Naruto: Reborn as Orochimaru

Chapter 77: Chunin

Hiruzen's tone was filled with reprimand as he continued his lecture.

"If this kind of drug can alter the body's constitution, any side effects could be catastrophic for the experimental subjects."

He paused, looking Orochimaru in the eye as he listed the potential dangers. "It could cause anything from rapid aging and permanent disability to even death by complete cellular collapse. Don't you care about your own life, Orochimaru?"

There was genuine concern behind his words. Hiruzen was more than just angry he was worried. If Orochimaru recklessly damaged himself with these experiments, it would be a great loss not only to him but also to Konoha as a whole. Hiruzen had high hopes for Orochimaru; he was, after all, his most talented disciple.

"I understand, sensei," Orochimaru responded, his voice calm, though inwardly, he regretted revealing too much too soon. The matter of his chakra volume had slipped out unintentionally when they were with Tsunade earlier. He hadn't planned on discussing it until his re

"Agreed!" Tsunade said, already piling meat onto the grill.

The sizzling sound of beef filled the air, and the group continued their lighthearted conversation. Despite his usual aloofness, Orochimaru found himself enjoying the atmosphere more than expected. Jiraiya's antics and Tsunade's sharp remarks helped create a lively environment.

After eating their fill, the group talked about going to the bathhouse to relax. Sakumo politely excused himself, saying he had other matters to attend to, leaving the others to continue their evening without him.

The three of them Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade entered the bathhouse one by one. Tsunade, however, decided not to join them in the women's section since it was empty and she didn't feel like going alone. Instead, she waited outside.

As he leaned back into the hot water, Orochimaru closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth. It was rare for him to feel truly relaxed, but there was no denying that a hot bath had its benefits.

"This does feel nice," he muttered to himself.

Still, even as he enjoyed the moment, his mind wandered back to his experiments. "It's time to start accumulating more funds," Orochimaru murmured. In this world, money was still a powerful tool. While missions helped with income, they weren't enough to fuel the kind of research he envisioned. Orochimaru understood that not everything could be solved through raw strength; sometimes, financial resources were far more effective.

With a clear plan in mind, he began to think of ways to secure more resources for his future experiments.

---

The next morning, Konoha held a small promotion ceremony for the ninja who had successfully advanced to Chunin. The event wasn't extravagant just a simple gathering at the training grounds where Hiruzen gave a speech and handed out the Chunin vests and ninja uniforms.

From that moment on, Orochimaru and his teammates were officially promoted to Chunin, and their journey of completing missions as higher-ranked shinobi had begun.