Sage Mode

"Uchiha Itachi? Isn't he just a child!"

Even among the commoners of Konoha, this name was thunderous. As the eldest son of the Uchiha clan head, the talent and aptitude he displayed were undoubtedly at the level of a Hokage. Since the First Hokage founded the village, Uchiha Itachi was the only ninja to enter the battlefield at the age of four.

Orochimaru had seen this child on the front lines of the Land of Earth, and the composure and calmness deep in his bones were enough to make even him gasp in admiration.

"The younger, the better; there is more plasticity."

Guo Wang's stern face remained indifferent. He did not reveal the fundamental reason: for something like the Sharingan, the ultimate ceiling is determined the moment the eyes are opened. Although the Mangekyo is a reflection of the heart, if the catalyst for opening the eyes is not grasped at the very beginning, the final ocular technique achieved would be a massive burden for the host.

"Elder Danzo, I don't want to lose a partner like you. Are you really not going to consider other candidates?"

Orochimaru's dark golden slit pupils revealed a deep, eerie glint. Although he was considered a daring person, even he would not dare to provoke the Uchiha clan at this juncture of the Shinobi World War—a responsibility even his teacher, Sarutobi Hiruzen, would not dare to shoulder.

"The premise of this matter is that you can complete the 'Living Corpse Reincarnation'. In return, I will tell you the secret of the Mangekyo."

"No, I don't think this reward is equivalent to this transaction, whether in terms of profit or risk!"

Orochimaru was truly not afraid of Danzo. Having already completed his transformation, the worst-case scenario for him now was simply leaving Konoha.

Guo Wang, whose Sharingan was hidden beneath bandages, looked at this pale, smiling young man. After a long silence, he spat out a bargaining chip that left even him shocked.

"Complete this technique, hand it over to me, and Kinoe will be yours."

Even for Orochimaru, whose mental state transcended the village and who was nearly a cold-blooded animal, hearing these words made his blood—which should not have been running hot—begin to surge. An unprecedented desire welled up in his heart.

"This is truly... are you serious!?"

In disbelief, he confirmed it again. Only after Guo Wang nodded did the corners of his mouth split open, and he burst into laughter.

"I really underestimated you, old man. You can even discard the First Hokage's Wood Release? Is the Sharingan really that powerful? Suddenly, I want to see this 'Kyōka Suigetsu' you speak of as invincible, since you've even staked a miracle like Kinoe as a bargaining chip for the Mangekyo."

Wood Release might be truly powerful when pushed to its limit; in Danzo's memories, the man named Hashirama Senju was indeed formidable. But that was only an impression of "power." Compared to the Mangekyo that Guo Wang had personally experienced, Kinoe's Wood Release was equivalent to only third-rate wood-element spells in the Dao Realm.

Regardless, in this somewhat dangerous world, individual strength was the most important thing.

"Give me enough test subjects, and within three years, I will give you an answer."

"Too slow. One year at most."

Given the talent that child was currently displaying, he might have already awakened the Sharingan by the age of seven, and for Guo Wang, the significance would no longer be as great.

"That will require some special containers. The two of us might need to find an excuse to make a trip to the battlefield in the Land of Water."

Orochimaru had almost finished researching the Living Corpse Reincarnation for ordinary ninjas. The current difficulty was occupying the bodies of Kekkei Genkai ninjas without destroying their original genetic sequences. However, the rarity of Kekkei Genkai, combined with the drag of the war, had caused this forbidden technique to stagnate for the past two years.

"A very good proposal, but ever since the Green Pass incident, Kirigakure has been locked in a death struggle with Iwagakure. There hasn't been a major conflict on the Konoha front for over a year. If we provoke them proactively, given Hiruzen's personality, he certainly won't agree."

Half of the Kekkei Genkai clans in the shinobi world were in Kirigakure. The fame of clans like the Hozuki, Kaguya, Yuki, and Terumi was not inferior to the Uchiha or Hyuga. If it weren't for these clans' penchant for internal strife, the front in the Land of Water would likely have been shattered when Konoha fought four nations alone two years ago.

"There is just no conflict; we in Konoha haven't signed a ceasefire agreement with Kirigakure yet."

Orochimaru smiled sinisterly, his slit pupils filled with covetousness. He had long wanted to take a trip to the Land of Water, but he had always been too busy with work to get away.

"Now that you mention it, signing a ceasefire agreement with Iwagakure might actually be a good thing. We can manipulate the situation well."

Guo Wang was someone who had infiltrated all three sects of the Dao Realm; his mind turned no slower than Orochimaru's. The two looked at each other and knew they had reached the same conclusion.

Land of Lightning!

Jiraiya was drenched in sweat, desperately squeezing the Chakra within his body. The combination ninjutsu from Mount Myoboku made a gorgeous appearance, but to the monster before him, it was like a tickle.

"Where is your Sage Mode? This Fire Release is no different from taking a bath to me."

A burly giant, his entire body radiating blazing white lightning, gently patted his own shoulder, tearing off a piece of clothing scorched by oil, and looked at the white-haired junior before him with some disappointment.

"Hey, hey, hey, this is my strongest combination ninjutsu besides Sage Arts. The big guy's 'Lightning Release Armor' seems even harder than the last time we met."

Jiraiya stood on the head of a giant toad the size of a mountain, looking at the Third Raikage, who had walked out of his oil-fire unscathed. Cold sweat streamed down his forehead.

"Baka Jiraiya, last time you teamed up with that gloomy old guy. Although I don't like him, his mastery of Wind Release is one of the best in the shinobi world, and it just happens to counter the old Raikage's Lightning Release. But even so, you know the result of that battle."

Of course he knew; how could he forget!

Jiraiya had fought hundreds of major battles in his life. The only times he felt the danger of death, besides his encounter with Hanzo, were his head-on clashes with the Third Raikage.

The purpose of that battle was merely to stall, yet it cost Danzo his right eye and left half his body nearly paralyzed.

"If I hadn't entered Sage Mode in advance, with my physical constitution, recovery, and speed greatly enhanced, the injuries I sustained from that move would likely have been even worse than Danzo's."

"Now, you are all alone. Run away quickly!"

Gamabunta had just finished speaking when he sensed a familiar scent—it was Jiraiya's blood!

Drawing a special pattern along his eye sockets on his cheeks, Space-Time fluctuations occurred, and the two Sages descended from the void, landing on the white-haired young man's shoulders.

Two-Sages Technique: Sage Mode!