The study remained dim, lit only by wavering candlelight.
Orochimaru's face twisted into a smile so sharp it bordered on terrifying. His golden, snake-like pupils burned with naked hunger. For the first time in a long while, he no longer felt alone in his pursuit.
"This forbidden technique," he said softly, voice hoarse with excitement, "was inspired by the Second Hokage's research. He drew upon the Katō Clan's S-rank secret art, the Spirit Transformation Technique, and attempted to refine it further."
He paused, savoring the words.
"It was never given a formal name. But I," Orochimaru continued, lips curling, "will call it the Reincarnation of the Living Corpse."
As Orochimaru explained the origins of the technique, Yoru slowly reined in his initial shock and began to think critically.
During the Chūnin Exams years later, Orochimaru would confront the Third Hokage and reveal a stolen body, prompting the Third to ask whether he had already mastered that forbidden technique. That alone suggested the jutsu already existed in prototype form. It was unfinished now, but destined to be refined through years of relentless experimentation.
Orochimaru, fully in his element, spoke with growing fervor.
"Do you know who the Second Hokage designed this technique for?" he asked, eyes gleaming. "The First Hokage himself. Senju Hashirama."
He leaned forward.
"After the battle at the Valley of the End, Hashirama returned gravely weakened. Not long after, the Second assumed leadership. A few short years later, the First Hokage was dead. That alone tells us everything. His vitality had been severely damaged. The Second was forced to seek… alternatives."
Orochimaru's breath quickened.
"The Second Hokage was a genius. He understood that if the soul could be transferred into a younger body, life could be extended again and again. True longevity. Perhaps even immortality."
He spoke as though he had uncovered the meaning of existence itself.
Yoru frowned slightly and shook his head.
"Orochimaru-sensei," he said evenly, "this technique is incomplete. The records are clear. When the soul forcibly occupies another body, severe backlash occurs. This isn't simple physical rejection. It crosses into forbidden territory involving the soul itself."
Rather than being discouraged, Orochimaru laughed softly.
"The Spirit Transformation Technique allows the soul to leave the body, cross distances freely, even invade another's consciousness or control their movements," he replied. "Its flaw is simple. If the original body is harmed, the soul is damaged as well. And once the body dies, the soul cannot remain anchored elsewhere."
He raised a finger.
"If we solve two problems, everything changes. First, how to sever the soul completely from its original body. Second, how to ensure total dominance when occupying a new one, eliminating rejection and backlash."
For someone like Orochimaru, obstacles were not deterrents. They were invitations.
"The Second Hokage clearly failed," he continued. "Otherwise, the First Hokage would not have died. And the great wars that followed might never have occurred."
By now, Orochimaru was completely consumed by the idea. To him, this path was not only possible, it was inevitable.
"Yoru-kun," he said urgently, locking eyes with him. "The Spirit Transformation Technique proves the concept works. Once we overcome these hurdles, immortality will be within reach. Yours. Mine."
The hunger in his gaze was no longer restrained. This was no longer a solitary obsession. He had found someone who might walk this road with him.
"What do you think?" Orochimaru pressed. "Of this technique."
Yoru met his gaze calmly. He understood now. Orochimaru had already committed himself. There was no turning back.
"A shinobi's lifespan is far too short," Yoru said after a pause. "Even someone as powerful as the First Hokage could not escape aging, illness, and death."
He did not need to say more.
Orochimaru laughed, truly laughed, the sound echoing through the study.
In that moment, the bond between them shifted. No longer merely teacher and student, they stood as partners standing at the threshold of something forbidden.
Yoru continued, voice steady.
"The records show repeated human experiments. The core issues remain the same. One: how to ensure the soul is not bound to the original body even if it is damaged. Two: how to resist, or eliminate entirely, the backlash from the new body."
Orochimaru nodded eagerly.
"Every breakthrough is built on countless failures," he said. "What matters is direction."
Yoru hesitated briefly, then spoke again.
"Orochimaru-sensei… I may have an idea to address the backlash."
Orochimaru's eyes lit up.
"Go on."
"If occupying another person's body always causes rejection," Yoru said, a faint smile forming, "then what if the body wasn't someone else's?"
Silence fell.
Orochimaru froze, then whispered, "Your own… body?"
Understanding struck like lightning.
His smile returned, wider and more unhinged than before.
"Of course," he murmured. "If rejection comes from foreign flesh, then the solution is simple. Cultivate one's own bodies. Grow them from one's own cells. Preserve them. Let them remain dormant until needed."
The study filled with his laughter.
For the first time in his life, Orochimaru felt absolute certainty. More exhilarating than becoming Hokage. More intoxicating than power.
Immortality was no longer a dream.