Chapter 72: Uncle Snake Taking Care of the Kid Himself?
The massive ice sculpture stood silently under the moonlight, lending a sense of tranquility to the battlefield that had been filled with killing intent just moments ago.
In the center of the clearing, only the large wooden barrel containing Sasuke remained.
"It's settled... the final enemy... has also been sealed." Kiba panted heavily, looking at the crystalline mountain of ice, his face filled with disbelief.
Beside him, Neji also silently lowered his Gentle Fist stance, the veins at his temples throbbing. His Byakugan vision told him that the man named Kimimaro had his Chakra and life force completely frozen; he was now a corpse.
Just as Shikamaru and Kiba were preparing to step forward and retrieve Sasuke,
A bone-chilling, cold killing intent enveloped the entire clearing without warning.
A pale man draped in a white cloak appeared out of thin air, his golden vertical pupils filled with coldness and mockery.
Orochimaru. Just by standing there, the aura belonging to one of the Legendary Sannin pressed down on Genin like Neji and Sakura until they could barely breathe.
He licked the corner of his mouth, his long tongue tracing a bizarre arc through the air.
"What a bunch of capable brats... to actually force me to come in person to pick up this disobedient child."
A sense of despair washed over the entire team.
The strongest of the Otogakure had been dealt with, but was the final mountain they had to face actually Orochimaru himself?
Just as everyone tensed their nerves, preparing for the final battle,
Uzumaki Naruto's brain circuitry once again deviated from the serious atmosphere of the scene.
He looked at Orochimaru standing next to Sasuke, ready to personally "take the kid" home. Instead of fear, a strange sense of sympathy welled up in his heart.
On the heavenly curtain that only a few could see, his thoughts were being broadcast in real-time.
[Oh my... this, what a touching scene this is!]
Tears shimmered in Naruto's deep blue eyes, as if he were watching a family melodrama.
[Look at Uncle Snake! Look at our poor Uncle Snake!]
[His subordinates are all dead, and his strongest bodyguard was turned into a popsicle. He even has to drag his sickly body out here to personally pick up this rebellious teenager.]
[This image of enduring hardship, this feeling of pulling a child up as they grow... isn't this exactly like a typical single mother?!]
[To go against the whole world just to fight for custody of the child. To silently endure all the criticism just so the child can have a better life. So great!]
[When I become Hokage, I definitely have to award Uncle Snake the 'Top Ten Most Touching Mothers of the Ninja World' medal! I've even thought of the trophy name—'The Thread in the Kind Mother's Hand, Wrapped Around Uncle Snake's Body'!]
Boom!
This "Kind Mother" commentary instantly exploded in the minds of all Sky Screen Holders.
Inside the Hokage Office.
"Pfft—!"
Tsunade, who had just picked up her teacup, sprayed a mouthful of hot tea all over the desk, soaking a large pile of documents. She covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking violently, her face turning red as she tried to be angry but couldn't stop laughing.
Single mother? Top ten mothers?!
That old rival she'd fought with her whole life... that's the image he has in that Naruto kid's head?
"Haha... ha... I can't..."
Meanwhile, in the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force, Anko Mitarashi was grabbing an Otogakure captive's hair, preparing to apply torture. The moment she heard Naruto's inner voice, her hand slipped, and she collapsed to the floor laughing, clutching her stomach and pounding the ground.
"Single... mother... Hahahaha! If Orochimaru knew what Naruto was thinking, would his face crack on the spot? He probably couldn't figure out in his dreams how he went from a terrifying villain to the lead in a tearjerker!"
On the battlefield.
Orochimaru had no idea his image was being ruthlessly deconstructed. He walked over to Sasuke's side.
Seeing this, Sasuke also slowly stepped out from the darkness, preparing to put on his coldest expression and say something like "I'm no longer from the same world as you all" to his former companions.
But as soon as he looked up, he met Naruto's eyes, which were filled with "care" and "sympathy."
An indescribable chill shot up Sasuke's spine to the top of his head.
He shuddered violently, instinctively wanting to pull away from Orochimaru's hand.
"Hmm?" Orochimaru noticed Sasuke's abnormality, but assuming it was just the youth's resistance, he gripped him even tighter.
He turned his head, his golden vertical pupils locking onto Naruto once more.
For some reason, Orochimaru felt the atmosphere around these brats today was very eerie. Especially that Uzumaki Naruto; the way he looked at him didn't hold a shred of fear, but rather felt like an elder looking at an immature junior.
This feeling made him very uncomfortable.
It was mainly because his physical condition didn't allow it, otherwise he wouldn't mind disposing of all these brats right here. But for now, leaving safely with Sasuke was the primary goal.
"Uzumaki Naruto..." Orochimaru spoke hoarsely, a hint of irritation in his voice, "We will meet again soon. I hope by then, you'll have become a bit more 'delicious'."
Leaving behind this threat, he activated the Body Flicker Technique, sweeping up the disgusted-looking Sasuke as he prepared to depart.
Just as their figures were about to vanish,
Naruto enthusiastically raised his hand, waving it hard as he shouted loudly:
"Take care—!"
Of course, what he truly wanted to say only appeared on the heavenly curtain.
[Take care! Auntie!]
[Wait, no, Uncle! Be careful on the way back! Remember to treat Sasuke well, don't let him get too skinny! The kid is growing, give him more calcium!]
[When you have time... remember to come back and visit often!]
Space distorted, and the figures of Orochimaru and Sasuke vanished completely.
The forest returned to silence, leaving behind a stunned pursuit team and one unlucky guy frozen in ice.
Sakura walked up to Naruto and lightly punched him on the head: "Idiot! That was Orochimaru, one of the Sannin! What was with that expression just now!"
Naruto clutched his head, looking innocent.
[What did I do? Wasn't I using love to influence the enemy? See, wasn't he moved by my sincerity and took the initiative to take the kid back to his hometown?]
At that moment, in Naruto's mind, his personal system panel quietly lit up.
[Ding! Detected that the host has caused irreversible psychological trauma to the Legendary Ninja Orochimaru with an invisible aura, forcing him to retreat while being mentally disadvantaged.]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the rare title: Mental Attack Master (Primary)!]
[Title Effect: When you roast an enemy internally, there is a certain chance to make the opponent develop self-doubt, become uneasy, and suffer a 5% decrease in combat power.]
Naruto was stunned.
[Mental attack? Does that mean the things I was thinking just now can affect the enemy? Wow! So my roasting is also a kind of power? Then I'll have to curse them more in the future!]
He looked in the direction where Orochimaru had disappeared, showing an eager, mischievous grin. Meanwhile, far away in Konoha, Tsunade burst into laughter again because of that "come back and visit often," making her feel that today's work wasn't so boring after all.