Hinata Hyuga had just left, but Orochimaru was left staring in surprise at the million ryo in his hands. Yesterday, the Hyuga clan had invited Uchiha Akira over for dinner, which Orochimaru knew about. However, he distinctly remembered that it was supposed to be an invitation from Hiashi Hyuga and his daughter, Hanabi Hyuga.
So, why was it Hinata who came to pay off the debt now?
And while a million ryo is certainly not a small amount, considering the relationship between him and Uchiha Akira, whether or not the debt was repaid shouldn't have been such a big deal.
"Interesting. It seems things have taken an unexpected turn. Hinata Hyuga… She's quite a remarkable girl," Orochimaru thought, a faint smile forming on his lips as he began to piece together what might have transpired between Akira and Hinata.
Shaking his head, he decided not to dwell on it further. Since Hinata had come to repay the debt on Akira's behalf, he would simply accept it.
Meanwhile, Akira had no idea what Hinata had done. After resting at home for a day, he decided to visit Orochimaru. Akira held Orochimaru's abilities in high regard, particularly his expertise with Hashirama's cells, which was second to none in the ninja world.
In the life simulator, Orochimaru had spent an entire year studying the fusion of Akira's dragon cells with Hashirama's cells before achieving success. Now that Akira had already completed this fusion, he knew it would be of great benefit to Orochimaru.
"Akira-kun, welcome!" Orochimaru greeted, setting aside his work as soon as he heard Akira had arrived. He came to greet him immediately.
"Orochimaru, you know I've completed the dragon transformation, and I've also obtained quite a few of Hashirama's cells," Akira began without any unnecessary formalities, knowing that Orochimaru wasn't one for small talk either.
"Oh? So, you want me to help you with the fusion of the dragon cells and Hashirama's cells?" Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with excitement at the prospect.
For someone like Orochimaru, the opportunity to study the fusion of these two powerful cell types was incredibly enticing.
"No, you've got it wrong," Akira replied with a smile. "I've already completed the fusion. I'm just here to see if there are any lingering side effects that you might be able to check for."
"Already completed the fusion!?" Orochimaru's eyes widened in shock. He knew all too well how powerful, yet dangerous, Hashirama's cells were. During his past experiments, countless subjects had perished due to the cells' invasive nature.
Only one person, Yamato, had successfully adapted to the cells, but his Wood Release techniques paled in comparison to Hashirama's. Initially, Orochimaru had assumed Akira would need his help to complete the fusion. But to hear that Akira had already done it himself?
"So, you don't want to check me out anymore?" Akira asked, pretending to be nonchalant, but inwardly amused by Orochimaru's shocked expression.
"Of course not!" Orochimaru quickly shook his head, his excitement evident as he unconsciously licked the corner of his mouth with his long tongue. "I would be more than happy to examine you, Akira-kun. In fact, I can hardly wait!"
It was no wonder Orochimaru was so thrilled. If he could study the successful fusion of dragon cells and Hashirama's cells, it would greatly advance his understanding of both.
To have a finished product before him, one that he could dissect and reverse-engineer, would be an enormous boon to his research.
Orochimaru was so excited that he was trembling slightly, his eyes fixed on Akira with the hunger of a man who had been starving and was suddenly presented with a feast.
"Could you, maybe, not look at me like that?" Akira frowned, feeling a bit uncomfortable under Orochimaru's intense gaze. The whole scene made him think of those "uncle checking your body" scenarios that felt unsettlingly off.
"Of course, Akira-kun. I'm here to assist you in any way you need," Orochimaru quickly adjusted his expression, seeing that Akira didn't appreciate his eagerness.
"Alright, let's get on with it," Akira said, nodding in approval at Orochimaru's more composed demeanor.
Together, they headed into Orochimaru's lab. The lab was filled with various assistants working on different experiments, but one in particular caught Akira's attention.
"Akira-kun, it's been a long time," said a familiar face, adjusting his glasses with a subtle smile—Kabuto Yakushi.
"Kabuto, it really has been a while," Akira nodded in acknowledgment.
Seeing Kabuto with Orochimaru didn't surprise Akira. After all, in the original timeline, Kabuto had been Orochimaru's right-hand man, even surpassing him during the Fourth Great Ninja War when he resurrected countless powerful shinobi with the Edo Tensei jutsu.
Given that Orochimaru had now taken a position as the head of Konoha's research division, it made sense that Kabuto would be by his side.
"Alright, Kabuto, prepare the necessary equipment. I'm going to examine Akira-kun's cells," Orochimaru instructed.
Kabuto quickly got to work, setting up the equipment for the analysis. Akira extended his hand, indicating he was ready for them to draw some blood.
However, instead of taking the sample himself, Orochimaru handed the task to Kabuto. "Kabuto, go ahead and extract some of Akira-kun's blood."
"Yes, sir," Kabuto replied, slightly puzzled by Orochimaru's decision not to do it himself. Nonetheless, he followed the order without question.
He took a kunai and gently pressed it against Akira's skin. To his shock, the kunai didn't even pierce the skin. It just left a slight dent without drawing any blood.
"This… This…" Kabuto stammered, staring at Akira in disbelief. What kind of body could be so resilient that a kunai couldn't even break the skin?
"Try my sword," Orochimaru suggested, unfazed but clearly intrigued by Akira's newfound durability. He opened his mouth, and a snake slithered out, revealing a sword hilt from within its mouth.
Watching this, Akira couldn't help but wrinkle his nose in disgust. "Orochimaru, do you have to make everything you do so gross?"
Seriously, why did Orochimaru always have to pull things out of his mouth? It was like he had turned his mouth into some kind of slimy storage unit, and it was just plain revolting.
"Akira-kun, I know I can't compare to you," Orochimaru replied calmly, not offended by Akira's criticism. If anything, Kabuto was taken aback by how deferential Orochimaru was being.
In all his years serving Orochimaru, Kabuto had never seen him show such humility. But Kabuto wisely kept his thoughts to himself, knowing that he was in no position to question these two powerhouses.
Taking the sword from Orochimaru, Kabuto carefully used it to make a small cut on Akira's skin. This time, the blade succeeded, and blood began to trickle out. Kabuto quickly collected the sample, and Orochimaru wasted no time diving into his analysis.
Meanwhile, Kabuto assisted him, while Akira, feeling a bit bored, wandered around the lab, casually inspecting various items. Eventually, his eyes fell on the sword that Orochimaru had left on the table.
It was a Grasscutter Sword, one of several in the Naruto world. Orochimaru was practically a connoisseur of these swords, with several in his collection. In the original series, Sasuke had one, and so did Itachi with his Totsuka Blade, which was also a type of Grasscutter Sword, each with its own unique properties.
Akira picked up the sword, examining it closely. He was impressed with its craftsmanship and nodded in approval.
Despite his already immense power—strength, speed, agility, and defense—a sharp weapon like this could enhance his combat effectiveness even further. As he channeled chakra into the blade, the sword's length began to extend, which fascinated Akira.
"So, this is the same sword Orochimaru used in the original series to extend into a giant blade when he fought Naruto? Looks like it," Akira thought, intrigued by the sword's abilities.
After about an hour, Orochimaru finally finished his analysis. When he returned with the results, his expression was one of growing astonishment.
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Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 207 at patreon.com/Emik01.
*********Don't forget to pay with the power stone.*********