Jiraiya let Minato help him to his feet. "Madara Uchiha can't be beaten head-on. Sage Fukasaku said the Mangekyō Sharingan comes after the Three Tomoe Sharingan, right?"
Jiraiya looked at the Third Hokage.
At this point, there was no use hiding everything.
The Third Hokage nodded slowly. "That's right. Beyond the Three Tomoe Sharingan lies the Mangekyō Sharingan. Legend calls it the mightiest heavenly eye, able to see through the three realms. It's the Uchiha Clan's 'God's Eye.'"
"The Second Hokage once told us to keep the Uchiha under strict watch and beware of any Uchiha who awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan."
Jiraiya nodded. "But the Madara Uchiha we fought didn't have the Mangekyō Sharingan. His eye sockets were empty."
The Third Hokage was stunned. "What? No Mangekyō? How... how is that possible?"
Even without the Mangekyō, he had wiped out all three Sannin. That should have been impossible!
Jiraiya's Senjutsu was no joke.
Who in the Ninja World could stand against Sage Jiraiya now? Even the Third Raikage would have to steer clear of him!
Jiraiya slowly revealed the truth. "Because Madara Uchiha has Wood Style!"
"What?!"
"How can a Ninjutsu like that exist in the Ninja World?"
Orochimaru dragged his battered body through the forest, fleeing for his life. He wasn't dead!
That was right. Orochimaru was a stubborn bastard too. How could he be killed so easily?
The Wood Golem Arhat might rival a complete Susanoo, but Orochimaru had survived it. He was in bad shape, though, with one arm torn off.
He needed to find a medical Ninja to treat him as soon as possible.
Jiraiya was dead, Tsunade had been captured alive, and Orochimaru's pride had been shattered by a single punch from the Wood Golem Arhat.
What good was immortality? Before Wood Style and the Sharingan, he was nothing but a clay chicken or a straw dog.
Wood Style and the Sharingan were all Orochimaru could think about now. He had become a devoted believer in Bloodline Theory.
Only Senju and Uchiha blood could take him to the summit. Only Wood Style and the Sharingan held the Ultimate Mystery of Ninjutsu.
In the Original Work, it took a harsh lesson from Itachi for Orochimaru to reach that realization.
Now Madara's power had brought him around early, and he understood it even more thoroughly.
Bloodline. Bloodline was everything.
If only his parents had been Uchiha or Senju!
Once Orochimaru got back, he would give his father a stern lecture before the family altar.
Father, why didn't you marry an Uchiha or Senju woman?
Orochimaru couldn't change what he was born with, so he would change his fate afterward. So what if he had neither Uchiha nor Senju blood?
Uchiha and Senju people lived right there in the village. If he couldn't get what he wanted, he would steal it. If he couldn't steal it, he would take it by force. He would have it.
Madara Uchiha had shown him the answer. All Orochimaru had to do was copy it.
Escaping the forest, Orochimaru glanced back toward Madara's Base.
"Just wait, Madara Uchiha. I'll come back for revenge."
Orochimaru still cared about the village and still wanted to become its Hokage. Besides, Jiraiya had given him one last request before he died.
Protect the village.
Orochimaru thought of Impure World Reincarnation.
Only the First Hokage—Hashirama Senju—could deal with Madara Uchiha!
That was the answer!
Orochimaru only needed to find a way to bring Hashirama Senju back to life.
And Impure World Reincarnation was the key to doing it.
"Heh. I'm the only one who can save Leaf Village. I'm the only one fit to be Hokage. Teacher, I'll prove I was right."
Beyond the forest stood a wooden bridge. Orochimaru was about to cross when a familiar figure blocked the way.
"Orochimaru, trying to ditch me?"
Liao Wu held the Flame Uchiha Gunbai in his left hand and the Moon Ring Sickle in his right. A suit of heavy white Ninja Armor covered his body.
Right now, Liao Wu was equipped with the best of everything.
Orochimaru froze. This scene felt strangely familiar!
Of course. Not long ago, Orochimaru had blocked Liao Wu at Kannabi Bridge. Now Liao Wu was blocking him.
How the tables had turned!
Orochimaru assessed his condition. As he was now, even a Chunin could kill him.
And Liao Wu was holding a Uchiha Divine Artifact and Madara's Death God Scythe.
But Orochimaru was far too proud to beg for mercy as Liao Wu had, even now.
"Fine, fine, Liao Wu. I never thought I'd end up at your mercy."
"Neither did I."
Liao Wu sighed. "Three months ago, you had the upper hand. Now it's mine. Never look down on a young man just because he hasn't got his gear yet!"
Liao Wu had never believed Madara would kill Orochimaru so easily. Men like Orochimaru lived long enough to plague generations.
"I'll get straight to it, Orochimaru. I won't kill you. Hand over Ryūchi Cave's Summoning Scroll and let me sign it, and you can go."
Realization dawned on Orochimaru. "Ryūchi Cave's Summoning Scroll! So that's what you're after, Liao Wu. What, aren't you happy with the Uchiha Clan's Ninja Cats?"
Unhappy didn't begin to cover it.
Every Ninja Cat Liao Wu had was useless. He might as well have been raising a pack of demanding ancestors: little ability, plenty of attitude.
If he didn't give them what they wanted, they hissed at him. Liao Wu had wanted a different Summoning Beast for ages.
But finding a better Summoning Beast wasn't his main goal. What Liao Wu really wanted was Senjutsu.
Liao Wu suspected Madara's Curse Mark was still inside him. If he wanted to get rid of it, Senjutsu seemed his only option.
After all, in the Original Work, Six Paths Obito could absorb any Ninjutsu—except Senjutsu.
That proved Senjutsu stood far beyond ordinary Ninjutsu.
Liao Wu wanted to learn Senjutsu and break free of Madara's control.
But the Ninja World had only three sources of Senjutsu: Mount Myōboku, Shikkotsu Forest, and Ryūchi Cave.
Liao Wu was an Evil Cultivator, known in the Ninja World as a Demon Hunter. Righteous powers like Mount Myōboku and Shikkotsu Forest would never accept a Ninja like him.
Only Ryūchi Cave took all comers, so Liao Wu set his sights on Ryūchi Cave's Summoning Scroll.
He planned to use the scroll to establish a connection with Ryūchi Cave, then find a way there to undergo the White Snake Sage's trial.
Orochimaru gave a cold laugh. "Liao Wu, judging by this, you aren't all that loyal to Madara Uchiha. Why don't we join forces?"
"Let me return to Leaf Village and become Hokage, and I can revoke your rogue Ninja status. When you come back, the post of Uchiha Police Force captain will be yours."
"Like hell!"
Liao Wu looked at him with disdain. "Orochimaru, do you really think that village-chief job is some great prize? Madara Uchiha is back from the dead. Hokage has to be the most stressful job around right now."
"Enough talk, Orochimaru. Hand over the Summoning Scroll, or I'll stick this sickle where the sun doesn't shine!"
"..."
Orochimaru's face darkened. Being threatened by someone with so little Ninja decorum was humiliating.
But Orochimaru had no choice. He wanted to live.
Still, he didn't trust Liao Wu. "How am I supposed to believe you? Your word isn't worth much."
Liao Wu swore on the spot. "Orochimaru, if I'm lying, may my whole family—no, my whole clan—drop dead."
"Bullshit!"
Orochimaru spat at Liao Wu.
"You're being a fool, Orochimaru. If I kill you, the Summoning Scroll will be mine anyway."
Liao Wu charged, swinging his sickle.
"Wait! Wait—"
Orochimaru finally gave in. He hurriedly spat Ryūchi Cave's Summoning Scroll out of his mouth.
Liao Wu found that disgusting, so he created a Spore Clone and had him wipe the scroll clean before taking it.
Liao Wu opened Orochimaru's Summoning Scroll and saw a long list of names inside.
The last two were "Orochimaru" and Orochimaru's student, "Mitaraishi Anko."
Liao Wu bit his finger and signed his full name, Uchiha Ryobu, after Mitaraishi Anko's.
The Summoning Technique had four steps. First, write your name on the contract scroll and press your blood onto it.
Then, when casting the technique, bite the finger used to sign, convert Chakra into the energy for a Space Teleportation formula, and form the five hand seals: Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram.
Once he had done everything, Liao Wu activated the Summoning Technique.
"Summoning Technique!"
Liao Wu felt it: his connection to Ryūchi Cave.
With a poof, a Brown Snake from Ryūchi Cave appeared. Its head alone was as large as a room.
The Giant Brown Snake saw Liao Wu and lowered its head to him.
Liao Wu was delighted. It had worked. He had signed a Summoning Contract with Ryūchi Cave.
Seeing that, Orochimaru said, "Satisfied? Now you can let me go."
Liao Wu nodded, closed the Summoning Scroll, and tossed it back to Orochimaru.
"We can work together again, Orochimaru. You aren't loyal to Leaf Village, and I'm not loyal to Madara Old Demon."
"We could put on a little show. You give me intelligence on Leaf Village, and I'll give you intelligence on Madara."
"When the two sides fight, you let me claim a little credit and I'll do the same for you. How about we both build our reputations as Genius Youth?"
Orochimaru caught the scroll, swallowed it, and nodded. "Fine. We'll work together."
Orochimaru turned and walked past Liao Wu.
Liao Wu suddenly grabbed his shoulder from behind. "We hit it off the moment we met, yet you're leaving already. My friend, before we part, let me see you off."
At those words, even Orochimaru, with over thirty years as a Ninja behind him, went deathly pale.
Oh no. That bastard Liao Wu is going to stab me in the back again!
Chimera: Sky Devouring Demonic Art! Drain him!
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