Reborn in Naruto As Orochimaru (AU)

Chapter 20: Waking Up

Orochimaru felt a surge of energy coursing through his body as he regained consciousness from his coma. His chakra had become more active, elevating from the level of a regular chunin to that of an elite chunin. If he were to face a similar situation again, he was confident that he wouldn't fall into a coma.

The density of Orochimaru's bones gradually increased. The chakra infused with the bloodline of the White-Scaled Orochi was being absorbed and assimilated, causing his bones to emit a warm, milky-white glow resembling jade.

Externally, Orochimaru's gruesome wounds had stopped bleeding and formed scabs. Even the smaller abrasions miraculously healed at an astounding speed, leaving no trace behind. His skin regained its toughness and smoothness, while the fine scales beneath it emitted a radiant milky-white shine, akin to bones. They were incredibly sturdy, exuding a faint noble aura, resembling that of a dormant ancient beast.

This aura was faint, but it was enough to make ants and insects on the ground instinctively avoid Orochimaru's body as if they had encountered a terrifying presence.

"What happened to you, Orochimaru? Are you still alive?!" Jiraiya hurriedly approached, kicking Kaguya ninja's lifeless body aside to check on Orochimaru's condition.

However, as Jiraiya caught sight of Orochimaru's hideous wounds, grief overwhelmed him.

"Damn it! You always have to be so reckless. Do you have any idea how worried we were?" Jiraiya was about to touch Orochimaru's mouth and nose when a figure suddenly appeared behind him.

"Children, your friend is still alive. Let me take care of him," said a ninja wearing an animal mask.

"Who are you?" Jiraiya was taken aback.

Simultaneously, Tsunade, standing in front, was confronted by a calm and sturdy individual. Treating her as a child, he admonished, "Tsunade, do you realize how dangerous it is? Your grandfather cannot afford any mistakes. We generally do not interfere, but this time..."

"Why didn't you show up earlier, then?" Tsunade suddenly exploded, her voice filled with anger. "Orochimaru went alone to fight that maniac Kaguya ninja and ended up getting injured like this. Why didn't you show up? Are you blind?" Tsunade's anger grew with each word, and tears began to stream down her face.

"This..." The Anbu ninja felt a pang of distress. He couldn't say, "Your grandfather's priority is to keep you safe. We cannot interfere with the dynamics between you and your teammates. If they die, so be it. It's best if you can grow up." After all, Konoha has always projected an image of benevolence, unity, and strength. Assigning Anbu to protect her was already a self-serving act. And Tsunade, it's rare for ANBU to care so much about a comrade!

However, what was even more disheartening was Mucheng standing alone. Damn it, our team leader and two teammates have died, why won't he speak up? He only cares about his teammates. Damn it, he's so biased!

"Captain, this kid is strange," one of the perceptive Anbu called out from a distance.

"Oh?" Tsunade and the others rushed over immediately.

"The chakra within this kid is incredibly active, and his wounds are healing on their own. It's as if he's asleep. I'm afraid he'll wake up in a few hours. Moreover, his vitality fluctuations are astounding. He shouldn't be in a coma," the Anbu ninja reported, surprised by Orochimaru's body's recovery from absorbing energy.

"Tsk tsk, this kid really went all out. Look at this wound; it's so severe. Both sides suffered. It's a shame that a genius like monster had to meet such a fate. If I had known earlier... um..."