Orochimaru smiled, a flicker of cunning dancing in his expression.
"A price? I never expected to hear that word from the mouth of Shura." Clearly, the previous times Menma had fleeced him for resources still weighed heavily on Orochimaru's mind.
"But it is only fair. Since I have provided such precious results, I naturally require something that piques my interest in return."
Orochimaru paced slowly until he stood beside Menma. His golden snake-like pupils stared intently at the youth, his voice dropping into a low, seductive whisper.
"Have you ever heard... of that pair of 'Eyes of God' in the Hidden Rain Village?"
Orochimaru's gaze turned feverish. Deep within those vertical slits swirled a desperate hunger for the legendary eyes of the Sage.
"Those eyes are said to belong to the Sage of Six Paths. They can perceive every ninjutsu in existence, govern the cycle of life and death, and possess the power of both creation and destruction... the Rinnegan."
Orochimaru pronounced the name syllable by syllable, as if savoring a forbidden fruit. He watched Menma's white, three-eyed fox mask closely, hoping to glean any scrap of information from this "visitor from the future."
So, Orochimaru has his sights set on Nagato's Rinnegan, Menma thought. Behind the mask, the corners of his mouth curled into a faint smirk.
In Orochimaru's current state, forget Nagato—he likely couldn't even handle Uchiha Obito. Menma's mind raced. He knew exactly where this curiosity came from: Danzo must have leaked the existence of the eyes in the Land of Rain, though Orochimaru likely lacked details on Nagato's true power.
In the original timeline, Orochimaru had indeed joined the Akatsuki to investigate these eyes, only to be sent flying by Pain's Shinra Tensei after a failed attempt to steal them.
Menma decided that the best strategy wasn't to hide the truth, but to push the curious snake toward the Akatsuki. Let him suffer a bit; it would be good for his character development.
"The Rinnegan..." Menma murmured, his voice carrying an ethereal distance.
Orochimaru leaned in, his anticipation palpable. He felt as though he was about to hear secrets that transcended time itself.
"Those are indeed the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths," Menma continued. "The power they manifest far exceeds that of mere mortals. They surpass even the Sharingan and the Byakugan, holding the mysteries of the cycle of rebirth."
He paused, his masked gaze sweeping over Orochimaru with a heavy, meaningful weight. Orochimaru's breathing quickened. This confirmation only stoked the fires of his greed.
"However," Menma's tone suddenly turned stern, tinged with a hint of mockery, "such power is not meant for the common man to wield. The one who possesses them is no ordinary soul. Orochimaru, a word of advice: be cautious. With your current strength, challenging those eyes will bring you nothing but grief."
Orochimaru's expression soured. He recalled his previous clash with Shura—how the youth had defeated him using only two summoning beasts to protect the Iburi clan, combined with the Flying Thunder God and a mysterious technique similar to Minato Namikaze's Rasengan.
"Of course," Menma added, watching Orochimaru's face, "you are free to try. With your talents, even if you find the task impossible, you've always been quite skilled at making an escape, haven't you?"
Orochimaru's face twisted into a complex smile—a cocktail of excitement at receiving guidance and a burning lust for the unknown.
"I heard you raided the Hyuga compound a few months ago," Orochimaru said, abruptly shifting the subject. "You took four pairs of Byakugan from the Elders. Does the Byakugan possess a power similar to the Sharingan?"
He wanted to show off his intelligence network while probing Menma's motives. In the past, the world focused on the Sharingan because of Uchiha Madara, while the Hyuga remained stagnant under the "Caged Bird" seal. But if Shura—a man from the future—targeted them twice, there had to be a hidden value.
"I warned you not to get too close to Danzo," Menma countered.
Only Danzo could have provided the specific number of eyes stolen.
"The four great dōjutsu clans currently in existence all trace back to the Sage of Six Paths," Menma explained. "If you're interested, once I've successfully cloned the Byakugan, you can trade your technology for a sample."
Four dōjutsu clans? All related to the Sage? Orochimaru's pupils contracted. Every conversation with Shura was a goldmine of lost history.
"Now, back to the trade," Menma said, steering the conversation home. "I want one sample of Shin's cloned cells, the ten single-tomoe Sharingan, and the related cloning data from our last agreement."
"And the cells of a powerful Uchiha?" Orochimaru licked his lips.
"I'll have them sent to you soon," Menma replied. He didn't have any on him, but he figured he could ask Uchiha Hikari for a small tissue sample later.
"Deal," Orochimaru agreed without hesitation. "One more thing... my supply of White Zetsu cells is nearly depleted. I need another adult-sized specimen."
Orochimaru's eyes burned with scientific fervor. To him, the White Zetsu—a humanoid lifeform capable of infinite proliferation and extreme adaptability—was a priceless treasure. It had accelerated his research like a rocket.
"Finished already?" Menma frowned. It hadn't even been a year. "You're burning through them quite fast."
"Hehe, they are simply too perfect for experimentation. Whenever a new research path opens up, I can't resist using a bit of Zetsu material to test the possibilities." Orochimaru's tongue flicked out to graze his forehead—a grotesque sight on his current female host's face.
"Use them sparingly," Menma sighed, tossing a storage scroll to him. "They aren't easy to catch."
As Orochimaru excitedly laid out the new Zetsu on an operating table, he vomited up a slime-covered scroll containing Shin's cells and the cloning techniques, handing it to Menma.
"Tch. Your habits never change," Menma grumbled, shaking the mucus off the scroll before sealing it away.
As Menma prepared to leave, Orochimaru spoke once more, his voice dripping with intrigue.
"Actually, I've been researching a very interesting forbidden jutsu lately... the Reanimation Jutsu (Edo Tensei). It can call back departed souls to the living world, retaining the strength they had in life. Are you... interested?"
Menma froze. Edo Tensei.
He knew its power all too well. It seemed Orochimaru was already beginning his macabre hobby of grave-robbing across the nations.
Images of Minato Namikaze and Uzumaki Kushina flashed through Menma's mind. In his "Limited Tsukuyomi" world, he had attacked the village to keep them out of the Fourth War, but he still harbored questions. Why did they choose to die? Was there truly no other way?
He knew of other ways to revive the dead—the Rinne Rebirth, Lady Chiyo's Reanimation, or the Dragon Life Resurrection—but those were permanent. He wasn't sure if a fully revived Minato would oppose his dream of unifying the shinobi world. Edo Tensei, however, was a perfect way to have a conversation first.
Wait... Minato's soul is sealed within the Reaper, Menma remembered. I'd need the Shinigami Mask first.
He felt a pang of frustration. Where was that mask kept again? He'd have to find it later.
Turning back to Orochimaru, Menma kept his voice steady. "The Reanimation Jutsu, you say? If you succeed in perfecting it, we can discuss another trade."
"Hehehe... I look forward to it," Orochimaru hissed with delight.
With a slight nod, Menma vanished instantly. No sound, no trace—as if he had never been there.
Orochimaru stared at the empty space, his excitement mounting. The Rasengan-like jutsu, the mastery of the Flying Thunder God... and now, a hint of longing for the dead.
"Even Shura has someone he wishes to bring back?" Orochimaru mused, his tongue darting out. "I wonder who it could be? It's getting harder and harder to guess who is behind that mask... Lord Fourth."