"Even if you are the Third Hokage's disciple, you are too arrogant! We are Ninja of the Uchiha Clan!"
Uchiha Yashiro and Uchiha Youka were enraged by Orochimaru's words and attacked furiously.
Orochimaru dodged the Kunai thrown by Uchiha Yashiro, only to see Uchiha Youka jump into the air and form hand seals.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"
Uchiha Youka continuously spat out several fireballs from his mouth, like the seeds of a balsam flower that scatter upon touch.
"Lightning Release: Five Finger Lightning Bullet!"
Orochimaru's right hand glowed with lightning, firing lightning bullets from her fingertips that precisely collided with each fireball. She turned to dodge Uchiha Yashiro's attack, then used her left hand to press down his right hand holding a Kunai, while her lightning-infused right hand pressed against his neck.
Uchiha Yashiro's narrowed eyes flew open, he felt a sharp pain in his neck, and then passed out.
"Yashiro!"
Uchiha Youka looked at the fallen Uchiha Yashiro, then at Orochimaru, and loudly demanded, "What did you do to Yashiro?"
"He's already... dead. Dead because of your foolishness. Your foolishness in believing you could defeat me, your foolishness in bringing him to challenge me. You killed him, your foolishness killed him."
Orochimaru's pupils contracted. Uchiha Youka saw a massive, tearing wound appear on Uchiha Yashiro's neck, gushing blood. He struggled, reaching out to Uchiha Youka, his mouth opening and closing as if begging for help.
"Save... me..." Uchiha Youka's eyes widened, bloodshot, and he clutched his head, letting out a piercing scream. Unable to bear the shock, he instantly fainted.
Uchiha without the Sharingan are too weak. Can't they even break this level of Genjutsu?
Orochimaru looked at the unconscious Uchiha Yashiro and Uchiha Youka, wondering whether to just leave them there. She had passively accepted their challenge and wasted quite a bit of Chakra.
"Just this level."
"And they dared to challenge me."
"They're underestimating me too much."
Orochimaru's Shadow Clone came to her side and asked, "How should we deal with them?"
"Check how much money is in the wallet. I hope it's enough to cover their challenge fee."
Orochimaru opened Uchiha Youka's wallet, which contained a small amount of paper money and a large number of coins.
The Shadow Clones eagerly crowded around, but when they saw the contents of the wallet, their anticipation turned to disappointment. They looked at Uchiha Youka with a hint of disdain, as if to say, "You didn't even bring enough money, and you dare to challenge me?"
"Are we still training?"
The Shadow Clones looked at Orochimaru.
"Never mind."
Orochimaru shook her head in response to the Shadow Clones' questioning gazes, and the three Shadow Clones vanished in a puff of smoke.
"Orochimaru, that scream just now?"
Jiraiya rushed over, and immediately saw Uchiha Yashiro and Uchiha Youka lying on the ground.
"They came to challenge me."
Orochimaru glanced at the two, who were sleeping like babies.
"Challenge you?!"
Jiraiya looked at the two, then scanned the surroundings. There were no signs of a struggle whatsoever.
No way?
A guess formed in Jiraiya's mind, and he looked at the two with a mix of suspicion and disbelief.
The Uchiha Clan can't be that weak, can they? Or is Orochimaru too strong?
"Jiraiya, I happen to have something I want to ask you."
Orochimaru tossed the wallet in her hand onto Uchiha Youka and walked out of the training ground.
"What is it? Anything I know, I'll definitely tell you!"
Jiraiya, hearing that Orochimaru needed his help, walked beside her with a big smile, then glanced at the two behind them. "What about them?"
"They seem to be sleeping quite soundly."
"Sleeping?"
Jiraiya's expression was strange, and he let out a dry laugh.
"You said before that you trained in Sage Chakra on Mount Myōboku. Could you tell me about the experience? What does it feel like to absorb Natural Energy? If you can't say, then just pretend I didn't ask, Jiraiya, you don't need to feel awkward."
Orochimaru asked with interest. Mastering Sage Mode was essential. She didn't have a special Bloodline Limit, and to achieve a qualitative leap in strength, training in Sage Mode was necessary.
"There's nothing I can't say. It was incredibly arduous training!"
Jiraiya clenched his fists, speaking with a pained expression about how he applied toad oil to sense and absorb Natural Energy on Mount Myōboku. To increase credibility, he even recounted his embarrassing moment of almost turning into a toad.
Natural Energy... energy that is omnipresent on the planet. The God Tree absorbed the planet's Natural Energy to bear Chakra fruit.
Whether it was the Sage Mode of Mount Myōboku or Ryūchi Cave, both absorbed Natural Energy. One resulted in toad-like features, the other in snake-like features.
Since they both absorbed Natural Energy to refine Sage Chakra, why did different transformations occur? Was it because the methods of absorbing Natural Energy and refining Sage Chakra were different?
Then, what would the Sage Mode of Shikkotsu Forest be like?
Orochimaru's mind conjured an image of Tsunade with painted markings on her face, her body secreting mucus like a Slug.
I think I understand now. Given that it's also a place of inheritance, why Tsunade didn't learn Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode.
Tsunade is vain; otherwise, she wouldn't use Chakra to maintain her youthful appearance because she couldn't accept aging.
No, rather than saying Tsunade is vain, it's more accurate to say all women are vain.
Orochimaru, sitting at a table, paused her writing. Thinking of Tsunade's appearance when she looked at cosmetics earlier, her eyes lit up. She closed her notebook, picked up another, and began writing fluidly.
Women love beauty and are willing to spend a fortune for it.
If I can use my medical knowledge to develop skincare products like lotions and masks... The only trouble is, this business would require a merchant caravan.
I need partners or subordinates loyal to me.
Orochimaru's mind conjured Kakuzu, who would later become the Akatsuki Organization's financier. For such a powerful Ninja who recognized no one before money, he could be swayed by wealth.
Of course, the prerequisite is not being killed by him in one glance. He's not someone who's willing to listen to others' nonsense.
If my strength isn't sufficient, seeking out Kakuzu would be suicidal. I still need to improve my strength; at least Jonin-level strength is necessary before I can begin my money-making scheme.
For now, while improving my strength, I'll first develop items that can generate income.
Orochimaru made her final stroke, closed the notebook, and casually set it aside. She rested her chin on her hand, gazing at the framed photos on the table: one was a group photo of her, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Hiruzen Sarutobi; the other was a picture of Tsunade in a nurse's uniform.
How much longer can this peace last...? Orochimaru thought of the Second Shinobi World War and couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency.
Having lived in this world for over a year, she had no sense of belonging to Konoha. As for the Will of Fire, let alone a small flame, she didn't even have a tiny spark. But during wartime, she was still willing to do her part for Konoha.
Mount Myōboku, Hidden Village.
"Little Jiraiya, what did you bring back?"
Fukasaku used the Reverse Summoning Technique to summon Jiraiya to Mount Myōboku, and curiously looked at the cloth bag in Jiraiya's hand.
"Special homemade soldier pills from a cute girl!"
Jiraiya proudly held up the bag of soldier pills. With these soldier pills, he could find an excuse not to eat Elder Sister Shima's insect dishes.
"soldier pills? That unhealthy stuff, could it possibly taste as good as my cooking?"
Shima glared unhappily at the soldier pills in Jiraiya's hand.
"Elder Sister Shima, it's not like I always eat them..."
Jiraiya hid the soldier pills behind his back and said with a forced smile, "Actually, compared to soldier pills, Elder Sister's cooking is much tastier!"
"Is that so?"
Shima said with a beaming smile, "Tonight is an all-insect feast! Eat your fill!"
An all... all-insect feast... Jiraiya managed a gulp, his face turning green.