A Conversation with Orochimaru
Once the idea took hold, Orochimaru no longer hesitated.
"Someone, please arrange an audience with your Lord Uchiha Feng."
I have something I'd like to discuss with him in person.
He left the Gelel Stone mine ruins and found a nearby guard to state his thoughts directly.
Upon hearing this, the guard frowned, but dared not answer the question on his own. Instead, he turned on his communication headset to contact Tekka Uchiha from Sunagakure, which was not far away.
While the guard was contacting Tekka, Junenka, who was following behind Orochimaru, suddenly looked up, his face full of shock, and said:
"Lord Orochimaru, it's too dangerous for you to go see that guy!"
"The Land of Whirlpools and Konoha have signed an alliance treaty, and we are Konoha's S-rank wanted criminals..."
"Hehe, what does it matter?"
Don't forget, we were invited here to study these stones.
"If they really wanted to attack us, wouldn't it be more convenient to set up an ambush here?"
Orochimaru laughed, a laugh tinged with self-mockery.
"Can...?"
In Junenka's heart, Orochimaru's safety was of paramount importance, and he was still somewhat worried.
"I have my own ideas; just follow my orders."
Orochimaru turned around abruptly, his golden snake eyes staring directly at Junenka.
This was the vessel he once thought was most suitable for him, but after Feng gave him the White Zetsu and told him about the path of cloning himself, he knew that he no longer needed an outsider as a vessel.
Junenka then transformed from a backup container into his bodyguard.
However, his requirements for his subordinates were different from Feng's. Feng needed all kinds of talented people with their own ideas, while he only needed pawns who would obey orders.
"... Yes, Lord Orochimaru."
Junenka immediately lowered his head in agreement and said no more.
"Lord Tekka asked me to tell you that we have agreed to your request."
He will come in a couple of days to personally introduce you to your Master.
At this moment, the guard who had been listening to Orochimaru finally finished contacting Tekka's side.
"Okay, please thank Tekka for me."
Upon hearing this, Orochimaru nodded slightly, then returned to the ruins to continue his research on the Gelel Stone.
Two days later, Tekka Uchiha arrived as promised, leading Orochimaru towards the Land of Whirlpools.
Along the way, the once chaotic and disorderly Land of Wind, Land of That, Land of This, and even the Land of Whirlpools, the headquarters of the Uchiha, are now orderly and the people live in peace and stability.
The missing-nin, bandits, and villains who were once commonplace in the Ninja World were nowhere to be found in these territories of the other side.
In just a few months, such dramatic changes have taken place in four countries, one large and three small. Their ability to govern and control the situation is truly astonishing.
Orochimaru was even more shocked when he saw it with his own eyes than when he guessed it from intelligence reports.
He had originally had some other ideas, such as threatening Uchiha Feng with the exposure of information to obtain more benefits, but at this moment, he couldn't help but restrain the sinister aura on his body and try his best to be more peaceful.
The other party was far more outstanding than he had imagined, and Orochimaru, who was well-versed in the ways of survival, naturally changed his thoughts and attitude.
One day later, Orochimaru arrived at the capital of the Land of Land of Whirlpools.
"Orochimaru? I didn't expect to see you here too."
On the way to Feng's Palace, a boy dressed in a pure white kimono greeted him.
Orochimaru looked in the direction of the voice. "Sasuke? You're here too?"
As he spoke, he subconsciously looked around, trying to see where Itachi, who seemed to want to tie Sasuke to his belt, was.
"You're looking for Itachi? Don't waste your time."
This is the country established by Uchiha and the Uchiha clan; that beast wouldn't dare approach here.
Sasuke also realized Orochimaru's intentions, so he casually offered an explanation.
Orochimaru smiled slightly upon hearing this:
"Indeed, that guy is no match for Uchiha Feng. Last time, four Kage Level Akatsuki members wanted to cause trouble for Feng-kun, but they couldn't even get Feng-kun to make a move."
Heh, so, like you, I've come to surrender."
Sasuke was taken aback for a moment, but quickly recovered, looked at Orochimaru carefully, and said meaningfully:
"You really know how to survive; you came at just the right time."
"Huh?! Really?"
Since you've said that, it seems I really did arrive just in time.
Intelligent people understand things immediately, and Orochimaru is undoubtedly one of those people.
At that moment, he Chunin a sense of relief.
Sasuke didn't reply, but silently turned and left.
He said all this as a way of repaying the kindness he received from Akatsuki and Black Zetsu for helping him fuse with White Zetsu Cells.
(For those who don't understand this part, please refer back to Chapter 114. Due to the butterfly effect caused by the protagonist's actions in Konoha, Orochimaru leaves Akatsuki much later in this book than in the original work.)
When Orochimaru was brought into the Palace's reception room, Uchiha Feng was already waiting for him with a cup of tea.
"Long time no see, Feng Jun."
"Oh no, it should be the Lord of the Land of Whirlpools."
When Orochimaru said this, his expression was serious, and there was no hint of joking in his words.
"It hasn't even been a year since we last met, it hasn't been that long, has it?"
As he spoke, Feng gestured for Feng to sit down.
Orochimaru didn't sit down immediately, but instead stared around with his snake-like eyes. Taking advantage of this moment, Junenka quickly stepped forward to check the seating arrangement.
Although he came to surrender, he still wouldn't let his guard down, especially since Sasuke had just subtly told him that he was actually on Uchiha Feng's death list.
A moment later, Junenka nodded slightly to him, but he himself did not find any seals or formations in the room.
"This place is nice; it looks like it cost a lot of money."
Orochimaru then sat down with a sense of relief and began to make a self-deceptive attempt to cover up his own caution.
However, he didn't sit where Feng had just pointed out; instead, he sat in the spot closest to the window, so that he could break through the window and escape at any time.
Seeing this, Uchiha Feng didn't expose the other party, but just smiled and said, "Hehe, it's just money. I'm not interested in money, and I didn't care how much I spent."
Orochimaru: "..."
He was speechless and didn't know how to respond.
But then, he looked at Gaara behind Feng and feigned surprise, saying:
"The One-Tail Jinchuriki is with you too. It seems the Sunagakure has fallen into your hands."
Who knows?
Feng was unaware that Orochimaru already knew most of the truth, so he casually brushed him off.
Orochimaru was stunned for a moment, realizing for the first time that Feng and his teacher Hiruzen Sarutobi, whom he had killed, had something in common: they both talked nonsense and spouted rubbish.
He remained silent for a moment, then, after careful consideration, decided to Gate of Opening the point.
Do you know why I'm here?
"I can guess some of it, but I don't know everything."
Feng remained noncommittal.
From the Orochimaru asked to see him, he guessed that the other man wanted to pledge allegiance to him.
As for why? In Feng's view, it was nothing more than to survive, to have a powerful backer for protection, and to have Feng help him achieve his dream of immortality sooner. As for which one specifically, Feng had no idea.
"Really?"
"Hehe, that's right. Feng Jun is someone who can foresee the future, so it's only natural that he knows."
Orochimaru seemed to have anticipated this and was not surprised.
Little did he know that what he and Feng were talking about were not the same thing at all.
"Then tell me, what do you want to talk about when you want to see me?"
Feng got straight to the point, not intending to beat around the bush.
The reception room fell silent immediately.
Orochimaru stared intently at Feng with his snake-like eyes, pondering repeatedly whether to surrender directly or to be upfront and try to gain more benefits.
'Once you completely submit to Feng's command in the future, you'll have no chance to gain any benefits.'
Orochimaru, judging others by his own standards, thought this way.
(Others under Feng's command: Benefits? If you want them, go and work for them! Our Master never makes empty promises, he really pays for what you do, and rewards always come before merit. ☺)