Standing outside the crater, Menma Uzumaki's expression beneath his mask was a perfect picture of bewildered disbelief.
He had intended to feed Orochimaru some vague nonsense to keep him off-balance, but the Sannin—relying on his own vast intellect and logical deductions—had managed to conclude that "Shura" was a traveler from the future.
This realization prompted Menma to recall a crucial detail: at this point in time, Orochimaru had not yet performed the Living Corpse Reincarnation. In the original history, the Sannin would eventually undergo the ritual at least five times; by the time he appeared for the Chunin Exams years later, he had cycled through at least two hosts. The feminine body he would eventually inhabit was so perfectly attuned to his soul that he would mourn its loss after Hiruzen sealed his arms.
I was a bit hasty with my words, Menma thought, quickly adjusting his strategy. He decided to lean into Orochimaru's theory, allowing the man's own imagination to fill in the blanks.
"Oh? And why, pray tell, do you think I haven't killed you yet?" Menma asked, his tone dripping with amused curiosity.
Orochimaru, convinced he had unraveled the mystery, felt his pupils contract. A cold, predatory smirk curled his lips. He straightened his back, and though the blood churning in his chest made his breathing ragged, he let out a low hiss like a viper.
"You know of the Living Corpse Reincarnation. That means you surely know of my contract with Ryuchi Cave and my Curse Mark techniques. You know that conventional means cannot truly kill me!"
"Mm. Go on," Menma said, maintaining his steady, rhythmic pace around the crater.
"Cough... cough..." Orochimaru hacked twice. He could feel his vitality draining away due to the severity of his wounds. "You are familiar with my abilities and even more so with my research. That means my research direction must contain something you need—or rather, a specific project of mine bears fruit in the future!"
The thought that his research might eventually touch the ultimate secrets of immortality made Orochimaru visibly feverish with excitement.
"Tsk..." A light click of the tongue sounded from behind Menma's mask. "You've guessed some things correctly, but others... not so much." Menma stopped and looked down at the Sannin in the pit. "Still, it's impressive you've deduced this much."
"Then let us cooperate!" Orochimaru licked the blood from the corner of his mouth, his voice growing more manic. "I know your ambitions must be vast. But if this is the extent of your strength, it will be quite difficult to make me serve you." Having regained his composure, he tossed his head back, letting his long hair frame his face with a renewed sense of confidence.
"Cooperate?" Menma feigned deep thought, his brow arching beneath the mask.
"A man like you, who can travel back from the future... what could you possibly be afraid of?" Orochimaru laughed. He didn't care if Shura intended to change history or rule the world. All he cared about was the "future intelligence" the man possessed. With that information, his research would become more precise, and his progress would accelerate exponentially.
"Whatever it is you want from me, or whatever you need me to research, I can provide it—provided the exchange is of equal value." Orochimaru knew his leverage lay in his mastery of forbidden jutsu. He believed he had finally seized the upper hand in this negotiation.
He had no idea he was walking straight into Menma's trap. Since it was impossible to force Orochimaru's absolute loyalty right now, a "partnership" was simply another way to exploit him. However, Menma couldn't let him feel like he was in control.
"Heh heh... you think you hold the advantage in this trade?" Menma's light, mocking tone drifted into Orochimaru's ears. "The Living Corpse Reincarnation may keep you young, but your strength will plateau forever. In fact, in certain domains, you will be significantly weakened."
Hearing the description of the jutsu's flaws, Orochimaru's pupils shrank instantly. His expression became deadly serious. Though he hadn't cast it yet, he was aware of potential drawbacks—specifically two: the requirement for a host body to be perfectly compatible with his soul, and the cool-down period of several years between transfers.
"Is it... a matter of the soul?" Orochimaru guessed, based solely on Shura's vague description.
"You are very clever, Orochimaru," Menma replied, not bothering to deny it.
Even if he told him, would Orochimaru stop? Given his current injuries and his aging forty-one-year-old body, he would only continue to decline. To a man obsessed with eternal life, watching himself wither was the ultimate agony.
"Then you must know the solution!" Orochimaru blurted out, only to pause as he realized he had just surrendered his leverage. For the third time, he felt "played," but this time he didn't get angry. Instead, he laughed.
"You took the Hashirama cells, but you may not be able to develop Wood Style on your own. Why not let me research it for you?" Orochimaru proposed a new model of cooperation. "Just as I did with Danzo." He emphasized the name 'Danzo' with a sharp edge.
"Not enough," Menma said softly.
Orochimaru frowned. "Then what do you want? Or rather, what price must I pay!"
The prospect of "future intel" regarding his own research made Orochimaru's skin crawl with anticipation, but since he was no match for Shura in combat, he had to trade for it. And the power to set the price remained firmly in Shura's hands.
Then, Shura uttered the sentence that truly broke Orochimaru's composure.
"The you of 'now' has no value to me."
Whether it was cloning, genetic modification, Sharingan transplantation, or advanced cell grafting, the current Orochimaru had yet to master them. The breakthrough with Shin Uchiha and the army of clones would only come later, after his defection to the Akatsuki and the founding of the Sound Village. And the most important piece—the Hashirama cells—was already in Menma's pocket.
Orochimaru froze, his eyes vibrating with shock as he recalled the cells Shura had stolen from him.
"Tsk... it seems I shouldn't have let those cells go so easily..." Orochimaru's gaze turned dark and resentful. He was now officially at the bottom of the bargaining table.
"What... what happened here?"
As Menma and Orochimaru were engaged in their "friendly exchange," Yukimi walked into the cavern. She stared at the massive crater in the floor, trembling with fear.
"Yukimi!"
Kakashi and Kinoe, having tracked her scent, burst into the hollow. Seeing the mysterious masked man and Orochimaru in the pit, Kakashi's nerves hit a breaking point. He drew a kunai, his body coiled like a spring.
"Orochimaru!" Kinoe recognized the Sannin and immediately moved to shield Yukimi. The mission Danzo had given him was completely forgotten.
"Heh heh... Kakashi... and 'Kinoe'!" Orochimaru climbed out of the crater, his eyes lingering on Kinoe with a look of predatory satisfaction.
"That was my masterpiece! A pity Danzo got to scavenge the remains."