Simultaneous travel: Not eating beef

Orochimaru's words caught Shiraha completely off guard.

I thought he came to Wuyin to kidnap children, but I didn't expect him to be so audacious as to kidnap even a 17-year-old boy like himself.

Bai Yu rejected him, but Orochimaru wasn't angry. He simply said, "That day will come. Just like I was once full of passion for that village, but that burning passion will one day be extinguished by an incompetent person."

As he spoke, a fleeting hint of melancholy flashed in Orochimaru's eyes.

He didn't actually want to become Hokage; he only got involved because his teacher had hoped he would take on this responsibility.

To fulfill his teacher's expectations, even though he had no interest in the Hokage position, he was willing to put aside some research to become a qualified successor.

He had made all the preparations, but he never expected to be betrayed by his own teacher one day.

He chose a greenhorn and abandoned me, a qualified successor who had devoted myself to Konoha throughout World War II and even World War III.

He's an ordinary citizen, but am I not?

Now that things have come to this, Orochimaru's disdain for the Third Hokage has deepened even further.

The Fourth Hokage, a figure of great stature, was actually dragged down and killed by a tailed beast. If he had been the Fourth Hokage, everything would have been different!

For the sake of the village and for the expectations of his teacher, Orochimaru was willing to give up everything, even his life, even if it meant giving up immortality!

The two chatted for a long time, drinking until the two kids were almost asleep before the party ended.

He carried the two little devils in his arms back to the inn, with Orochimaru following along.

Just before entering, Orochimaru said, "Hakuba-kun, may I ask what brings you to Kirigakure?"

As Bai Yu pushed open the door, he said, "I've come to pick someone up, someone very important."

"Is that so?" Orochimaru sneered. "I'm here to witness Kirigakure's self-destruction, and also to see if any geniuses have slipped through the net. If you don't mind, how about we travel together for a while?"

Bai Yu carried the two little devils into the room, and before closing the door, he said, "Sure, I don't mind."

……

The next day.

Bai Yu got up early and dragged the kids out of bed to supervise their washing up.

After brushing his teeth, Sheren grinned at Bai Yu and said, "Tsk~, all clean."

Seeing this, Neji quickly followed suit and grinned, saying, "Tsk~, I've cleaned it up too."

Bai Yu chuckled and patted their heads, saying, "Not bad! When you're picking up new friends today, make sure you're clean and presentable to give them a good impression."

The two kids nodded earnestly, took Bai Yu's hand, and followed him out of the room.

The three walked out of the corridor, and Orochimaru followed them out at the same time.

They exchanged a glance and nodded, then Bai Yu led them away first.

After leaving the inn, Bai Yu bought some breakfast at a breakfast shop and then bought a horse-drawn carriage.

The two kids were inside, while Shiraha and Orochimaru sat outside, chatting as they headed towards Kirigakure.

Snowflakes drifted down from the sky, making the vast white earth a beautiful sight.

Before they knew it, the carriage had been traveling all day and was finally approaching Wuyin.

They entered a village, and after passing through the village, they would reach Mist Village.

As they were about to cross an iron bridge, Shiraha and Orochimaru simultaneously noticed a child huddled on the bridge, his entire body covered in white snow.

Orochimaru lamented, "Another tragedy. The evil in human nature will only create more and more tragedies, and these seeds of tragedy will not learn from their mistakes when they grow up. They will only create more tragedies for others."

Humanity, a despicable race, knows neither gratitude nor the ability to learn from its mistakes.

Bai Yu glanced at him sideways, then looked across the bridge.

A person carrying a backpack, dressed in Kirigakure ninja attire, with gauze wrapped around their face and a mark on their Kirigakure headband.

Zabuza Momochi, the future S-rank rogue ninja.

Bai Yu's lips curled up, and he murmured softly, "Oh,

"Isn't this Zabuza Momochi of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist without a sword?"

He certainly didn't have a knife, because the decapitation sword was in Bai Yu's hands.

The carriage stopped, and Zabuza on the other side also stopped.

The two locked eyes, and when Zabuza noticed Hakuba's distinctive eyes, he immediately drew his ninja sword and said warily, "The Byakugan clan of Konoha, you're ninjas from Konoha, aren't you? Come to my Kirigakure..."

He suddenly stopped talking at this point.

After a moment of silence, he sheathed his sword and muttered to himself, "What does this have to do with me? I'm no longer a ninja of Kirigakure."

After saying that, he didn't look at Bai Yu and the other person, but lowered his head and was about to walk around them.

"Interesting." Orochimaru licked his lips, his gaze towards Zabuza blatantly undisguised.

Just as Zabuza was about to pass the carriage, he suddenly drew his ninja sword and slashed at Orochimaru, shouting, "Bastard! I hate that look in your eyes, die!"

At 16, Zabuza was still a bit too young.

Orochimaru held the blade between two fingers, licked his lips, and said, "Your name, a rogue ninja from Kirigakure."

"Ding!"

Orochimaru released his grip and flicked the blade, making a sound.

After releasing his grip, Zabuza immediately jumped onto the bridge railing, looking at Orochimaru warily and saying, "You've got some skill."

"My name is Zabuza Momochi. What's your name?"

"Oh." Orochimaru's eyes gleamed. "You're the one who killed all his comrades during the ninja graduation exam a few years ago, right?"

Zabuza's name is quite famous, after all, he is the first in the history of the ninja world.

Zabuza slightly raised his head and said, "That's right, it is indeed me!"

"Interesting." Orochimaru licked his lips and introduced himself: "Hello, my name is Orochimaru."

Zabuza: Excuse me!

He turned and left, as if he had made up his mind.

He said that this pervert looked so familiar, and it turned out that he was a famous figure in the ninja world.

"Hakuba-kun, you go ahead with your work. I'm very interested in this person and will come back to find you later." With that, Orochimaru chased after Zabuza in the direction he had left.

Shaking his head, Bai Yu looked at the child curled up on the bridge.

At this moment, the child also met Bai Yu's gaze with a bewildered look.

Their eyes met, and Bai Yu sighed, "So be it. Since fate has brought us together, we're just herding one sheep or a flock of sheep, so one more won't make a difference."

With that, Bai Yu got up and walked towards the child.

On the carriage, two little devils peeked out, looking curiously at the dirty child.

Standing before him, Bai Yu extended a hand and said, “Come with me to a place where you will be loved, where you will not be abandoned, treated cruelly, or used as a tool. You will live for yourself and for those you cherish.”

A gentle, warm smile; the kind of good looks only a champion of justice possesses; pure white pupils that radiate a majestic light.

The child stared blankly as he stretched out one hand.

After taking his hand, Bai Yu smiled and asked, "What's your name?"

"Bai, my name is Bai."

"Hello, Haku, my name is Hyuga Shiroha..."