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After both parties reached an agreement, the pitch-black contract ignited without warning. It burned silently, collapsing into a streak of dark light that shot straight into Orochimaru's body.
Almost simultaneously, Li Rong raised a finger. A strand of golden radiance bloomed at his fingertip and surged forward, forcefully pouring an enormous amount of information into Orochimaru's consciousness. Along with it came a clear unlocking sensation—permissions within the Sacrificial Shop unfolding layer by layer.
At present, only Li Rong himself, the four women, and Orochimaru possessed such authority.
"Since you've officially joined the Sacrificial Shop," Li Rong said calmly, "you should withdraw from the Ninja ranks and remove your Konoha forehead protector."
"Go say goodbye to your relatives and friends. I won't forbid contact, but from now on, the shop's interests come first."
"It's better to make these boundaries clear early. Saves trouble later."
"I'll handle it," Orochimaru replied absently, pressing his fingers to his temples as he frantically digested the overwhelming knowledge flooding his mind. Everything else clearly ranked far below that priority.
He hadn't expected the so-called Sacrificial Shop from overseas to be anything but.
It wasn't overseas at all.
It was beyond the heavens.
Calling it "beyond the heavens" was, in fact, far more accurate.
Orochimaru casually gestured toward the group of young people behind Li Rong. "What about their three-day training? I'm not in the mood for that right now."
So this is what it looks like when someone slacks off the moment they're hired.
"You promised it," Li Rong replied without a hint of sympathy. "Figure it out yourself. I only care about results."
Orochimaru turned his gaze to Tsunade. "Help me handle this. I want to find a place to test some pills. Right now."
Tsunade studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Alright."
She didn't know exactly what Orochimaru had just received—but based on the fact that he'd gone out of his way to save Jiraiya earlier, she chose to trust her old teammate.
Standing up, Tsunade waved at the young people behind Li Rong. "All of you, follow me."
They instinctively looked toward Li Rong. Only after he nodded did they move. As they passed Orochimaru, envy flickered unmistakably in their eyes.
Orochimaru ignored them completely.
Instead, a rapid-fire barrage of questions spilled out the moment the courtyard quieted.
"I have pill formulas, but where are the medicinal herbs? Where's my furnace? And the fire source—can I use Fire Release Chakra?"
"No rush," Li Rong said.
Golden light descended once more, enveloping Orochimaru. In an instant, all of his Chakra was forcibly converted into spiritual energy.
Immediately afterward, a cultivation method was branded directly into his consciousness.
"Dan Ding Bath Fire Imprint Art," Li Rong explained. "A dual fire–wood cultivation method."
"Once mastered, you'll be able to control the spiritual fires of heaven and earth and comprehend the vitality of plants and trees. It's tailor-made for alchemy."
"This technique was created by a grand alchemist specifically for nurturing successors. By the shop's standards, it's a fifth-grade cultivation art."
Li Rong extended his arm.
A crimson pill furnace materialized out of thin air.
Nine massive purple dragons coiled around its body, each dragon vivid and lifelike, faint purple qi breathing from their mouths.
"This is the Purple Gold Creation Furnace," Li Rong said, lightly brushing the furnace wall.
The dragon patterns flared with light.
"Sixth-grade spirit tool. Pills below seventh grade gain a thirty percent increase in success rate."
He flicked it with a finger.
A clear dragon's roar echoed.
"It enhances sensory perception and reduces spiritual energy consumption. Even a beginner can control it without difficulty."
Finally, Li Rong produced a large spatial ring.
"This ring is for medicinal herbs. First-grade spirit herbs are already categorized inside. Use them freely."
He paused, then added casually, "When you're not using the furnace, you can store it inside as well. It only requires a trace of spiritual energy to operate."
Orochimaru took the ring.
A single sweep of his perception revealed a vast interior space filled with neatly arranged herbs. The medicinal fragrance alone was intoxicating.
He stored the furnace away, chose an empty room at random, and walked inside.
"Don't call me unless it's important."
The door shut.
Li Rong raised an eyebrow.
Confident already, huh? Let's see how many times you blow up the furnace.
—
"Boss Li really said that?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked hoarsely.
"Yes." Jiraiya's face was bitter, utterly devoid of his usual carefree air.
He didn't even know whether he still qualified as a ninja anymore.
Minato Namikaze remained silent, head lowered since entering the room.
"This is betrayal!" Danzo suddenly roared. His face twisted as he glared at everyone. "Orochimaru leaked high-level secrets! That alone warrants execution!"
"What time is it for this nonsense?!" Utatane Koharu snapped, pointing at him angrily. "Once a bounty is issued, none of us will survive!"
"There's no need to panic," Danzo replied, forcing himself calm. "They have no evidence. Even if they issue a bounty, we can fight it with public opinion. The other four villages will support us."
Hiruzen slammed his hand down.
"His strength surpasses the First Hokage!" he snapped. "What evidence do you think is needed in front of absolute power?!"
"Every word he says is law!"
Danzo's remaining eye turned bloodshot. He slammed his staff down violently.
"Then what do you want to do? Kill yourselves right now?!"
Hiruzen staggered back into his seat.
In that moment, the man who had ruled Konoha for twenty years looked nothing like a Hokage—only an exhausted old man.
His fingers dug into the armrest. Pain barely registered.
"This old man…" Hiruzen murmured, "…forgot the Ninja Handbook."
The thin booklet from his youth seemed to appear before his eyes.
He reached instinctively for his ninja pouch—and touched only the cold Hokage seal.
Twenty years of power had eroded the instincts once etched into his bones.
Only now did he realize it.
"We must complete his tasks flawlessly," Homura Mitokado said heavily. "Strengthen ties with the Sacrificial Shop before the camp is established."
After a long silence, Hiruzen finally spoke.
"Jiraiya. Minato. Go together. Bring gifts. Apologize."
"Yes," Jiraiya replied.
Minato said nothing.
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