No Fancy Tricks, Just Force Our Way Through

Aburame Tetsumaru shook his head and sighed. "Finally, they won't die anymore. This took quite a lot of resources."

Ash Bone said cheerfully, "Whatever. Orochimaru and Orochihime showed us quite a few secrets of the soul."

"Live soul slices—something even you, Aburame Tetsumaru, couldn't have shown us."

Aburame Tetsumaru, Orochimaru, and Orochihime's faces instantly darkened like charcoal. Ash Bone was openly calling the two of them freaks.

Hmph. As if he himself wasn't one of Aburame Tetsumaru's freakish creations.

No, he knew that perfectly well. But to roast Aburame Tetsumaru, he was willing to include himself too.

Everyone present had the same thought: This guy's mental problems are seriously bad.

Uzumaki unceremoniously punched Ash Bone, making him shut up and stop laughing.

The Advents rarely had a chance to fool around like this. Their mutual mockery and teasing effectively helped Orochihime and Orochimaru ease their psychological terror.

"Tell us how it started. Let me hear how a senior like you ended up like this."

Aburame Tetsumaru calmly pulled a high-backed chair out of the stone floor, settled comfortably into it, and propped his chin on his right hand in a listening pose.

Ash Bone, Uzumaki, and Doctor each used their own methods to make themselves comfortable seats. The four sat in a neat row, waiting for the two great snakes to tell their story.

Orochimaru was slightly more proactive than Orochihime. In a hoarse voice, he said, "This began with something I created, so let me tell it."

Orochihime gave a soft snort, then sat down with her knees together, tacitly accepting Orochimaru's leading role.

Orochimaru hissed with laughter a few times, then began recounting his story without sitting down.

Ever since helping Aburame Tetsumaru complete the Clone Locust, Orochimaru had felt as though cats were clawing at his heart.