On the cold operating table, a beautiful woman gazed with anticipation and longing at Orochimaru, who stood before her with a pale face and an effeminate yet handsome demeanor.
She knew perfectly well what was about to befall her, but it wasn't fear; it was the long-cherished wish she had always dreamed of.
To become this lord's strength, not just her body and soul, but everything he needed, she would willingly offer.
"Are you ready?"
The woman nodded without hesitation.
Her hand involuntarily touched her neck, where there were three tomoe patterns. Here lay the lord's power, and it was also her connection to him.
Soon, she would merge with him. This thought made a faint blush appear on her beautiful face.
"If this jutsu succeeds, according to my design, you will not perish," Orochimaru's voice continued, low and clear.
"Your spirit will merge with mine. In other words, you will become a part of me... Finally, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?"
The woman shook her head, her grateful gaze turning to Orochimaru and the red-haired little girl beside him.
Thanks to the power of the Cursed Seal, she had achieved her long-cherished wish. To obtain this power, besides thanking Orochimaru for bestowing it, she couldn't forget who enabled her to master it.
As the price for gaining power, the Cursed Seal was agonizing when it entered the body; failing to endure it meant death.
However, with Amane's help, even the most formidable Cursed Seal of Heaven and Cursed Seal of Earth had a 70% chance of direct success.
Once these two Cursed Seals were acquired, it meant one was qualified to become the lord's power (vessel).
"I understand, let's begin now."
With that, the woman on the operating table released the power of the Cursed Seal. Instantly, an unknown black substance flowed out, covering her entire body in a flash, changing her skin color and shape, and even growing organs that were not human.
Seeing this, Orochimaru did not hesitate.
His jaw expanded violently, and a pale white scaled snake shot out with incredible speed, accurately burrowing into the woman's mouth. Time flowed silently.
Inside the laboratory, Amane quietly stood by Orochimaru's discarded body, awaiting the outcome she had long foreseen.
Yes, she had already foreseen it.
Because the woman's current form on the table was at least 80% similar to the appearance Orochimaru displayed in front of Hiruzen Sarutobi in the anime.
A month ago, when Orochimaru and Amane finally succeeded in developing the Cursed Seal technique using Jugo as a blueprint and tried it on several test subjects, Amane had already noticed her existence.
Now, thanks to Amane's mastery of Sealing Jutsu, Cursed Seals, Barrier Ninjutsu, and her perfectly controlled Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode, the implantation of the Cursed Seal of Heaven and Cursed Seal of Earth, which had a very high mortality rate in the original work, could almost be guaranteed to succeed stably.
Provided Amane personally intervened.
However, even so, these two Cursed Seals couldn't be planted on just anyone. The necessary aptitude was still indispensable, otherwise, the success rate wouldn't be only 70%.
And among them, naturally, were the Sound Four.
That's right, they are now all bearers of these two most advanced Cursed Seals.
If the future plot continues to unfold this way, Konoha's rookies might be beaten to a pulp.
Back to this woman, her background story is common in this Ninja World; she was a local of the Land of Rice Fields, but her entire family was killed by rogue Ninja.
With the power of the Cursed Seal, she personally avenged them. Resolving all her attachments was the fundamental reason she could be so resolute.
"Haaah~"
A lazy yawn sounded from the operating table. Orochimaru, now occupying the woman's body, stretched his limbs, returned to his original appearance, and lightly leaped off the table, walking a few steps.
Instantly! Several invisible, sharp Wind Blades tore through the air, heading straight for Amane!
Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique!
Facing such an assault, Amane no longer needed to perform Hand Seals. She merely waved her hand, and her Wind Release Chakra effortlessly dissolved all incoming attacks.
However, just as the Wind Blades dissipated, a fierce punch, imbued with deadly wind, simultaneously erupted from a blind spot in the shadows, aiming directly for Amane's vital points!
Amane dodged with a twist of her body, relying on her prediction, but the incoming punch suddenly twisted and deformed midway, transforming into a venomous snake head that bit at her like lightning!
The snake's movements were bizarre and swift, and given the extremely limited space in the laboratory, Amane saw no way to avoid it.
But at that moment, a strange wind blew beside Amane, not only deflecting the snake head but also severing it in two.
"Hehehe..." A familiar voice rang out, belonging to the woman from before, but her tone and demeanor had completely transformed into that person's.
"It seems your Wind Release Chakra Ninjutsu Body Technique is complete. Not only does it grant agile and swift movement, but it can also spontaneously generate protective Wind Blades for offense and defense. Excellent... but you must be careful of Fire Release."
Orochimaru commented with satisfaction, a glint flashing in his eyes.
"Congratulations," Amane calmly responded, "Thus, your dream of immortality is finally realized. From now on, you only need to regularly change bodies, and you will maintain your peak power in an immortal state."
Orochimaru had actually completed the body snatching the moment he entered the woman's body.
However, he first needed to confirm the duration issue, which is why he lay there completely still.
And the two exchanges with Amane afterwards basically confirmed that the physical body's reflex speed, athletic ability, and Chakra control were exactly the same as before the body snatching.
Now, only the ability for prolonged combat had yet to be tested.
"This would not have been possible without your help. I should thank you. If it weren't for you, even if I succeeded now, I would have to spend a lot of time finding new bodies, trapped in a troublesome cycle."
Living Corpse Reincarnation is good in every way, except that a new body must be replaced every three years, and not everyone can adapt to Orochimaru.
However, after Amane proposed the concept of the Karma seal and improved the Cursed Seal, this point was essentially achieved, greatly lowering the adaptation requirements.
In the future, as long as the person isn't too terrible, Orochimaru will basically not have to worry about finding suitable vessels for reincarnation.
Of course, this is not without its cost.
It will, to some extent, forcibly overwrite or distort the vessel's original Bloodline Limit and special constitution, reshaping them into a state most compatible with Orochimaru's soul.
So, if this is taken into consideration, if Orochimaru still wants Sasuke's body, then he can only implant the original version with the highest mortality rate, just like in the original work.
The most important step of his dream was finally realized, and Orochimaru's state of mind instantly became very peaceful; otherwise, he wouldn't have said these words to Amane.
One word to summarize Orochimaru now.
Sage Mode.
"Thanks? Forget it, we've always been an equal exchange, haven't we?"
Back in the Land of Water, when Amane was weak and Orochimaru found her, she was destined to have no choice.
She could only combine the original work's insights into Orochimaru's personality and desires, pander to him, and gain benefits to grow stronger, taking things one step at a time to find opportunities.
Gradually, she reached this point today.
From the beginning, perhaps neither of them could thank the other; everything was about each taking what they needed from the other through their own abilities.
"Hahahaha... I never thought I'd get along so well with his daughter one day. That's right, there's no need for thanks between us.
Just as you helped me perfect the Cursed Seal and fully realize the miraculous Living Corpse Reincarnation. But throughout this, you were a deeply involved participant. So..."
Orochimaru's words trailed off, leaving a thought-provoking ellipsis.
Yes, Amane was fully involved in the birth of the Cursed Seal and the experiments of Living Corpse Reincarnation. What did this mean?
It meant that the forbidden jutsu Orochimaru could perform, Amane could also potentially master!
Unexpectedly, this ultimate forbidden jutsu, created with a lifetime of effort, already had a potential successor the moment it succeeded.
And it also meant that if Orochimaru intended to possess Amane's body, not only would the success rate be minuscule, but he would also have to bear immeasurable and enormous risks!
Regret? No! On the contrary, he felt... an unprecedented sense of satisfaction!
During these years spent with the extraordinarily talented and brilliant Amane, Orochimaru often inexplicably recalled his days in Konoha Village.
At that time, he was the disciple of the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Gazing at Amane, it was as if he was in his former master's position, looking back at his younger self!
This displaced perspective even made Orochimaru feel an unprecedented subtle empathy for his teacher's state of mind back then.
And, precisely this understanding... "Amane, do you know why I established the Sound Village?"
Orochimaru suddenly asked.
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