When they regrouped at the meeting point, the faces of the children had completely lost all color. Jiraiya and Hiruko looked especially pale—their small faces even whiter than Orochimaru's would be in the future.
Noticing how much paler the two of them looked compared to the others, Arthur looked somewhat quizzically at Orochimaru, one of the most reliable members of the squad. He remembered that before he headed back, those bandits had all been dealt with, and neither Jiraiya nor Hiruko had killed a single person. So why did they look even paler than someone who had actually taken a life?
Catching Arthur's gaze, Orochimaru turned his head slightly with a puzzled look. A moment later, it dawned on him: given who they were—each with elite backgrounds and exceptional talent—how could Sister Artoria possibly let them go out completely on their own?
Chapter 69