First Encounter with Orochimaru

Two days later.

In the northern border region of the Land of Fire, there lies a small country bordering it: the Land of Fields.

This is the birthplace of the Sound Ninja and the lair of Orochimaru.

Feng Yao arrived in the Land of Fields. The villages here appeared somewhat crude on the surface, with two ninjas wearing Musical Note headbands occasionally guarding the gates.

Standing at the entrance were Kidomaru and Tayuya. Both possessed unique abilities and were well-versed in various barrier and sealing techniques.

He walked slowly toward them. The two glanced at Feng Yao, and Tayuya spoke up first.

"Stand where you are and don't move. Who are you? Take off that mask."

Beside her, Kidomaru's eyes were locked onto Feng Yao, who slowly came to a halt.

"Go call Orochimaru out. You lot aren't qualified to ask who I am."

A flicker of irritation surged in Tayuya's heart. This bastard, who does he think he is? I'll make sure this ignorant fool knows how formidable I am.

Thinking this, she pulled out a flute.

"Demonic Flute: Phantom Sound Chains."

A crisp, melodious, and echoing flute melody rose into the air. Those who became lost in it would fall into an illusion, their bodies slowly corroding.

However, Feng Yao's mental fortitude was so high that this level of genjutsu had no effect on him. Only after Tayuya finished her performance did Feng Yao speak slowly.

"Is that it? Your flute skills still need improvement."

The ever-defiant Tayuya could not stomach such snide mockery; she lunged at Feng Yao, brandishing her flute.

But the moment she came within five meters of him, her body suddenly went limp. She felt an incredibly refreshing aura seeping into her limbs.

It felt so comfortable she almost cried out. The anger and killing intent she had felt just moments ago vanished instantly, replaced by a sense of closeness and dependency toward Feng Yao. She even felt an urge to get closer.

Feng Yao was puzzled by Tayuya's sudden sluggishness, but he didn't hesitate. He reached out with his right hand to grab her throat, intending to threaten Orochimaru into appearing.

When Feng Yao made contact, Tayuya let out a soft, "Ah." There was no reason other than the fact that being this close to him felt incredibly soothing.

Even while being held by him, she inexplicably felt that this person would not harm her. She even developed a strange sense of affection for this stranger.

I didn't even use much force. Could it be that the Sound Ninja Five are just famous for nothing?

He wondered with some confusion.

"It is because the host's constitution has a profound impact on others. Your Xiaoyao Wise Heart Body is a fatal attraction to those who harbor long-term negative emotions; it is like a starving man suddenly being served a feast. However, it seems to have a stronger effect on the opposite sex—even this system did not anticipate that."

Hearing this, Feng Yao finally understood. Although Zabuza had seemed affected by him previously, it had never reached the point where he would lose focus during a battle. This meant that when facing female ninjas, he would naturally hold the upper hand, allowing him to seize the advantage during their brief moments of distraction.

"Tayuya! What kind of genjutsu did you use? Let her go immediately!"

Seeing his companion captured, Kidomaru grew anxious. He shouted and prepared to strike, but Tayuya suddenly stopped him.

"I'm... fine. He shouldn't... have any ill intent. Go and report this to... Lord Orochimaru."

Tayuya's voice trembled as she spoke.

Kidomaru was stunned. They had served under Orochimaru together for a long time and knew each other inside out.

Tayuya was not only competitive and stubborn, but her most defining trait was her sharp tongue; she loved to curse and argue with others.

For her to be captured and not immediately insult the other party's ancestors was already a miracle, let alone speaking up for him.

Moreover, what was with that bashful tone in her voice? If not for the clarity in her eyes, he would have suspected she was under a genjutsu.

A wave of realization washed over Feng Yao.

This Xiaoyao Wise Heart Body is even more useful than I imagined.

Unable to make a decision, Kidomaru could only glare at Feng Yao and leave a harsh warning.

"You'd better wait here. If you hurt Tayuya, Lord Orochimaru will not let you off."

With that, he retreated into the building, leaving Feng Yao alone with the heavy-breathing Tayuya.

A moment later, four figures appeared behind the door.

Leading them was Orochimaru himself. He had black hair, golden slit pupils, and purple eyeshadow extending to his nose. His skin was deathly pale, and he wore blue, magatama-shaped earrings. His very presence exuded a sinister and vicious aura.

Following behind him, besides Kidomaru, were Sakon, Jirobo, and Kaguya Kimimaro.

Feng Yao's gaze lingered on Kaguya Kimimaro. This man possessed the Shikotsumyaku Kekkei Genkai and was the strongest of the Sound Ninja Five; the other four combined were no match for him.

Orochimaru walked up to Feng Yao and gave a sinister smile. "If I'm not mistaken, you must be Feng Yao, the S-rank missing-nin who turned Konoha upside down a few days ago. I never expected you to come looking for me."

It was no surprise that Orochimaru identified him; the Land of Fields bordered the Land of Fire, and photos of him in his mask had long been circulated among the various powers. Furthermore, Orochimaru kept a close eye on Konoha, so there was no way he would be unaware of such a major event.

The others were secretly shocked. They had heard rumors of this, but hadn't paid much attention to it, as they usually stayed by Orochimaru's side and only followed his orders.

Tayuya, upon hearing this, turned her head and looked at Feng Yao, feeling even more admiration for the man holding her.

"Mr. Orochimaru, I would like to make a deal with you."

Feng Yao looked at Orochimaru before him with indifference, showing no surprise that the other party knew his identity.

Orochimaru, however, grew increasingly curious about Feng Yao; the fact that the man could destroy the Hokage Rock in Konoha and locate his hideout in such a short time spoke volumes about his capabilities.

"What kind of deal do you wish to make with me, Feng Yao?"

Seeing that Orochimaru was willing to negotiate, he released Tayuya to demonstrate his sincerity, causing Orochimaru's gaze to soften slightly.

Yet, Tayuya remained rooted to the spot, unwilling to leave Feng Yao's side; his aura was simply too alluring. Ultimately, she walked behind Orochimaru, glancing back every few steps, only after receiving his direct command.

Orochimaru frowned at Tayuya's uncharacteristic behavior, though he did not dwell on it.

"I want to cooperate with you to destroy Konoha Ninja Village, but I have one condition: I must be the one to kill the Fifth Hokage, Danzo!"

Orochimaru shook his head upon hearing this, looking at Feng Yao with a playful smirk.

"Why should I cooperate with you? What benefits could you possibly offer me by destroying Konoha?"

Feng Yao cursed the old fox under his breath; Orochimaru had already been plotting the destruction of Konoha for quite some time.

He was merely using this proposal as leverage to drive up the price and squeeze some benefits out of him.

Ignoring him, Feng Yao turned his back to Orochimaru and spoke calmly.

"The choice to cooperate or not lies with you. If you don't want to acquire the legacy of Konoha's ninjutsu, or if you don't want to deal with the village that has been hunting you down, then by all means, refuse my proposal."

With that, he prepared to leave without looking back.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

Four steps...

Just as he was about to depart, Orochimaru called out to him.

"Wait a moment, Yao-kun. You win; I agree to your deal. Besides, I have no interest in that old man Danzo anyway, so it's all the better if you're willing to kill him."

Feng Yao turned around, but at that moment, Orochimaru's head suddenly elongated and lunged toward him.

This was Orochimaru's Soft Physique Modification, which allowed him to freely stretch or contort his body.

Orochimaru opened his mouth, which was twice the size of a normal human's, and snapped toward Feng Yao's throat.

"Iron Body."

Feng Yao activated the Rokushiki, using one hand to block the incoming snake-like head while delivering a right hook with the other, distorting Orochimaru's entire face.

The head retracted back into Orochimaru's body, and the injuries on his face healed in an instant. Feng Yao asked with a cold tone, "Orochimaru, what is the meaning of this?"

Orochimaru touched his left cheek, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes as he said with a sinister tone, "Since we are to cooperate, I must know exactly what your strength is. Let me see what you're capable of, Yao-kun~"

With that, he launched his body toward Feng Yao once more.