Chapter Forty-One: Transaction (I)
"Orochimaru-sama, may I ask why you summoned me?"
Only after Mitarashi Anko had disappeared into the distance did Ryūya finally speak.
Looking at Orochimaru standing beneath the tree, Ryūya felt a slight heaviness in his heart.
To be honest, at this critical moment, Ryūya did not want to have too much contact with Orochimaru.
Orochimaru was a dangerous individual. Before possessing enough strength to protect himself, Ryūya did not want to stay near him.
According to Ryūya's memories from his previous life, this period should not be far from the time when Orochimaru would defect from Konoha.
If he had too much contact with Orochimaru now, once Orochimaru defected, Ryūya would become a target of suspicion and purging by the village's higher-ups.
Ryūya knew very well that the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was far from the purely righteous figure he appeared to be. When it came to purging rogue ninjas, he would definitely not be soft-hearted.
This kind of passive situation was absolutely not something Ryūya wanted to see.
"Ryūya-kun, you seem rather resistant to interacting with me. Could you tell me why?"
Orochimaru sized up Ryūya with great interest, his voice hoarse and low.
From Ryūya, he could clearly sense deliberate distancing.
This kind of distancing was different from that of other ninjas in the village. It was not merely fear or reverence, but rather felt like someone who knew quite a bit about his background and thus did not wish to get close.
This could not help but pique Orochimaru's curiosity.
Hearing this, Ryūya's heart tightened slightly. He realized that his unusual attitude toward Orochimaru had already drawn the latter's attention.
"Orochimaru-sama's reputation resounds throughout the ninja world. This junior merely holds you in awe."
Ryūya slightly lowered his head and spoke respectfully.
"Heh heh, is that so? Ryūya-kun, you already said that last time."
Orochimaru neither confirmed nor denied his response.
Ryūya said calmly, neither servile nor overbearing, "Because that truly is what I feel in my heart."
Orochimaru smiled lightly, a strange glint flashing in his eyes.
"I specifically had Anko bring you here today because I want to make another deal with you."
"A deal? I wonder what this junior can still do for Orochimaru-sama."
Ryūya's expression remained unchanged.
Orochimaru stared straight at him.
"I want to know how you managed to make that ninja snake of yours grow so quickly."
A powerful pressure surged forward, making Ryūya feel a chill throughout his body.
Ryūya said calmly, "This junior does not understand what you mean, Orochimaru-sama."
"Ryūya-kun, I have carefully studied the cellular tissue of that ninja snake. Its species is nothing more than an extremely ordinary green snake, and its age is no more than ten years.
Without external assistance, it would be extremely difficult for an ordinary green snake with no special bloodline to grow into a ninja snake capable of using chakra—let alone reach its current level of strength."
Orochimaru's golden snake-like pupils narrowed slightly, and the pressure radiating from him grew even stronger.
"This junior doesn't know either. Perhaps it encountered some kind of opportunity. When I first saw the green snake's condition, I was also quite surprised."
Ryūya shook his head, pretending ignorance.
"Heh heh, Ryūya-kun, if it were only that one ninja snake, perhaps it could be explained as a special case. But what about your other summoning beast—the ninja dog?
During the chaos three days ago, it blocked a fatal blow for Akimichi Rōu of your clan. Even the ninja dogs trained by the Inuzuka clan might not have been able to do that.
As far as I know, you only rescued that ninja dog during a mission a year ago, when it hadn't even fully matured yet."
Seeing Ryūya still pretending not to know, Orochimaru let out a strange, sinister laugh.
Ryūya fell silent.
As Orochimaru said, the dramatic changes that occurred in both the green snake and Brownmaru within such a short time would be easy to uncover if someone investigated.
This could not be explained away with a simple excuse like a lucky encounter or special mutation.
Trying to fool Orochimaru with a few casual words was simply impossible.
But the truth was something Ryūya absolutely could not let Orochimaru know.
The effects of the Sealing of Disease Technique were far too powerful. If it were handed over to Orochimaru, with his abilities, who knew what uncontrollable things he might create.
For a moment, Ryūya found himself caught in a dilemma.
"Orochimaru-sama, I did indeed use a type of sealing technique on Brownmaru and the green snake before. However, what exactly happened to the green snake afterward, I do not know."
After a long silence, Ryūya finally spoke under Orochimaru's intense gaze.
"A sealing technique?"
Orochimaru looked thoughtful.
"I never expected Ryūya-kun, at such a young age, to have attained this level of mastery in sealing techniques. Hand this sealing technique over to me—I can give you whatever you desire."
Orochimaru's voice was filled with temptation.
"Orochimaru-sama, this sealing technique is related to a secret art of my clan. This junior cannot hand it over to you.
Moreover, this secret art requires the special constitution of the Akimichi clan to be used. Even if I gave it to you, Orochimaru-sama, you likely wouldn't be able to use it."
Ryūya's gaze flickered slightly as he slowly shook his head.
"Ryūya-kun, are you refusing my proposal?"
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, and a cold, dangerous aura began to emanate from his body.
"Orochimaru-sama, it's not that this junior wants to refuse—it's that I cannot."
Ryūya still shook his head resolutely.
Orochimaru extended his tongue and lightly licked his lips, a faint smile appearing on his face as the dangerous aura around him grew even stronger.
Sensing the intense danger radiating from Orochimaru, Ryūya also became tense.
This was near the Memorial Stone, and many important figures from the village hadn't gone far yet.
Orochimaru shouldn't act so recklessly here… right?
"Heh heh, Ryūya-kun, your performance has truly exceeded my expectations. Tell me—what do you want?"
After a brief silence, the dangerous aura around Orochimaru gradually receded as he smiled lightly at Ryūya.
"Orochimaru-sama, you still haven't fulfilled the conditions you promised earlier."
Ryūya let out a quiet sigh of relief. He stopped evading the issue, lifted his head, and looked seriously at Orochimaru.
This situation was something Ryūya had already anticipated back when he handed over the green snake's cell samples.
The reason behind the green snake's transformation was something Ryūya knew very well—it was all the result of the Sealing of Glutony Technique.
Moreover, during the half year or so when Ryūya was away on missions, the green snake, which stayed in the Forest of Death, likely encountered some opportunity or underwent some mutation, allowing it to grow to its current level in such a short time.
Even with Orochimaru's abilities, relying solely on the green snake's cell samples would make it impossible to determine the reason for its rapid growth.
After failing to obtain results from his research, Orochimaru would inevitably seek Ryūya out again.
Ryūya had long prepared himself for this.
Given Orochimaru's way of doing things, once he had set his sights on someone, trying to resist head-on was simply not an option.
This was true even though Ryūya was a member of the Akimichi clan.
With Orochimaru's status and strength in Konoha, there were simply too many ways for him to deal with Ryūya.
Before Orochimaru truly defected from Konoha, the only thing Ryūya could do was obediently trade with him. His earlier refusal was merely a tactic to secure greater benefits.
"Ryūya-kun, I have already found a place suitable for the growth of your ninja beast. I'm simply waiting for the right time to send it there."
Orochimaru chuckled indifferently, speaking with confidence.
"Orochimaru-sama, may I ask where this place is?"
Ryūya stared intently at Orochimaru and pressed for an answer.
"Ryūchi Cave."
Orochimaru softly uttered those three words.
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