Chapter 76: Revisiting Orochimaru
"Are you sure?!"
Danzo Shimura looked at the intelligence in the scroll, his face showing not just shock, but mostly disbelief.
"Of course. This is my sincerity, and besides..." Naruto smiled eerily, "Compared to a sinister and cunning viper like Orochimaru, I prefer working with you! After all, your goals have always been clear. Orochimaru is a bit lacking compared to you."
"What do you need?"
"I love working with smart people like you!" Narutosnapped his fingers with a "pop." "I only want money... Of course, if you could give me some Sealing Jutsu of the Uzumaki Clan, I would be even happier!"
"I don't know if this information is true yet." Danzo Shimura still wanted to bargain. "And I could bypass you and go work with Orochimaru directly! That way, the cost would be lower, and it would save the uncertainty of an intermediary."
"Do you think you still have the possibility of working with Orochimaru?" Naruto sneered. "You haven't sold Orochimaru out less in the past, and you no longer have any value to Orochimaru. After all, the forbidden jutsu he wanted, you have already given them to him, haven't you?"
"Once you get the samples, I will satisfy all your requirements. That is the premise!!"
"As you wish."
Naruto smiled and bowed slightly to Danzo Shimura. The awkward bow looked more like a mockery of Danzo Shimura. After doing all this, Naruto activated the Flying Thunder God and disappeared instantly from the Root base.
"Search the base inside and out thoroughly, and find all the hidden Flying Thunder God markings!"
After Naruto left, Danzo Shimura's face became even gloomier. Having his old lair treated as a place people could come and go freely, even more casually than their own home, would make anyone unhappy, let alone willing to let it slide.
...
"'Heaven,' long time no see..."
Orochimaru sensed Naruto suddenly appearing behind him. His hand, which was busy with an experiment, didn't pause in the slightest. He greeted Naruto without even turning his head.
"It's only been a day."
Naruto walked curiously to Orochimaru's side. After taking two looks at the experiment he was working on, he suppressed the discomfort in his stomach and turned his head slightly away.
"So, even you, who calls yourself 'Heaven,' have things you aren't good at or dislike!" Orochimarunoticed Naruto's reaction, his words carrying a hint of mockery. "I thought that by using this title, you would be omnipotent!"
"Although what you said is the truth, hearing it still makes me feel very unhappy!" Naruto wanted to use his sharp tongue, but ultimately held back. After all, the persona he was playing right now was someone who presented himself with cold indifference.
"Hehe..." Orochimaru put down the experiment in his hand and clapped his hands to summon his subordinates. "Clean up these failed products. 'Heaven' might feel a bit uncomfortable looking at them."
"Alright, what is the reason for your visit this time?"
After Orochimaru's subordinates cleaned up the failed experiments, Orochimaru sat down on the spot in the laboratory and looked at the Naruto in front of him, asking.
"I used the Hashirama cells you gave me last time for experiments. I've come for the same purpose this time."
"You really are cautious!" Orochimaru licked the corner of his mouth. "However, that was the last vial... I'm afraid this 'Heaven' will have to return disappointed..."
"Do you think I would believe that?" Narutosneered. "This is the bargaining chip for this transaction. If you are satisfied, take back what you just said. Otherwise... I might not be able to help myself and burn this place down."
"Don't be so impatient!"
Orochimaru took the scroll Naruto handed over. After undoing the Seal, what lay inside was a mass of pure Nine-Tailed Yang-style Chakra!
A flash of brilliance flickered in his snake-like eyes. Orochimaru tried hard to suppress his greed, but since the surprise Naruto gave him was simply too great, the hand holding the sealing scroll still trembled slightly and uncontrollably.
"Tell me, to what extent has your research on the Sharingan reached!" Orochimaru resealed the scroll. After lifting his head, his burning gaze remained fixed on Naruto's eyelids. "I think we still have opportunities for in-depth cooperation!"
"That is another matter for cooperation. Once you give me what I want, we can talk about what bargaining chips you can offer."
Naruto was an old fox now, and in terms of psychological age, he was already on par with Orochimaru. Naruto understood too well what conditions were most favorable to him!
"Kimimaro! Bring the test tube containing the Hashirama cells." Orochimaru summoned a brat who looked to be about the same age as Naruto to his side. "Remember, just bring one vial!"
"Yes! Lord Orochimaru!"
Naruto watched Kimimaro, who bowed respectfully and then left. He suddenly became interested in this kid who was the same age as him, or perhaps even older.
"This kid..."
"Is 'Heaven' talking about Kimimaro?" Orochimarulooked at Naruto playfully. "He is the first tool I took in, and also my most outstanding subordinate currently."
"But he is about to die..."
"Yes, he is about to die..." Orochimaru was stunned for a moment, then chimed in with Naruto. "It is a pity. Due to the Kekkei Genkai disease, Kimimaro's body has reached a very dangerous point."
"I think he can still be saved."
Naruto shook his head slowly. Having studied so many Ninjutsu books and materials, he certainly knew what the Kekkei Genkai disease was. Although he hadn't researched it, knowing the principle made it not difficult to find a solution.
"Oh?" Orochimaru became interested. "'Heaven' also has research on the Kekkei Genkai disease?"
"I don't seem to have much talent in scientific research." Naruto knew himself best. He wasn't an omnipotent person. "But scientific research is the same as Ninjutsu. Knowing the principles and the composition—although reverse engineering is very difficult, finding a way to crack it shouldn't be too hard."
"A very interesting perspective." Although Orochimaru agreed with his words, his snake-like eyes narrowed slightly. Naruto's words reminded him of Itachi Uchiha.
That man who brought him nightmares and made his Living Corpse Reincarnation a joke!
"Uchiha... truly is a clan that is hateful, yet makes one drool with greed!" Orochimaru licked his lips and sighed inwardly. This made him even more urgent to obtain a body with the Uchiha Bloodline. He didn't want to repeat that nightmare from back then.
"But... wanting to cure the Kekkei Genkai disease is still very difficult!"
Although Orochimaru was thinking about the Uchiha in his heart, the words he spoke were very fitting for the current situation. Naruto didn't detect anything amiss.
"I think this is another matter for trade!"
The corners of Naruto's mouth lifted slightly. Although it was just a speculation for now, judging from the intelligence he pried out of the Little Nine-Tails, the efficacy possessed by the pure Nine-Tailed Yang-style Chakra in his hand exceeded everyone's imagination.
"Thank you, Father!"
Naruto suddenly thought of Minato Namikaze, who had sealed the Yang-style Nine-Tailed inside his body. "The Treasure Trove you left for me—I can already withdraw the first installment of its earnings now..."
"And very soon, all the wealth of this Treasure Trove will be at my disposal. I believe the time for us to meet again is close at hand!"
"Lord Orochimaru, the Hashirama cells you wanted!"
Kimimaro came and went quickly. Moreover, his respectful tone simultaneously pulled Naruto and Orochimaru back to reality. The two ended their respective thoughts for the moment. After looking at each other, a new round of confrontation began!