Chapter 117: Master and Disciple Meet, Eyes Full of Suspicion
Two days later,
in the Land of Rain.
The sky was dark and gloomy, the clouds hanging low.
The beams of light descending from the heavens narrowed, casting vast shadows. A damp, oppressive atmosphere permeated the entire wilderness.
"Caw!"
A hawk circled overhead, drawn by the scent of rotting flesh.
"It's going to rain again."
A man with long black hair, golden serpentine eyes, and a pitch-black kimono stood at the cliff's edge.
He gazed silently down at the flatlands below, his expression unreadable—somewhere between pity and boredom.
Then he closed his eyes.
The next moment,
a resounding battle cry suddenly erupted, accompanied by shouts, the clash of kunai, and the roar of ninjutsu.
Wind Release techniques howled, shuriken rained down in torrents, fire twisted and coiled like serpents, and the earth rumbled and rose!
Fine raindrops pattered down, and thin streams of blood stained the surface.
Roars, howls, wails.
A myriad of sounds composed a symphony of death.
It was precisely because he had grown accustomed to such suffering, such scenes, such wars—
witnessing the deaths of loved ones, close friends, and students—
that Orochimaru found it all so absurd.
Carrying meaningless titles, risking their lives,
they finally stepped onto this stage.
Yet
all he saw was desolation!
Too weak, too fleeting, like meteors streaking across the sky, leaving only silence in their wake.
For a long time,
there was no sound from beneath the cliff.
Orochimaru suddenly opened his eyes, revealing those golden, serpentine pupils.
He gazed indifferently at the scene below, at the motionless corpses strewn across the battlefield.
The war beneath the overcast sky and rain blended perfectly, creating a tableau of silence, fear, and bloodshed.
But his gaze was filled with utter disdain.
Life shouldn't be like this!
He found motion fascinating, and stillness tedious.
This was the cold-blooded Sannin—
Orochimaru.
Just then,
a gentle breeze brushed past behind Orochimaru,
followed by the sound of two sets of footsteps.
Hearing the sound, Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, unable to resist licking the corners of his slightly curled lips.
"Hmm, something interesting has arrived."
Soon, two figures—one tall, one shorter—stood behind him.
They were Aburame Ryoma and Uchiha Tsukasa, who had arrived after two days of travel from the Land of Hot Water.
Aburame Ryoma stepped forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with Orochimaru. Looking at the traces of brutal battle below the cliff, he frowned slightly and asked,
"How many waves of attacks has this been from Sunagakure?"
Without even turning, Orochimaru spoke hoarsely,
"The third wave. Just probing attacks."
"Rasa has only recently taken command, and Ebizō is directing operations here. He never fights a battle he isn't confident of winning."
Orochimaru's words were concise, and Aburame Ryoma understood immediately.
Ebizō, along with his sister Chiyo, was an elder of Sunagakure and a renowned strategist. His carefully calculated tactics often threw enemies into complete disarray.
With this pair of veteran Suna strategists on the front lines, Konoha was temporarily at a disadvantage.
A long silence lingered before Aburame Ryoma spoke in a low voice,
"I've brought your student here."
"You have good judgment. He may not be polite, but he's a decent kid."
Aburame Ryoma paused, then added quietly,
"This time, don't let him die like Nawaki."
Orochimaru was stunned by these words.
His taciturn colleague was actually praising an Uchiha.
He turned his head in surprise, only to see nothing.
Aburame Ryoma had vanished in an instant after speaking.
A gentle breeze blew across the battlefield, carrying a faint scent of blood.
Only Orochimaru and Tsukasa remained on the clifftop.
Tsukasa knew clearly that their master-student relationship was different from what Aburame Ryoma imagined.
Tsukasa suspected Orochimaru was eyeing his body's secrets, intending to dissect and study him. His decision to accept him as a student while pushing him into the most dangerous battlefield also aligned with Tsukasa's suicidal expectations.
So perhaps there was another kind of understanding between them?
However, upon actually meeting Orochimaru,
Tsukasa suddenly realized he couldn't read this man's thoughts.
He silently gazed at the devastating scene below the cliff—
not detecting the desperate desire to kill him that Tsukasa had imagined.
For a long moment,
Orochimaru, without turning his head, gazed silently at the battlefield below. He asked hoarsely,
"Uchiha Tsukasa,"
"What do you think a shinobi is?"
Tsukasa stared at Orochimaru's back, frowning.
"Orochimaru, just say whatever you want to say."
"A Sannin accepting an Uchiha as his student simply because he appreciates talent doesn't explain your true motives."
Orochimaru shook his head, his voice hoarse.
"I can sense wariness in your gaze."
"It's the look of someone constantly prepared for battle."
"You're cautious. Do you think I want to harm you?"
He suddenly turned, his golden serpentine eyes fixed on Tsukasa with interest. Then, revealingly,
"As expected, you're afraid."
Tsukasa frowned, wondering if his cheap master's brain had been damaged.
He was literally seeking death—how could he be afraid of this short-lived snake who hadn't even evolved into his later cunning self?
He immediately drew his Kusanagi Sword, pointed it at Orochimaru, and declared coldly,
"Orochimaru, what nonsense are you spouting? How could I possibly be afraid of you?"
"You think I wouldn't dare attack you?!"
Orochimaru chuckled, his eyes narrowing as if observing something amusing.
"Are you afraid I'll capture you, take you away, and dissect you for the secrets you're hiding?"
He scoffed, then shook his head.
"Don't worry. I've already mastered the forbidden technique Physical Regeneration."
"Your immortality, the artificial tailed beast in your belly, the Earth Grudge Fear sutures, and that flaming heart."
"I can discover the answers to all these techniques myself."
Hearing this, Tsukasa was suddenly startled and stared at Orochimaru in shock.
"What? You don't believe me?" Orochimaru smirked and took two steps closer.
He raised his hand, grasped Tsukasa's drawn Kusanagi Sword, and deliberately cut his palm, leaving a deep, bloody gash.
The next moment,
white steam began evaporating from the wound, and in an instant, it was completely healed.
Tsukasa's eyes widened in disbelief.
Orochimaru gave a raspy laugh and said,
"It seems you have no memory of your time in that cave, and the Uchiha clan didn't tell you."
"I dissected you back in the cave."
"I've already obtained what I wanted!"
Upon hearing this news and seeing that the jutsu Orochimaru displayed was indeed the forbidden technique
Physical Regeneration, Tsukasa swallowed hard, his throat dry.
He suddenly remembered that with the Uchiha clan's rudimentary medical ninjutsu skills, how could they possibly discern whether Orochimaru was harming or healing him?
And how could Orochimaru miss such a golden opportunity to study him thoroughly?
Faced with Orochimaru's expression, Tsukasa couldn't help but take
a step back, his Sharingan flashing as he stared at him with alarm.
If Orochimaru had already obtained forbidden techniques from him,
why did he accept him as a student?
Going further—
when Tsukasa discovered a Kusanagi Sword in the scroll from the Uchiha clan, he'd felt something was off.
If Orochimaru wanted his body, why did he give him the Kusanagi Sword?
This whole situation had been suspicious from the start!
"Hehehehe~"
Seeing the expression on Tsukasa's face, Orochimaru couldn't help but laugh hoarsely.
His eyes gleamed with dark amusement,
and then
he took a step closer—
Schlick!
He allowed the Kusanagi Sword to pierce through his black kimono, slice through his abdomen, and emerge from his back.
Blood gushed out, the metallic smell pungent, but Orochimaru seemed to feel no pain.
He gripped the Kusanagi Sword and approached Tsukasa,
looking down at his face. He licked the corner of his mouth and asked with inexplicable excitement:
"Then let me ask you again—"
"My student,"
"What do you think a shinobi is?"
End of Chapter 117
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