Those words were like the sharpest kunai, striking straight at the deepest worries and fears in Orochimaru's heart!
As he studied Living Corpse Reincarnation, how could he not know about the risk of wearing down the soul?
But it was still the closest thing to immortality he could find!
[ Ding! Detected intense emotional fluctuations in Orochimaru: fear, anger at having his secret exposed, and an overwhelming yearning for an unknown answer. Emotion Point +150! ]
The composure vanished from Orochimaru's face, replaced by intense gravity and curiosity. He stared at Uchiha Ling.
"It seems Ling-kun has unique insights into the realm of the soul as well. Could your Mangekyō Sharingan have granted you the ability to see through the soul's true nature?"
"Not at all." Uchiha Ling shook his head. "I'm simply looking at the problem from a different angle.
"If changing souls is fraught with danger, why not try another approach?
"Why insist on 'replacing' this body? Why not find a way to grant true eternity to the 'Origin Body' you already have—the one most compatible with your soul?"
"An eternal Origin Body?" Orochimaru's breathing quickened slightly. It was an approach he had never seriously considered!
"Exactly." Uchiha Ling stepped forward, his tone brimming with unshakable confidence.
"Suppose there were a way to 'freeze' or 'drastically slow' the metabolism of the body's cells—not through plunder or reincarnation, but at the most fundamental level—so that time passed over you at a crawl, almost coming to a stop.
"That way, your body would remain in its peak condition forever. It wouldn't age or decay, and your soul could remain in the vessel most compatible with it until the end of time."
For Orochimaru, who had pursued immortality all his life but remained trapped in the struggle between soul