Not long after, several ANBU escorted Orochimaru into the Hokage's office. His entire body was bound with sealing jutsu.
The moment he laid eyes on Orochimaru, Naruto stepped forward urgently and demanded,
"Where's Sasuke?!"
Orochimaru ignored the boy in front of him, licking his lips and skipping past him entirely.
"Tsunade… It's been a while."
His escape to Konoha hadn't been easy. Though Hyuga Gakuya had been held off by Jiraiya, several Federation shinobi had chased him all the way to the borders of the Land of Fire.
Tsunade had no patience for small talk. She slammed her hand on the desk and barked,
"Where's Jiraiya? He went to rescue you—why didn't he come back with you? What the hell happened in the Federation?!"
Orochimaru let out a cold chuckle.
"That fool tried to buy me time to deliver this intel. He fought Hyuga Gakuya with everything he had. He's probably dead."
Tsunade's face went pale. Her body swayed, and Shizune rushed forward to steady her.
"Federation? Hyuga Gakuya? What's going on?! This can't be real! There's no way Jiraiya-sensei would just—" Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief, voice cracking with emotion.
Kakashi placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder, his expression grim.
"Orochimaru, you'd better explain everything. From the beginning."
But Orochimaru merely smiled, unfazed by their anger.
"I promised Jiraiya I'd bring you this intel. That's why I'm here."
Tsunade's gaze was sharp as a blade. "Then talk."
Orochimaru, sensing the upper hand, remained composed.
"I have one condition. Consider it a part of the exchange."
Tsunade, seething with pain and fury, gritted her teeth.
"You think someone like you has any right to negotiate?"
He just laughed. "Don't be so heartless, Tsunade. The information I have concerns the fate of the entire shinobi world—and the very survival of Konoha."
Kakashi stepped forward, eyes fixed on Orochimaru with caution.
"State your condition."
Orochimaru's gaze swept across the room.
"You'll stop hunting me… and provide me a safe haven. In return, I'll tell you everything I know about the Federation's secrets."
"More than that, I'll help you fight the enemies behind all of this. That's not too much to ask, is it? Hyuga Gakuya's still after me. Of all the places in this world, only Konoha is truly safe."
Tears streamed down Naruto's face as he shouted, "No way! Jiraiya-sensei gave his life for that intel—don't even think about using it to bargain!"
Tsunade took a deep breath, still trembling with grief.
"Orochimaru… there's no telling if you're telling the truth. If you're lying, Konoha could be in even greater danger."
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes.
"You of all people should know the situation you're in. If you pass up this chance, you might never learn the truth. This is what Jiraiya died to deliver."
At that moment, Shizune finally spoke up, her voice cautious.
"Lady Hokage… maybe we should at least hear what he has to say. But we can't let our guard down."
Tsunade's breath trembled as she fought to contain her anger. Finally, she nodded.
"Fine. Speak. Tell us everything you know. If your intel holds up, I'll consider your conditions."
Orochimaru gave a wicked smile. His goal was already within reach.
Slowly, he began to recount everything—how he encountered Hyuga Gakuya, how he fell under his control, and how the alternate persona, Chiba Mokushū, manipulated him to carry out the Konoha Crush. He spoke of being bound by Edo Tensei, with his very soul enslaved.
Then he described how Jiraiya had ultimately found him, how the two of them escaped together, and the conversation Jiraiya had with Hyuga Gakuya—his theory about Gakuya's split personality.
Finally, Orochimaru repeated every word Gakuya had said before his apparent self-destruction.
When he finished speaking, silence blanketed the room. Everyone was stunned, deep in thought.
Naruto lunged toward Orochimaru, furious.
"You expect me to believe Mokushū was part of the Akatsuki?! Granny Tsunade, we can't trust him!"
Orochimaru scoffed. "Believe what you want. This is the truth. It's the message Jiraiya asked me to pass along."
Naruto clenched his fists. Hearing his teacher's name stirred doubt in his heart—doubt that slowly began to feel like belief.
Could Mokushū, the man who once helped him, really be the same villain who stole the Six-Tails… who manipulated Sasuke?
Were Gakuya and Mokushū now one and the same? Had Mokushū disappeared… or had he been absorbed?
And now, it was that same man—his brother figure—who had taken Jiraiya-sensei's life.
Why? Why had it come to this?
Why couldn't they all just get along—sit together, eat, talk, laugh, and find peace?
Naruto stood frozen, his mind flooded with memories.
Memories of time spent with Jiraiya-sensei—learning jutsu, shopping for clothes, traveling the world.
Memories of Mokushū—comforting him in his darkest moments, revealing the truth about his parents, telling him he wasn't alone.
He couldn't accept it. He didn't want to believe that the one who once gave him warmth… was now the mastermind behind it all.
And worst of all, the man who'd taken the life of his beloved teacher.
To make matters worse, Konoha was technically in the wrong. As shinobi, they had trespassed into forbidden territory. Even if Jiraiya had been killed, Konoha had no right to complain.
Naruto's tears fell like rain, unstoppable and bitter.
"Why…" he murmured, voice cracking with sorrow. "Why can't we all just live in peace?"
He could still see Mokushū's smile… still hear his words of encouragement echoing in his ears.
But now, all of it felt like a cruel, heartless lie.
...
Naruto's fists trembled. His body shook with the weight of anger and grief.
He couldn't understand—why did there have to be so much hatred, so many battles between people?
He had always believed that if he just kept trying, if everyone held onto hope, peace could be real.
But now… Jiraiya was gone. Sasuke was lost. Mokushū had changed.
Everything he believed in was starting to fall apart.
"What am I supposed to do now? How can I change any of this…?"
Tsunade said quietly, "Naruto, this was my decision. I'm sorry. I was the one who approved Jiraiya's mission."
She was afraid Naruto would act recklessly and seek revenge on Hyuga Gakuya. So she took the blame on herself.
Tears streamed down Naruto's face like broken pearls.
"Pervy Sage would never ask you to take a risk like that! Why did you let him go on such a dangerous mission?!"
Without waiting for a reply, Naruto turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
Kakashi watched him go, then turned to Tsunade. "You didn't have to do that."
"I did," Tsunade replied. She tried to sound strong, but grief shimmered in her eyes. "I'm the Hokage. I have to carry the weight."
"Let's get to the point," she continued. "Kakashi, you've known Hyuga Gakuya better than most. What do you make of Orochimaru's story? Do you believe him?"
Kakashi took a deep breath, then answered seriously, "Split personalities often stem from childhood trauma, psychological stress, or harsh environments."
"Gakuya grew up with deep-seated resentment and was constantly oppressed by the Hyuga clan. It's entirely possible that this could've led to a fractured identity."
"Plus, the way Gakuya and Chiba Mokushū act and think are completely different. The odds that someone could fake such a perfectly distinct second persona are… pretty low."
Tsunade nodded slightly. She agreed—no one could fake that kind of split.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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