Negotiation with Orochimaru

Ye Wuyue had originally not intended to kill those four. After all, they might still prove useful in the Chūnin Exams later on.

But they had been far too arrogant, provoking him again and again. Ye Wuyue found it hard to resist beating them up. Of course, he might have hit them a little too hard.

The tornado-like wall of flames continuously contracted. Inside, the Sound Four had already been crushed together by the shrinking space, forcing them to cast the Four Violet Flames Formation around themselves in an attempt to withstand the fiery barrier.

"Choose a better birth in your next life. Preferably one without a mouth." Ye Wuyue sheathed his blade and calmly spoke to the Sound Four within the flaming barrier. Whether they could hear him or not, he then turned and prepared to reunite with Itachi and the others.

He had not gone far when an icy sensation suddenly came from behind him. Ye Wuyue stopped and turned around. A giant patterned python burrowed out of the ground near the tornado-like wall of flames, then collapsed onto the ground, its body charred black. The python opened its huge mouth, and the Sound Four escaped from within.

Yet the icy feeling had not come from the giant python, but from a man standing beside it. He had long black hair, pale skin, golden vertical pupils, purple eyeshadow extending to the sides of his nose, and blue-green magatama earrings hanging from his ears.

At the same time, Ye Wuyue spotted an old acquaintance. Uchiha Setsuna, who had tried to assassinate him six years ago and frame Danzo for it, had also appeared here.

And the arm that Itachi had blown off back then had somehow healed, though it was still wrapped in bandages.

"My lord, we failed in our task. Please punish us..."

The Sound Four knelt before Orochimaru, their bodies trembling slightly.

"Since I stepped in to save you, I never intended to punish you. You will still be useful later." Orochimaru spoke in a hoarse voice.

Orochimaru was also shocked by Ye Wuyue's talent and strength. He had seen Ye Wuyue before he defected, but he had never understood his true strength or noticed anything exceptional about him. Ye Wuyue had even completed his studies at the Ninja Academy, so Orochimaru had always thought Itachi's younger brother was merely an ordinary mediocrity. He had never expected him to possess such abilities.

But the one Orochimaru truly obsessed over was still Itachi. Ever since he had once witnessed Itachi training alone, he had become deeply enamored with those eyes. Even though he now possessed a pair of Three-Tomoe Sharingan, he still preferred Itachi's eyes.

The Sound Four let out sighs of relief and answered, "Yes."

"Orochimaru, this brat is my prey. Do not let your people interfere." Uchiha Setsuna stared at Ye Wuyue, his eyes filled with hatred.

"Heh heh heh, as you wish. The person I am looking for should be ahead." Orochimaru chuckled twice. His summoned beast had already found the person he was seeking.

Ye Wuyue felt immense pressure as he looked at the two before him. Uchiha Setsuna should no longer be his match, but he truly had no confidence when facing Orochimaru. He would probably only have the strength to contend with a Kage-level opponent after completing a Bankai.

Yet he was not worried. With his strength, even if he could not defeat the two of them, he could still hold them off for a while. Once Itachi arrived, things would become much easier.

"Orochimaru, how about we make a deal?" Ye Wuyue called out. At the same time, a notebook appeared in his hand, and he tossed it toward Orochimaru.

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"Take a look at something good."

Hearing Ye Wuyue's words, Orochimaru became slightly interested. He caught the notebook Ye Wuyue had thrown over without worrying that Ye Wuyue had tampered with it. In his current state, neither genjutsu nor physical attacks could easily affect him.

Though displeased, Uchiha Setsuna said to Orochimaru, "You believe the words of some brat? Besides, he nearly killed your subordinates just now, didn't he?"

Orochimaru opened the notebook. After reading just one page, his expression changed drastically, and wild delight appeared on his face.

"This technique is practically tailor-made for Living Corpse Reincarnation! Creating a body yourself, even regulating every attribute of that body—what a genius concept! Hahahaha! Once I master this technique, achieving immortality will be effortless!"

Excitedly, Orochimaru flipped to the next page. But everything after that was blank, with nothing written on it...

At that moment, Orochimaru felt unbearably agitated and miserable, like a man dying of thirst in the desert who saw an oasis, only to discover it was a mirage.

"What do you think, Orochimaru? You should be able to recognize this thing's value. Once you agree to my conditions, I'll give you the rest." Ye Wuyue said to Orochimaru.

What he had thrown over was part of the Gigai Creation Method. Its contents mainly described the uses of a Gigai, along with a small portion of the creation process. Given Orochimaru's scientific talent, he should be able to tell whether it was genuine. Ye Wuyue was certain that Orochimaru would be interested in it.

"Heh heh heh heh, only people of equal strength are qualified to discuss deals. You should obediently hand over the rest of your research results!" Orochimaru laughed in fury. As he spoke, a mass of venomous snakes suddenly surged from his right hand and lunged at Ye Wuyue's face. Even Itachi's eyes had fallen behind this in priority.

"Damn it, you!" Uchiha Setsuna's expression turned extremely ugly. He had just said that Orochimaru's people were not to interfere, yet Orochimaru had not taken his words seriously at all. But Uchiha Setsuna could do nothing about it. He knew he was no match for Orochimaru, and this was Orochimaru's territory.

Thus, Uchiha Setsuna could only redirect his anger toward Ye Wuyue.

"Die!"

Uchiha Setsuna formed hand seals and spewed a Great Fireball Technique at Ye Wuyue.

"Bakudo #81: Splitting Void!"

A massive defensive wall appeared, blocking the attacks of Orochimaru and Uchiha Setsuna.

"It seems that not only are the research results you possess valuable, but your body is worth studying as well. How about this? Follow me. I will grant you power, as long as you hand over that technique in your possession."

After his attack was blocked, Orochimaru gradually calmed down. The incompleteness of those research results had enraged him so much that he had directly attacked Ye Wuyue.

Orochimaru had never considered that Ye Wuyue might have developed those research results himself. He guessed that the boy before him had stumbled upon them by chance. In Orochimaru's mind, there was only one most likely candidate who could have created them: his half-teacher—the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.

"Orochimaru, do not forget that he is from Konoha. Aren't you afraid he'll reveal your whereabouts to Konoha?" Seeing that the situation was turning unfavorable, Uchiha Setsuna hurriedly reminded Orochimaru.