Orochimaru's Choice

On the battlefield between Konoha and Hidden Cloud, the night raid plan devised by Minato and Jiraiya could be called a resounding success.

In this battle, Konoha not only crippled the nearly one-thousand-strong Hidden Cloud force stationed at the front lines but also managed to surround all the surviving Hidden Cloud ninja within a containment circle.

After achieving the strategic goal of encirclement, Konoha did not press the advantage to annihilate or capture all the Hidden Cloud ninja in one go.

Instead, they deliberately let a few Hidden Cloud ninja escape, allowing them to return to their village with news, preparing for a "besiege the point to strike the reinforcements" tactic.

To coordinate with the plan of Jiraiya and the others, Danzo, who remained in Konoha, urgently dispatched a reinforcement unit of five hundred ninja led by Orochimaru to provide support.

With this, the Konoha front line not only gathered over two thousand ninja but also boasted four Kage-level powerhouses: Jiraiya, Minato, Orochimaru, and Mitokado Homura, who had not yet fully succumbed to old age.

With such a lineup and troop strength, even if Hidden Cloud were to mobilize their entire force, it would be difficult for them to gain the upper hand.

Not to mention, it was Konoha that held the advantage and the strategic initiative.

The dawn of victory was right before their eyes; the entire Konoha army was in high spirits, with everyone eager for battle.

That night, the very day Orochimaru led the reinforcements to the front-line camp, Shiraishi met with him in a dense forest ten kilometers away, at the six o'clock position of the camp.

Moonlight filtered through the withered branches, casting mottled shadows upon Orochimaru. Combined with his pale face and perverted smile, it created a scene straight out of a horror film.

Shiraishi stood near a pond not far ahead, watching Orochimaru emerge from the shadows, the corners of his mouth curling slightly upward.

"In the laboratory, how is that body developing?" Shiraishi's primary concern remained his new body.

"Everything is proceeding smoothly, though Danzo has been up to quite a few little tricks," Orochimaru said with a twisted smile.

Shiraishi had long since guessed that Danzo would not remain well-behaved after he left the village, so he was not particularly surprised, merely asking indifferently, "What does he want to do?"

Orochimaru's tongue flicked out as he walked up to Shiraishi, smiling eerily, "He asked me if I could place a restriction within the body that would go unnoticed."

"During this time, he has also sought out Kushina for several conversations; he likely intends to seek the aid of sealing techniques."

Shiraishi looked at the Orochimaru before him and said with a smile, "It seems you have made the correct choice."

Orochimaru's snake-like pupils stared straight at Shiraishi. "The only thing I pursue is eternal life."

"I have said it before: whatever you desire, I can give to you."

As the words fell, Shiraishi raised his right hand, fingers pressed into a sword-hand gesture, and under the moonlight, pointed toward Orochimaru's forehead.

Orochimaru did not dodge; instead, his eyes revealed a touch of manic joy, as if he had been waiting for this for a long time.

Shiraishi's sword-finger tapped the center of Orochimaru's brow, and an Impermanence Soul-Locking Visualization Diagram was projected into Orochimaru's mind.

It was an Impermanence wearing a black hat and black robes, holding a Soul-Striking Whip in one hand and an iron chain in the other, with three small ghosts locked at the end.

Years ago, the founder of the Nine Nether Sect traveled to the netherworld, where he witnessed the remains of many fallen Yin Spirits and saw portraits of these entities.

Upon returning to the mortal realm, he depicted these Yin Spirits one by one, leaving them as visualization diagrams for his disciples.

After entering the Nine Nether Sect, disciples would begin their cultivation by visualizing Yin Spirits like Impermanence; only after their cultivation grew would they condense their own Yin Spirit Dharma Image.

The Impermanence Soul-Locking Visualization Diagram that Shiraishi passed to Orochimaru was the first diagram for entry-level cultivation in the Nine Nether Sect, which could nourish and strengthen the soul through daily visualization.

"Meditate with a calm heart every morning and evening, visualizing this divine image I have imparted to you; it will strengthen your soul."

Upon hearing this, a look of joy appeared on Orochimaru's face, his attention almost entirely focused on his mind, observing the divine image.

At first glance, this divine image appeared unremarkable, lacking the overwhelming power of the deities found in myths and legends.

But when Orochimaru poured his consciousness into it, he found that the divine image in his mind seemed to come alive. A single glance from that black-robed deity made Orochimaru feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, a chill rising from the depths of his soul.

Shiraishi slapped Orochimaru, snapping his consciousness out of the visualization diagram.

"When visualizing the divine image, you must hold fast to your original heart. You cannot exceed fifteen minutes each time, otherwise, your soul and body will not be able to withstand it, and you may even become lost within the image, turning into an imbecile," Shiraishi warned.

Shiraishi had only imparted the visualization diagram to Orochimaru without teaching him the cultivation techniques, which increased the risks of Orochimaru's visualization while also limiting his cultivation time and potential.

Orochimaru felt a shiver in his heart; he had nearly been lost in the power of the divine image just moments ago.

"Do gods truly exist in this world?" Orochimaru became increasingly curious about the things Shiraishi possessed.

Shiraishi smiled meaningfully and did not answer Orochimaru's question.

"What else do you need me to do?" Orochimaru calmed down. The visualization diagram Shiraishi had imparted to him allowed him to feel what true divine power was, and he became even more desperate for the things in Shiraishi's possession.

As long as Shiraishi was willing to share this knowledge with him, he would pay any price. Whether it was Danzo or the village's ninja, as long as it helped him acquire knowledge, he could sacrifice them all to Shiraishi.

"The next time Danzo approaches you, agree to whatever plan he has," Shiraishi said with a cold laugh.

"You want me to help you gather intelligence?" Orochimaru felt he had guessed Shiraishi's motive.

"You can think of it that way."

Of course, Shiraishi's goal was not so simple; he was merely using Danzo as a catalyst to completely transform Minato.

A close friend he acknowledged dying at the hands of the Hokage he had always respected, and in this conspiracy, his own wife becoming an accomplice to the friend's death.

When the time came, adding the last words Shiraishi had prepared, along with the dying wish entrusted to Minato within those words—the path envisioned for achieving peace.

Once Minato learned the "truth" of his friend's death, combined with this final letter, what kind of path would his future take?

Thinking of this, a few more smiles appeared on Shiraishi's face. He looked at Orochimaru before him. "Orochimaru, what are your thoughts on Ryūchi Cave and Senjutsu?"

"I am still searching for the location of Ryūchi Cave." As a contractor of one of the three great sage regions, Ryūchi Cave, Orochimaru was full of interest in Senjutsu.

But he was different from Jiraiya; Jiraiya had been reverse-summoned directly to Mount Myōboku, where he was regarded by the Great Toad Sage as the teacher of the Child of Prophecy, and was carefully cared for and guided by the two resident sages.

Although Orochimaru had formed a contract with Ryūchi Cave, he had never actually set foot inside it, nor had he even fully grasped its exact location.

His connection to Ryūchi Cave was limited to the ability to summon its snakes for combat through the contract.

"Do you intend to make a move on them?" Orochimaru asked proactively. "If you are willing, I can have you sign a contract with Ryūchi Cave right now."

Hearing Orochimaru's words, Shiraishi smiled; as expected of Orochimaru, he would sacrifice anything if it served his own pursuits.

"Very well. Once this war concludes, I will seek you out."

Having said that, Shiraishi produced a Bone Ring and tossed it to Orochimaru.

"Whenever you wish to contact me, simply inject your chakra into it."

Shiraishi's voice still drifted in Orochimaru's ears, but he had already vanished without a trace.