Orochimaru

Izakaya

"Why have you been so busy lately?" Obito asked as he poured Tsunade a drink.

"Ah, the troops stationed at the front have had a few clashes with Sunagakure's ninjas along the border. Sunagakure's ninjas are very skilled with poison, especially their elder, Chiyo. The Hokage assigned me to develop an antidote, so I've been busy running experiments these past few days." Tsunade lifted her cup and drank, then let out a long sigh.

"Orochimaru could do it too, couldn't he?" Obito asked.

"Orochimaru and I specialize in different things. Besides, he's in charge of Root now and holds a high position. When would he have time to make antidotes? I'm the only one with nothing better to do. I don't have to go to the battlefield, and I can still contribute to Konoha from the rear. It's not so bad." Tsunade continued.

"I know some people in the village are prejudiced against the Uchiha Clan, and that the clan hasn't always been treated fairly. You have your reasons, and I understand. But... this village was my grandfather's life's work, built with the blood of countless clan members... I don't want to see you..."

"Don't worry. I won't do anything to harm the village. Danzo tried to assassinate me, and I only went after him personally, didn't I? I swear to you, I'll spend my life protecting you and Konoha." Obito reached out and held Tsunade's hand.

"Thank you... Obito," Tsunade said, deeply moved.

"Eat up before it gets cold. Then let's go home and get some rest. You're exhausted."

"Mm... This radish is delicious. Try some." Tsunade picked up a piece of radish and put it in Obito's bowl.

Konoha would endure forever. The only things that would disappear were a few people who didn't matter.

"Should we go to the villa in the Land of Hot Water or head home?" Obito asked after dinner.

"Let's go home. I keep leaving Shizune alone there, and she's already complaining. I have to go to the lab first thing tomorrow morning, too."

"All right. Another dull night, then," Obito sighed.

"Are you only with me for that one thing?"

"No, I misspoke, I misspoke..."

The night passed without incident. The next day, Obito summoned Cheping and gave him a letter to deliver to Orochimaru.

Ever since taking over Root, Orochimaru had been in his element. The base held a wealth of forbidden research, things he'd never been able to access freely before. Now he could look through anything he wanted.

Research on Wood Release, Tobirama's research on the Sharingan, all kinds of forbidden techniques, and information on other Kekkei Genkai—these had all opened new doors for Orochimaru!

His study of the material, especially the extraordinary abilities of forbidden techniques and Kekkei Genkai, only made Orochimaru, who had no special bloodline, more obsessed with acquiring a Kekkei Genkai.

In Root's underground headquarters, Orochimaru had expanded the old laboratory to three times its original size! The human experiments that had once been conducted in secret were now carried out in the open! Spies and criminals from various countries had become convenient test subjects.

"Lord Orochimaru, Uchiha Cheping requests an audience," reported a masked ninja, kneeling on one knee.

"Uchiha?" Orochimaru asked in surprise.

As the Third Hokage's student, he'd had no dealings with the Uchiha Clan.

"Yes, my lord. Cheping is one of Obito Uchiha's guards. He says he's here to deliver a letter from Obito."

"Bring him in." Orochimaru licked his lips, his expression unreadable. If there was anyone in Konoha he feared now, that Uchiha brat was certainly one of them... On the night Obito had stormed Root's headquarters alone, Orochimaru had watched from the shadows. That kind of power! He wanted it so badly...

"My lord, he's here."

"Lord Orochimaru, my master, Lord Obito, has sent you this letter. Please read it."

Cheping spoke without a trace of subservience.

"The Uchiha really are becoming more and more pathetic. To think you'd submit to a child. Heh." Orochimaru gave a sinister laugh, his hoarse voice sending a chill down one's spine.

"Please mind your words, my lord! The letter has been delivered. I'll take my leave!"

With a pop, Cheping vanished.

"Leave us." Orochimaru held the letter.

"Yes!" The masked ninja left and shut the door behind him. Orochimaru tore open the envelope. The message was brief, just one line:

"If you want immortality, come find me. Obito Uchiha."

Though the letter was short, it hit Orochimaru like a thunderbolt. Immortality was the highest goal he pursued! He had never told anyone about his desire for immortality! How had Obito found out? And did he know how to achieve it?

Orochimaru, one of the Konoha Sannin, felt as if his heart were on fire. He could no longer keep calm.

Ever since the day his parents died, one question had haunted him: Why did people have to die? Couldn't they live forever? If they could, then his father and mother wouldn't have left him...

But after more than thirty years of learning and growing, he'd come to realize that everyone eventually died, no matter how powerful they were! Even the First, the God of Shinobi, hadn't escaped death.

But after taking over Root, Orochimaru had discovered the S-rank forbidden technique created by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju: Impure World Reincarnation!

A technique that brought the souls of the dead back into the world! They could live on forever, impervious to death!

But Impure World Reincarnation left its users at someone else's mercy, something Orochimaru couldn't tolerate.

Still, discovering the technique had given his search for immortality a powerful push. The body might not last forever, but the soul could! As long as he kept replacing his old body, he could live on forever and achieve immortality!

But how could he separate the soul from the body while ensuring the soul could be transferred? And how could he make the soul fuse perfectly with its new body? Those were technical barriers he had yet to overcome.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Orochimaru made up his mind. He left Root's headquarters and headed for Obito's home. It was dangerous, but worth the risk.

Obito's residence

"Obito Uchiha, what do you want in return? Say it." Orochimaru and Obito sat facing each other, with a square table between them and two steaming cups of tea on top.

Orochimaru wore Konoha's black combat uniform, a green flak jacket, and Konoha's Forehead Protector. He had long black hair, pale skin, vertical pupils, purple eye shadow, and tomoe-shaped earrings. This was the first time Obito had seen Orochimaru since crossing into this world. His first impression was of someone cold and sinister—he really did look like a venomous snake.

"Don't rush. You and Tsunade were classmates, and you fought side by side for years. Now that Tsunade and I are together, that makes us half-friends, doesn't it?" Obito said with a smile, setting aside his first impression of Orochimaru.

"Heh. Becoming friends with me, Orochimaru, isn't that easy," Orochimaru rasped.

"I'm not that idiot Jiraiya, and I don't like wasting words. What do you want in exchange for telling me the secret of immortality?"

"Submit to me and become my subordinate. How about that?" Obito picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Submit? Hahaha... You brat, are you crazy, or am I?" Orochimaru's face darkened. A dangerous gleam shone in his vertical pupils, like a snake fixing its eyes on prey!