"Mon... Monster!"
Seeing Orochimaru emerge from the snake's mouth, Kaisei and the crew were almost paralyzed with fear.
Orochimaru jumped onto the deck, water splashing around her. She asked coldly, "Natsuhane, why are you here in the Land of the Sea instead of being with your women in Konoha?"
Natsuhane shrugged, answering softly, "Just passing through, earning some extra cash by helping out..."
Orochimaru glanced around, noticing the unconscious bald-headed pirates sprawled across the deck. She chuckled, "These men look half-dead. I assume this is your handiwork? Are you that desperate for money, doing bodyguard jobs? It's not like you."
Natsuhane replied, "It's a long story. But luckily, I took this job; otherwise, we wouldn't be meeting here. It's all fate."
"Natsuhane, do you... do you know her?" Kaisei timidly peeked out from behind Natsuhane, testing the waters as he saw them exchange words.
Natsuhane didn't hide anything, boldly stating, "Yes, she's my wife."
"Huh?" Kaisei's mustache bristled in shock.
Orochimaru's face darkened, and she huffed indignantly, "Shut up. I'm not your wife."
Natsuhane persisted, "Yes, you are."
Orochimaru retorted, "No, I'm not."
Natsuhane pointed to Orochimaru's slightly rounded belly, "Stop denying it. Kaisei, do you see her belly? That's my doing."
Kaisei stammered, "Um... good health, young hero."
"Shut up!" Orochimaru snapped angrily, "Is this something to brag about? Telling everyone you see? This is exactly why I hate meeting you, Natsuhane! Nothing good ever happens!"
Orochimaru's frustration was palpable.
She remembered that after their first meeting, she was unexpectedly pregnant.
After their second meeting, she saw her beloved apprentice Anko, and their mentor-student relationship transformed into a sisterly bond.
After their third meeting, her old comrades Jiraiya and Tsunade found out about her pregnancy, looking at her with disdain.
This pregnancy was something Orochimaru intended to keep a secret.
But every time she encountered Natsuhane, a new group of people learned about it.
Orochimaru's subordinates were bewildered. Recently, they had been whispering about her rounded belly, thinking she was just gaining weight. They never imagined she was pregnant.
"Truly, Lord Orochimaru never follows the ordinary path. No wonder her style has been more... mature lately," the subordinates thought, amazed.
Orochimaru was furious. In her inner circle, only Kabuto knew about her condition, never revealing it to others.
Now, with the secret out, she couldn't imagine how her subordinates would view her.
Suppressing her anger, knowing it wasn't good for the baby, Orochimaru breathed deeply.
Natsuhane noticed her struggle and softly consoled, "Alright, alright. I apologize. I'll leave these guys to you. Take them for your experiments."
"They are from the Funato Clan," Orochimaru noted.
Natsuhane nodded, "Yes, they are."
Orochimaru sighed, "They are troublesome. Once you provoke them, they stick to you like glue. I usually avoid them because it's such a hassle."
Natsuhane smirked, "What, are you afraid of them?"
"Afraid? Hmph..." Orochimaru's snake eyes narrowed with disdain, "I just find them bothersome. I'd rather spend my time on experiments."
Natsuhane waved dismissively, "No worries. I'll handle the trouble. These guys caused chaos in the Land of the Sea. Any issues will fall on them. You can take them and do whatever you want. Consider it a gift from your husband."
Kaisei intervened anxiously, "Natsuhane, is this really okay? The Land of the Sea can't bear this burden..."
Natsuhane reassured, "It's for the best, trust me. I will handle the Funato Clan's retaliation, and I assure you, the phenomenon known as the 'Divine Disappearance' will never occur in the Land of the Sea again."
With a meaningful glance at Orochimaru, Natsuhane's eyes turned crimson, and they entered a blank, white space together.
"A genjutsu? This is your illusionary space? Why did you bring me here?" Orochimaru asked, a hint of envy in her eyes as she looked around.
The Sharingan's abilities were truly convenient, making genjutsu as easy as child's play.
Natsuhane approached Orochimaru, gently running his fingers through her long hair, speaking softly, "I wanted to be alone with you. It's inconvenient with others around."
Orochimaru's unease grew, and she took a step back instinctively, "Hey, Natsuhane, are you... thinking of something indecent because your women aren't here? I'll warn you now, if you try anything, I might not be able to beat you, but I can make sure you regret it."
Natsuhane chuckled, "Relax. I just wanted to talk to you privately. Nothing more."
Reassured but slightly disappointed, Orochimaru relaxed.
"The frequent disappearances in the Land of the Sea—'Divine Disappearances'—I assume you're behind them?"
Orochimaru didn't deny it, "Yes. So what? Are you going to intervene? No one, not even you, can stop my pursuit of truth."
Natsuhane smiled, "I'm not here to stop you. In fact, I'll support your research. After all, I'm your husband."
"You're not my husband! You're just the father of my child... No, not even that. I am both father and mother to this child," Orochimaru snapped.
"Fine, fine. Deny it all you want. Let's get to the point," Natsuhane said seriously. "The Funato Clan will surely retaliate for what happened here. Kaisei mentioned their large numbers, which could solve your problem of lacking test subjects."
"As for the people of the Land of the Sea, I ask that you leave them alone. They are already suffering enough under the oppression of the Mist Village. They are ordinary people, with no value as test subjects."
"I will capture the Funato Clan members who come to retaliate and give them to you. Their numbers should provide you with plenty of material for your experiments."
Orochimaru sneered, "An interesting idea, but do you know how long I plan to live? Those people won't last forever."
"I'll find more subjects for you if you run out," Natsuhane promised.
After a moment's hesitation, Orochimaru agreed, "Fine, I accept. But be careful. The Funato Clan is dangerous. Their leader, Funato Arakai, wields the power of the Sea Dragon and can control the entire ocean. He turns his enemies into dried corpses with his unique abilities. Even I avoid provoking them lightly."
"Interesting," Natsuhane mused, intrigued by the challenge.
Orochimaru glared, "Of course, they are formidable. Why else would the Mist Village fear them?"
Natsuhane pondered for a moment, then asked, "Orochimaru, are your sources reliable?"
"Hmph, don't doubt my information network," Orochimaru retorted.
Natsuhane's eyes lit up, "So, do they have any powerful, beautiful women in their clan?"
"What...?" Orochimaru was exasperated.
"I'm warning you, Natsuhane, Jiraiya might be the most perverted man, but you surpass even him!"
"You already have over 3000 wives, including Tsunade and my apprentice Anko. Isn't that enough? You lecher!"
...
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