Meeting Snake Uncle

The next day was Earthday (Saturday), so there were no classes.

Kamiya Keiyun first dug another round of tunnels, increasing their depth from 17.7 meters to 33.8 meters.

Then he took Sanyō out to visit Snake Uncle.

Snake Uncle was a celebrity, after all. Many people knew where he lived, and Sanyō naturally knew as well.

To show respect, Kamiya Keiyun bought an entire watermelon at the market. Watermelon cultivation here was not very advanced, perhaps due to problems with seed breeding. Not only was the red flesh thin, but it was not very sweet either. It tasted more like squash.

But there was no doubt that it was a luxury item. A fifteen-jin watermelon actually cost 900 ryō.

"Is this Snake Uncle's house?" Kamiya Keiyun curiously looked at the residence before him. He had learned that the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had taken only three disciples, with no ranking among them. One was Jiraiya, one was Tsunade, and one was Orochimaru. All three were Elite Jonin.

He had also learned that ninjas survived on mission rewards. Not only were the missions Jonin could undertake of higher rank, but the rewards were extremely generous as well.

A Jonin like Orochimaru certainly earned quite a lot of money.

Yet Orochimaru's home was no different from the Kamiya Family's. It was a detached two-story house.

The front yard also looked somewhat neglected, with weeds growing everywhere.

If there had not been any dust on the front gate, the two of them might have thought no one lived here.

Just as he raised his hand to knock, a white snake emerged from nowhere, coiled itself around the gatepost, and opened its mouth. "Who are you two looking for? Did you come to the wrong door?"

"Ah!" Sanyō jumped in fright. There was actually a talking snake!

Kamiya Keiyun was doing better, though. Especially when he saw such a rare white snake, he instinctively thought of Haku.

Was it some special breed, or did it have albinism?

"May I ask if this is the home of Jonin Orochimaru?" Kamiya Keiyun asked politely.

"It is!" said the white snake. "So, you want to see Lord Orochimaru?"

"Yes!" Kamiya Keiyun hurriedly nodded. "Please inform him for us, Lord White Snake! Kamiya Keiyun and Kamiya Sanyō have come to visit him out of admiration!"

"Many people want to see Lord Orochimaru, but very few actually get to meet him!" The white snake flicked its tongue. "I am only responsible for informing him. Whether he sees you or not has nothing to do with me!"

"Yes!" Kamiya Keiyun quickly nodded. He understood. Jonin were village higher-ups, after all. It was perfectly normal for them to have no time to meet two little brats.

What the two of them were doing was actually rather presumptuous. If someone with ulterior motives saw it, they would surely overthink it.

But Kamiya Keiyun had no choice. His father was not the Third Hokage. If he wanted to succeed and get things done, he could only shamelessly put himself out there!

Orochimaru had been staying at home lately, trying to ease his emotions.

The Second Great Ninja War had just ended. Not only had Konoha won, but the three young ninjas had also received the title of the Three Legendary Sannin. For a time, they were basking in boundless glory.

But Orochimaru did not feel happy because of those honors.

After all, the war had claimed his disciple Nawaki, his friend Dan Katō, and some dear, familiar friends and comrades, who had left him forever.

Tsunade had developed hemophobia, Jiraiya remained behind in Amegakure, and Orochimaru had nowhere to ease his feelings. With no inspirational essays to read, he could only quiet himself and begin pondering the meaning of life.

When he heard the white snake's report, he did not pay it much mind.

Recently, quite a few people had brought their children to visit him in hopes of currying favor. As long as he ignored them, they would naturally understand what he meant.

However, Kamiya Keiyun?

That name sounded somewhat familiar!

Orochimaru remembered.

To help him emerge from the shadow of Nawaki's death, his teacher had suggested that he take another disciple and had even given him a list of Ninja Academy students.

This child was on it.

Had he learned something and come to visit ahead of time, wanting to secure the spot?

"Who did he come with?" Orochimaru asked.

"Uh, his older sister, Kamiya Sanyō!" the white snake repeated.

In fact, he had already said it once, but Orochimaru's brain capacity was precious, and he could not be bothered to remember irrelevant information.

"His sister?" Orochimaru was taken aback. His parents had not brought him here, so what was this about bringing his sister?

Don't tell me they want to give me his sister?

Quite a few clans had wanted to give him their daughters, but this was the first time someone had tried to offer him an older sister!

Orochimaru's gaze turned cold and dark. He unconsciously compared Nawaki and Tsunade. If they were in the same situation, what would Nawaki do?

He would rather die than bury his sister's future!

"Let them in!" Orochimaru rubbed the kunai in his hand. He had witnessed the fragility of human life, and now he was going to witness the darkness of human nature as well!

Fine. There was just a ball of anger in his heart that needed an outlet. If it really was as he imagined—

Teacher, it would not be too much for me to remove a scourge from Konoha, would it?

The gate opened, and Kamiya Keiyun frowned. He noticed that despite it being broad daylight, every window in the house was tightly shut. If this door had not been opened, the room would certainly have been pitch-black.

Orochimaru sat on a cushion in the hall. A long table stood before him, and a huge Kanji character was pasted on the wall behind him.

Net!

This atmosphere... was he meditating? Kamiya Keiyun secretly nodded. He already felt a little more affinity toward him. He also liked thinking in a completely dark space; it allowed his emotions to calm down as much as possible.

"Lord Orochimaru, I have brought them in!" said the white snake.

"Mm, you may leave." Orochimaru's voice was somewhat hoarse, not the deliberately smoky kind from short videos, but a gentle voice filled with mature charm.

His favorability continued to rise!

As expected of Snake Uncle! The moment Kamiya Keiyun heard that voice, he knew he had come to the right place!

"Kamiya Keiyun, what have you come to see me for?" Orochimaru asked quietly, cold light flickering in his eyes.

He studied Kamiya Keiyun carefully. If Kamiya Keiyun's purpose was what he thought it was—

Then he would not be leaving here.

"Snake Uncle—no, Lord Orochimaru, hello!" Kamiya Keiyun and Sanyō first bowed in greeting. Then Kamiya Keiyun asked, "Lord Orochimaru, before I explain why I came, may I ask you a few questions first?"

"Oh?" Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. Was he going to test me?

"Go ahead."

"It's like this. How much do you know about Earth Release?"

Hm?

Orochimaru had been wondering whether it would be a question about his personality or preferences. Why had the topic suddenly turned to Earth Release?

Or did he know that I liked Earth Release and was trying to cater to my tastes?

He lightly licked his lips. Things were starting to get interesting. This child was not as simple as he had imagined!

"Earth Release is something I am very skilled at!" After considering it, Orochimaru answered seriously, "In the entire world, there should be no more than five people whose mastery of Earth Release surpasses mine!"

He was actually being modest. Orochimaru's greatest specialty was Earth Release, followed by Water Release.

As a ninjutsu genius, he had inherited nearly all of Sarutobi Hiruzen's ninjutsu. He was especially outstanding in Earth and Water Release. In terms of Earth Release alone, he should have been second only to Sarutobi Hiruzen and Iwagakure's Tsuchikage, Ōnoki of Both Scales.

"That's good!" Kamiya Keiyun nodded, then asked, "Then, Lord Orochimaru, do you know of a ninjutsu that can mold mud into stone?"

"There are many such ninjutsu!" The moment the topic involved ninjutsu, Orochimaru immediately became professional. "Earth Release: Earth Bullet can condense mud into stone for attacking enemies. Earth Release: Rock Pillar Spear, Earth Release: Rock Stealing Stick, and Earth Release: Rock Lodging Collapse can all achieve similar effects."

"Huh?" Kamiya Keiyun froze. There were so many?

Didn't that mean my technique had no value at all?

Wait!

Kamiya Keiyun noticed the key point!

"You just said attacking enemies. Are all the ninjutsu you mentioned combat ninjutsu?" Kamiya Keiyun asked.

"Hm? Combat ninjutsu? Are ninjutsu divided into combat and non-combat uses?" Orochimaru asked in return.

Were not all ninjutsu combat ninjutsu?

Just as I thought! Kamiya Keiyun smiled. It seemed Orochimaru did not know his technique.

Orochimaru had said he was so skilled at Earth Release. An Earth Release ninjutsu even he did not know should be an original technique!

Then he really had come to the right place this time!

"That's right. My ninjutsu is a Production Ninjutsu!" Kamiya Keiyun said. "I call it: Earth Release: Mud to Stone Technique!"

"Hm?" Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. Judging from the name alone, it sounded ordinary, merely the foundation of all rock-type ninjutsu. But why call it Production Ninjutsu?

"This environment is not suitable. How about we go to the yard, and I demonstrate it for you?" Kamiya Keiyun said.

Orochimaru fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "All right!"