518 Naruto the Flame-Flame Fruit

Orochimaru's words made Boruto furious.

"What I'm worried about isn't that kind of thing. What secret curse mark? Mitsuki isn't some kind of tool! He's your son!"

Orochimaru gave a small smile, and Kiyosuke also laughed.

"What are you two laughing at?"

"I just remembered something pleasant." Kiyosuke coughed lightly. "Boruto, you didn't come here just to see Orochimaru-sensei, did you?"

"Sensei?"

"You didn't know? He's mine and Sasuke's teacher. Alright, enough about that—tell us why you came here."

Boruto took out a small white snake.

"This was something Mitsuki left me before he left. Before he went, he told me, 'This is my will.' But with just that single sentence, I couldn't understand what he meant at all."

"So you ran all the way here?"

"That's right. Please look into it. Anything—any information at all is fine. I just want to know why Mitsuki did this. Please."

Orochimaru accepted the little white snake.

"Sure. Give me some time. Wait here."

He took the white snake with him and entered the laboratory.

Kiyosuke followed.

"It seems that after the Ōtsutsuki incident, this kid changed a lot. At the very least, he knows how to ask for help now."

"Children need to grow. Not every child can handle their relationships the way you did when you were young, Kiyosuke-kun. Children who grew up in peaceful times can't compare to those of you who've suffered." Orochimaru said.

"We don't want our kids to suffer what we did… right? But at the same time, if they never experience hardship, they may not be able to handle it when it comes. That's how parents are—always torn." Kiyosuke let out a helpless laugh.

"So Mitsuki has finally learned to express his own will?"

"That is a good thing."

Orochimaru nodded happily. Mitsuki was his artificial child—like a son. But artificial humans were unlike real children. Real children have plenty of time to grow. Time shapes them, helps them form their values.

Artificial humans, however, appear already looking several years old while knowing nothing. A blank sheet of paper waiting for any color to be painted onto it.

But Orochimaru wanted his artificial children to paint their own colors—not have him paint those colors for them. Otherwise, they would be no different from puppets.

If he wanted puppets, he could make thousands. But that would be meaningless—and a waste. He saw his artificial humans as children and hoped they would develop selves like real humans.

Mitsuki was his most special child, the one he placed the greatest expectations on. He hoped Mitsuki would walk a path in Konoha completely different from his own.

Being able to express his own will was a wonderful beginning.

Even if that child truly defected from Konoha someday—it didn't matter.

The two began analyzing the information on the little white snake. Kiyosuke said:

"You always thought Mitsuki was like the moon—unable to shine on his own, only reflecting someone else's light. But now he's trying to find the moon's true nature, isn't he? His sense of self is awakening."

"Yes. All I can do now is watch him learn." Orochimaru smiled gently.

"If Jiraiya-sama saw you like this, he'd probably drop his jaw."

"That idiot Jiraiya is probably enjoying traveling with Tsunade. But I heard he finally returned to Konoha for this matter."

"I'm not sure. I've been staying here with you for quite a while."

They'd stayed because of the need to resolve Momoshiki's data.

"Yeah. Hm?"

Orochimaru looked at the data on the monitor. The information extracted from the snake contained only the same sentence Boruto had mentioned. There should've been more.

Through the link between two small snakes, Orochimaru should've been able to talk with Mitsuki—like speaking over a phone. But suddenly, he could no longer read anything from this one.

"Seems we need someone else to analyze it."

"White Snake Sage?" The sages of Ryūchi Cave could do it, but…

It was dangerous!

"Mm."

"Then we should guide them to seek out the White Snake Sage."

"You're surprisingly not worried."

"Since they chose to come on their own, they need to learn how to face danger. Besides—my brat probably already snuck out. Boruto came privately; he won't just sit back. He'll be here soon."

Perfect chance to train at Ryūchi Cave.

They walked out and found Sarada had arrived too.

"Nice to meet you."

Orochimaru had a good impression of Sarada.

"H-hello."

Sarada had never seen Orochimaru before, though she'd heard he was her father's teacher. Shinichi had also trained here, and it was Shinichi who'd given them the location.

Afterward, Orochimaru and Kiyosuke told them the analysis results and pointed them toward a path.

"You can go to Ryūchi Cave and find the White Snake Sage. But… the White Snake Sage has a strange personality and is hard to please. If you're careless, you might lose your life. Will you still go?"

"Of course! I won't give up!"

"Alright. Follow this direction and you'll reach Ryūchi Cave. People from Konoha will try to stop you on the way. Whether you succeed depends on your luck." Kiyosuke grinned.

"You're not going to stop us?"

"If I stopped you, you wouldn't go?"

"We'll go back!"

"Then that settles it." Kiyosuke smiled. "I've got things to handle, so you two go on your own. Oh—if you run into Shinichi, tell him to train in Ryūchi Cave for a while. If he comes looking for you, give him this, and have him deliver it to Ichikishimahime. If he doesn't show up, then you deliver it."

A small green snake slipped out of his sleeve and handed something to Boruto.

"Ichikishimahime?"

"One of the three sages under the White Snake Sage. She and I get along the best. As for Tagorihime… don't provoke her."

"Got it." Boruto memorized it, then left with Sarada.

Orochimaru asked:

"Don't you have a contract with Ryūchi Cave? Why make them find it on their own?"

"You have one too, don't you?"

Neither said more, turning their attention back to deciphering the Kāma. It contained much Ōtsutsuki knowledge. If they could decode it, they wouldn't be so passive when facing the Ōtsutsuki in the future.

As for Momoshiki—his ambitions would never be realized. He would become nourishment for Kiyosuke, pushing him further.

"I'm not someone who gets overtaken so easily, Momoshiki. You underestimate humans far too much."

Clenching his fist, Kiyosuke continued studying the Kāma with Orochimaru.