Chapter 148:
Jiraiya couldn't help but feel suspicious of the villagers' attitude. The respect and admiration they had for Orochimaru seemed almost surreal. A thought crossed his mind, could these villagers be constructs Orochimaru created himself? Or was he caught in some kind of illusion?
In Jiraiya's mind, even high-ranking nobles in major countries didn't inspire this kind of reverence.
"Huh? You're one of Lord Orochimaru's companions, aren't you?" a villager asked, noticing Jiraiya's puzzled expression. "How come you don't know all this?"
"Yeah, it's kind of strange!" another villager agreed.
"Oh, that's because I've been away for years, traveling the world," Jiraiya responded, quickly coming up with an excuse. "I haven't seen him in a long time."
"Ah, I see!"
The simple explanation seemed to satisfy the villagers. They were straightforward people and didn't question Jiraiya further. In fact, they began eagerly sharing stories about Orochimaru and everything he had done for them.
As Jiraiya listened, he pieced together the bigger picture. Orochimaru had initially employed some locals to work in his mines, providing them wages. Later, to make things easier, he allowed the workers and their families to settle in this hidden village. Using clones, he protected them from the threat of wandering ninjas, creating a safe environment where they could live without fear.
In other words, Sound Village truly served as a shield for this region, keeping its people safe.