Chapter 144:
After hearing Orochimaru's words, Tsunade was momentarily stunned.
Before she could respond, Orochimaru continued, "War breeds hatred. The more hatred there is, the more wars will erupt, it's a vicious cycle, one that hasn't been broken yet."
He paused, letting his words sink in. "So, I've used my own resources to create a sanctuary for these war orphans. A place where they don't have to be tools for anyone, where they can just live. Right now, it's insignificant in the grand scheme of the ninja world, but I believe that one day, this place will grow and its ideals will spread far and wide."
"W-Wow… Orochimaru…" Tsunade looked at him, speechless. Orochimaru's tone and vision took her by surprise, and it was clear Jiraiya was equally shocked.
Was this truly the same Orochimaru they had grown up with? They were here fighting to protect Konoha, while Orochimaru was already envisioning something bigger than just one village. He was thinking of the entire ninja world.
"But… isn't Konoha itself a kind of sanctuary?" Jiraiya managed to stammer. "Shouldn't our first duty be to protect it?"
Orochimaru gave him a faint smile. "There's nothing wrong with protecting Konoha. But that doesn't conflict with my goals."
He looked Jiraiya in the eye, his expression deadly serious. "Think about it, Jiraiya. How many orphans are created by these endless wars every year? Even if Konoha wanted to help, it doesn't have the means or the will to shelter them all. They can't save the world, not in the state they're in. They can't even risk taking in orphaned children from other nations, out of fear those children might be spies."
He shrugged. "But my village? It's hidden and still unknown. I don't have those limitations."