Moonlight spilled over the broken eaves of the abandoned waystation, casting Orochimaru's pale face in a ghostly light.
He extended his long, slender tongue and licked his lips, his golden vertical pupils gleaming coldly in the night.
"The Watcher Seed Extraction Technique." Orochimaru's voice carried a morbid excitement. "It is a byproduct of my research into the Caged Bird Seal over the years. While it cannot completely eradicate the curse mark, it can extract the 'seeds' implanted by the Moon Ōtsutsuki from Branch House shinobi—provided the seeds have not fully awakened."
Hyuga Xiao stood in the center of the waystation courtyard, the azure glow of the Tenseigan Prototype flowing through his eyes.
Behind him, Kurenai Yuhi and Samui had already assumed combat stances, but Xiao raised a hand to tell them to remain calm.
"What is the price?" Xiao's voice was calm, without the slightest hint of emotion.
"The things you took from the Hyuga forbidden grounds." Orochimaru's smile widened. "The experimental data on the Byakugan Aggregate, and a complete copy of the Watcher Contract. Do not deny it. I know you copied them."
The night wind swept past, and the battered wind chimes hanging from the eaves gave off scattered chimes.
Xiao fell silent for three seconds.
During those three seconds, his mind raced. Orochimaru's intelligence network ran deeper than he had expected, knowing even the details within the forbidden grounds. What did that mean? Was there a traitor within the Hyuga Clan, or did Orochimaru have informants among the Main House higher-ups as well?
"Fine." Xiao finally spoke. "But I want more."
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, as if he had expected this.
"About the Starry Sky Visitors." Xiao stared into those serpentine eyes. "You have traveled the Shinobi World for years and even infiltrated forbidden sites in other