Chapter 214: Snow That No Longer Exists

Orochimaru let out a quiet sigh as he took the boy's hand. Together, they looked over shattered ruins and scattered refugees drifting through the broken land.

"Why are you looking at snow when you're blind?"

"I can still hear it." "It was what Karin told me, snow crunches under your feet, right? 'Ksha-ksha' sounds. And you can build snowmen, and have snowball fights."

"I've never had a snowball fight before."

"Do you think they'll finish the war before winter comes, Orochimaru?"

Even if it ends, the Land of Earth had ordered total annihilation. Blood had stained the moat red. Soldiers and civilians alike had been burned for half a month before the city was finally reduced to ash. There would never be again.

"Have you ever been to the Land of Iron?" The boy shook his head, eyes full of expectation.

"Then let's go there." "In comparison to Kinka City, the snow there falls several times heavier."

"Really?!"

"Ah. Snow falls all year and never melts. Even I was impressed the first time I went."

"If even you were surprised, then I want to go!" The boy leaned forward excitedly. "Orochimaru, can I bring Jugo with me?"

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering across his face. "Oh? You're not afraid of him anymore?"

"Nope!" "Jugo is amazing! He can call animals, right? How does he do that? Can he teach me? I want to learn too!"

A gentle voice answered from behind him. "That's not something you can simply learn."

BOOM. The blind boy could not see the young man behind him. But Orochimaru could see everything. Blood stained Kabuto's clothes. Even his glasses were speckled with it. Kabuto's expression remained warm. That same calm smile, completely mismatched with the battlefield behind him. So did Orochimaru's plain white robe. The only thing it matched was this low hill. Was the river in the distance dyed faint red. Was the rising smoke and distant cries of refugees.

"Ka, bu, to!" The boy's face lit up instantly. He was genuinely happy. Kabuto often brought him strange, interesting things. And this time was no exception.

From his tool pouch, Kabuto pulled out something that wasn't a kunai. A small wooden bird. When wound up, it flapped its wings and let out a soft "coo-coo."

"Ah! This!"

"This is a mechanical bird." "Wind it up, and it can fly." "But this isn't your clan's puppet technique. It's handmade. A local product." Kabuto explained patiently.

The bird had been taken from a toy shop in the ruined town. He hadn't paid. Not because he didn't want to, but because he arrived too late. An explosive tag had already destroyed the shop. He didn't originally want a bird. A frog or a snake would have suited him more. But among the surviving toys, only this wooden bird had no blood on it. So as "payment" for taking it, Kabuto buried the shop owner, whose body had been torn apart by the explosion.

The boy played happily with the toy. Only then did Kabuto report the results. "The Land of Tea Daimyo has surrendered." "This region now belongs to the Land of Fire."

Orochimaru nodded slightly. But his expression was no longer amused. "If they surrendered, then why is fighting still happening in the distance?"

"Well. You know how it is. The Land of Tea wasn't only Otogakure." "There are still rogue ninja factions resisting." "I heard Konoha has already suffered heavy losses." "They'll want to settle that score, no matter what."

It was reasonable. If comrades died on this land, their rage would naturally be unleashed here.

"How is the village situation?"

"Yes. It has been dismantled." "Both the northern and western bases have been cleared." "The Sound Five are heading to the southern base for cleanup."

"And that toad is still there?"

"Ah, yes." "And we've also confirmed that Tsunade-sama is heading there as well." Kabuto finished.

Orochimaru laughed softly. He reached out and grabbed the boy just before he rolled off the slope chasing the toy bird. "Once, the Three Sannin." "To think we've fallen to this state." "Truly nostalgic."

Kabuto chuckled lightly. "A rare moment of self-awareness from you."

Orochimaru shook his head. "It's just, I worked so hard to preserve everything." "And it still ended up like this." "Forget it." "Kabuto, handle the refugees around this base." "When you're done, go straight to the southern base and wait for me."

"Yes." Kabuto hesitated slightly. "Orochimaru-sama, someone from Danzo's side has contacted us. Will you meet them?"

Orochimaru smiled. "No need." "If Danzo is coming, I already know why." "I'm going to the Land of Iron to see snow. No time for him."

"Wait, wait, now?!" The boy perked up instantly at the word "snow."

Orochimaru smiled. "Yes. Now."

Kabuto exhaled lightly. "You really are unusually free-spirited."

"Hey, Kabuto, you're not coming?" The boy asked innocently.

Kabuto reached out slightly, almost wanting to ruffle the boy's white hair, but stopped. His hands were still stained with blood. So he wiped them on his clothes first. Then finally, he touched the soft curls. "Go enjoy yourself."

"Okay!"

Kabuto turned away. But the boy's voice stopped him again. "Kabuto."

"Yes?"

"Be kind to the war orphans."

Kabuto froze. His throat tightened. His eyes burned slightly. His nose stung. He turned around and knelt on one knee. His voice came out rough. "Yes, Orochimaru-sama."

War orphans. Uzumaki Nagato was one. Yahiko was one, and Kabuto himself was one too.