After flying into the Land of Grass, Mizuki landed and continued on foot, turning toward Kusagakure. At the last moment, he'd decided to visit the Grass Ninja Village.
But when he arrived, the village was already engulfed in battle. Unknown ninjas were attacking. Shouts of killing rang out everywhere, and violent ninjutsu tore through the streets.
Bodies lay scattered — ninja bodies, and ordinary villagers too. The air was thick with the stench of blood.
Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu ▻ Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique
Across from the roaring fireball stood a Kusa Jōnin. He used Body Flicker to evade and barked, "That kind of jutsu won't work on me!"
But in the next moment, he let out a scream.
A Wind Release: Wind Cutter (Fūton: Kazekiri) struck from behind, slicing into his left leg — deep enough to expose bone.
On the brink of death, the Kusa ninja formed seals at lightning speed — Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique. He sank underground and fled, his chakra rapidly moving away.
Mizuki had already liquefied himself with the Heaven Grudge Fear technique. He seeped into the ground as well, slipping through the soil and closely tailing the injured Kusa ninja.
Somewhere in the village, in a certain house, a steady stream of wounded Kusa ninjas rushed inside. A short while later, they came back out — yet their injuries were completely healed.
That Jōnin entered too, and soon emerged unscathed, returning to the fight.
"This is the place."
The reason Mizuki came to Kusagakure was Karin.
Karin Uzumaki — an orphaned survivor of the Uzumaki clan. Her combat strength wasn't great, but she was an exceptional support-type ninja. She possessed the sensory technique Mind's Eye of the Kagura, able to detect chakra across tens of kilometers — absurdly overpowered.
Her blood also had healing properties. No matter how severe the injury, one sip of her blood would restore it immediately. And within her body lay the Uzumaki clan's Fūinjutsu talent — if developed, it would be formidable.
With such an ideal apprentice, how could Mizuki let her go? Since he was passing through the Land of Grass, of course he had to come take a look. Karin's life in Kusagakure was miserable, so taking her away would be effortless.
At that moment, a few more injured Kusa ninjas entered the house — but immediately after, a series of piercing screams erupted from inside. Those ninjas never came out again.
Mizuki sensed something was wrong.
"That familiar, chilling chakra… it can only be Orochimaru. As expected. This attack on Kusagakure was orchestrated by him. And his goal is the same as mine — Karin."
During Konoha's Chūnin Exams, Kusagakure had participated, and Karin had been among them. Her sensing ability must have caught Orochimaru's attention back then.
Never doubt this pervert's eye for talent. Anyone he takes interest in is a genius.
Inside the house, Orochimaru stared at the red-haired little girl cowering in the corner. With his signature purple eye shadow, he looked especially sinister. Several corpses lay on the floor — the same Kusa ninjas who had entered moments earlier.
"I'm here to take you with me. Your sensory ability is special. I need you."
Karin asked in terror, "Y-you… who are you?"
Just moments ago, this person had killed those Kusa ninjas in an instant. Even a Jōnin would have had no chance to resist.
Orochimaru's hoarse voice replied, "I am the Fifth Hokage of Konoha — Orochimaru!"
"F-fifth… Hokage?"
Orochimaru asked, "Well? Will you come with me, or will you stay here and remain Kusagakure's blood-medicine?"
Karin said, "I… I'll go with you."
She could sense Orochimaru's chakra was extremely sinister, like a cold, dark snake den. Someone with chakra like that was definitely not a good person.
But so what if he was? Were there any good people in Kusagakure? If she stayed, sooner or later she would die like her mother, drained of blood.
Following him meant an unknown future, but no matter how bad it was, it could not be worse than staying here.
Orochimaru nodded, "Then let's go."
Just as Karin was about to stand, she suddenly sensed another unfamiliar chakra — already inside the house.
"Yo, Orochimaru. Still kidnapping ignorant little girls?"
Hearing that familiar voice, Orochimaru's expression shifted — then his mouth curled into a smile.
"Mizuki-kun… I didn't expect you to be here too." He turned toward the doorway.
A puddle of water flowed in through the crack under the door, gathered, and formed into a human-shaped Mizuki.
"A water clone?" Orochimaru frowned. He couldn't tell what technique this guy had used, "Mizuki-kun, did you come here specifically for me?"
As he looked at Mizuki, his expression grew strange.
"Mizuki-kun… you seem younger. If I remember correctly, you should be twenty-eight, yet you look eighteen. From you, I sense a fascinating aura — vast life force! It seems you too are someone who seeks immortality. In that case… we are kindred spirits."
Mizuki smiled, "Who doesn't want eternal life? But your Living Corpse Reincarnation has too severe a side effect. It keeps the body young, but it damages the soul. The secret art I control has no side effects at all. No body-swapping required, yet it grants eternal life."
Hearing that, Orochimaru couldn't help licking his lips.
Mizuki continued, "If you leave Konoha, bring the Otogakure people, and join my Fushigakure, I'll give you this secret art. Then you can be immortal too — without side effects — just like me."
Orochimaru lowered his head and chuckled softly, "Leaving Konoha… is less appealing than you returning to Konoha, Mizuki-kun. I know the Third Hokage treated you unfairly. But he's dead now, and I am the Hokage. As long as you return, I'm willing to abdicate immediately and let you become the Sixth Hokage."
Mizuki said, "I'm not interested in you. And I'm even less interested in the Hokage's seat."
His gaze shifted to Karin.
Orochimaru's brow furrowed, his expression darkening. To obtain Karin, he'd brought people to attack Kusagakure, paying a huge price.
But now Mizuki had come, and his target was Karin too.
Orochimaru sighed, but in the next second, a sinister smile rose on his lips.
"Mizuki's immortality technique… I want it badly. In that case, don't blame me for being rude."
Before the words even finished, Mizuki felt teeth sink into his neck. That familiar binding force of the Curse Mark swept over his whole body again.
Behind him, another Orochimaru had appeared at some point, sharp fangs biting into his neck and releasing the Curse Mark's power.
The Orochimaru in front went poof and turned into a snake — it had been a Snake Clone. The one biting Mizuki's neck was the real Orochimaru.
"I'm unbelievably lucky! Not only the Sharingan and the Rinnegan… but such immense life force — enough for me to live thousands of years without aging. This body is absolutely perfect, the most perfect in the ninja world. Even more suitable than Sasuke Uchiha's. Mizuki-kun… from today onward, let us become one."
Still biting down, he began using Living Corpse Reincarnation. A white, phosphorescent snake slithered out of his mouth, then tried to crawl into Mizuki's mouth.
"Heh."
A soft chuckle. With a flash of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, everything around them shattered like a mirage.
Orochimaru's eyes widened. He stood frozen, terror plastered across his face.
"I… I actually fell into your genjutsu! Such powerful ocular power…"
He recalled the scene of being defeated by Itachi — how similar it was to today.
Mizuki said coolly, showing off without shame: "Orochimaru. Every move you make is visible to my eyes. Your strength doesn't match your ambition. I won't kill you. But if you dare attack me, I won't let you off easily either. You seek immortality, don't you? Then I'll let you experience the thrill of being chased by the Shinigami with a scythe."
In the next instant, Mizuki liquefied, drilled into Orochimaru's body, and began devouring his life force like a madman.
"T-this… what kind of ninjutsu is this?!"
Orochimaru felt himself aging rapidly. Wrinkles spread across his face. His smooth black hair became dry, withered, and white. His body hunched. His teeth fell out.
"N-no… stop. Stop!"
Orochimaru's mind shattered. He could feel himself dying. Even if he could revive after death, he didn't know how long it would take before the next opportunity came.
Last time, Kimimaro's death gave him a chance to revive. Next time… who knew when it would be.
"I can't die. If I die, what will happen to Konoha? The Hokage position will definitely fall into the hands of mediocrities, and Konoha will decline!"
Mizuki withdrew from Orochimaru's body and re-formed into human shape, looking at the unbelievably aged snake pervert.
"I left you three hours of life. If you want to live, hurry."
Orochimaru asked, "What is this technique? Where did the life force you devoured from me go?"
Mizuki smiled, "Just as you guessed. All the life force I devoured from you became mine. Your lifespan decreases, my lifespan increases."
Orochimaru's cloudy old eyes lit up with a bright, sharp gleam. A desire called "craving" expanded endlessly in his heart.
"I'm willing to trade you the Eight Branches Technique for that secret art."
Mizuki smiled, "No trade."
"Then add Living Corpse Reincarnation, the Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode Training Method, and the Curse Mark method. Once you learn Curse Marks, even if someone kills you, you can revive."
Orochimaru was all-in.
Mizuki was unmoved. He looked to the side at Karin and said, "Come with me."
Then he turned and walked toward the door.
Karin didn't dare look at Mizuki, but she still stood up and followed behind him.
Mizuki didn't kill Orochimaru. Orochimaru was the Fifth Hokage now. If he died, Konoha would have to choose a new Hokage — and the first choice would definitely be Tsunade.
Then Jiraiya would come to find her. If she softened and agreed to return to Konoha, Fushigakure would suffer a huge loss.
So it was better to spare Orochimaru. It wouldn't harm Mizuki anyway.
"Karin, do you have any relatives or friends left in this village? If you do, I can take them with us."
Karin shook her head, "I don't have friends. My mom is dead too."
She only had teammates who sucked her blood — no friends.
Mizuki sighed, "Don't be sad. Once you reach Fushigakure, you'll have lots of friends."
With Karin, he shot into the sky.
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