"Orochimaru." Sen gave him a sidelong glance, his voice level but edged with unmistakable coldness. "Your Medical Ninjutsu and talents are valuable to both me and the village, so I don't want to control you with an illusion technique."
He paused, then changed tack, his gaze sharpening.
"But that doesn't mean you can do whatever you please."
The moment he finished speaking, Uchiha Hikaru, Might Duy, and Namikaze Minato reacted, immediately taking defensive stances.
Orochimaru was about to turn on them!
This makeshift squad had been full of uncertainties from the start, and Orochimaru's dangerous reputation was known to everyone.
What was more, they had already learned that Orochimaru had also implanted the First Hokage's cells into himself. That alone was enough to prove his secret involvement in forbidden human experimentation.
He had seemed well-behaved these past few days, but apparently, he had only been waiting for his chance.
"Oh?" Orochimaru watched the three men loosely surrounding him with interest and stopped using his Medical Ninjutsu.
He extended his long tongue and slowly licked his lips. Cold, cloying killing intent spilled out like a rising tide.
"What makes you think those three can stop me?"
Orochimaru's gaze settled on Sen again, the greed in his eyes almost palpable.
"Sen... your body is simply too perfect. Every time I see you wield that power, it takes every ounce of my self-control to suppress the urge to make you mine..."
Orochimaru's breathing grew heavier. He stared fixedly at Sen's temporarily inactive Sharingan, his voice hoarse and intoxicated. "It's like a snake encountering the rarest bird in the world—an irresistible instinct! And now you're like a fledgling with broken wings, fallen right beside my mouth... how could I possibly resist?"
Sen felt waves of excruciating pain coursing through his body, but he merely