"No, that shouldn't be it!"
The giant snake seemed to be questioning Lin Mu, yet also talking to himself.
He continued muttering to himself:
"I once experimented with Hashirama cells too, and almost never succeeded... According to my experimental data, even a successful subject wouldn't possess power as pure and potent as yours!"
"Ah... I see. I think I understand now! You're a member of the Senju Clan who ended up living outside the clan. Senju blood flows through your veins."
"Yes, that's it. That must be it."
"You used some special method to devour the Hashirama cells in my collection, then fully awakened the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai lying dormant in your body."
"That's why your strength skyrocketed, improving by leaps and bounds!"
Lin Mu stared, dumbfounded.
What was going on? What was Orochimaru doing?
Lin Mu was completely baffled now. He recalled his first meeting with Jiraiya.
Just like Orochimaru, Jiraiya had talked to himself the entire time, making "reasonable" deductions.
From the first sentence to the last, he had reached his conclusion without letting Lin Mu, the person at the center of it all, get a word in.
Was this a common problem among the Sannin? Surely Tsunade wasn't like this too?
As Lin Mu inwardly ranted and wondered whether all the Sannin were this full of themselves, Orochimaru spoke again.
"I never imagined you were a descendant of the Senju Clan. It seems we have quite a connection.
"You may not know this, but my name is Orochimaru, one of the Sannin. I'm also close friends with Tsunade, another descendant of your Senju Clan."
Orochimaru's eyes shifted. Seeing Lin Mu standing there in a daze, he assumed he had intimidated him.
After all, speaking to Lin Mu through the body of a giant snake was already