this was hardly the point of it all.

"Tsunade... unlike Jiraiya, the duties of Kunoichi fazed you only in the beginning. While our humorous sage needs to drown himself with lust and women, you drown yourself with helping others in the Hospital, and I... I only have my goals. By denying me, you take away my goals. By accepting my proposal, you compromise everything you do here. But..." Orochimaru groaned and gave a lighthearted smile over his chalky white and thin lips, "But... as much as I admire Sensei. You are a colleague I respect and trust. No matter what you decide... I shall respect it. Although... I can already predict your answer so... don't be hesitant."

Tsunade bit her lips and whispered, "How bad is your situation?"

"Three years. It's eating me from within like a curse." Orochimaru gave a raspy chuckle as Tsunade's expression grew even more terrible. Her nose soured for a moment and she nodded, "Have you considered prisoners of war?"

"Sensei will never let me develop a forbidden jutsu like that," Orochimaru shook his head because he would need explicit approval of the Hokage to use them, "That's why I also aspire to become the next Hokage."

"Hah, fitting. The future Hokage teaching an even younger Hokage," Tsunade chuckled.

Taking a deep breath, Tsunade's lips parted. The conflict became more apparent as she forced herself to smile and spoke up, "You know what, fuck ideals. I—"

"Ah," Orochimaru interjected and rubbed the back of his head, "I guess... it's not possible after all." With a wry smile, he stood up and picked the folder, "Tsunade... you are too good to me. Going as far as sacrificing your lifespan for someone like me and Jiraiya... but... the moment you stop being honest with me is the moment I lose my interest and respect for you and your opinion."

Tsunade's shoulders slumped as he walked past her, "Don't you worry, I always find a way. And... let's keep this between ourselves, shall we? Tsunade... goodbye and thank you... for everything. I will collect my stuff tomorrow... so don't take too long."

Orochimaru knew what he was talking about as her lips puckered up and she covered her face with a soft sob echoing in the silent laboratory.

---

Just because she and Orochimaru had to see an end to their professional relationship didn't mean that he stopped teaching Nawaki or anything. It was just that their professional relationship was way beyond that and was special for both of them.

But Orochimaru managed to live well while starting to approach other clan heads to see if they would be willing to get on this venture of his but none did. Of course, Orochimaru kept the distasteful parts to himself but still, others were never as open-minded as Tsunade. Oh, he missed her already.

But what Orochimaru said was the truth. The moment she lies to coddle his work... he would end up losing all his interest in her. She may not be highly remarkable since she... was quite the blend of genius and morals but she had her place in his heart, no matter how rotten his heart may have been.

But...

Orochimaru, in his apartment, looked himself in the mirror. He stood naked in his room and slowly, his chalky skin of his began to melt away, revealing his real appearance. Tsunade isn't the only one who can shift her appearance in a manner undetected by sensors. While she adopted the way of making use of the memory banks of various groups of cells to appear younger or even child-like... Orochimaru's condition was even more special.

As his skin fell off like a snake shedding its skin, his expression grew grim. A vicious trail of purplish veins mapped his entire pale body and the bite mark of a fang on his neck was now covered in purplish pus that constantly throbbed as if alive while making him feel as if lava coursed through his veins. Orochimaru could, of course, suppress the pain and he did that during the war but his condition was growing increasingly worse.

As he stared himself in the mirror, matching his own slitted yellow eyes, Orochimaru drew himself into his memories.

There was a reason why Orochimaru lost his trust in Hiruzen but still admired him after shedding that layer of naivety.

---

"Is that what Hiruzen told you?" Danzo sneered as Orochimaru looked through this piece of memory from the eyes of his younger self. Danzo wasn't bandaged at this point. Both of his dark pupils lit in mockery as he walked and stood next to the youth and stared at the two tombstones.

"Your parents... were not interested in you. Someone with your intellect must have already suspected why you have snake-like features but there is no clan of such nature, right?" Danzo inquired and stared into the tombstones.

"I... am a product," The young Orochimaru sighed softly.

"Indeed. Your parents belonged to the research department of the village and your 'father' happened to be one of the rare few who ever encountered the Ryuchi Cave. Of course, he spoke nothing about it... but after that encounter, the man felt possessed. He was obsessed with snakes and studied them to a great extent to the point he ensnared your 'mother', in this case, his assistant, and transplanted the fertilized egg into her reproductive organ."

Danzo narrowed his eyes and turned to look at Orochimaru, " Your father disappeared under mysterious circumstances and your mother died giving birth to you. In essence... you are a child wanted by none except this village itself."

"And why is it that you have taken time out of your schedule to shower me with this truth?" The youth grew eerily quiet.

"Because you aren't a shinobi that can be polished to perfection by sweet lies and empty promises," Danzo smirked, "You're a shinobi that must be forged under the harshness of reality."

---

"Him? Is that what you desire in this place of power? Answers?"

Orochimaru felt his ears almost bleed due to the grating yet booming hiss of a feminine voice as his gaze fell over a gigantic white snake with orange-amber mane sprouting from behind his head as it wore a dark-clothed turban of sorts and held a long, puffing pipe in her terrifying maws. Her large, serpentine body was sprawled over a large earthen seat while her white scales spiked out over her body.

Taking Orochimaru's silence as a sign of mulling things over, the gigantic snake hissed in a softer tone this time, "It took you two years of searching before I let you into my domain. You... who is formed with a speckle of MY chakra. My offspring. Yet, you demand to know about a mere carrier? Is it what you wish, deep down. That filthy desire you will not make this world known to... fret now and reveal it."

Her own gigantic yellow eyes glowed in the dark cavern as Orochimaru felt mesmerized. Did he want to know about his father?

No.

Was this snake really his ancestor?

He didn't care.

"I..." Orochimaru's lips parted as his gaze grew glazed, "Want to know everything."

It was at this moment of lack of caution that a tiny white snake slipped onto his neck and let its venomous fangs sink into his flesh.

---

Orochimaru shuddered and woke up to the present, his body still a map of veins filled with venom of potent chakra that did not belong to him.

HER voice seemed present everywhere as Orochimaru recalled the conditions he was thrust into.

— Like that carrier, you shall turn into a snake and WILL be devoured by me if you cannot master what I have blessed you with. To know everything, you must be capable to bear everything, and chakra formed from spiritual and physical energy alone is... not enough. Master it, and become more. Or die. That is the cost of power you sought in my domain and that is the price I shall exact.—

Well, at least, the mystery of a vanished father was clear to him and the answer wasn't the carton of milk but a devious sage.

Orochimaru shook his head, countless thoughts flickering in his mind but one doubt remained.

'Tsunade, I can understand. Even I have gone out of my way to learn Iryo Ninjutsu to master a level of immaculate chakra control to turn my chakra wastage to almost nil. But Tsunade still hasn't gotten the kick start of nature energy to even try and master it while... for some reason, I just can't and it has become a poison, constantly turning me into a snake. The only thing that can suppress it is my research into various snakes...

How the hell did Jiraiya learn it?'

Orochimaru frowned at the thought that he may be less talented than the breast-loving jester of their team but... if anything, this idea became a little prominent due to the existence of a dark-haired, tan-skinned bulky youth that looks far beyond his actual age. That boy is the right kind of pervert... but still so excellent that even Orochimaru was drawn to him...

'Could perversion be a sign of talent? Then... is every perverted rapist a genius... no, they are different. So... if I just yap about breasts and raid panty drawers... will I miraculously become a genius? In this world of limitless possibilities... as stupid as this sounds, anything can be possible. Wait... if breasts hold such strength, could having breasts be even better?'

Orochimaru sighed and shook his head. He was stressed, clearly. And he knew that he needed some biological release. It was a good thing that genjutsu can cover up so many utilities.

*Knock*

*Knock*

A series of knocks broke Orochimaru out of his thoughts.

Giving his poisoned form being eaten from withing one last look, Orochimaru's skin shifted again and he looked normal once again.

He then wore a yellow tunic with a black round neck and sleeves alongside black trousers before tying a purple jute rope around his waist. Putting on the smile like he always does, Orochi stepped towards the exit of his apartment situated in a more 'silent' region more visited by chunins or higher who would keep to themselves.

As he opened the door, the bandaged face of Danzo greeted his eyes and the man who seemed to have lost all his power over Konoha's forces spoke in a muted but domineering and slow tone, "Orochimaru... of all the clans, have you considered my offer?"

Expecting the man two weeks ago ever since he had left Tsunade's team of researchers in the Konoha Hospital, the man replied with a cold smile, "Elder Danzo... have you gotten over spying on the Senju? Given our last conversation... I can't help but wonder if it was you who sent to assassinate Team Tsunade."

Danzo looked at Orochimaru before his lips curled up slightly, "And I failed, paying the price for it. And you remained silent knowing fully well that Tsunade has truly started to investigate this matter now that she has taken a long leave from the Second Shinobi World War."

"My administration for Tsunade does not mean that I must protect her from every adversary. I half expect to root you out quick enough given she has taken such admirable political steps these days," Orochimaru retorted with a smile, "But how will you even hope to satisfy my needs?"

"I once told you that you are a Shinobi that must be forged with the harshness of reality. And I state this honestly... I have everything that you need. You may have gotten the remains of the Eighth Tails during one of your war effort missions that caused the death of the previous Gyuki Jinchuriki... but I have something priceless."

Orochimaru's gaze shimmered for a second.

He cannot stop.

If he was to die... and from the looks of it, he just may die quicker than he ever imagined... then he wished to try everything to achieve his dreams.

Tsunade was the best of them, lenient and compromising when needed or a stubborn hardass when the situation called for it.

Jiraiya... Orochimaru had a begrudging respect for the man's luck, not his skills.

But Orochimaru has always worked his way up. From finding the Ryuchi Cave to this point where the only way he can be satisfied is by continuing his work even if it meant hurting innocents...

'To know everything...' Orochimaru took a shuddering and deep breath as Danzo stood on his doorstep silently.

'One must have the qualities to bear everything.'

His eyelids slowly opened and he smiled, "I believe what we are about to discuss is not something Sensei would like, right?"

"Aside from his Will of Fire, breasts, and Biwako-san, your sensei is not fond of many things," Danzo replied coldly.

"Come now, Biwako-san still looks in her early forties. Give her some credit." Orochimaru chuckled as he stepped aside and let Danzo in before noting two... children in porcelain masks and dark cloaks standing guard near the end of the hallway.

'How amusing...' Orochimaru smiled and closed his door.

***

A/N: Because Danzo stepped down, he couldn't have Nawaki Killed off in the stupidly humorous trap. God, I love Nawaki's death scene. Always did. Ehm. Anyway, I hope I made Orochimaru... hehe, a damsel in distress~!

With most of the stuff concluded, there remains one thing before the time skip.

As for time skip, I don't wish to just zip to the end of the time skips and then bore you with a looooonnngggg number of skills.

Instead, I will spread the time skip in 2-3 chaps where the things will be summarized to keep up with the current relationship and skills, and why Kai thought of grinding certain skills.

***

Shoutout to Edward O'neil, King, Ronin Katarn, Jonas Engell, and Fahad Alzahem!!

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