(bonus)
— — — — — —
At this moment, Kaito noticed through his talent that Orochimaru's favorability toward him had skyrocketed to 67 points.
It was clear—Orochimaru was extremely satisfied with what he'd been offered. Compared to before, this was a significant improvement.
"No rush!"
Kaito smiled and shook his head. "This is only the first benefit. There are still more to come!"
"Your second benefit," Kaito continued, "is that I can provide you with enough high-grade nutritional pills every month to sustain your training. Additionally, I can teach you a partial version of a Lifespan-enhancing technique."
"By consistently practicing it, you can extend your lifespan, improve your constitution, and purify your bloodline."
The reason Kaito offered such an enticing condition was simple—he needed to increase Orochimaru's favorability quickly and bind him to his cause. Without offering something Orochimaru deeply desired, this would be impossible.
At this point, Orochimaru still had remnants of his humanity and bottom line, but only just. Ordinary offerings would fail to move him.
Fortunately, the partial version of this technique had its limits. At best, it could extend his lifespan by 10–20 years, improve his constitution by 60–70%, and enhance his bloodline to a similar extent.
But for Orochimaru, this was already incredibly appealing.
"What? A technique that can extend life? Improve constitution? Purify bloodline? Is this for real?"
As expected, Orochimaru's eyes lit up when he heard this, his excitement barely contained.
This was it—exactly what he had been searching for.
Perhaps this technique wasn't perfect, but Orochimaru never sought a fully developed method of immortality. What he needed was a foothold, a starting point.
Though he didn't fully understand the specifics of the technique, the mere fact that it could extend life, improve constitution, and purify bloodline convinced him it was the foothold he'd been searching for.
If he could decipher the principles behind these effects, there was a strong chance he could create a true method of immortality.
The process might be arduous and even ultimately unattainable, but it was a start.
Of course, all this depended on whether Kaito was telling the truth.
"Is it really worth offering me such a high price just to win me over?" Orochimaru asked himself.
The answer was no.
Kaito must have other motives and demands.
But Orochimaru wasn't afraid of additional conditions. As long as he could achieve his goals, he was willing to pay any price.
"It's absolutely true," Kaito affirmed with a nod. "However, there is a condition. If you agree to it, the technique is yours."
"You can test its effects yourself once you've obtained it."
"So, what's your choice?"
"Hiss… hoo…"
Orochimaru took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and steadied his emotions. Then, he asked seriously, "What exactly is that condition?"
As long as it wasn't excessively harsh, he was willing to accept it.
Kaito responded immediately, "It's not so much a condition—think of it as a trade, or maybe even a gamble."
"Here's the deal: after you get all the perks I promised, you'll need to agree to one condition. Oh, and you'll also have to sign a contract if you meet its hidden requirement."
"This contract's got strings attached. You won't be able to hurt me or do anything that could mess with me, not even by accident."
Hearing this, Orochimaru's pupils shrank sharply.
This condition wasn't simple at all.
"As expected, there's no such thing as a free lunch," Orochimaru thought to himself with a sigh.
Kaito continued, "But in return, once you sign the contract, you'll receive the complete version of the technique."
"With proper nutrition, this technique could extend your lifespan by up to 200 years, quadruple your constitution, and significantly enhance your bloodline purification."
"Moreover, you'll gain even greater benefits—ones that you'll only discover after signing the contract."
"In short, this is a high-stakes gamble. If you trust me, you'll reap rewards beyond your imagination. But if you lose, you might lose your freedom entirely."
"If you don't want to take the gamble, that's fine too!"
"I'll still honor the research department head position, funding, and resources I promised earlier. Even high-grade nutritional pills will still be supplied monthly."
"But you won't get even half of the technique."
"So, what's your choice?"
Kaito finished with a light smile, looking at Orochimaru expectantly.
"Hoo…"
Orochimaru was silent for a long while before finally exhaling deeply. He looked at Kaito with a wry smile. "You've really given me a tough choice."
"Greater benefits than the complete technique?" Orochimaru mused. "It seems you've already signed this mysterious contract with people like the Uchiha, the Senju, Tsunade, Nawaki, and others."
"No wonder the Uchiha clan and the others have achieved such remarkable growth in just over three years!"
"It's clear now. The real secret behind their progress is you, Kaito!"
Orochimaru shook his head. "We all underestimated you—even my teacher and Danzo couldn't see the depths of your plans."
"You've hidden yourself well."
"Heh, I'm flattered," Kaito replied with a faint smile.
"No," Orochimaru shook his head. "I only pieced it together because you were willing to talk to me and make this offer."
"Otherwise, I might never have realized it until you chose to reveal it yourself."
Orochimaru fell into deep thought.
Kaito, noticing his hesitation, chuckled playfully. "You don't need to think about it for too long. After all, you might not even meet the hidden condition!"
"If you don't meet it, you'll never have the chance to sign the contract."
"Keep in mind, the opportunity to sign this contract is extremely rare. Not everyone meets the requirements."
"And even if someone meets the requirements, it doesn't guarantee I'll offer them the contract."
"Whether or not I agree to the contract depends entirely on my will."
"Without sufficient talent, even meeting the requirements won't be enough to convince me."
"Furthermore, as I contract more people over time, the talent standard will only get higher."
Hearing this, Orochimaru was momentarily stunned. "Is that so? Then what if I accept your conditions, get half the technique, but never meet the hidden requirement?"
Wouldn't he be getting the technique for free?
He doubted Kaito would allow such a loophole.
Kaito paused briefly, realizing the flaw in his earlier proposal. After some thought, he smiled. "In that case, you'll owe me three favors."
"You'll need to complete three research tasks within your abilities for me in the future. How about that?"
Other than research, Kaito couldn't think of anything else from Orochimaru that he'd value.
"Interesting. It seems you have great faith in my research abilities. Fine, I accept," Orochimaru said with a pleased expression, his gaze toward Kaito softening noticeably.
Clearly, Kaito understood him well.
At this moment, Kaito noticed that Orochimaru's favorability toward him had increased again, now reaching 69 points.
That was a pretty decent number.
"Alright then! I'll teach you half of the Life Force Technique now."
As he spoke, Kaito raised his hand and pointed toward Orochimaru's forehead from a distance.
Orochimaru, looking slightly confused, suddenly felt a surge of information rushing into his mind, almost as if lightning struck his sea of consciousness.
Soon after, Orochimaru began absorbing the specific training information about the Life Force Technique.
"This…"
Orochimaru was utterly stunned and looked at Kaito in shock. "Spiritual transmission of information? Impressive!"
Praising him briefly, Orochimaru couldn't help but immerse most of his mind into his sea of consciousness, greedily absorbing the technique's knowledge.
It wasn't long before he gained a basic understanding.
"This technique is so profound!" Orochimaru marveled.
"This is completely different from any understanding I've ever had of the human body!"
"This doesn't even belong to the same system as the ninjutsu training in our world. Where in the world did Kaito get this from?"
"this little guy is so mysterious!"
Orochimaru's curiosity and anticipation grew. "Now I'm even more excited to see what comes after making this contract!"
Yes, he had already decided—once he met the hidden requirements, he would contract with Kaito.
To achieve immortality, Orochimaru was willing to sacrifice everything: his body, his soul, his future. What was there to hesitate about?
Being restricted by Kaito to some extent, unable to act against him? That was a small price to pay.
As long as Kaito continued to bring him benefits, Orochimaru would gladly remain loyal. No harmful thoughts would even cross his mind.
And if there ever came a day when Kaito no longer served his interests?
Well, that day could be far off. He could deal with it then.
For now, the priority was to seize every benefit he could and unlock the door to immortality.
Who knows? By the time such a day comes, Orochimaru might have already surpassed Kaito and found a way to break the contract.
What's life without a bit of risk?
"Don't overthink it. Let's start training and see how it goes!"
Shaking off his endless thoughts, Orochimaru opened his eyes and immediately began practicing the technique.
Meanwhile, Kaito noticed that Orochimaru's favorability increased by another 2 points, now reaching 71.
He was pleased.
"Not bad! You're getting closer to the threshold. Come on, Orochimaru—don't let me down!"
"The sooner we make this contract, the sooner I can rest easy with you on my side," Kaito thought.
He didn't want Orochimaru's favorability to plummet after the potential downfall of the Third Hokage and his clan.
A top-tier researcher like Orochimaru wasn't easy to come by—it'd be a waste to lose him.
"Speaking of top researchers, wasn't there that ordinary guy turned genius scientist in Kara from Boruto? Amado, was it?"
"I never got around to watching Boruto, but I remember bits and pieces from clips in my past life."
"If he exists in this world, I definitely need to find him and recruit him."
Kaito had a particular fondness for brilliant minds—they could never be too many.
— — —
Half an hour later...
"It works! It really works!"
"I can feel my lifespan, vitality, and even my natural talent improving—it's incredible!"
Orochimaru exclaimed, clearly ecstatic after successfully practicing the Life Force Technique for the first time.
"Congrats! Oh, and by the way, if you pair this with the nutrient pills, the effects get even better," Kaito added helpfully.
"Really? Thanks for the tip!" Orochimaru's eyes lit up at Kaito's words.
Without hesitation, he took out a bottle of advanced nutrient pills he'd previously bought from Kaito and swallowed one.
Then, he dove back into training.
Kaito wasn't the least bit impatient. He simply folded his arms and watched quietly, occasionally offering a piece of advice that significantly sped up Orochimaru's progress.
Simultaneously, Orochimaru's favorability toward Kaito soared.
"Ten times the effectiveness! This is insane! Thanks again, Kaito!"
"I can finally see hope for immortality!" Orochimaru said, his tone filled with genuine gratitude after experiencing the results.
At this moment, Orochimaru's favorability reached 85 points, exceeding the threshold.
"No surprise there, Orochimaru. Anything even remotely tied to immortality gets you every time," Kaito thought with a satisfied smile.
"That's exactly why I offered half the Life Force Technique from the start—I knew it'd hit your weak spot."
"No need to be so formal," Kaito waved casually, signaling Orochimaru to relax. Then, his expression turned serious. "Just now, you met the hidden requirement for contracting with me. So, what do you say? Ready to make the deal?"
"Oh?"
Orochimaru was caught off guard. "I already met it? What was the requirement?"
"It's your favorability toward me," Kaito replied bluntly. "To form a contract, your favorability must reach the level of a true friend in your heart."
"Favorability, huh?" Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, licking his lips thoughtfully. "Interesting. Honestly, right now, I do see you as a genuine friend."
"Anyone who helps me walk the path to immortality can be my friend."
"Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's do it!" Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
He was curious, almost impatient. "What are the real benefits waiting on the other side of this deal? Is it the complete immortality technique? Even better enhancements? Superior resources?"
The possibilities were thrilling.
"No problem!" Kaito smiled knowingly.
He formed a mysterious rune at his brow and directed it toward Orochimaru. The intricate symbol floated before him, glowing faintly.
"Oh?"
Orochimaru's gaze locked onto the rune, a mix of fascination and admiration. "Such a complex design. This is the contract?"
"Even though I can't decipher it, I can sense its extraordinary nature."
"Exactly," Kaito confirmed. "Just touch the rune and agree to the terms in your heart, and the contract will be sealed."
Without hesitation, Orochimaru reached out and touched the symbol.
Instantly, a voice echoed in his mind, detailing the contract terms and asking for his agreement.
.
.
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