Naruto: I'm really not an evil scientist!

Gamabunta frowned, his face full of disgust, and muttered under his breath, his voice low but full of contempt, "I really don't understand how Mount Myōboku in another world could accept someone like you. You are a disgrace to Mount Myōboku."

"Since you are also a sage practitioner of Mount Myōboku, then come in. Great Toad Sage welcomes you, savior of this world." Sometime later, Fukasaku Sage arrived at the edge of Mount Myōboku with small, quick steps.

It looked pained, its lips twitching slightly, conveying the Great Toad Sage's meaning. It seemed to not understand the so-called savior title, probably wondering to itself: How did this guy of unknown origin become a savior?

"Ha, a savior?"

Hiruko chuckled lightly, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes. He didn't think he would become any kind of savior; in his view, it was nothing more than an empty title.

Immediately afterwards, he took a step and followed the hermit Fukasaku to the depths of Mount Myōboku.

On a huge chair engraved with the character "仙" (immortal), sat a massive, seemingly senile old toad.

Its entire body is orange, as if dyed by the sunset, with yellow eyes that exude a languid and dreamy look.

She wore a string of Buddhist prayer beads around her neck, with a pale purple cat's eye stone in the center, bearing the character "oil" and shimmering with a mysterious light in the dim light.

The most interesting thing is that it wears a doctoral cap on its head, which inexplicably gives people a sense of being erudite and knowledgeable, as if it were a learned old scholar.

Behind the chair, on the cabinet wall, were rows of huge books with strange symbols engraved on their spines, which may have recorded some ancient secrets.

There were also a few huge glass bottles filled with dark liquid scattered around the chair, indicating that the Great Toad Sage was quite the seasoned drinker, enjoying a sip or two whenever he had a spare moment.

"It would be even more interesting if he wore black-rimmed glasses, looking exactly like an old scholar," Hiruko muttered to himself, a playful smile on his lips.

This time, the Great Toad Sage didn't pretend to be stupid and ask who the visitor was. He opened his hazy eyes as if he were waking up from a long dream and said, "Savior, we have finally met."

The voice was deep and hoarse, carrying a profound sense of having weathered the vicissitudes of time.

"Greetings, Great Toad Sage. You, who are skilled in prophecy, must already know the purpose of my visit." Hiruko didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point.

He knew perfectly well that if he tried to confuse these charlatans who were experts in prophecy, he would only end up suffering the consequences.

The future is not static; it holds many possibilities. However, these charlatans can use their advantage of information asymmetry to steer the future toward the possibility they most desire.

Just like a thousand years ago, if it weren't for this toad risking his life to contact and guide Hagoromo Otsutsuki, there would be no ninja world as we know it today.

Regardless of the outcome, and no matter how much humanity slaughters each other, at least the planet has had some breathing room and has not been further exploited by the divine tree during this period.

"The secret sage techniques of Mount Myōboku will be of no difficulty to you. Just stay here for a few days and you will be able to learn all the abilities except for the ability to foresee the future."

The Great Toad Sage spoke very kindly, a gentle smile on his face, like a kind elder instructing a junior.

"What about the ability to foresee the future? Prophecies given by others are never as reassuring as the scenes you see yourself."

Hiruko said indifferently, his eyes revealing a longing for precognitive abilities.

In his view, only the power he himself controlled was the most reliable.

"However, sometimes the ability to foresee can bring you more confusion, and over-reliance on the ability to foresee is not a good thing."

The Great Toad Immortal shook his head and said earnestly, "No need to be anxious, Savior."

I will impart everything to you, but my precognitive abilities manifest in the form of dreams. Furthermore, due to my old age and declining health, I sometimes enter dreams on my own. This is not out of unreasonable intent, and I hope you can understand.

"Well, I'm just curious about precognitive abilities. After all, who wouldn't want to know what might happen in the future? But I won't rely on them too much."

Hiruko bowed slightly, a sincere smile on his face, to express his gratitude, "Thank you for your cooperation, Great Toad Sage."

Indeed, sometimes dreams, or the future you foresee, may be things that some being deliberately shows you.

Those unknown entities may have their own purposes, guiding us towards the path they desire through dreams or prophecies.

Foresight can serve as a reference, but we shouldn't be overly superstitious about it. The true future must be forged by our own hands, created through our own efforts and wisdom.

Hiruko's gaze was firm; he had already made up his mind.

Since the Great Toad Sage is cooperating so well, there's no need for him to be a villain. Perhaps in the future, Venusaur can come to Mount Myōboku in this world, become a breeding toad once again, spread a vast number of offspring, and propagate the Way of Spirit Plants, cultivating various extraordinary fruits, making Mount Myōboku even more prosperous.

……

"Orochimaru, are you really sure?" Sasuke looked at Orochimaru, who was about to leave with Hiruko, and a hint of reluctance appeared in his eyes.

Although Orochimaru approached him with ill intentions from the beginning, simply lusting after his body and attempting to possess it to gain eternal life and immense power, it is undeniable that Orochimaru did help him a great deal.

During those difficult days, Orochimaru taught him ninjutsu and guided his growth.

After spending more time together without any conflict of interest, Sasuke realized that Orochimaru was actually quite reliable, like a mentor and friend.

He knew that Orochimaru had a crazy idea: to completely merge with his parallel world self. If he did that, the Orochimaru he knew might disappear completely.

No one knows if this fusion will cause any accidents. Even if it doesn't, can the fused Orochimaru still be considered the original Orochimaru? Will his thoughts, memories, and personality undergo drastic changes? Thinking about these things, Sasuke couldn't help but feel a little worried.

"Sasuke, are you... worried about me?" Orochimaru looked at Sasuke meaningfully, a playful smile appearing on his lips.

"Hmph, stop flattering yourself. I'm just afraid you'll ruin yourself, and then the Eternal Empire will lose a qualified Minister of Internal Affairs!"

Upon hearing this, Sasuke's face hardened, and he stubbornly replied, still so dishonest, unwilling to easily reveal his true thoughts.

"Don't worry, I have left many curse marks in this world, I will not die so easily."

Orochimaru chuckled in a slightly hoarse voice, his eyes revealing confidence and composure, "As you know from the manga, as long as the cursed seal remains, even if I die or my soul is sealed, there is still hope for resurrection."

Chapter 271 Returning Home, the Plan Complete

"The curse mark is like a backup of my life, containing my power and consciousness."

Before I attain immortality and master all the ninjutsu in the world, I will not easily do anything I am not confident about.

Orochimaru's cursed seal is like a save point, containing his Sage Chakra and storing a part of his consciousness. So even if something goes wrong when he merges with Orochimaru from another world, it won't affect the original world's cursed seal.

Just like in the manga, his soul was sealed by Itachi Uchiha's Totsuka Blade, and the only snake that managed to escape was burned alive by Amaterasu. Logically speaking, he was completely dead.

However, he was still able to revive himself during the Fourth Shinobi World War by using Anko's cursed seal and the chakra contained in Orochimaru's cells within Kabuto's body.

In terms of cunning and ruthlessness, Orochimaru is undoubtedly one of the best in the ninja world.

"I almost forgot, your greatest strength as a man is that you're incredibly resilient," Sasuke said with a smirk. Though he said this, he was secretly relieved, as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

"Lord Orochimaru, please allow me to follow you!" Kimimaro pleaded, kneeling on the ground, his eyes filled with determination and loyalty.

During this time, he helped Sasuke entirely because Orochimaru valued Sasuke. Now that Orochimaru is leaving, he naturally wants to continue following Orochimaru and is willing to accompany him wherever he goes.

"Um..." Jugo hesitated. He wanted to follow Orochimaru, but he also had his own concerns and worries, making it difficult for him to make a decision.

The reason Jugo initially helped Sasuke was entirely because Kimimaro was his only friend.

Kimimaro was like a ray of light, illuminating his originally lonely and resentful world.

Kimimaro, on the other hand, devoted himself entirely to Orochimaru, his loyalty so profound that Orochimaru seemed to be the very meaning of his life.

In order for Jugo to be used by Orochimaru after he reincarnated as Sasuke, Kimimaro once solemnly told Jugo that Sasuke was like Kimimaro's reincarnation. His tone was as if he had given Sasuke some special and sacred mission.

Jugo was a man of great loyalty and righteousness, and upon hearing Kimimaro's words, he was willing to follow Sasuke and protect him.

However, as they spent more time together, Jugo and Sasuke did indeed develop a bond.

Those days of fighting and growing together are like seeds that have taken root and sprouted in each other's hearts.

If there were truly no emotions involved, Sasuke would never have been able to fuse and evolve with Jugo. After all, that deep level of understanding and trust cannot be created out of thin air.

Therefore, Jugo is currently in a dilemma, torn between his loyalty to Kimimaro and his awe of Orochimaru, and his growing affection for Sasuke.

At this moment, he inexplicably envied Lord Hiruko, who was able to split himself into countless parts. If he could do that, he wouldn't have to struggle painfully with this difficult choice.

"No, Kimimaro, you should stay in this world for now and help Sasuke." Orochimaru shook his head and refused Kimimaro, his hoarse voice carrying an undeniable authority.

Then he thought for a moment, and gently comforted Kimimaro with his gaze, saying, "You are a good boy. If something happens to me in another world, my resurrection in the future will depend on you."

After all, you possess the strength and loyalty I value most.

Sasuke's current inner circle is almost half his own people. Orochimaru knows that if he agrees to Kimimaro's request, even more people will want to follow him to other worlds. Sasuke's Eternal Empire will instantly become an empty shell, which is not what he wants to see.

"This... alright, I understand, Lord Orochimaru." Kimimaro was somewhat unwilling, lowering his head slightly, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes, but since Orochimaru had said so, he could only obey.

"Have you finished explaining?"

Hiruko pulled Scorpion over, her face beaming with a smile as warm and radiant as the spring sunshine: "Ready? Let's go."

call out--!

Three men with distinctly different auras suddenly appeared above the Hokage Rock.

Orochimaru has a captivating figure and exudes a mysterious yet dangerous aura.

Scorpion, on the other hand, had a cold and aloof demeanor, exuding a mechanical and icy aura.

Beiliuhu possesses a unique temperament, exuding confidence and composure.

They each landed safely in different ways, standing on the shadow rocks of the Minato Namikaze.

As for the woman that Hiruko planned to bring, he would bring her back next time.

Looking up, a bright moon, as large as a wheel, hangs in the night sky. Its light shines on the earth, as if draping the whole world in a silver veil.

Looking down, one sees a bustling village brightly lit with neon lights. The colorful lights are like twinkling stars in the night sky, dazzling the eye.

In the center of the village, a huge electronic billboard continuously plays videos of beauty products endorsed by Tsunade. The exquisite visuals and enticing slogans make it hard to look away.

There's also a housekeeping robot used by Naruto Minato Namikaze, showcasing its various convenient functions.

The upcoming manned spaceflight project in Konoha is even more exciting.

And the praise and promotion of the great inventor Hiruko, the words were full of respect and admiration for him.

"What... it's Konoha." Orochimaru arrived in Konoha in this other world. Looking at the brightly lit, bustling village, he frowned slightly, his eyes filled with scrutiny and curiosity.

“I thought you would go back to Loulan first,” Scorpion said, tilting his head. His mechanical voice was particularly clear in the night sky.

“Now, I no longer need the dragon vein as a medium to travel between different parallel worlds,” Hiruko said calmly, his tone revealing confidence and pride.

The power of the system panel interacts with him, and after becoming an ultimate life form, he is now able to develop more of the fragments' power, which is a completely new breakthrough and improvement for him.

Just as they were chatting, a yellow light flashed, and the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, instantly appeared on the Hokage Rock.

It moved so fast, like a bolt of lightning streaking across the night sky.

"Welcome back, Hiruko-senpai." Minato smiled warmly, a smile that seemed to dispel all gloom.

The village is now filled with electronic surveillance equipment in public places, and various newly developed barriers are constantly emerging. If someone suddenly appears in Konoha, Minato, as the Hokage, will naturally be able to detect it immediately.

Moreover, Hiruko and her group had no intention of concealing their whereabouts. Instead, they swaggered into the sky above the Hokage Rock, as if announcing their return to the world.

"Minato, it's been a long time," Hiruko said with a smile, a smile that was sincere and warm. "Is everything in the village alright?"

"Yes, everything is proceeding according to plan."