Jiraiya gazed into the distance, as though his eyes could pierce through mountains and shadows to reach his former comrade walking in darkness.
"Orochimaru… may have strayed down a twisted path," he said slowly, "but I believe that, deep down, he still holds complicated feelings for Konoha."
"It's where he was born. Where he grew up. Where he once fought with everything he had."
There was a stubborn certainty in Jiraiya's tone.
Kakashi fell silent.
Whether Orochimaru still cared about Konoha was one matter.
But Kakashi could clearly sense that Jiraiya had already convinced himself of something else—
That Orochimaru and Karin would meet.
"I understand," Kakashi finally said with a nod.
He didn't argue further.
Once Jiraiya made up his mind, Kakashi knew his role was simply to carry out the mission—even one that seemed nearly impossible.
As for whether Orochimaru would respond… and if he did, whether he would scoff at them or actually bring Karin to Konoha—
That was another uncertainty entirely.
While Jiraiya sighed helplessly in the wilderness and resolved to risk contacting Orochimaru—
In a barren valley elsewhere in the shinobi world, the very man in question was experiencing something close to ecstatic delight.
Orochimaru's golden, snake-like eyes locked onto the petite red-haired figure not far away. His long tongue slid unconsciously across his cheek, leaving a damp trail as a low, pleased chuckle escaped him.
"Hehehe… the so-called 'Demon Child,' Karin… I've heard quite a bit about you."
His voice was hoarse, each syllable thick with desire.
"To meet you here… like this… what a delightful surprise."
His gaze burned intensely.
He had changed his route, yes.
But deep inside, hadn't he also entertained the thought that perhaps fate would make its own arrangements?
And now—
Reality had not only confirmed that thought, it had exceeded his expectations.
It felt as if destiny itself favored him… as if there were some irresistible pull between him and this girl.
The thrill coursed through him.
In stark contrast to his excitement, Karin's face had turned cold in an instant. Shock—and unmistakable killing intent—flashed through her crimson eyes.
"I'm not happy at all."
Her voice was sharp as ice.
She could hardly believe what she was seeing.
She had deliberately taken a wide detour, avoiding every possible location shown in the sky projection.
So why—
Why was this persistent "human trafficker" still standing in front of her?!
The sensation of being tugged by invisible threads—unable to escape a predetermined trajectory no matter what she did—filled her with violent irritation.
And when she was irritated—
She wanted to kill.
Her small fists clenched, bones cracking softly. Her red eyes narrowed dangerously as she locked onto Orochimaru. That heart-pounding power around her began to gather, restrained but ready to erupt.
Orochimaru, ever perceptive, immediately sensed the undisguised killing intent.
But instead of tensing or retreating, his smile deepened—strange and knowing.
He spoke unhurriedly, almost gently.
"There's no need to be so hasty, little girl. In truth… I'm just like you."
The words hit like a pause button.
Karin's killing intent faltered. She frowned suspiciously.
"…Like me? In what way?"
She sized him up from head to toe. This eerie, cold-blooded man—what could he possibly share with her?
Orochimaru's smile grew more profound, golden eyes gleaming with insight as he delivered words that shook her.
"The same… disgust for the so-called 'normalcy' and 'rules' of this world."
"The same… pursuit of truths and powers beyond common understanding."
"The same… experience of being 'watched' by certain unseen 'presences.' Am I wrong?"
Each sentence was like a key, prying open the tightly sealed door inside Karin—a door filled with chaos and madness.
Especially that last line.
Watched by a presence.
Her pupils contracted.
She remembered the whisper that had echoed in her darkest moment—the voice that had granted her strength.
Orochimaru observed her shifting expression and knew he had struck the mark.
He extended his pale hand—not with false gentleness this time, but with the naked invitation of one recognizing another of the same kind.
"See? This is what makes 'fate' so interesting. Even when we deliberately avoid it, it finds another way to bring us together."
"Because we are alike, Karin."
"Come with me. Only with me can you truly understand the 'secret' within you… and bring your desire to 'cleanse the world' to its most absolute conclusion."
Karin stared at his outstretched hand.
Then at his snake-like eyes—eyes that seemed capable of seeing through every secret she held.
The killing intent in her heart gradually gave way to something far more complex:
Curiosity.
Recognition.
Destruction.
"I don't believe in fate."
Her voice was cold and resolute, as if trying to sever the suffocating inevitability he was weaving around her.
She hated the feeling of being predicted, arranged—like a puppet on strings.
Orochimaru didn't argue.
Instead, his smile grew deeper.
He shifted angles, speaking like a patient guide.
"After watching the sky projection, you deliberately changed direction. You avoided the path you might have originally taken… correct?"
Karin instinctively nodded.
That was exactly what she had done.
She wanted to shatter the so-called prophecy—to prove she was free.
"I did the same," Orochimaru said lightly, as if stating something utterly mundane.
"…?!"
Karin froze.
Her red eyes widened in disbelief.
She scrutinized his face, searching for deception.
He changed his route too?
He also refused to follow the script shown in the sky?
He… made the same choice she did?
Orochimaru savored her reaction.
In a low, magnetic voice—like a devil whispering temptation—he continued:
"I was very curious…"
"After deliberately altering my plans… after deviating from the trajectory revealed by the sky…"
"Would I… still meet you again?"
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 70 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/Sagamaster789