Chapter 83:
Hearing Orochimaru's response, Tsunade, still running alongside him, was stunned for a moment. Her expression turned bitter. "Grandma said… maybe you could give me an answer. So, you don't know either?"
"Grandma?"
Orochimaru couldn't help but think of Uzumaki Mito, the dignified woman who, despite her kind appearance, wielded great power. Why would she think so highly of him, enough to tell Tsunade that he might have the answer?
"What's the answer to something like this?" Orochimaru mused aloud, his voice calm. "When undergoing psychological training, you should be prepared for this kind of pain. Besides…"
He glanced briefly at Tsunade, his tone steady but lacking in warmth. "You have a younger brother."
To Orochimaru, this was simply an objective truth. In their world, loss was inevitable. Most shinobi would eventually lose everyone they cared about, leaving them alone. Yet, despite the harsh reality, they survived.
He himself had no family left—he had grown used to the numbness that came with loss. Tsunade, by contrast, still had her grandmother, Uzumaki Mito, and her younger brother, Nawaki. She was, by any measure, far better off than most.
"Younger brother…?" Tsunade repeated, a flash of recognition crossing her face.
In her mind, the image of Nawaki appeared his bright eyes and long brown hair, his innocent voice begging her to play games with him. The memory warmed her heart, reminding her that she wasn't completely alone in the world.