The Essence of the Genie is a Copy Machine

"Fulfilling a wish? Is seizing my body also a means to fulfill my wish?"

Orochimaru scoffed, his tone laced with mockery.

"That is not difficult to explain; it proves that I possess the ability to do whatever I please with you, which can dispel some of your unnecessary wariness."

The Genie spoke slowly, "Fulfilling your wish requires our concerted cooperation, and trust is the foundation of everything."

"I don't understand."

Orochimaru's eyes revealed his confusion; this Genie was somewhat different from what he had imagined.

"Fulfilling a wish requires a price to be paid."

The Genie explained patiently, "Those who delay the cost, only to take everything away after the wisher has achieved their desire, are known as Evil Gods in our Genie Realm."

"Those who disregard losses and bear the cost themselves are nothing but fools."

"I am different from both. I provide information, allowing the wisher to achieve their goal through their own efforts."

Hearing this interpretation of a Genie for the first time, Orochimaru fell into deep thought.

After a long while, Orochimaru asked, "Then what price must I pay for the 'information' regarding eternal life?"

"There is no price."

"No price?"

"Or rather, the process of you achieving your wish for eternal life is the price you pay."

The Genie chuckled, "In this process, you will create information and create knowledge, rather than consuming my power."

Orochimaru looked thoughtful upon hearing this; compared to the deities he had imagined, the Genie before him was more like a merchant making an investment.

And under this model, regardless of whether he succeeded or not, the Genie would always be in a position to win without losing.

Of course, he wouldn't lose either, provided that the information the Genie provided was accurate and error-free.

Orochimaru's mental fluctuations could not be hidden from the Genie; he knew that if not for the facts laid out before him, this cautious, suspicious snake would never have fully let down his guard, but reaching this level was already enough to ensure it would not hinder their future cooperation.

The Genie smiled slightly and introduced a new topic, "Orochimaru, what is the eternal life you seek to achieve?"

"Is it for the universe to remain undying, for the spirit to persist forever?"

"Or is it to be as eternal as the heavens, living as long as this planet?"

"Or is it merely to be immortal, to live until the end of the human era?"

Orochimaru's heart stirred; he very much wanted to say that his current goal was merely to be immortal.

There was no other reason; although Living Corpse Reincarnation had many limitations, it was the most attainable.

But hearing the Genie, who had lowered his status to call himself a partner, speak with such grandiosity, would it not seem too small-minded if he chose the third option?

Orochimaru was unwilling to show weakness, and he was even more concerned about whether what he said now would be taken as his ultimate goal.

"There is no need to answer in a hurry."

The Genie said slowly, "It will not be too late to answer after you have seen the heights that the predecessors of the ninja world have been able to reach."

"As it happens, there is a grand show tonight."

Under the pitch-black night, a figure shuttled through the Forest of Death, leaving deep footprints on the tree trunks.

One person and one lamp were on their way to watch the gossip regarding the Fourth Hokage Namikaze Minato, with the body being controlled by the Genie.

Orochimaru calmly felt his body moving.

The Genie was not performing the standard tree-climbing of a ninja, but was using the Body Flicker Technique, exactly the same as the one he had used to evade the Genie's attacks.

The force, the distance, the chakra consumption... everything was as if it had been precisely measured.

In other words, the Genie was repeating his previous actions.

This was the Genie demonstrating the price that could be exacted for helping him achieve eternal life.

Orochimaru thought of the failed Kekkei Genkai ninja body from earlier that night, and his heart burned with fervor.

If the Genie could replicate his actions, it could naturally replicate others as well.

The road to eternal life was still long, but the shortcut to mastering other Kekkei Genkai was right beneath his feet.

"Regrettably, I cannot do that."

Facing Orochimaru's expectations, the Genie expressed a denial, "I can replicate your actions because we have signed a contract. I cannot change contractors until the contractor dies or it is determined that there is no possibility of the wish being fulfilled."

"However, some of the power possessed by my former contractors can be reproduced in you."

Just as he had been doused with a bucket of cold water, Orochimaru ignited once more, his heart burning with intensity.

From their previous conversation, he had already learned that this Genie was not a thing of this world, nor was this his first time signing a contract.

The wealth of another world, of another contractor—this was truly something worth looking forward to.

"However, I will not do that now."

Orochimaru frowned slightly, "Why?"

"That is wealth I obtained from another world, wealth that belongs to me. Why would you think I would hand it over so easily?"

"But you copied my abilities."

"That is not a transaction," the Genie said slowly, "Everything you currently possess cannot be considered your bargaining chip; I can obtain it without needing to trade."

Hearing such shameless words, Orochimaru remained silent.

He suddenly realized that although this Genie was easier to talk to than the average evil god, he was also more mercenary—he wouldn't release the hawk until he saw the rabbit.

"Wait, Genie, you cannot use the Body Flicker Technique perfectly."

A smile suddenly appeared on Orochimaru's face, "Just like now, it seems you can only replicate the abilities I have already used."

"That is correct, I have never hidden that fact."

The Genie was unconcerned, "You cannot avoid using your own abilities while operating in this world. Soon, I will be able to replicate your every movement, your posture, and even your cackling laughter."

"Then I am relieved."

Orochimaru's tone returned to calm. Setting aside basic Chakra Refinement Technique, Chakra Control Technique, and even ordinary five-element ninjutsu, he could deal with trouble without using his series of forbidden techniques like the Eight Branches Technique, which could serve as the content of a trade.

Orochimaru's mental fluctuations were undisguised, and the Genie sneered inwardly.

What are you so proud of? The only reason you have bargaining chips is because I haven't bothered to take them.

Knowledge is in the hands of those who master it; the cost of replication is worthless, but if sown as a seed, perhaps it might grow into a decent flower someday.

Even if Orochimaru had no chips, he would still grant Orochimaru the knowledge from the other world.

Since becoming a Genie, he had never been stingy about sharing knowledge, provided the other party could create new knowledge from it.

However, things obtained too easily are rarely cherished.

As a battle-hardened professional Genie, he would naturally not make such a mistake.

Moreover, the replication of knowledge was not without cost; Orochimaru's body might not be able to withstand it.

With their own hidden agendas, the man and the lamp soon arrived at the site of the Fourth Hokage's Eight Trigrams Seal.

The area was covered by a crimson, bowl-shaped barrier, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers, led by the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Under the Genie's control, Orochimaru's pace was swift, arriving just in time for the most dramatic and moving part of the scene.

As a mother, Uzumaki Kushina used her remaining strength to unleash the Adamantine Sealing Chains, temporarily halting the Nine-Tails' movements.

And Namikaze Minato, in order to give mother and son a chance to meet again in the future, summoned the Reaper at the cost of his own life, intending to seal half of the Nine-Tails and Kushina's chakra into Naruto.

Seeing this, even Orochimaru's expression changed. Although he lacked a god's-eye view and could not guess Namikaze Minato's exact intentions, there was no doubt that by doing this, the couple was doomed.

"You can save your sighs for later. I didn't bring you here to watch this parting of life and death."

The Genie used Orochimaru's finger to point at Minato's back, "You seek eternal life, and right before your eyes, there is an immortal."