"Hey, Orochimaru, couldn't you add a few more lights to your base? Aren't you worried someone will trip?"
Qiuyang walked behind Orochimaru, talking as they went. The passageways here twisted and turned, and he was too stingy to use proper lighting. In many places, he'd simply stuck a candle and called it good.
If Qiuyang weren't so confident in his strength now, he'd really be worried that this stubborn old bastard might suddenly attack him.
Up ahead, Orochimaru, who was leading the way, looked a little aggrieved...
Back when they'd first met, Qiuyang had always called him "Lord Orochimaru." Now, after several years apart, he'd grown bold enough to call him by name.
"Hmph... Qiuyang-kun knows I'm a snake. Snakes like cold, damp places."
Well... that's a very good point. I can't argue with it.
Qiuyang was speechless and put some distance between himself and Orochimaru. Seeing Snake Auntie's head bobbing up ahead, he suspected the guy had stuck out his long tongue and was licking everything again.
...Ugh...
For the sake of that grand plan, he'd have to endure it.
After a few more minutes of walking, Orochimaru finally stopped beside a wall.
"This is the place, Qiuyang-kun."
"I still can't use much strength in my hands. Help me press that protruding stone."
As he spoke, Orochimaru stepped aside, making room for the person behind him.
Qiuyang eyed him suspiciously for a moment. He really wanted to tell him he could just use his long tongue to open the door.
But after thinking it over, he realized that would be rude. He could only clear his throat, walk over, and press the inconspicuous stone.
Rumble... rumble...
The tightly fitted wall slowly split open, revealing a pitch-black space. Then, with a click, all the lights inside came on.
"Come in, Qiuyang-kun."
Perhaps realizing Qiuyang was wary of him, Orochimaru entered the laboratory first as soon as the entrance opened. Qiuyang followed close behind.
Once inside, Qiuyang quickly scanned the entire laboratory, marveling at how much space it contained—
There were around twenty experimental tanks large enough to hold an adult. Six of them were filled with vivid green liquid, with bubbles occasionally rising to the surface.
The equipment was connected by a tangle of complex wires and tubing, all of it clearly highly sophisticated.
Qiuyang couldn't help praising it in his heart—this place was a thousand times better than his own rudimentary laboratory.
It must have cost a fortune to build.
And Snake Auntie's greatest strength was his willingness to conduct "live experiments." Qiuyang still couldn't bring himself to cross that line.
"You guessed right. After defecting from Akatsuki back then, I conducted many experiments on the Tailed Beasts."
A rare gleam appeared in Snake Auntie's eyes, as if he were reminiscing about the past.
"Of course, to obtain these precious research specimens, I infiltrated quite a few shinobi villages that had Tailed Beasts, such as Kirigakure, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure..."
His original reason for researching the Tailed Beasts was to uncover the secret behind why they never died, hoping it might help him achieve immortality.
Unfortunately, his research had made no progress for a long time. Later, after learning Living Corpse Reincarnation, a forbidden technique that consumed his spiritual energy with every reincarnation, he put his Tailed Beast research on hold.
Thinking of Living Corpse Reincarnation, Orochimaru once again fixed his greedy gaze on Qiuyang's "fresh" Uchiha body.
This kid had even more talent than Sasuke-kun, whom he had his eye on now. Unfortunately, he was just as troublesome as Itachi... He'd have to wait until his hands healed before figuring out how to capture him for research!
Qiuyang was examining the laboratory, but he keenly noticed the sudden hunger in Snake Auntie's eyes as he looked at his body. He shot him a cold warning glance.
His black pupils slowly transformed into the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, a clear warning. He was certain Snake Auntie wouldn't dare—and couldn't afford—to attack him now.
Sure enough, after seeing Qiuyang activate his Sharingan, Orochimaru withdrew his greedy gaze and continued explaining.
"Here are parts from the Tailed Beasts I cultivated back then: the One-Tail, Three-Tails, Four-Tails, Six-Tails, Seven-Tails, and Eight-Tails. Is that enough to satisfy you, Qiuyang-kun?"
So many? Qiuyang remained outwardly calm, but his thoughts were in turmoil.
That meant he was only missing parts from Matatabi, Son Goku, and the Nine-Tails. This would save him a huge amount of effort in gathering them!
Qiuyang followed Orochimaru as he pressed the buttons beneath the tanks one by one. The parts of the Tailed Beasts, previously obscured by green liquid, now came clearly into view—
A section of Shukaku's tail, one of Gyuki's horns, Son Goku's teeth...
The Tomoe in his eyes spun continuously. He could clearly see the chakra being released from the specimens. They were indeed genuine parts from the Tailed Beasts.
What about the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path?
Qiuyang suppressed his excitement and asked the most important question.
"Where's the part of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path that you cultivated?"
Orochimaru smiled mysteriously and continued toward the wall ahead. This time, he really did stick out his tongue and press an inconspicuous brick.
"Qiuyang-kun, you should know that when I obtained even a tiny specimen from that thing, Pain nearly discovered me and killed me."
As the wall slowly rose, a glass tank even larger and more complex than the others appeared before them.
"Th-this... What exactly is..."
Qiuyang stared in shock at the enormous glass tank behind the wall.
Even though he knew the original story, he couldn't understand why this was a miniature version of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path—
Before him stood a small Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, grown to the height of an adult. Apart from its smaller size, it was identical to the one he remembered.
Was this a trait of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path? Unlike the other Tailed Beasts, did it grow into its original form instead of producing only the parts that had been collected?
Like the split dog summoned by Pain Loli Path: however many pieces it was cut into, it would become that many dogs. The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path simply needed to be cultivated to regain its original form.
This was a godsend!
Qiuyang knew that today, Snake Auntie would have to hand it over whether he wanted to or not.
He still acted as though he didn't care, taking out a scroll and slowly forming Hand Seals.
"Just as I expected of Lord Orochimaru. Since you've shown me such sincerity, it wouldn't be right for me not to offer something in return."
With a poof, a mask appeared in his hand once the smoke cleared. It had two curved horns, sharp teeth, and a vicious expression.
Qiuyang slowly... slowly... raised his head, holding up the mask.
"This... is the Shinigami Mask Lord Orochimaru wanted—the one used for the Reaper Death Seal."
"Qiuyang-kun, you... you..."
Orochimaru's delighted expression suddenly turned to alarm.
As his gaze passed over Qiuyang's Sharingan, he had been caught in the Golden Binding Genjutsu in an instant.
Could it be... that Qiuyang intended to take both the prize and the payment?
Before you continue