Chapter 84:
Kusagakure wasn't far from the daimyo's mansion in the Land of Grass.
Considering the size of the Land of Fire, it only took about a day to walk from Konoha to its capital. For a ninja running at full speed, that journey would be reduced to just a few hours. The distance from the daimyo's mansion in the Land of Grass to Hidden Grass Village was even shorter barely a half-hour run at ninja pace.
However, Orochimaru wasn't in a rush this time, so he decided to take his time, walking leisurely. He found a secluded spot along the way, changed his clothes, and put on a human skin mask, transforming into a completely different person.
Soon, he looked like a young man in his twenties, with long flowing hair and pale, yet handsome, features. His appearance was sharp and striking he was in disguise, but this version of him was simply a slightly older, refined version of himself.
Why the disguise? Well, he had business in Kusagakure, and this particular identity would be useful. While he wasn't famous yet, Orochimaru preferred to stay cautious and avoid being recognized in case he needed to move in secret.
As for why he chose a human skin mask over the transformation jutsu? The answer was simple. The transformation jutsu required constant chakra to maintain. While it was flawless at first glance, it couldn't hold up in battle or under strain. Any serious combat, or even a strong enough attack, would disrupt the chakra flow and force him back into his original form. That kind of instability wasn't conducive to Orochimaru's plans.
Orochimaru was currently thirteen, and though his height had increased due to growth and the strengthening potions he'd been using, he was still shorter than most adults. Jiraiya, for instance, would grow to be nearly 191 cm tall as an adult. Orochimaru, through his various experiments and body modifications, would fluctuate in height, but his natural height was around 180 cm at best.
At thirteen, however, he had already reached 170 cm, thanks to his enhancements. With the human skin mask making him appear older, no one would question his assumed identity as a twenty-something ninja passing through.
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