Putting Orochimaru in His Place

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. After weighing his words, he said, "The structure of the Mangekyō Sharingan's Eye Power... is far more complex than I imagined. That spiritual energy almost goes beyond the bounds of Yin Release."

"Page ten, third line. The node you marked there." Uchiha En suddenly cut him off. "You drew the Chakra flow backward."

Orochimaru's pupils contracted sharply.

Almost on instinct, he turned to the notebook on the table.

Page ten, third line.

He had always felt something was wrong with that node, but he had never found the problem.

Yet this boy had spotted it at a glance.

Orochimaru's heart slowly sank.

He had spent decades making his way through the Shinobi World and considered his eye for forbidden techniques second to none.

But this boy... this teenager...

How much more was he hiding?

"I stand corrected." Orochimaru's voice held a rasp even he failed to notice.

Uchiha En did not pursue the subject.

He turned, leaned against the edge of the table, and fixed his gaze on Orochimaru. Then he spoke slowly.

"Tell me."

"Sasori wanted the Third Hokage's body, and you stopped him."

"Why?"

The Secret Chamber fell silent for a moment.

After a pause, Orochimaru said, "He was... my teacher, after all."

"Your teacher?" Uchiha En glanced at him with a faint, knowing smile. "Since when were you such a devoted student?"

Orochimaru's smile froze.

Their eyes met.

Looking into those Scarlet eyes, Orochimaru suddenly felt that his little schemes had nowhere to hide.

His intentions had hardly been innocent. To someone who studied forbidden techniques, the Third Hokage's body was a priceless specimen.

By keeping it, he could demonstrate his loyalty to the boy while holding on to the specimen himself.

Two birds with one stone.

But he had not expected the