"Hello boy," the stranger said to the Sannin, he was old, incredibly old, his face aged with a look of remorse, "it's never too late to ask for forgiveness right? I'm probably not making much sense. I stole from you once, when you were very young, something you needed greatly back then. I'll never forgive myself, and I don't expect you to forgive me neither. See it was all politics back then- but see here boy, let me get to the point. See, I am the one responsible for killing your parents."
Orochimaru turned to look at the man, the elders eyes holding something that instantly unsettled the Sannin. Of course, he refused to let this stranger see him unnerved, least of all when he wasn’t even sure what had him so on edge. The words that fell from the strangers mouth took a few moments to register. He spoke oddly, as if he were a few eras too old for this time stream, as if he did not fit the picture before him. However, the last line, the very ending statement to his sentence had the serpents chest closing on itself. Though he dare not reveal that either.Impossible. It was impossible, after all, how would this man know that it was his parents? How would he have discovered it? Yes, the Sannin was famous, or more so infamous. And it was well known what battle his parents died in due to the serpents information being recorded after his legacy. However why would this man remember those faces? The faces of his parents, insignificant at the time. Mere shinobi on the front lines, giving their lives for the village their child grew to hate.“You-” his words failed him, even though he tried to remain composed, it seemed too overbearing a thought. If this was their killer, the man responsible- then should he kill him? Was it even worth it? One added level of spite, when this man had lived until his old age- where his parents died so young.It didn’t feel like justice either way.
Besides, for years he had blamed the village.This man had been just like his parents, young at the time, simply following orders. It was the Kage’s that were sick, the brainwashing, the ill idea they implemented that dying for a cause was acceptable. If he killed this man, then he was saying his parents were wrong for fighting in those wars- that they were equally as guilty. It was easier before this man revealed himself. Now he remained unsure of what to do.The reminder of the past stung, left him slightly hollow inside. But golden eyes were soon masked again, the Sannin walling any surfacing emotion- he had not come this far to be undone by the past.“I do not know why you thought you had the right to speak to me,” Orochimaru said, tone emotionless, cold, “but I suggest you leave before I show you how foolish that decision was.”No one would know he was shaken by the words, no one.He would remain masked to the world. To this stranger. He would pretend he did not believe him- for maybe then- he could trick his own mind in to truly not believing.