Smearing certain substances on one's neck was a bit too extreme; even Diarmuid found the thought repulsive. However, upon reflection, it wasn't entirely illogical. Who told Orochimaru to have such a penchant for biting people's necks?
Lost in these bizarre thoughts, Diarmuid followed Orochimaru back to his residence. Orochimaru was actually quite wealthy. With a financier like Danzo backing his research, he didn't need to spend a dime of his own money.
Furthermore, Orochimaru had full discretion over the results of his research, though Danzo acted as a silent partner. From time to time, Orochimaru would offload various experimental leftovers onto the black market. While he considered them failures or "trash," they were highly coveted items among the underworld's elite.
He was far from short on cash. Yet, despite his wealth, Orochimaru possessed a cold, detached personality and was not a man given to luxury. His house sat in a remote corner of Konoha, isolated from neighbors, just a solitary, unassuming cottage.
Pushing the door open, Orochimaru remarked, "I haven't been back here in quite a while."
"Is that your way of saying you've sacrificed everything for the sake of science?" Diarmuid asked with a chuckle.
"You could say that," Orochimaru replied calmly.
Despite his claim of being away for a long time, the house was far from neglected. There wasn't a speck of dust in sight; it looked as if it were inhabited daily.
"Did you hire a maid?" Diarmuid asked, plonking himself down on the sofa with zero regard for etiquette.
"No. Anko comes by occasionally to tidy up the place," Orochimaru stated flatly.
Diarmuid looked at him with a hint of envy. "Is this the benefit of taking an apprentice? I'm actually a bit jealous."
"You don't even own a house. What is there to be jealous of?" Orochimaru deadpanned.
Diarmuid: "???"
Was that even what we were talking about? Still, the logic was so sound he found himself unable to refute it.
"I'll have you know I once owned a mansion," Diarmuid blustered defensively. "Assigned by the government, no less. The benefits and perks were of a high-end caliber you can't even imagine."
Orochimaru didn't bother arguing. He pulled some juice from the fridge, poured two glasses, and handed one to Diarmuid. "Getting back to business... I once attempted to learn Senjutsu at Ryuchi Cave, but I failed. After returning, I discussed it with Jiraiya, and Tsunade gave me some pointers as well..."
"Tsunade? She knows Senjutsu?" Diarmuid was genuinely surprised. In my memories, she never used it!
"She doesn't," Orochimaru shook his head, but quickly added, "But she is a direct descendant of the Senju clan. The First Hokage was a master of Senjutsu, and the Second Hokage conducted a fair amount of research on the subject..."
"I see." Diarmuid nodded, then sighed with feeling. "The number one clan in the Shinobi world... Speaking of which, Tsunade is truly beautiful and has an incredible figure, doesn't she? Didn't you ever have feelings for her? You and Jiraiya are really something else, letting such a beauty find a boyfriend? And even then, she ended up with a 'short-lived ghost'..."
Orochimaru noted Diarmuid's impressive talent for straying off-topic. He knew he shouldn't engage, but somehow felt compelled to say a few words.
"Jiraiya... Jiraiya has always had a crush on Tsunade. If anyone is at fault, it's him. What does it have to do with me?" Orochimaru said with a hint of annoyance. After a pause, he added, "As for Dan Kato, he was actually an excellent man and we were on good terms. I think describing him as a 'short-lived ghost' is a bit disrespectful."
Diarmuid hadn't expected Orochimaru to be on good terms with Dan Kato. If they were friends, then calling him that was indeed a bit rude. He nodded seriously. "My apologies."
"It's nothing." Orochimaru shook his head, a rare flash of guilt flickering in his eyes.
Tsunade had grown disgusted and disillusioned with the village, the world, and war. That was why she chose to leave, abandoning the life of a ninja to become the "Legendary Sucker" of the gambling world. Orochimaru felt a lingering sense of responsibility for this; during the war, Tsunade had specifically entrusted him with the care of her younger brother, Nawaki.
In a momentary lapse of attention, Nawaki had died on the battlefield. Orochimaru had carried that guilt ever since.
Sensing the shift in mood, Diarmuid attempted to lighten the atmosphere. "I've met two of the Sannin now; only Tsunade is left. You have to introduce me when the chance arises. I've admired her for a long time."
Orochimaru looked at Diarmuid, considered it, and said, "I'd normally advise you against having designs on Tsunade, as her fists are something even you might not handle daily, but on second thought, if it's you, perhaps it would be good. Those who dwell in the past cannot have a future..."
"Oh?" Diarmuid's eyebrows shot up. "I like the sound of that."
It was a sentiment he had often expressed himself. It seemed he and Orochimaru shared a lot of common ground.
Orochimaru realized he had strayed off-course again. He took a sip of juice, suppressed his urge to complain, and continued: "At any rate, with the help of Jiraiya and Tsunade, combined with my own theories and understanding of Senjutsu, I finally reached a conclusion."
This time, Diarmuid stayed focused. He took a sip of his juice and asked, "What conclusion?"
"Senjutsu is essentially just the application of Natural Energy. Places like Mount Myoboku, Ryuchi Cave, and the Shikkotsu Forest aren't actually teaching you a 'jutsu.' They are teaching you a method, a knack, for interacting with or mastering Natural Energy," Orochimaru explained.
Diarmuid nodded. It made sense. The Sage techniques used later by Jiraiya and Naruto weren't mostly taught by Mount Myoboku; they were developed by the users themselves by combining Natural Energy with Ninjutsu.
"According to Jiraiya, Mount Myoboku uses a special Toad Oil. This oil makes it easier for your body to come into contact with external Natural Energy, allowing you to experience and eventually master it. Shikkotsu Forest involves Katsuyu enveloping you to assist in the experience. As for Ryuchi Cave... they are more 'direct.' They simply give you a bite, injecting you with enough Natural Energy to see if your physical constitution can adapt and survive," Orochimaru said.
Indeed, among the Three Great Sage Regions, Ryuchi Cave's "shortcut" was the wildest. No fluff, no gradual progression, and no reasoning. If you wanted to learn Senjutsu, the White Snake Sage would bite you and inject a massive dose of Natural Energy into your system.
Either you learned it, or you died. Simple and brutal.
Natural Energy was notoriously dangerous. When one of Pain's Six Paths of Pain, the "fat one," absorbed too much natural energy, he was instantly turned into stone. Ryuchi Cave's savage method meant that for many years, no one had mastered their Sage Mode. If Orochimaru hadn't possessed extraordinary survival skills, he likely would have died there as well. Even though he ultimately failed the trial to learn Senjutsu, he at least lived to tell the tale.
Diarmuid nodded with interest. "That makes a lot of sense."
"Setting Mount Myoboku and Shikkotsu Forest aside, my time at Ryuchi Cave gave me a massive inspiration..." A glint appeared in Orochimaru's eyes.
Diarmuid seemed to realize something as well, his eyes widening in understanding. Wait... when you think about the principle of the Cursed Seal, isn't it identical to Ryuchi Cave's method?
Both involved a bite and the injection of natural energy. Orochimaru had simply added a "safety fuse" to prevent the subject from dying instantly. The drawback was the periodic flare-ups and pain as the body resisted the natural energy, but that was still better than being turned into a stone statue!
"After leaving Ryuchi Cave, I became fascinated by this method. However, for the longest time, I lacked the ability to generate or communicate with natural energy myself, so naturally, I couldn't inject it into others. That was until I found that special clan. They can naturally accumulate natural energy within their bodies. Through studying them, I have mastered a 'key' that is safer than the methods of the Three Great Sage Regions. Diarmuid... would you like me to help you open the door to this new world?"
As Orochimaru spoke, a smile that was both expectant and sinister played on his lips.
Initially, Orochimaru's research into the Cursed Seal was strictly a pursuit of Senjutsu. However, even with the Cursed Seal's help, few could withstand the power; most suffered physical collapse and death. Consequently, his Senjutsu research stalled, and he eventually shifted his obsession toward the Uchiha. The Cursed Seal lost its original "noble" purpose and became a tool to power up his disposable minions.
Admittedly, while this enhancement was far inferior to true Sage Mode, the Cursed Seal significantly boosted the strength of those tools.
Diarmuid pondered the theory. He couldn't find a single flaw in Orochimaru's logic; it was entirely sound. At this stage, the Cursed Seal could indeed be called a "key to the door of natural energy." If one could adapt to the seal and perceive natural energy, they could theoretically transition into true Sage Mode naturally, without needing Mount Myoboku.
Relying on oneself instead of seeking help from others... was it?
Diarmuid stroked his chin, genuinely tempted.
"...And the risks?" he asked.
Orochimaru went silent for a moment. "So far, I have selected twenty-nine exceptional individuals and applied the Cursed Seal to them. The result was total annihilation."
"Hiss... what kind of Cursed Seal was it?" Diarmuid asked.
Orochimaru blinked. "Just... a Cursed Seal? What do you mean 'what kind'?"
Diarmuid: "???"
"You haven't categorized them by grade or anything?"
In his memory, weren't there "Heaven" and "Earth" seals? It turned out Orochimaru hadn't even started classifying them yet.
After a moment's thought, Orochimaru nodded. "A good point. I should indeed establish a hierarchy to compare the experimental results."
Shaking off the distraction, he continued, "So, that is the risk. Those whose physical constitution cannot handle the natural energy will collapse and die. But in your case, I believe there will be no issue. You've even perfectly integrated the First Hokage's cells. Speaking of which, have you mastered Wood Release?"
"Not at all," Diarmuid shook his head.
Logically, he possessed Hashirama's cells, immense vitality, and chakra, as well as Water and Earth affinities. But no matter how he researched it, he couldn't manifest Wood Release. He suspected there was a missing piece to the puzzle, and it wasn't as simple as Yamato's case. Wood Release was far too mysterious.
How did Obito awaken it? Was it because of the Sharingan? Was that a necessary trigger? But Yamato clearly didn't have one!
"Is that so?" Orochimaru didn't seem too bothered. It hadn't been that long, after all, and he viewed it as a long-term process. He dropped the subject and looked at Diarmuid intently. "So... do you want to try?"
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