While Jiraiya was still fast asleep in the room, trying to sober up from the alcohol, Naruto left him a letter and quietly slipped away.
In half a day, they arrived in the Land of Rice Fields, at the Sound Village.
"Naruto-kun, you've returned," Kabuto greeted them at the village gate, though he wasn't surprised by Naruto's visit just days after his last one. "Have you already heard the news?"
Naruto was taken aback.
"What news?"
"You don't know?" Kabuto seemed surprised. "I thought you came to see Orochimaru-sama because of it."
"Something related to me?" Naruto narrowed his eyes.
Kabuto smiled slightly. "You'll understand when you see it, Naruto-kun. For now, let's keep it as an unopened surprise."
"Please, follow me."
This time, Kabuto didn't lead Naruto to the conference room in the Sound Village. Instead, he took a turn into a secluded small house, weaving through a series of twists and turns until they reached an underground entrance.
"The Snake's Nest, huh?" Naruto chuckled. "Is Orochimaru so at ease with me now?"
Kabuto shook his head. "Orochimaru-sama recently learned about a secret technique of the Uzumaki clan called the 'Mind's Eye of the Kagura,' and considering Naruto-kun's powerful sensory abilities, he thought it would be best to be straightforward with you. After all, whether he tells you or not, you'd find out anyway."
As he spoke, he opened the door.
The path leading underground was cold and dark, but not damp.
After navigating a few more turns, Kabuto stopped in front of a room, respectfully knocked on the door, and said, "Orochimaru-sama, Naruto-kun has arrived."
From inside, a muffled voice responded, "Let Naruto-kun in."
The door was pulled open.
Orochimaru came into view.
He stood in front of an experiment table, his mouth wide open like a snake's maw, each tooth extending thin chakra threads to control two puppets simultaneously while dissecting a corpse on the table.
"It's only been a few days, and you're back again, Naruto-kun." Orochimaru grinned, forcing a smile. "I heard you caused quite a commotion with the tailed beast transformation in the Land of Fire. Was it that foolish Nine-Tails acting up again?"
Naruto didn't respond.
From his shoulder, a gruff voice spoke out, "Naruto, kill this guy."
"How dare he speak to me like that."
"A filthy, dark, crawling creature!"
As these words were spoken, white lightning shot out.
It struck one of the puppets, burning it to a crisp, severing the chakra threads, and rendering it completely useless as it fell to the ground with a crack.
Orochimaru finally noticed the small creature on Naruto's shoulder.
A fox with nine tails, its fur a fiery red, radiating an intimidating aura no less oppressive than Naruto's.
"The Nine-Tails?" he said in disbelief.
Naruto nodded. "Yes, Orochimaru, your current state is quite disgusting. Tone it down."
The Nine-Tails bared its teeth at him, its tails swaying up and down.
"It's truly astonishing, a technique that allows a tailed beast to break free from its jinchūriki's body," Orochimaru said, retracting his tongue to sever the chakra threads on his teeth. "But I doubt that's why you're here, Naruto-kun."
Kabuto entered the room and began collecting the two puppets.
"Kabuto, bring the person here," Orochimaru instructed the white-haired man.
Kabuto acknowledged and left.
"Though I'm not sure what misunderstanding you're under," Naruto shook his head and began speaking, "My purpose this time is to obtain some experimental materials."
Orochimaru was slightly surprised.
Naruto continued, "And I also want to acquire some highly incriminating information on certain ninja."
Orochimaru thought for a moment, glanced at the experiment table behind him, and sneered, "Naruto-kun, have you started to take an interest in human experimentation as well? After all, the human body holds great secrets. But... why go through all that trouble? My laboratory is always at your service, Naruto-kun."
Naruto's tone was cold. "What I want to do and what you want to do are not the same."
"A word casting technique." Orochimaru licked his lips greedily. "If you use that as a bargaining chip, I can provide you with as much as you want."
Naruto didn't reply and instead walked over to the experiment table.
The research specimen lying on it had a familiar power that he could sense.
It wasn't chakra, but a power originating from the soul.
"To achieve this level with just a few techniques?" Naruto grabbed a research record, reading the words on it.
He had to admit, Orochimaru was a genius.
He had pondered the concept of "soul power" using only three Kido and had already made some research progress.
Of course, to Naruto, these findings seemed rather crude and even contained many errors.
It paled in comparison to the research conducted by the 12th Division.
Even compared to some courses at the Shin'o Academy, it was quite inferior.
But considering that Orochimaru had only acquired "Kido" a year ago, and in a world where souls were usually banished to the "Pure Land" and couldn't remain in the world, it was indeed remarkable that he could make such progress.
Even the puppet technique Orochimaru had just used with his teeth.
Although it was still a manipulation of "chakra," it was undoubtedly developed based on "Kido" into a "sealless" technique.
Give him a bit more time. How far can he go?
Orochimaru said smugly, "For someone like me, sometimes all it takes is a spark of inspiration to accomplish a lot."
"Of course."
"The more of such inspiration, the better."
Naruto extended his hand and placed it on the table, forming the summoning technique seal.
Orochimaru's eyes lit up.
A summoning technique without hand signs?
But before he could clearly see the seal, white smoke surged up, obscuring his vision. As the smoke dissipated, a scroll appeared, and all traces of the seal had completely vanished.
"The technique Naruto just used," Orochimaru leaned forward, "Is it an improvement on the summoning technique?"
"How did you do it?"
His greed was palpable.
Over the past year, he had also tried modifying the ninjutsu he originally knew, but aside from techniques originally designed for hand-sign-free use, all his attempts to modify other techniques had ended in failure—especially those ninjutsu learned from others that required hand signs.
Kabuto could substitute for his hands, but... that ultimately wasn't his own.
He could also pre-inscribe those techniques onto his hands, but that was too rigid, and the price was sacrificing "tactical flexibility."
He had thought such modifications were impossible.
But Naruto's display opened his eyes.
No hand signs, no preparation, not even incantations—just using the technique directly.
This was precisely the result he most desired.
Naruto smiled gently, "The reward for this transaction is ready."
He evaded Orochimaru's questions.
The man before him, snake-like in nature, was as dangerous as Kurotsuchi Mayuri.
In fact, he was even more dangerous.
The Seireitei had a Captain-Commander, and Mayuri at least knew to draw a line to prevent his actions from becoming too extreme.
But as for Orochimaru, there was no one to restrain him.
Naruto now had experience dealing with such "mad scientists." Persuasion was useless, and direct action wouldn't achieve anything. Normal moral logic didn't apply to them at all.
The only way to hold their attention was to offer them something of interest.
"Naruto-kun, you are truly..." Orochimaru's tongue flicked out as he swallowed the scroll, "I'll have Kabuto prepare what you want shortly."
"I haven't slacked off in my research on the Reaper Death Seal." He chuckled sinisterly, "I eagerly anticipate our next transaction."
Naruto smiled at him.
Nine-Tails grumbled in disgust, his stomach faintly aching.
He remembered he used to eat things so recklessly too.
It wasn't a good habit.
As they spoke, Kabuto returned, bringing someone along with him.
"Orochimaru, have you decided what to teach me?" Even before entering, an impatient voice called out.
But as he stepped inside, the voice gradually softened.
"Sasuke." Naruto was surprised.
Now he understood why Kabuto had said what he did upon their first meeting.
He just didn't expect to reunite with him in a place like this.
"Naruto?" Sasuke was even more surprised. "What are you doing here?"
Orochimaru licked his lips and leaned in, "Naruto-kun and I are close collaborators."
Naruto interrupted coldly, without mercy, "He has some use to me, so I'm here to do some transactions with him, nothing more."
"When he loses his value."
"Or when his threat outweighs his value."
"I'll kill him again."
Orochimaru clicked his tongue, "We've met so many times, and yet no bond has formed between us?"
"Who would form a bond with an ugly, cold-blooded creature?" Nine-Tails retorted bluntly, "Especially someone like you."
"You're too narcissistic, you limbless reptile."
Naruto nodded in agreement.
Orochimaru turned his gaze to Nine-Tails.
To be honest, this was his first time dealing with a Tailed Beast in such a manner.
Was this fox always so foul-mouthed?
Was it also a bit petty?
"What are you doing here?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke turned his head away, his voice cold, "I gave up on my illusions about Konoha."
"And I have nowhere else to go."
"Orochimaru is the only one who can meet my demands."
Naruto looked at Orochimaru, "He's not a good guy."
"I know." Sasuke nodded, unafraid. "But so what? He can give me power."
"Do you know what he wants?" Naruto asked him.
Sasuke also turned his gaze to Orochimaru, "When I arrived yesterday, Orochimaru told me."
"He wants my body."
"The body with the Sharingan."
His tone was calm, without any fluctuation, "It's a reasonable deal."
"I have something I want from him."
"And he has something he wants from me."
Naruto whispered, "Is that so? This is your choice?"
Sasuke nodded.
~~~
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