Chapter 49 - Orochimaru's return

                                    

                                          
Naruto: Tales of Ashihara
Kakumei – Arc 2: The Curse of Time
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Chapter 49 - Orochimaru's return
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In  the middle of the snow storm, at the bottom of the Sangoro Mountain,  Sasuke stands in front of Jugo and Suigetsu that he just hazardously met  there. After Jugo gives a reason for his presence, Sasuke questions  him.
"Orochimaru, you say?" he asks. "What does he want from me?"
"It  has something to do with who currently occupies Shin no Kuni." answers  Jugo. "There is something you could do for him, and he thinks you could  benefit from it too."
Sasuke thinks for a moment and suspiciously  stares at Jugo... Orochimaru had been set free after the fourth war for  his help, and still hasn't been locked up until now only because Sasuke  swore to keep an eye on his activities, which he did. After Sasuke  destroyed the genes that he took from Kobo a decade ago, Orochimaru was  forced to change his ways and stayed away from criminal affairs. At  least this is what Sasuke is made to believe.
Sasuke knows that  Orochimaru still has contacts in the smuggling industries and among  mercenaries, but he'll get implied only if he makes use of this or plans  to do anything unethical. With his quest to pursue the Otsutsuki clan,  he left this concern aside for a while.
Having not met the snake  scientist for over 5 years, he doesn't know how he changed during this  time, and therefore is unsure as to if he can be trusted or not. Uneasy  about this reunion, he stays doubtful and doesn't give an answer for  now. Instead, he looks at Suigetsu who hasn't said anything since he  arrived.
"And you? Why are you back with Orochimaru?" he asks.
"Uh?  No No! You're misunderstanding it!" exclaims the Hozuki. "I'm not with  Jugo. I haven't stepped in any of Orochimaru's hideouts since... 13 years  ago."
"Then what are you doing here?" asks Sasuke again.
"I  was wandering around with Daisuke. Remember Daisuke? The blue armored  samurai with the all-cutting sword and the Steel Release?" asks Suigetsu  repetitively until Sasuke physically expresses that he does. "Well  we've been traveling around for many years together, and about 2 years  ago, he decided that it was time for him to go home. So I came with him,  and there I am now."
"..." Sasuke doesn't say anything, and just accepts this explanation.
"But  I didn't move in here!" Suigetsu adds to make things clear. "I have  business going on somewhere else, more important to me than this." He  stops speaking for a moment seeing that neither Sasuke nor Jugo seems to  care. So, he brings back the topic of Jugo's presence.
"... Some  days ago, I got a letter from Jugo asking if I knew where you were. I  answered that you should pass by here soon, since I heard about your  weapon order, so Orochimaru sent him, and that's how he got there... But  the old snake and I took different paths. It's not like I'm ever gonna  return to them. Jugo's the only one from there that I still know."
"I  get it." says Sasuke to stop Suigetsu's bragging. "Jugo, I'll follow  you to Orochimaru, but first, I have to retrieve my new weapon."
Jugo  just nods in agreement. Sasuke steps forward and gets passed by his two  former teammates. They also turn around and follow him to the mountain.
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While on the road, they walk quietly, not saying a single word, until Sasuke notices that Suigetsu is not only wearing the Kubikiriboccho on his back, but also the Nuibari attached to his belt.