Orochimaru Gets Cuckolded

"Huh?" Even with Orochimaru's intelligence, he could not make sense of Danzo's reaction.

"Don't play dumb with me!" Danzo was furious. In his eyes, if Orochimaru had not deliberately leaked the information, how could that bastard have arrived at such a perfect time?

Besides, he had never heard of Orochimaru having any connection with Chiaki Setsuna before. Now that the other party had come calling late at night, it was obvious this had been planned in advance.

"It won't be that easy to catch me." Danzo left behind that threat, then hurriedly threw down a smoke bomb and fled.

"What's gotten into that old fool?" Orochimaru dispelled the smoke with an exasperated look, though he knew Danzo's overreaction was most likely related to the visitor outside.

"To scare Elder Danzo so badly... that's no simple feat." Orochimaru licked his dry lips. When the voice outside rang out again, he said, "Come in."

Setsuna pushed open the door, looked around, and sighed regretfully. "I thought I heard Elder Danzo's voice just now. Was that my imagination?"

Orochimaru neither confirmed nor denied it, merely asking, "Shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"

"Oh, how rude of me." Setsuna said as if only just realizing it. "My name is Chiaki Setsuna. I'm a Genin who admires Lord Orochimaru, and I came here to recommend myself as your assistant."

"An assistant?" Orochimaru's expression turned strange. "I heard that Setsuna-kun doesn't seem to have any talent for ninjutsu."

Setsuna nodded. "I truly have no talent for ninjutsu, but what I want to study under Lord Orochimaru isn't ninjutsu. It's technology."

"Technology?" Orochimaru's expression grew even stranger. Although technological products such as televisions and refrigerators were not uncommon in Konoha, technology was still a rather niche term among shinobi.

Setsuna continued, "I heard from Elder Danzo that Lord Orochimaru has conducted quite a few experiments transplanting human cells. I would very much like to take part."

Orochimaru frowned. "He told you that?"

Setsuna made up nonsense with a straight face. "I heard him mention it while I was beating up Elder Danzo."

"Beating him up?" Orochimaru's lips twitched slightly before he asked, "And what do I stand to gain? An assistant who cannot use ninjutsu does not seem particularly valuable to me."

Setsuna said sincerely, "I can give Lord Orochimaru the chance to study me."

"Study you?" Orochimaru was quite surprised. It was the first time he had encountered someone who actively invited another person to study him.

"I believe I still have some research value." Setsuna extended his right hand. "Lord Orochimaru, could you cut open my palm?"

Orochimaru did not refuse Setsuna's self-harming request. A small snake suddenly shot out from his sleeve and lunged at the web between Setsuna's thumb and forefinger.

With a crisp crack, the snake's fangs shattered, and the little snake writhed in pain.

Orochimaru's expression became serious. This was a venomous snake he had specially bred, with a bite force comparable to a tiger's or leopard's. Yet it could not even pierce Setsuna's palm.

After a brief thought, the Kusanagi Sword slid from his sleeve. He gripped the blade and stabbed at Setsuna's palm, only managing to cut a shallow wound after exerting considerable force.

Then, the wound healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"This kind of vitality..." Orochimaru's eyes burned with excitement. He finally understood why Danzo was so determined to obtain Setsuna.

It was more than just vitality. Setsuna's defense was also comparable to Steel Release.

Such a body could indeed become the perfect vessel for carrying Wood Release.

More importantly, this level of cellular activity might help with his immortality experiments. Eternal life was his greatest pursuit.

Orochimaru's greedy gaze swept over Setsuna as he asked with ill intent, "What if I am not content with merely studying you and wish to conduct some experiments on Setsuna-kun's body?"

"Then Lord Orochimaru must be careful." Setsuna gave an "honest" smile and said with utmost sincerity, "Because before that happens, I'll beat you to death."

Orochimaru did not grow angry upon hearing this. Instead, he laughed. "It seems the two of us will both need to be more careful in the future."

Setsuna smiled. "It is truly my honor to become Lord Orochimaru's assistant."

Orochimaru took out a scroll. "Setsuna-kun does not seem to have contracted any Summoned Beasts yet. Would you like to form a contract with Ryūchi Cave?"

Setsuna hesitated slightly. "The Summoning Technique should be more difficult than the Three Body Technique, right?"

Orochimaru smiled. "Of course. No ninjutsu is simpler than the Three Body Technique. But the key to the Summoning Technique is a response. If you can negotiate an offering with a summoned beast beforehand, then even if the summoning signal is weak, it will answer your call."

"That can be done?" Setsuna became interested. He did not care what kind of summoned beast he could summon. Unless he could summon the White Snake Sage, no other summoned beast would be stronger than himself.

What he truly cared about was the Reverse Summoning Technique. Although the Reverse Summoning Technique had severe limitations, without prior preparation, one had to first summon a beast and explain the purpose, then end the summoning and let it return before the Reverse Summoning Technique could finally be carried out.

Using this move to avoid ninjutsu was basically impossible, but that was only for ordinary shinobi.

Ordinary shinobi were too frail to last until the Reverse Summoning Technique took effect. But with his physical strength, taking several rounds of powerful attacks would not be a problem. Not to mention that he had Senzu Beans; he could absolutely hold out until the Reverse Summoning Technique worked.

Orochimaru smiled. "Of course it can. But the prerequisite is that you have enough offerings. Snake Summoned Beasts are very cold-blooded."

Setsuna naturally understood what Orochimaru meant by offerings. They were most likely like Manda's demand for living humans as sacrifices whenever he went into battle.

Naturally, he would not agree to such a demand. Besides, not all Snake Summoned Beasts were as vicious as Manda. There were also beings like Aoda, who revered strength.

"In any case, you can try it first. Perhaps a weak summoned beast will voluntarily answer the contract." Orochimaru smiled at the corner of his mouth, clearly eager to watch a good show.

If Snake Summoned Beasts had a tadpole stage like toads did, he would have wanted to see Setsuna's embarrassment at summoning a tadpole.

Setsuna signed his name on the scroll, then bit his finger and began forming hand seals for the summoning.

The next instant, a massive purple snake appeared before them, directly bursting apart the wooden house.

"Hiss, what delicious blood!" The enormous venomous python let out a pleased moan, its dripping saliva corroding the ground.

"Huh, it's actually Manda..." Setsuna was no stranger to the giant snake before him and secretly guessed, Could it be because my blood carries Shenron's aura?

Manda said greedily, "The one who summoned me is just a little brat? Your blood is quite good. If you summon me, you only need to provide fifty offerings."

Orochimaru's eyelids twitched wildly. Manda had actually answered Setsuna's summons on his own initiative, and the offerings he required were only half of what he demanded from Orochimaru. It made Orochimaru feel as though someone had poached his partner right in front of him.

Meanwhile, Danzo, who had sprinted more than ten kilometers in one go, finally stopped. Looking back, he frowned and muttered, "He didn't chase after me. Could it be that brat really wasn't plotting against me?"

Recalling Orochimaru's reaction at the time, Danzo found it increasingly strange. "Could it really have been a coincidence? But no matter what, that brat sought out Orochimaru in the middle of the night. He truly is not as innocent and kind as Hiruzen claimed. Everyone has been fooled by him."

Danzo judged others by his own standards. How could someone who acted as he did possibly be a good person?

Yet the more that was the case, the more wary he became of Setsuna. After all, he knew better than anyone how terrifying people like himself could become once they abandoned all bottom lines, especially when the other party possessed such formidable strength.

Thinking of this, Danzo sighed. "Forget it. Orochimaru cannot be trusted now either, so I can only give up for the time being. Once the war begins and Konoha suffers defeat, Hiruzen will naturally understand my advice."