Chapter 42: Orochimaru's Approval - Kindred Spirits
Inside the camp tent.
"Hehe, Tsunade, I'm just curious about the second bloodline power awakened by an Uchiha," Orochimaru rasped as he entered the tent with a sly smile. Seeing Uchiha Yosuke, his gaze filled with admiration.
"Such a perfect creation, a Uchiha with dual bloodline powers. Truly enviable."
"Tch!" Tsunade, seemingly mocking Orochimaru for being as sentimental as Jiraiya, was actually reminding him that Nawaki's incident was in the past—this was a ninja's fate. Orochimaru's casual and raspy laugh, paired with his apparent disinterest in Nawaki's fate, seemed to express his twisted way of showing emotions, which made Uchiha Yosuke sigh inwardly. This ninja world was indeed distorted. But in this twisted world, he had room to thrive.
Inside the tent, Orochimaru, licking his lips, looked at Yosuke with a peculiar excitement. "It seems that Yosuke has created a new jutsu—a seal-less jutsu!?"
Orochimaru's gaze was fixed on the azure chakra sphere fading from Yosuke's hand, and his expression turned into one of fascination.
"Hehe, Yosuke, you truly are a genius worth envying. A dual bloodline, along with a gift for creating jutsu."
Yosuke was taken aback by Orochimaru's flattery. Could he admit he'd just adapted this jutsu? Born in this era and as an Uchiha, he couldn't let Minato Namikaze take all the credit.
"Enough, Orochimaru!" Tsunade frowned, wary since Nawaki's incident. Although she had managed to protect him in secret, there were unseen enemies, and she couldn't even trust Orochimaru entirely, considering they were all disciples of the Third Hokage.
She handed Orochimaru a report containing details of Yosuke's bloodline, sternly warning, "This is information on the kid's bloodline, but be cautious, Orochimaru—don't do anything reckless."
Orochimaru's eyes flashed in surprise. Tsunade warning him? Glancing at Yosuke beside her, Orochimaru recalled the intel on him, and an understanding, albeit laced with sadness, flickered across his gaze. Chuckling hoarsely, he said, "Hehe, Tsunade, are you treating this kid as a replacement?"
Orochimaru had clearly misunderstood, thinking Tsunade saw Yosuke as a stand-in for Nawaki.
"Shut up!" Tsunade snapped, annoyed, reflexively glancing at Yosuke to gauge his reaction. Yosuke, however, stood quietly, a respectful smile on his face, showing no reaction, which eased her mind. She didn't want Yosuke to feel burdened by more expectations, especially not because of Nawaki.
Yosuke, though, smiled inwardly, realizing he'd found yet another useful piece of information. A replacement, huh? Perhaps he could use this misunderstanding to his advantage.
"Yosuke, you truly are an enviable genius." Orochimaru's voice was filled with greed as he looked at Yosuke's chakra, and then he took out his own report, examining it with interest.
"Tsunade, do you know what Yosuke's bloodline is? My three months of experiments suggest it's similar to the power of the Sages from the Three Great Sage Regions, especially Ryuchi Cave."
At this, Tsunade felt a pang of admiration. Orochimaru was indeed brilliant; he'd deduced so much in just three months, whereas she'd relied on the foundation laid by others. But she couldn't help but frown—this power resembled her grandfather's Sage Body. How could an Uchiha possess it? Could it be genetic, passed down from both parents?
"Orochimaru, this power is dangerous. Even as a host, Yosuke has experienced backlash. It's fortunate that we detected it early; otherwise, if the bloodline mutates, no one in the ninja world could save him."
To Tsunade, Yosuke's bloodline awakening had been detected in time, preventing mutation. Otherwise, it would have been difficult to manage.
"Yosuke!" Orochimaru now gazed at him with the intensity of one looking at a priceless treasure. For others, this look would have been unsettling, but Yosuke had grown accustomed to it over the last three months and nodded respectfully.
"Orochimaru-sama."
"Yosuke, this bloodline is undeniably a source of great power…" Orochimaru disregarded Tsunade's warning and picked up her medical instruments, ready to perform yet another examination.
"Orochimaru-sama, Tsunade-sensei has been treating my bloodline ailment…" Yosuke was eager to let Orochimaru continue his studies. After all, applying a cursed mark to a ninja was something he found quite alluring! Although he had the Sage Body, learning how to apply cursed seals required Orochimaru—or, more accurately, scientific expertise.
"Orochimaru!" Tsunade, watching them interact with a familiar rhythm, sighed and sat down, giving in to the situation and reviewing Orochimaru's research report.
Yosuke savored the experience of having two future Sannin examining him, excited by the thought of the cursed seal. Such a technique would be ideal for the Uchiha clan, where power was paramount. Risky? Did the Uchiha care?
With the cursed seal technique, he could easily win over Uchiha members who craved power.
"Fascinating! I didn't expect to find such a unique natural constitution." The more Orochimaru studied, the more thrilled he became, his golden, snake-like eyes filled with desire. Natural energy! The same power as the Sages of the Three Great Sage Regions. And now, a ninja with a natural affinity for it.
"Yosuke, I think you won't regret today's decision." Orochimaru gave him an eager smile after finishing his examination.
"Then I hope you'll discover this power's secrets soon, Orochimaru-sama," Yosuke replied, equally excited. Orochimaru would study his bloodline, and in return, Yosuke could have access to his findings.
"Hehe, Yosuke, you really are different from others. I saw it in your writing, *My Struggle*. Unlike Jiraiya's narrow-mindedness, I recognized your vision and ambition. You're a ninja who doesn't confine himself to a single village."
Yosuke's heart skipped a beat at Orochimaru's words, but he managed to keep a sincere smile on his face.
"Orochimaru-sama, it's nothing but a youthful dream."
Heal the ninja world through medicine? Tsunade was reminded of that phrase as she listened to their conversation. Only Yosuke, however, felt a shiver inside. Orochimaru truly was the PUA(T/N: Don't know what that mean) master of this world, discerning the hidden intent within his writings.
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