Neji stood calmly before Orochimaru, retracting his palm after deliberately testing the Sannin's defenses. Orochimaru absorbed the force without flinching, proving once again that he was far from an ordinary shinobi.
But Neji's voice remained arrogant and dismissive, as if he were addressing a disobedient pet rather than a legendary Sannin.
"Orochimaru, I hope Pain has taught you enough fear," Neji said, his tone light but his eyes sharp. "From now on, you will show me—and the Tenseigan—the respect they deserve."
Orochimaru's tongue slowly slid across his lips, a habit born from a mix of curiosity and madness.
"Neji-kun… what is it you want from me?"
Neji didn't bother with formalities.
"I'm interested in your research. I intend to collaborate on a few projects."
For a moment, the air went still. Orochimaru had been approached with many requests in his life, but this boy—this Hyuga boy—was different. There was no fear, no hesitation. He simply stated his demands.
That alone intrigued Orochimaru.
Most shinobi were too shortsighted to value research. Even his own teacher had banned Wood Release experiments after witnessing the casualties—an act Orochimaru still considered foolish. How could there be progress without sacrifice?
His life's work spanned the fields of biological modification, cloning, Curse Marks, and Wood Release transplantation. Years of research, countless failures, and even more sacrifices.
And now Neji wanted access to them?
What would he gain in return?
"What do I receive?" Orochimaru asked softly.
Neji replied without pause.
"I can give you what every researcher desires: funding and materials. My status in the Hidden Cloud Village allows me to secure both effortlessly."
He tapped his finger lightly against the side of his eye.
"And besides… don't you want to know how my Tenseigan was born?"
For the first time, Orochimaru's expression shifted. His pupils dilated slightly as he studied Neji's sapphire-blue Tenseigan. The power radiating from it made even him feel danger.
He whispered to himself, "Even Rashomon couldn't block it… I underestimated the Byakugan."
He licked his lips again.
"Tenseigan deserves a place in my research. But cooperation requires sincerity."
Neji smirked.
"Orochimaru… you seem confused about your current situation. You are my prisoner. You have no qualifications to negotiate."
Orochimaru froze for half a second—and then burst into eerie laughter.
"Neji-kun… I haven't been this humiliated since I became one of the Sannin."
Neji casually waved his hand.
"Hikari."
Uchiha Hikari stepped forward, her pink dress fluttering lightly. With a single blink, her Mangekyō Sharingan ignited like a pair of blazing red suns.
Before Orochimaru could react, their eyes met.
Just for a moment.
But that was enough.
"Not good—Mangekyō—!"
His words cut off as the world around him dissolved into the pitch-black red hellscape of Tsukuyomi.
In the Tsukuyomi realm, Orochimaru found himself bound to a cross of black iron, unable to move a muscle. His breathing slowed. His heartbeat quickened. Yet his mind remained terrifyingly clear.
Even trapped, he analyzed everything.
A Mangekyō Sharingan user this young? Impossible. The Uchiha have many geniuses, but one this powerful at eleven or twelve? They would have announced her name to the world.
No matter how he struggled, Tsukuyomi held him firmly.
Then, the space trembled.
Hikari extended her hand and used "Eight Thousand Spears," pulling Neji into the Tsukuyomi dimension.
She looked at Neji with cold, eager eyes.
"Neji, can I kill him?"
Orochimaru felt something for the first time in years—fear.
True fear.
He had completed Living Corpse Reincarnation, yes. He could swap bodies, yes. But his soul was still fragile. Killing the vessel meant losing fragments of his soul. Enough times and his essence would crumble completely.
Losing his original soul would be irreversible.
Orochimaru swallowed.
Neji approached slowly, expression unreadable.
"Orochimaru-san," Neji said softly, almost kindly, "you don't want to die so pointlessly, do you?"
That was when Orochimaru understood.
Neji had no intention of killing him.
He wanted something.
Orochimaru chuckled darkly.
"Neji-kun… I can trade the Curse Mark for your Tenseigan secrets."
Neji narrowed his eyes.
He could not drain Orochimaru dry in one attempt. Their future cooperation mattered, and pushing too hard might backfire. Orochimaru was dangerous precisely because he was a genius.
"Not enough," Neji said simply.
Orochimaru smiled.
"What else?"
"Cloning technology."
Orochimaru didn't even hesitate.
"Done."
To Orochimaru, the Curse Mark and cloning were merely stepping stones toward immortality. Sharing them cost him nothing. Besides, gaining access to Tenseigan secrets was priceless.
Hikari released Tsukuyomi, and the three returned to the real world.
Orochimaru immediately produced scrolls detailing both techniques.
"These are what you want," he said.
Neji smiled and tossed him a scroll in return—one containing the three evolutionary paths of the Tenseigan.
---
The Three Ways to Evolve the Tenseigan
1. Hybridization Method
Ōtsutsuki Toneri's method: merging the Ōtsutsuki bloodline of the Moon with the Hyuga Main Family.
Unrealistic for Orochimaru—he had no access to the Hyuga Main Family, let alone a celestial clan.
2. Fusion of Multiple Byakugan
Toneri created the Giant Tenseigan by merging hundreds of Byakugan.
Neji believed Orochimaru could replicate this using cloning technology—mass-produced Byakugan and fuse them.
This method was highly viable.
3. Yin-Yang Reunification Theory
Just as Rinnegan could be achieved by uniting Indra and Asura's reincarnations, Neji believed a similar principle existed for Hamura's descendants.
Hyuga (Yin) + Kaguya Clan (Yang)
Both descended from Hamura, but split across generations.
Restoring the complete lineage might not create a Tenseigan immediately—but would certainly yield great results.
---
Orochimaru read the scroll once and trembled with excitement.
"This… this is extraordinary…"
His eyes glowed with fanaticism, the mind of a scientist discovering a new universe.
"Neji-kun, I look forward to our cooperation."
He vanished into the shadows.
Neji smirked.
"Profitable for you… but even more profitable for me."
Hikari pouted.
"Neji, why didn't you kill that snake?"
Neji gently took her hand.
"Orochimaru is too useful to dispose of. His research, his adaptability… he will be an asset."
Hikari calmed down, looping her arm around his. Izumi followed quietly, like a third wheel resigned to her fate.
---
Two Days Later — Hot Water Country Battlefield
The allied Mist forces led by Mei Terumī advanced quickly, heading toward the front lines of the Hot Water Country.
Neji and his small team followed.
During rest, Neji sat cross-legged on a rocky reef, studying the Curse Mark scroll in detail. It explained the Curse Mark's structure, purpose, side effects, and its deeper connection to Jugo's Sage Transformation.
Curse Marks contained:
Orochimaru's chakra
A mechanism that slowly reshaped the user's body
A preparation stage for Living Corpse Reincarnation
Neji thought of the Six Paths' chakra receivers.
If the Curse Mark could transmit chakra like the black receivers…
"Then perhaps Tenseigan's power could also be distributed through it," Neji murmured.
---
Meanwhile, on the battlefield—chaos.
Yugito, partially transformed with the Two-Tails' chakra, sent Akimichi Chōza flying over ten meters with a single explosive strike.
"Do you really think your strength matches a Jinchuriki's?" she scoffed.
Inoichi and Shikaku could only grit their teeth. At best, they could delay her. Defeating her outright was impossible.
Elsewhere, Jiraiya summoned Gamabunta and battled fiercely, while Shisui wielded Susanoo in a blazing confrontation.
But the rest of the battlefield?
Konoha was losing ground rapidly.
The arrival of Cloud reinforcements from the eastern sea reversed the entire situation.
Not far away—
Asuma Sarutobi struggled to stay standing, facing the Swift Release user Teika—leader of the Cloud forces.
Teika sneered, "The Hokage's son? That's all you amount to?"
Asuma's fists tightened.
At home, he was untouchable under the Third Hokage's shadow.
But here—
No title could save him.
No one cared that he was the Hokage's son.
He was simply another target to kill.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)