Danzo stared at Orochimaru, clearly displeased. The man had finally appeared, after nearly a month of silence.
"You do remember you're still part of Root, don't you, Orochimaru?" Danzo said coldly, his tone edged with irritation.
Orochimaru, unfazed, tilted his head slightly. He had no idea what had soured Danzo's mood this time, and frankly, he didn't care. The man was a rat, but a useful one. That made his tantrums tolerable.
"I remember," Orochimaru replied smoothly, his voice laced with amusement. "That's why I'm here—to share a few... benefits."
Danzo's eyes narrowed. "So it worked, then. Whatever you were experimenting with."
"It did." Orochimaru's smile widened. "But before I reveal anything, I have a question."
Danzo didn't respond. He simply stared, waiting.
Orochimaru's gaze sharpened, his tongue flicking briefly from his mouth. "Between you and Sensei, who is stronger?"
The question struck a nerve.
Danzo's face darkened. "Are you here to mock me?"
Of course he knew the answer—Hiruzen. Both of them were hypocrites in their own way, but Danzo had to admit that his old friend had always been the more talented one. Just a little, but enough.
Still, he would never admit it aloud. Not when he held cards he believed no one else could imagine. Root's secrets, forbidden jutsu, and techniques like Izanagi. Danzo understood that power was often about deception. In a fight to the death, it wasn't about brute force. It was about who struck first, who surprised the other.
"I suppose it should be Sensei," Orochimaru said lightly, answering his own question.
He already knew about Danzo's hidden tricks—the Sharingan, the Izanagi gambit.
And still, he wasn't impressed.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the so-called Professor, wasn't powerful in the conventional sense. It wasn't raw strength Orochimaru feared. It was mastery. A terrifying grasp of jutsu theory, tactics, and chakra control. A mind that could turn anything into a weapon.
Orochimaru knew firsthand. The old man had inherited more than just the Will of Fire from the Second Hokage.
"But what about you now... and him ten years from now?" Orochimaru asked, amusement dancing in his voice. It brought Danzo no joy.
"Where are you going with this, Orochimaru?" Danzo asked directly, uninterested in riddles. He had no doubt he would win in a decade—but he'd age, just like Hiruzen. What was the point?
"What if you could remain as you are now for the next fifty years, so long as you don't die?" Orochimaru said thoughtfully.
"You—" Danzo's words caught in his throat. He had a guess… a thrilling, terrifying one.
Orochimaru smiled wider, seeing the recognition flicker across his face. "Yes, I have a solution. A way to stop aging."
Danzo said nothing, but his eyes gleamed with anticipation.
Aging.
Even shinobi weren't immune to it. Time dulled the blade, slowed reflexes, weakened chakra, and eroded respect. But if he could stay just as he was now?
Then forget Konoha. Danzo believed with conviction that he could conquer the entire shinobi world.
Without another word, Orochimaru reached into his robe and retrieved a slim glass tube filled with a shimmering green liquid. He placed it on the table with quiet finality.
Danzo's eye narrowed. He didn't recognize the substance, but its glow spoke of unnatural power.
"This," Orochimaru purred, tilting the tube so the fluid swirled hypnotically, "is exactly what you're thinking. A serum that halts aging. Preserves your current self."
Danzo's voice was low and sharp. "And how do I know you're telling the truth?"
Orochimaru merely smiled and produced a second, identical tube. "One for personal use. One for testing. I expected you'd be cautious."
Danzo's mind raced. Orochimaru wouldn't give this away so easily. Still, offering a test sample aligned with what he would demand. It gave the illusion of transparency. And knowing Orochimaru, even if it worked, there could still be some hidden price buried deep in the cells.
Almost as if reading his mind, Orochimaru added smoothly, "No side effects. No hidden conditions. You'll remain untouched… simply ageless."
Danzo studied his face closely, silent and calculating. No hint of deception. No tremor in his tone.
"I'll test it," Danzo muttered at last. Then, without delay, "What do you want in return?"
Orochimaru's eyes glittered. "Some jutsu," he said softly. "The Spirit Transformation Technique. Five Elements Seal. A few others."
Danzo's jaw tightened. He had them—of course he did. But feeding knowledge to Orochimaru always came with a cost. The stronger Orochimaru became, the less leverage Danzo would retain.
"Isn't that a bit much?" he asked bitterly.
"Hardly," Orochimaru replied, calm and mocking. "In fact, it's far too little for what I'm giving you. Minato may hold the Hokage title, but we both know your Sensei is still guiding him, disguised as mentorship. The clash between you and him is inevitable. You will remain strong. He will grow weak. Your victory is certain, unless you waste it."
Danzo remained silent, though his expression turned cold and contemplative.
And inside, Orochimaru was smiling.
I only truly need the Spirit Transformation Technique. The rest are camouflage.
And the serum? Completely unnecessary.
But I want to watch. I want to see the look on Hiruzen's face when Danzo stops aging. I want to see Danzo's face… when even this isn't enough.
Let the dogs bite. I'll be the one watching from the shadows.
Eventually, Danzo relented and handed over the jutsu. He also demanded that Orochimaru never reveal the serum's existence, especially not to Hiruzen. The old man might use it to father another "prodigy," and Danzo wouldn't tolerate that.
Orochimaru waved dismissively. "There are only four vials in total. Two are yours. One I've used. Only one remains. The material used to create it is rare and prohibitively expensive. It would take years to synthesize again. And there's no need. The work is done."
Of course Danzo didn't believe that, but there was little he could do.
In truth, Orochimaru had more than enough of the serum. He had created it using Veromouth's blood as the base. But there was no reason to share it widely.
Giving it to Danzo served another purpose.
Danzo had access to hidden archives, Root research, long-lost files—resources that Orochimaru wanted to tap into. He wanted to see what Danzo's people could uncover, given the sample. He did not underestimate the research team that had worked under Danzo for years. That's why he gave him two.
And since Orochimaru had finally returned, Danzo wasted no time. He assigned him a mission immediately.
Orochimaru accepted without hesitation. He had already planned to leave the village for a while, and this mission provided the perfect excuse.
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Natural energy vs chi