Looking at Shukaku, who was on guard but visibly panicked, a glint flashed in Yusuke's eyes. As his long sword left its sheath, a crimson tornado of flames instantly engulfed Shukaku.
"Ryujin Jakka: Matsumyo!"
Wrapped in the fiery tornado, Shukaku let out a horrifying scream and struggled frantically. But no matter how hard it fought, it couldn't extinguish the blazing flames or break free of them.
The sword technique Matsumyo unleashed a tornado of flames to surround an enemy the instant the blade was drawn. It wouldn't dissipate until the enemy had been reduced to ashes, making it ideal against enormous foes like Tailed Beasts, with their powerful vitality and regenerative abilities.
After a while, Shukaku realized it couldn't escape the flames and gave up struggling altogether. Instead, it repeatedly swung its two massive claws at Yusuke.
With Shukaku driven mad, Yusuke no longer needed to attack. He simply kept dodging. The longer the flames burned, the weaker Shukaku became, and the less frequently it attacked.
With a loud crash, Shukaku's enormous body finally collapsed onto the sand. Its vitality and Chakra were nearly exhausted, and it was now on the verge of death.
Yusuke absorbed the flames still burning on Shukaku's body with Ryujin Jakka, then took out a sealing scroll and prepared to begin the Yin-Yang Seal ritual.
"Yusuke, would you mind letting me have the One-Tail?"
Suddenly, a hoarse, deep voice sounded beside Yusuke. At the same time, a pale-faced figure with snake-like eyes appeared behind him. It was none other than Orochimaru, who had defected from Konoha.
Before Orochimaru had finished speaking, eight vicious snakes suddenly emerged from his back and lunged at Yusuke, who had his back to them, sinking their fangs into him.
Hearing that familiar voice, Yusuke's heart lurched. He had already put away Ryujin Jakka, and it was too late to counterattack or dodge.
A sharp pain shot through his limbs and shoulders as the eight snakes clamped down on him.
But just as Orochimaru thought he had Yusuke under control, flames suddenly erupted from the wounds left by the snakes' bites. They not only vaporized the venom completely but also raced along the snakes toward Orochimaru's body.
Seeing this, Orochimaru immediately severed the snakes extending from his back to keep the flames from reaching him. Yusuke seized the opportunity to pull away.
After putting some distance between himself and Orochimaru, Yusuke turned and stood still, narrowing his eyes as he fixed Orochimaru with a murderous gaze.
Yusuke appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly he was already weighing his options.
He knew full well he didn't have enough Chakra left to keep fighting a Kage Level opponent—especially a crafty survivor like Orochimaru, who was exceptionally good at staying out of danger.
Ryujin Jakka had devastating power, but it came at a steep cost. At full strength, Yusuke wouldn't have feared Orochimaru. But in his current state, if Orochimaru dragged the fight out, Yusuke would have no choice but to flee.
But then all the effort he'd just put into subduing Shukaku would go to waste, and Orochimaru would reap the benefits for free.
"Lord Orochimaru, we go way back. Don't you think it's a little underhanded to attack me like that?" Yusuke said unhurriedly as he straightened the clothes torn by Orochimaru's snakes.
The wounds from the bites were no longer a concern. Yusuke could use flames to disinfect minor injuries like these with high heat and cauterize the bleeding. Of course, he could only use this method to treat himself.
Seeing how calm Yusuke seemed, and unable to read his true condition, Orochimaru couldn't help but sigh inwardly. He really was a difficult opponent.
Orochimaru flicked his snake-like tongue over his lips and smiled. "I had no choice. Unlike you, I can't cast the Four Purple Flame Array by myself. Defeating Shukaku wouldn't have been hard, but I wasn't confident I could capture it. So I had to ask you to do the work for me."
"Besides, Yusuke, I've left the village now. You don't have to call me 'Lord' anymore."
Orochimaru was already building his own team, recruiting people like Kimimaro, Jugo, and the Sound Four. They were all exceptionally talented, but still young, and couldn't be of much help to him just yet. Otherwise, Orochimaru could have simply brought the Sound Four to trap Shukaku with their barrier technique while he captured it.
Yusuke studied Orochimaru and said slowly, "Mizuki works for you, doesn't he? He was the one who told you I'd come to Sunagakure, right?"
Orochimaru looked surprised, then praised him. "As expected of you, Yusuke. You even figured that out. Your instincts really are sharp."
Of course, Orochimaru didn't know that Yusuke hadn't uncovered any flaw in Mizuki's story. As a transmigrator, Yusuke already knew what Mizuki was really up to.
"So you figured that, since I have the Yin-Yang Cursed Seal, I wouldn't pass up Shukaku in the Nara Desert. That's why you've been following me in secret, waiting until I dealt with Shukaku so you could swoop in and claim it for yourself," Yusuke said.
Orochimaru gave a sinister smile. "That's right. But Yusuke, you already have the Nine-Tails. Why not let me have this Shukaku?"
Yusuke smiled. "This is a Tailed Beast. You don't think you can take it from me just by saying a few words, do you?"
Seeing that Yusuke still seemed confident, Orochimaru tested him. "Do you still have enough strength to fight me?"
"I was hidden beneath the sand the whole time. I saw your entire battle with Shukaku. You must have used up almost all your Chakra by now, right?"
No wonder Orochimaru had seemed a little different earlier. Yusuke had thought his complexion looked rosier than before. So he'd been hiding beneath the sand, where the heat had baked him.
This whole area of sand had been covered by Yusuke's Scorch Release: Ten-Direction Scorched Earth. The temperature beneath it was high enough to trouble even Shukaku. But Orochimaru must have used some kind of ninjutsu to protect himself; an ordinary person would have been cooked alive in that heat.
"If it were anyone else, they might indeed be out of strength. But—"
"I'm a Uchiha!"
As soon as he spoke, three crimson-gold flame Tomoe appeared in each of Yusuke's eyes. Having activated his Sharingan, he calmly watched Orochimaru.
At the sight of the change in Yusuke's eyes, Orochimaru's pupils contracted sharply in shock.
He'd long suspected that Yusuke had awakened the Sharingan, but he had never imagined it would be a kind he'd never seen before. He had no idea what those flame-shaped Tomoe could do, but they instinctively struck him as extremely dangerous.
"Yusuke, you know what you look like right now? Like prey with nowhere to run, trying to scare off the hunter by bluffing," Orochimaru said with a smile.
A dangerous gleam shone in Orochimaru's eyes. His entire presence pressed faintly against Yusuke, as if he could attack at any moment.
Despite Orochimaru's intimidating test, Yusuke remained calm.
"That's right. I am bluffing."
"After all, these Sharingan are my last trump card. I don't want to use them unless I have no other choice."
After hearing Yusuke's words, Orochimaru fell silent.
A moment later, Orochimaru finally gave up on attacking and relented. "You know I have plenty of rare ninjutsu, ninja tools, and information. Let me have Shukaku, and you can name your price."
Hearing this, Yusuke furrowed his brow and thought it over. Orochimaru seems determined to get Shukaku. Since I'm in no shape to fight him, I may as well do him a favor and get something worthwhile in return.
Besides, Orochimaru really does have plenty of things I'm interested in!
Deciding not to fight Orochimaru over Shukaku, Yusuke sighed and complained, "You should know how much effort I put into preparing for Shukaku. That last fight was brutal. I nearly got killed by it."
"And then you ambushed me, Orochimaru. I'm seriously injured..."
Looking at Yusuke, who seemed energetic and kept talking, Orochimaru cut him off coldly. "Yusuke, just tell me what you want."
"First, I need ten—no, twenty vials of Hashirama Cells Fusion Liquid."
The Hashirama Cells Fusion Liquid was an auxiliary drug Yusuke and Orochimaru had developed together while working on the Yin-Yang Cursed Seal. It had many uses beyond performing the seal. Yusuke knew how to make it too, but lacked the materials, so he could ask Orochimaru for some to keep on hand.
"No problem," Orochimaru replied with a nod. The Hashirama Cells Fusion Liquid was valuable, but Orochimaru could make it himself, so it was no trouble for him.
"Second, I need the exact location of Danzo's Root Organization Laboratory."
For Yusuke, Danzo and the Root Organization were targets he'd have to eliminate sooner or later. They had an irreconcilable conflict with the Uchiha Clan. Danzo's laboratory also held quite a few valuable resources that Yusuke hoped to get his hands on.
Hearing Yusuke's second request, Orochimaru frowned, but after a moment's thought, he agreed.
Even after defecting, Orochimaru had maintained secret ties with Danzo and continued to work with him on human experiments. He knew the exact location of the Root Organization Laboratory.
"Third, I need the exact location of Ryūchi Cave and how to enter it."
"All right."
"Fourth—"
"Yusuke, don't push your luck," Orochimaru said, looking displeased as Yusuke named his fourth demand.
Before you continue