Transaction and Apprenticeship

Orochimaru slowly crouched down, his cold, serpentine pupils fixed directly on Lihuo's eyes.

It was as if a viper lurking in the shadows was waiting for the perfect moment to strike; the very instant it entered your line of sight was the moment your death drew near.

Even as Lihuo's brain raced to formulate a countermeasure, Orochimaru could not help but marvel at the boy before him—he was truly a monster.

His taijutsu, ninjutsu, and mental fortitude were completely unlike anything a child of his age should possess!

It is possible that he has had his mind seized by the secret arts of enemy shinobi.

At this thought, Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, his gaze filled with a dangerous aura.

If he truly is a potential threat, then this child must not be allowed to live!

Although Orochimaru had already begun dabbling in forbidden experiments, he had not yet completely lost faith in Konoha; otherwise, he would never have carried out Sarutobi Hiruzen's orders.

Just then, Lihuo spoke up.

"So, Orochimaru-sama, what is the purpose of your visit?"

"Heh, I have already told you—to have you answer those few questions of mine!"

Hearing this, Lihuo straightened his posture, his eyes locked onto Orochimaru's.

"I am very sorry, Orochimaru-sama, but that is my secret."

"Oh?"

Orochimaru's aura erupted instantly, a deathly pressure spreading out like a raging tide. Lihuo, being the closest, bore the brunt of it.

The astonishing pressure slammed into Lihuo's mental defenses like a crashing wave; he felt like a lone skiff struggling to stay afloat amidst a terrifying, tempestuous sea.

But he could not retreat!

Lihuo gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and stared unblinkingly at Orochimaru.

He was gambling—gambling that Orochimaru would not kill him, and that Orochimaru had not yet uncovered his deepest secrets.

He was gambling that his status as someone recently invested in by both the Uchiha Clan and the Hokage's faction was solid enough that he would not be killed without cause!

Yet, gradually, Lihuo could no longer hold on. Under the onslaught of this aura, ordinary taijutsu and ninjutsu were completely useless as a defense.

To Orochimaru, Lihuo's pupils appeared slightly dilated—exactly the result he wanted to see. He was combining genjutsu with his aura to relentlessly assault Lihuo's psyche.

"I ask you: do you wish to destroy Konoha?"

Orochimaru's low, raspy voice rang out, yet to Lihuo, it sounded surreal.

At times, it boomed like a great bell, shaking Lihuo's very soul.

At others, it was like a phantom, coaxing out the most honest thoughts from the depths of Lihuo's heart.

"No! Konoha is home to my friends and my bonds; I would never harm my friends!" Lihuo shouted!

In an instant, Orochimaru withdrew his aura, and the horrifying atmosphere in the air gradually dissipated.

Thump!

Lihuo collapsed onto the ground, drenched in sweat. He knew that if he had answered incorrectly just now, he would already be a headless corpse.

Orochimaru was truly terrifying.

Orochimaru wore a meaningful smile, knowing that his signature interrogation technique was comparable to the secret arts of the Yamanaka Clan.

Unless the target was far stronger than he was, they would find it impossible to resist the urge to speak their true thoughts.

"Since you pose no threat to Konoha, the mission the old man, the Third, gave me is considered complete."

Orochimaru stood up, his tone slightly more relaxed.

"There is one other mission: would you like to join Root?"

Lihuo's heart tightened. As expected! That old dog Danzo has noticed me! I must not show any cracks right now!

"What is Root?" Lihuo asked deliberately.

After Orochimaru gave a rough explanation of Root's function, Lihuo flatly refused Danzo's recruitment. After all, no sane person would want to join an organization like Root.

"Very well, Danzo's mission is also complete," Orochimaru said with a bored air, as if he had already lost his patience.

Just as Lihuo thought Orochimaru was about to leave, the man crouched down once more, his eyes gleaming with a curious and dangerous light!

"Next, it is time to resolve my own questions!"

"Uchiha Lihuo, I need you to assist me in my research on natural energy."

"The amplified state you enter after absorbing natural energy bears a resemblance to the aura surrounding the two toads summoned by Jiraiya."

"I need to obtain this power!"

With that, Orochimaru wore a look of fanaticism.

Lihuo replied without hesitation.

"No! That is my secret."

"Oh? Uchiha Lihuo, you wouldn't want your secrets to be known by everyone, would you?"

"If that were to happen, could your trump cards still be called trump cards?"

Lihuo: What the hell, is this some kind of blonde protagonist's dialogue?

Lihuo grumbled inwardly, though his mind raced with constant calculations.

"It's possible, but this is my closely guarded secret!"

"Oh? And what do you mean by that..."

"You'll have to pay more!"

"Hahahaha, it's been a long time since I've seen such an interesting brat. Daring to bargain with me, truly interesting!"

"Speak up. Ninjutsu, money—I can give you whatever you want," Orochimaru said with a smile.

"I want to become your apprentice!" Lihuo steeled his heart and voiced the plan he had been plotting for a long time.

...Silence!

Once Lihuo uttered those words, both of them fell into a heavy silence.

"Why?" Orochimaru stood up, scrutinizing the boy as if seeing him for the first time.

"That is my condition. I'm destined to have no room for growth at the Ninja Academy. By following you, I can become stronger."

"Hahahaha," Orochimaru laughed as if he had heard a ridiculous joke.

"Become stronger? Little do you know, by following me, there is a high probability... that you will die!"

Having said that, Orochimaru fell into a trace of inexplicable sorrow—an emotion rarely seen in this man. He thought of that boy who once clamored to become Hokage.

He remembered the scene where that boy was blown apart by an Explosive Tag, beyond the reach of any salvation.

"If that is the risk I must bear to become stronger! I am willing to face death."

"You're not very big, but your tone is quite bold. What makes you want to become so strong?" Orochimaru stared coldly at Lihuo, as if trying to ensure Lihuo was speaking his true heart.

"I already said! Because I want to protect the people I cherish!" Lihuo replied, neither humble nor pushy.

Another long silence followed.

"Fine. For the sake of researching natural energy, and also to monitor a suspicious Uchiha like you at close range."

"I agree to become your teacher!"

"But... make sure you don't die..."

"Lihuo greets his teacher!"

The next morning, at dawn, in the Hokage Office.

The Third Hokage looked at Orochimaru and Lihuo before him, his eyes filled with doubt.

"Are you serious, Orochimaru?"

"You want to take Lihuo as your apprentice?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen stared at Orochimaru as if he had just seen a rooster lay an egg, a hen crow, an iron tree bloom, or a man give birth.

"Ah, Teacher Sarutobi, I wish to take this genius as my apprentice."

Having received confirmation, the Third Hokage looked toward Lihuo, observing the boy who had been the center of attention lately.

"And what is your intention, little Lihuo?"

"I am willing to become Lord Orochimaru's apprentice."

"Hahaha, since that's the case, then it's settled!" The Third Hokage waved his hand, cementing the master-apprentice relationship between Orochimaru and Lihuo.

"However, Lihuo is still attending the Ninja Academy..."

"Lord Third, I will apply for early graduation."

"Hahaha, so you've already thought it all through. Very well, I will speak with Oshima. If you can graduate early, you shall follow Orochimaru to learn."

"Thank you, Lord Third!"