Upon their arrival after a few days, the report gathered during the time they spent travelling back confirmed Katsuro's thoughts.
"Lord Orochimaru has turned rogue and is fleeing the village at this moment after his crimes of savage and forbidden experiments were revealed."
The evidence was irrefutable, Orochimaru had been conducting inhumane experiments, not unlike what had been uncovered of Danzo. But it had its differences. Katsuro read the report himself and noted some key things. It seemed like his warning had been heeded as there was no member of his clans, in fact perhaps out of wariness there were few members of Konoha at all. Katsuro attributed this to the fact he was supposed to become Hokage as well as his change to eventually caring for the village as whole once the cancers had been removed. But at the mention of Hashirama cells, Katsuro's eyebrows twitched. It seemed that everything seemed to revolve around his ancestor's cells.
There were still some civilians and lower level Shinobi experimented on, some who had gone missing and others who had died beforehand. But the majority were shinobi bodies collected from the war, and in the time after civilian bodies from villages in the land of fire. Nonetheless, despite being less distasteful as it may have been in an alternative universe, Orochimaru was guilty of several crimes. Treason, unethical experimentation, desecration of bodies, kidnapping, murder and mass murder to just name a few.
"A squad of Anbu members has been sent forward for his capture, accompanied by Lord Third." the messenger continued. It seemed that the village had already made moves to capture the traitor.
Hiruzen? He should be able to with the Anbu, but knowing him… Yeah, Orochimaru will escape.
Katsuro turned toward Minato and nodded before he disappeared.
Minato sighed, it seemed there would be no rest for them despite coming back from the mission. He immediately gave out orders, one of which prepared to label Orochimaru a rogue nin.
Orochimaru was well-known as a member of the legendary Sannin, but that reputation had been tarnished once an Anbu member stumbled across his lair, containing the various samples, equipment and experiments containing other shinobi and humans from not just the Leaf village but others as well. Of course, word spread throughout the inner council as well as between parts of the village. But at least he had not touched the Senju, or Uzumaki clans but the allure of Hashirama cells was too great. Its vitality was simply mesmerising for someone like Orochimaru who sought the secrets to immortality, luckily unknown to almost anyone, the lack of attention to a certain one armed old man allowed him to do what he did best and accumulate in the shadows.
Katsuro made his way to the forest and after some time quickly caught sight of Hiruzen and his group of Anbu members far ahead locked in battle with the snake Sannin.
"Sarutobi Sensei, you know you can't stop me," he sneered.
"Orochimaru, come quietly!" Hiruzen yelled, his own Adamanite Nyoi drawn, although it didn't look like he was prepared to use it to its full effect. His voice wavered, and he didn't seem too motivated to attack or arrest his own student. While Hiruzen was sly, ignorant and partially selfish, he was still a teacher, and he would never wish harm upon his own pupils, especially one like Orochimaru whom he had been training since the new criminal's childhood, who had thought of like his own son.
Why Orochimaru, why would you do this? I helped you to become such an incredible shinobi alongside Tsunade and Jiraiya, so what led to this?!
While Hiruzen hesitated, Orochimaru dodged the attacks of the Anbu, countering and slipping through their net, trapping him.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible, Sensei," Orochimaru smiled darkly, clearly using their past teacher-student relationship to his advantage. The Anbu members tried their best, but with a lack of support from the Professor who was at best fighting half heartedly they struggled against the Kage level shinobi. Eventually under the cover provided by the attacks, Orochimaru was able to use his signature Jutsus and slip away.
"Don't let him get away! He is a traitor and I will bring him back with my own hands!" The shinobi looked in confusion at the former Hokage, who was clearly torn between his bond to his former student and the duty he had to the safety of the village. But they heeded the order immediately giving chase with the former Hokage who couldn't seem to make up his mind.
Unbeknownst to them, the Orochimaru they were chasing was a fake, while the real one had emerged from a snake going the opposite direction.
Orochimaru thought he had shed his pursuers, and a smile crept on his face as he ran. But after a short period of time he felt a presence ahead.
Recognising who it was, his guard instantly raised five fold what it had been during the previous fight as he prepared to use everything he had to survive. But with his calm and analytical mind, he realised that the very fact he could sense the man who didn't even seem to be moving signified that perhaps he didn't need to fight.
Orochimaru ran to the location and came to the stop, revealing Katsuro behind a tree with his eyes closed and arms crossed.
Orochimaru spoke with his trademark sly smile, that spoke of confidence despite his situation. "What do you want then, Katsuro?" I am assuming you know of my experiments by now already."
"Yeah, I've been told," Katsuro's eyes opened slowly. He looked his old friend in the eye, "Why, why go down the dark path, causing suffering to innocents?"
"I'm going to have to cut in, Katsuro," Orochimaru sighed, "I'm sure you're aware of it too, Katsuro, the fragility of humans. We are able to die so simply, so easily, and even if we don't die as shinobi, age catches up to us. That thought had always been in my mind, but I truly realised it after the death of my parents. Then the death of young Nawaki."
Katsuro's expression turned more sorrowful and darker, but he didn't cut off Orochimari, who continued.
"I was trying to fix this issue that we have. Our friends, family, loved ones, dying so easily, at the hands of others or at the hands of time. Even before your warning, I had no intention of harming members of the Senju clan, or other families and clans, like I said before."
"That is true," Katsuro muttered, "but your crimes are inexcusable, Orochimaru. You have forsaken your humanity itself on this path."
At his words Orochimaru tensed, bracing to escape. But Katsuro's next words brought him much needed relief.
"Stay out of my sight for a while, Orochimaru…"
Orochimaru was shocked, so much so that even his expressionless face couldn't hide it completely. But a smile crept up on his face as he prepared to leave.
But things that seemed too good to be true often were. Katsuro seemed to remember something as he spoke. "Wait a moment, I can't let you go without punishment," Katsuro said, "you've kidnapped, murdered and tortured people of this village, not to mention even used my ancestor's cells…"
Katsuro seemed to be talking to himself, and Orochimaru didn't interject as he continued. "Raise your arm."
The pale-looking man didn't hesitate, and sighed, knowing that he wouldn't be able to get away that easily.
"You still committed crimes, and for that you must pay."
In one swift motion, Katsuro unsheathed his sword, struck down, and sheathed it once again. Orochimaru's arm fell to the ground, as he grunted in pain, before quickly wrapping the severed arm and the wound in medical cloth.
"Now, I have a parting gift," Katsuro handed a scroll over to Orochimaru, "I recently found more of these humanoid creatures called White Zetsus. It seems like they can be replicated or cloned, and they are able to use chakra and certain techniques. These things seem to remind me of wood style in a way, and from what I've observed their healing capabilities seem to be otherworldly. Perhaps this will be the key to your problems, and can even provide you with a more… ethical source of experimentation."
"I see," Orochimaru carefully took the scroll before examining it and placing it in his pocket, "This will certainly be useful, but I can't imagine you are just handing this over."
"No… I will expect that you tell me of your findings, and even what you discovered with Lord First's cells. And in exchange, you will be allowed to live."
Orochimaru chuckled at the sheer arrogance and brazenness, but couldn't deny that it was completely valid for the man before him to demand such things. It was a transaction, and no words of thanks would be exchanged between them, but unlike many others whom he had met, Katsuro had treated him with respect, for reasons other than him being one of the legendary Sannin. "I look forward to meeting you again, whenever that may be."
"Right." Katsuro let Orochimaru go, not just because he was his old friend and had heeded his warnings, but he saw the value in such a genius. Perhaps he would be in need of him in the future.
The two turned away from each other, heading in opposite directions, both immediately concealing their presences and rushing away.
Little did Katsuro know… that future would come much sooner than he had expected.
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