"Cough, cough, cough..." Violent coughing echoed through the Underground Palace. Orochimaru's hands were covered in Curse Marks, and piercing pain radiated from every part of his body.
Kabuto had gone to prepare fresh medicine for Orochimaru. At the moment, he lay on the bed, showing an unprecedented weariness.
"But the pain of reincarnation is all worth it, as long as I can obtain..." Orochimaru wiped the sweat from his forehead, and Sasuke's silhouette surfaced in his eyes.
Orochimaru's pupils contracted. A slender pillar of lightning pierced through the door, impaling his crossed hands. He used every ounce of strength to force his hands aside. The lightning pillar failed to pierce his head, only pinning both his hands to the wall.
"So you really pulled this trick." Orochimaru gritted his teeth, his gaze toward Sasuke filled with killing intent.
"Orochimaru, you have nothing left to teach me. You're weaker than I am. There's no need to give you this body." Sasuke's expression was icy as the lightning pillar in his hand continued to press down.
"You certainly know how to talk, fledgling Uchiha." Orochimaru tried to move his hands, but Sasuke had him completely suppressed.
"If I weren't a fledgling, you wouldn't have been able to obtain me either."
"You only want the Sharingan, don't you? But since you couldn't get Itachi's, you set your sights on me, this fledgling. Isn't that right, genius of the Three Sannin?"
"But that genius is only a genius in the eyes of the mundane world. Forget surpassing the Uchiha name—you can't even touch it."
A trace of mockery appeared in Sasuke's eyes, as though he were looking at a clown hopping about.
The blade left its sheath. Since it was not the Kusanagi Sword he was familiar with, Sasuke's movement was a fraction slower,