Chapter 149: Meeting
How could it be unfamiliar? No one knows the significance of this forbidden jutsu better than Kakashi. It was precisely this ninjutsu, invented by the Second Hokage, that later led to the Fourth Great Ninja War in the original story.
"One reason the Second Hokage didn't fully develop this forbidden jutsu for manipulating the dead was that it required extensive human experimentation and a large number of corpses."
"I think he didn't develop it further simply because he died too early."
"Kakashi."
Minato Namikaze's tone gradually grew serious. Konoha had recently seen a large number of death row inmates go missing, and investigations by the Anbu showed that the mastermind behind this was none other than Orochimaru, one of the Sannin—and he had also found records concerning the timing of Amegakure's contact with Orochimaru.
"Ah, he came to me, though I had thought about going to him too."
After a moment's thought, seeing as it had little to do with him, Kakashi revealed everything. After all, Orochimaru was the one doing the research and capturing the death row inmates; he merely wanted to enjoy some of the results.
Two years ago.
The Third Great Ninja War had just ended. A sinister-looking ninja with long black hair, golden slit pupils, purple eyeshadow extending to his nasal alae, and pale skin, wearing bluish-green magatama-shaped earrings, secretly returned to the Land of Fire alone, bypassing the stationed troops of the Land of Mud. He then crossed the Land of Fire's border into the Land of Rice Fields and met a man who had a "cooperative" relationship with Kakashi.
"Lord Orochimaru of Konoha."
Shinnō bowed in deference to the person before him.
"I invited you here to research the secret of immortality with me, and I also need someone else's help."
The white-haired Shinnō and Orochimaru were meeting for the first time. Shinnō had created a scroll using his special Dark Chakra, listing many pieces of information that interested Orochimaru, finally persuading one of Konoha's Sannin to come to his base in the Land of Rice Fields. At the same time, he secretly guarded against the man before him; without the Zero-Tails' augmentation, he wasn't confident in engaging him.
"Oh,"
Orochimaru's vertical pupils stared at Shinnō for a long time, emitting an exclamation that was not quite an exclamation, his slightly hoarse voice carrying a peculiar rhythm.
"Immortality, eternal life, requires more than just physical strength."
"The strength of the soul is far more important than the body."
Shinnō continued Orochimaru's statement, simultaneously producing a test tube containing cultured cells. Even through the test tube, Orochimaru could feel their extraordinarily powerful vitality.
This was different from the vitality of the "Hashirama Cells" he had previously researched with little progress; Hashirama Cells' vitality could heal injuries and possessed powerful self-healing abilities.
However, the self-healing ability of these new cells was not strong, yet they felt like living organisms.
"These cultured cells can enhance the power of the soul."
Shinnō lightly shook the test tube twice in his hand. A small snake emerged from Orochimaru's sleeve, flicking its tongue as it approached Shinnō, indicating for him to hand over the cells. But Shinnō stepped back, refusing.
"These cells are not part of the trade, Lord Orochimaru."
"What do you want?"
Orochimaru retracted the small snake, licking his lips with his long tongue, inadvertently releasing some of his aura.
The aura of Orochimaru, who had emerged from the mountains of corpses and seas of blood of war, was enough to make many genin and chūnin wet their pants and lose their will to fight.
But Shinnō, naturally unafraid, stated his demands.
"The complete scroll of the Eight Gates, and Konoha's defense maps."
"You want to destroy Konoha?"
"Don't misunderstand, Lord Orochimaru. I don't want to destroy Konoha. It's the Land of Sky that wants to destroy Konoha. I'm merely contributing my last ounce of strength for my former compatriots."
"The Land of Sky? I didn't expect you to be from that country. To think there are still remnants alive to this day."
Orochimaru was completely indifferent to whether the other party wanted to destroy Konoha. Ever since he learned that his junior, Minato Namikaze, became Hokage, and the Third Hokage was disappointed in him, he had lost all interest in Konoha, single-mindedly researching the method of eternal life and preparing for exile at any moment.
"What can you bring me, the owner of these cells?"
"Indeed, his name is Hatake Kakashi."
Orochimaru was slightly surprised upon hearing that name.
"The White Fang's son, possesses such talent?"
"And I happen to have a cooperative relationship with him, but he doesn't seem very friendly towards me. If I were to go alone to demand the cells... I'm afraid."
"You want me to accompany you? Now that I know who the owner of these cells is, do I still need to make this trade with you?"
"Believe me, Lord Orochimaru, without my presence, you wouldn't even be able to enter Amegakure Village's gate."
"Interesting."
Orochimaru didn't refute. The other party knew his reputation and still spoke such words. Perhaps the Amegakure, where rogue ninja gathered, truly had some formidable experts, especially since the entire Uchiha clan had fled there.
"Then, Lord Orochimaru, what is your intention?"
"Take me to meet the Hatake family's miraculous prodigy. The last time I saw him was many years ago."
The two, each with their own ulterior motives, immediately crossed the Land of Fire towards Amegakure's border. There, they met Nagato, who was stationed at the Amegakure border.
And Nagato also noticed him.
"Orochimaru."
Softly uttering the name, Nagato remembered this sinister man. When Jiraiya had saved him, Konan, and Yahiko, it was this man who had suggested killing the three of them.
Plus, he was still a Konoha ninja.
"What is your purpose in coming here?"
Unlike Nagato, who recognized Orochimaru at a glance, Orochimaru didn't immediately recognize the child from back then. He merely found him familiar, and his chakra intensity was extremely high.
"We're looking for Hatake Kakashi. We are his collaborators."
"Hatake Kakashi...?"
Nagato pondered for a few seconds, then instructed a nearby ninja to notify Kakashi, who was still within Amegakure Village, while he himself remained there, observing every move of these two uninvited guests.
"Lord Orochimaru, Amegakure Village's strength is far greater than you can imagine."
Shinnō confidently boasted to the man as if he possessed all information.
"Where will the winds of the ninja world blow?"
After arriving, Orochimaru's attention was completely drawn to Nagato, because he had just seen the pair of eyes hidden beneath the other's hair.
The Rinnegan.
"So you're the child Jiraiya saved back then. Jiraiya truly did something remarkable."
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