Under the starry sky, Orochimaru's face was dark with displeasure.
Of course, he knew everything before him was an illusion. But even knowing that, there was absolutely nothing he could do about it!
"Chakra deceiving me? How is that even possible?"
Genjutsu works by messing with the enemy's chakra flow through their nerves. If you disrupt that flow, the illusion should break automatically!
That was common knowledge every ninja should understand!
But today, that very knowledge had been shattered!
If even disrupting chakra didn't work, what else could he do? Try committing suicide inside the illusion?
Aizen's voice echoed in his mind from all directions, like a haunting melody. "How's it feel? Still want to keep trying?"
Orochimaru stayed quiet for a beat before muttering, "I give up."
The gap between them in spiritual power was too vast—so overwhelming that he didn't even feel like struggling.
As he spoke, the starry cosmos around him faded like a retreating tide. Dazed, he suddenly found himself back in the original lab, as if everything he had just experienced was nothing more than a dream.
"It's truly impossible to detect the slightest abnormality!" Orochimaru inwardly sighed. He had already been observing every change around him with great effort, yet still couldn't figure out how Aizen had pulled it off.
He didn't even know how he'd gotten trapped in the illusion—or how he'd escaped. Truly terrifying!
Smiling, Aizen asked, "How was it? My genjutsu isn't bad, right?"
Orochimaru gave him a long look. "With your illusion skills, even if you haven't reached Seiki Shimaseki's level, you must be close. Yet in the ninja world, your name is practically unknown. The only time you've revealed yourself was to control a bunch of weaklings, deliberately avoiding the powerful ones… Hiding your real power like this? You must have some huge plans."
Aizen grinned openly. "Yeah, I'm a complete opportunist!"
For a moment, Orochimaru didn't know how to respond to Aizen's frankness.
Who just flat-out admits they're an opportunist from the get-go?
Shouldn't he have started with some rhetoric about peace and freedom to cover up his ambitions?
Seeing Orochimaru's shocked expression, Aizen couldn't help but smile. "I came here today to invite you to join an organization!"
Orochimaru snapped out of it, frowning slightly. "The Akatsuki? I think—"
"No, the Xu organization!" Aizen interrupted with a smile.
"The Xu organization?" Orochimaru repeated, somewhat doubting his ears.
"Unexpected, right?" Aizen chuckled. "You really think Akatsuki's the only secret org out there in such a huge world?"
Orochimaru wet his lips nervously. "This world just keeps getting more interesting. Mind telling me a bit more about the members of the Xu org?"
Aizen folded his arms, smirking slightly. "Aren't you just asking about someone I mentioned when I walked in?"
Orochimaru's heart jolted. "That Masked Man with the Byakugan who stood up to Seiki Shimaseki—you're saying he's one of yours?"
Aizen gave a slight nod. "Exactly."
Orochimaru took a deep breath to steady himself. "An unknown group like the Xu helping Akatsuki resist enemies... Are you saying Akatsuki is just your external organization?"
"That wouldn't be the case," Aizen slightly shook his head. "Including you, about one-third of the Akatsuki organization are our people."
"One-third!" Orochimaru was initially startled by this news. The Akatsuki, feared throughout the shinobi no sekai, had been infiltrated so deeply without anyone noticing!
Soon after, he realized something and pointed at himself. "Including me?"
Aizen nodded solemnly. "Congratulations on becoming a double... no, wait, considering Konoha is involved too, you're actually a triple agent!"
Orochimaru's eye twitched uncontrollably. "You're not afraid I'll sell you out?"
Aizen looked at him with a half-smile. "Do you really think you can reveal the truth?"
Orochimaru's face darkened. "Am I still trapped in your Genjutsu?"
Aizen remained noncommittal. "Who knows?"
Thinking about Aizen's unfathomable Genjutsu skills, Orochimaru shivered inwardly and chuckled dryly. "Alright, forget I asked that!"
"Alright, now that the invitation is done, it's time to talk about your mission and benefits!" Aizen said, nodding.
"Benefits? I have benefits too?" Orochimaru looked confused. Being given a mission was expected—after all, the other party had clearly approached him because of his abilities.
"Of course," Aizen replied. "My philosophy has always been to give first and then take. Only when your dreams are fulfilled can you better help me achieve my goals!"
"What magnanimous vision!" Orochimaru couldn't help but be impressed, then chuckled darkly. "However, Leader-sama, you haven't even asked me about my dream yet! My dream isn't something easy to achieve!"
"It's not about seeking immortality and learning all the knowledge and Ninjutsu in this world?" Aizen asked teasingly.
"How did you know?" Orochimaru blurted out.
Even when he had been trapped in Aizen's Genjutsu before, he hadn't felt as shocked as he was now.
He had never mentioned this to anyone—not even to Sarutobi, Jiraiya, or Tsunade had he ever revealed his true desire!
Yet this man had seen right through him!
"Because," Aizen said, "I have a pair of eyes that can see through illusions."
"Seeing through illusions, huh?" Orochimaru remained nonchalant but looked sharply at him and asked, "Then how exactly do you plan to help me achieve my dream?"
"Hmph, accomplishing this dream isn't difficult at all!" Aizen said calmly.
"Not difficult?" Orochimaru nearly doubted his hearing again.
He had been chasing immortality for so long that if he voiced this dream, others might brand him insane. Yet this man claimed it wasn't difficult!
Noticing the disbelief plastered all over Orochimaru's face, Aizen continued, "It depends on how you define immortality. If it's simply about preserving your consciousness eternally, then it's actually very simple—just live normally until you die!"
"What?!" Orochimaru's face was almost distorted. Was this some kind of wise approach? Doing absolutely nothing would grant immortality?
Aizen explained, "After death, the soul enters the Underworld. What happens to the weak, I can't say, but someone like you, a powerful individual, probably won't be reincarnated or fade away."
Though slightly amused by Aizen's subtle sarcasm in calling him "powerful," Orochimaru still asked, "Why is that?"
"Because... the Underworld might actually be someone's training ground!" Aizen said with his hands behind his back, his expression inscrutable.
"A training ground? How could that be..." Orochimaru instinctively wanted to dismiss it, but the other's calm gaze made him waver slightly. "You're serious?"
"Believe it or not, you can go and find out for yourself. My words won't convince you half as much as seeing it with your own eyes!"
Hearing this, Orochimaru found himself instinctively inclined to believe him.
"If that's true, how many horrors are lurking beneath the surface of our world?"
Thinking of this, Orochimaru shook his head, temporarily pushing aside the chaotic thoughts. "Then what about eternal life?"
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