Chapter 175: A Reunion
Having confirmed that Jugo was under Orochimaru's control, Baishi no longer hesitated. His next step was straightforward: track down Orochimaru.
He scanned his surroundings, ensuring no immediate threats, then formed hand seals and activated the S-rank Soul Ninjutsu—Spirit Transformation Technique.
His soul detached from his body, expanding his sensory range infinitely.
In an instant, dozens, even hundreds, of souls came into his perception. Among them were individuals he controlled through the Seeds of Spirit, as well as others whose chakra signatures he had recorded previously.
After a moment of careful examination, Baishi shook his head with a hint of frustration.
"As expected, I still can't sense him..."
Since his acquisition of the Nine-Tails, he had lost the ability to locate Orochimaru's soul. Evidently, Orochimaru had discovered a method to block the Spirit Transformation Technique's soul detection capabilities.
Baishi had suspected something was off about Orochimaru during their last encounter, and it wasn't long after that he vanished entirely.
If the Spirit Transformation Technique were still effective, Baishi wouldn't have needed to search aimlessly in the desert.
Still, calling it "searching for a needle in a haystack" was an exaggeration—the desert had finite boundaries.
While Orochimaru's soul eluded him, other targets did not. Though his unfiltered sensory range was smaller than when focused on specific targets, it was broad enough to cover the desert after a few sweeps.
He doubted a facility like Orochimaru's would be entirely devoid of human activity. From experimental subjects to guards, there were bound to be signs.
With this plan in mind, Baishi set out to systematically comb the region.
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The Next Day
Afternoon
Somewhere in the desert
Baishi's soul hovered above his body, his eyes shut as he concentrated.
After several moments, his eyes snapped open, locking onto the northwest.
In that direction, he sensed the presence of dozens—perhaps hundreds—of souls. One of them, in particular, felt strangely familiar.
Baishi's instincts told him he had finally found the right place.
Over the past day, he had scoured two-thirds of the desert. While he hadn't located Orochimaru, he had encountered and wiped out several bands of desert raiders.
After all, these outlaws—like Orochimaru—preferred hiding in isolated locations.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Baishi's expression shifted before settling into calm determination.
The familiar soul signature had disappeared, further confirming his suspicions. This was no coincidence.
Wasting no time, Baishi dispelled the Spirit Transformation Technique. A shimmering chakra mantle enveloped him as he activated Wind Release: Wings of the Wind, soaring into the sky.
With a burst of air, he accelerated to supersonic speeds, reaching his destination in under a minute.
High above the target location, Baishi observed a series of low sand dunes and a partially buried cave entrance.
Circling the area a few times to survey the surroundings, he eventually descended.
The moment his feet touched the ground, multiple figures burst from the sand like vipers, kunai in hand, aiming for his vital points.
Baishi appeared frozen in place, standing still as the attackers closed in.
The assailants sneered internally: So this is the infamous threat? He's nothing.
But their smugness evaporated in an instant.
The kunai collided with the shimmering blue layer around Baishi's body—his chakra mantle—and were stopped cold. No matter how much force they applied, they couldn't penetrate it.
Their fear grew as they realized the "clothing" was chakra in a solidified form.
Without hesitation, the attackers attempted to retreat.
But Baishi had deliberately landed in their midst—there was no way he would let them escape.
"Humph."
His low grunt reverberated in their minds like a thunderclap.
In an instant, all of them collapsed to the ground, blood seeping from their ears, eyes, and mouths—a testament to the devastating power of his Subsonic Wave Ninjutsu.
As usual, Baishi approached one of the fallen individuals, preparing to extract their memories.
But before he could proceed, the sound of clapping echoed from the cave entrance.
Baishi turned toward the source to find Orochimaru stepping out, his trademark serpentine smile plastered across his face.
The Sannin's golden eyes gleamed with interest as he surveyed the scene, his gaze lingering on Baishi's chakra mantle and the unconscious attackers.
"Impressive. It seems your strength has grown considerably in the past few years."
Baishi released his hold on the downed man's collar, straightening as he replied, "You haven't been idle either."
His words were not mere courtesy. Orochimaru's ability to remain undetected, even by Baishi's formidable senses, was proof of his progress.
Though Baishi hadn't been operating at full capacity during his scans, his baseline perception far exceeded that of most sensory ninjas. For Orochimaru to evade detection, his abilities had to be extraordinary.
It seems Orochimaru hasn't wasted his time these past years.
Activating his Heart's Eye, Baishi's gaze deepened, scrutinizing Orochimaru with a level of precision far beyond ordinary observation.
"Interesting..."
Almost immediately, Baishi detected an anomaly within Orochimaru.
Upon closer examination, his eyes widened slightly in realization.
"You've integrated Hashirama's cells."
The revelation was undeniable. Though Baishi himself didn't possess Hashirama's cells, his past experiences with their invasive properties had made him acutely sensitive to their presence.
Ordinarily, Orochimaru had hidden this fact well, but under the scrutiny of the Heart's Eye, every detail was laid bare.
Orochimaru's expression shifted subtly, his gaze narrowing on Baishi's transformed eyes. After a moment of silence, he spoke.
"How did you figure that out?"
Baishi ignored the question, continuing his silent analysis.
Soon, he discovered another unexpected detail: traces of his own cells within Orochimaru. Though minute, their presence was unmistakable.
The pieces clicked into place. Orochimaru's actions aligned perfectly with the "Perfect Being Project" he had mentioned years ago—a plan to create an ideal body by integrating the finest genetic traits from multiple sources.
Baishi recalled the samples of his flesh he had traded for Orochimaru's toxins. At the time, he hadn't thought much of it, but now it was clear those samples had played a significant role in Orochimaru's progress.
While the results spoke for themselves, Baishi couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret.
Did I give away too much back then?
But he quickly dismissed the thought.
So what if he's fused with Hashirama's cells? Even with Wood Release, he's no match for me.
Convinced of his superiority, Baishi's confidence steadied, and his mind shifted back to the task at hand.
(Chapter End)
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