Chapter 386: Did You Forget?
The dust had settled completely, and the scene was quiet.
The group approached cautiously with their eyes fixed on the wreckage. Nothing remained of Orochimaru. No charred pieces, no bloodstains, nor any signs that he’d ever been there.
Just an empty, scorched patch of earth inside one of the three massive craters formed.
Alex, with his Byakugan activated, scanned the area to check every corner and every crack in the ground. After a moment, he deactivated them and said, "He’s gone. There’s nothing left."
Alice, standing nearby, had her eyes closed to also try and sense any lingering chakra. When she opened them, she agreed.
There was nothing. No faint pulse or shadow of Orochimaru’s presence for miles.
"Dude," Alex began, "you didn’t have to kill him. Ha-ha."
"No way I’m being scolded for this," Jasper replied with a knowing smile. "I thought we agreed to kill Orochimaru and be done with this."
"Yeah," Alex replied, smacking Jasper on the back, "that’s if he was actually responsible for what we’re going through."
William watched their exchange and felt a strange unease settle in. He had no idea what to make of Jasper and Alex’s interactions. They seemed to share an unspoken bond, like they understood each other in ways William never could.
It made him feel out of touch.