It seemed Orochimaru was deeply wary of the Akatsuki. That made sense, though; all sorts of S-rank rogue ninja gathered there.
Besides, its public leader possessed the eyes of the legendary Sage of Six Paths!
"...I see. Then why are you asking about the Akatsuki, Toneri?" Orochimaru's golden eyes flickered at those words. The aura around him slowly settled as he questioned Otsutsuki Toneri.
Though confident, Orochimaru was not foolish. He did indeed possess an extremely strong ability to survive.
But he still had no idea what strange powers the Rinnegan possessed, so he was certainly very wary of the Akatsuki.
Besides, Pain, who called himself a god, was a madman with a twisted way of thinking!
(The plot is slowly beginning to take shape. Today's fourteen updates are finished, and starting tomorrow, there will be ten updates a day! Considering how hard Shiguang is working, please show your support...)
Chapter 82: I Need You to Reanimate Someone for Me! First Update!
"I'm very interested in the Akatsuki, so I plan to go take a look. I heard you spent some time in the organization, Mr. Orochimaru, so one of my reasons for coming here was to ask you for something."
The corners of Otsutsuki Toneri's mouth lifted, his pure Tenseigan flickering slightly as he smiled at Orochimaru.
Indeed, one of his reasons for coming here was to ask Orochimaru for an item, and that item...
"I see. Your intelligence really is frightening, Toneri." A meaningful look entered Orochimaru's golden eyes as he spoke pointedly to Otsutsuki Toneri.
He understood what Otsutsuki Toneri meant. After a moment's thought, Orochimaru took a ring from his pocket and tossed it to Otsutsuki Toneri without hesitation.
The Akatsuki's Sora Chen Ring!
Indeed, this was one of the tokens that proved membership in the Akatsuki!
"You're very generous, Mr. Orochimaru. You have my deepest gratitude." Otsutsuki Toneri caught the ring, examined it briefly, then smiled at Orochimaru.
He had no use for the ring now, but he would have a use for it in the future. An Akatsuki ring naturally carried a different significance.
Still, Otsutsuki Toneri truly hadn't expected Orochimaru to be so generous and hand the ring straight to him.
But that made sense. This Akatsuki ring was utterly useless to Orochimaru and might even bring him trouble.
"You're welcome. What was your other matter, Toneri? Please speak freely." Orochimaru shook his head. An utterly useless ring in exchange for some goodwill from Otsutsuki Toneri.
He considered it a very worthwhile trade.
He was now very interested in Otsutsuki Toneri's other matter.
"I heard that you have mastered the forbidden technique invented by the Second Hokage, Impure World Reincarnation, Mr. Orochimaru. So I'd like to ask you to reanimate someone for me."
The smile on Otsutsuki Toneri's lips slowly widened. This was his greatest reason for coming here!
"Impure World Reincarnation?" Orochimaru frowned slightly at those words, but his brow soon relaxed.
Of course. When Sasori and Deidara had hunted him after he defected from the Akatsuki, he had used Impure World Reincarnation.
Since Otsutsuki Toneri even knew he had spent time in the Akatsuki, it was perfectly normal for him to know that Orochimaru had mastered this forbidden technique.
"Impure World Reincarnation involves some very troublesome steps." After a brief moment of thought, Orochimaru turned his golden eyes toward Otsutsuki Toneri and tested him with those words.
This was different from the Akatsuki ring, which had been useless to him and might even bring trouble. Though he didn't know whom Otsutsuki Toneri wanted to reanimate.
Since Otsutsuki Toneri had come to find him personally, that person presumably wasn't ordinary either.
Orochimaru wasn't running a charity, which was why he had said that.
He was asking for something in return!
"Of course. If you're willing to help, Mr. Orochimaru, I'll owe you a favor." Otsutsuki Toneri nodded, then smiled at Orochimaru.
Orochimaru was no kind soul. He was far more frightening than Danzo, and Otsutsuki Toneri naturally understood that.
"You're too kind, Toneri. Since it's your request, of course I won't refuse. Whom would you like to reanimate?" Orochimaru gave a satisfied smile at those words.
A favor from Otsutsuki Toneri was truly valuable, and he wouldn't have to give up anything himself. He merely had to perform Impure World Reincarnation!
"I'm sure you know this person too, Mr. Orochimaru. The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze!" Otsutsuki Toneri gave a mysterious smile and slowly spoke a name under Orochimaru's curious gaze.
The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, was a legendary name as well, a prodigy who had shone brilliantly during the Third Shinobi World War!
However, Orochimaru had very little fondness for this man.
It was precisely Minato Namikaze's sudden rise that had cost him the Hokage position!
Although Orochimaru himself had little attachment to becoming Hokage, something he should have been certain to obtain had been snatched away.
Orochimaru was very displeased about that too. This was clear from his complaints to the Third Hokage when he reanimated the four Hokage in the original story...
"The Fourth... But Toneri, the Fourth seems to have died after using the forbidden technique, Reaper Death Seal. His soul isn't in the Netherworld, so he cannot be reanimated."
A slight chill entered Orochimaru's eyes when he heard the name, as though he had recalled some unpleasant memory. He then shook his head at Otsutsuki Toneri and spoke regretfully.
One prerequisite for Impure World Reincarnation was that the deceased's soul must still be in the Netherworld.
Only then could the deceased's soul be summoned back and the reanimation succeed. Otherwise, Impure World Reincarnation could not revive him.
Orochimaru also knew exactly how Minato Namikaze had died. He had used the forbidden technique, Reaper Death Seal, and offered his own soul to that so-called Shinigami.
That naturally meant Minato Namikaze could not be reanimated.
Though he deeply regretted losing a favor from Otsutsuki Toneri, he wasn't foolish enough to deceive him.
After all, that lie would be far too easy to expose.
"Indeed. But I imagine that with your abilities, Mr. Orochimaru, solving this problem wouldn't be difficult, would it?" Otsutsuki Toneri nodded in understanding, then looked at Orochimaru with interest.
Reaper Death Seal was a forbidden technique of the Uzumaki Clan. Orochimaru was deeply interested in all kinds of forbidden techniques, so surely he must have studied it.
Still, breaking Reaper Death Seal wasn't easy. Although Orochimaru had made undoing it sound effortless in the original story, it probably wasn't that simple.
"If you insist on reanimating Minato Namikaze, Toneri, it isn't impossible. But you understand that this may take time." Orochimaru fell briefly silent at those words. After thinking for a while, he slowly answered Otsutsuki Toneri.
He believed he could break Reaper Death Seal and was very confident, but doing so in a short time was probably impossible.
To be honest, however, a favor from Otsutsuki Toneri was very tempting, which was why he had said that.
After all, if he could obtain Otsutsuki Toneri's help, it would be a very useful source of support for the grand plan he was devising.
"Of course. I'll look forward to your good news, Mr. Orochimaru!" Otsutsuki Toneri looked satisfied. He hadn't come here expecting Orochimaru to reanimate Minato Namikaze immediately.
He had merely hoped Orochimaru would begin researching Reaper Death Seal ahead of time.
"You're welcome. It's simply a normal transaction. Is there anything else, Toneri?" Orochimaru shook his head. Just as he had said, it was merely a transaction.
Otsutsuki Toneri was worth making that effort for. That was all.
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Chapter 83: Orochimaru, a Thing Wearing Human Skin! Second Update!
"No. But if you need anything, Mr. Orochimaru, you can come find me in Kirigakure anytime." Otsutsuki Toneri shook his head. He had come to see Orochimaru for only these two matters.
Now that he had accomplished both objectives, he really had nothing else he needed to ask Orochimaru to do.
As for Impure World Reincarnation, the technique was indeed powerful. But he possessed the Rinnegan, and in the future, when he had fully uncovered its power...
The Rinnegan, which controlled the power of life and death, would naturally be able to summon people's souls from the Netherworld.
Just like Hagoromo Otsutsuki's method at the end of the original story.
Besides, the current Impure World Reincarnation wasn't its most refined version, and Otsutsuki Toneri didn't think much of it.
"So you're in Kirigakure now, Toneri? That's a fine place." Orochimaru licked his lips, his golden eyes gleaming like those of a snake eyeing its prey.
He had visited Kirigakure too. At the time, it had still been under the shadow of the Bloody Mist Village.
He had even obtained a promising child there. It truly was a fine place as far as he was concerned.
Because it had an inexhaustible supply of ninja test subjects!
However, he had heard that Kirigakure's new Mizukage had taken office and changed its policies, which Orochimaru found quite regrettable.
"It certainly is. Since our business is finished, I'll take my leave. I look forward to your good news, Mr. Orochimaru." Otsutsuki Toneri smiled. He understood Orochimaru's thoughts very well.
But that was all in the past. If any schemers still dared sneak into the present-day Kirigakure to engage in shady business, heh...
"Then I won't keep you, Toneri. Take care." Orochimaru nodded at those words, unsurprised.
He really didn't particularly want Otsutsuki Toneri to stay longer. Having such a dangerous fellow in Otogakure was like keeping a ticking time bomb there.
Though he greatly coveted Otsutsuki Toneri's body, their brief interaction had made something very clear to Orochimaru.
Otsutsuki Toneri was no simple fellow, not merely in terms of strength, but in certain deeper respects.
Otsutsuki Toneri smiled, then headed toward the door with Otsutsuki Quxian and the other woman.
But just as Otsutsuki Toneri stepped one foot through the doorway, Orochimaru's voice suddenly sounded behind him.
"Oh, that's right, Toneri. Someone left here just recently and asked me to keep an ear out for news of you."
Otsutsuki Toneri pondered briefly at those words, then turned to give Orochimaru a questioning look.
Keeping an ear out for news of me? And asking Orochimaru to do it?
He had a vague guess, but he couldn't be particularly certain.
"Tsunade of Konoha. I wonder if you still remember her, Toneri?" Seeing this, Orochimaru gave a sinister smile and spoke in his hoarse voice.
Indeed, Tsunade had actually left his place just two days ago. Moreover, that Tsunade had truly given him quite a shock.
She was completely different from the Tsunade who had once been his teammate!
As for why Tsunade had come to find him?
An unusual gleam entered Orochimaru's eyes as he recalled what had happened a few days earlier.
Before leaving, Tsunade had also asked Orochimaru to keep an ear out for news of Otsutsuki Toneri and briefly mentioned several ways in which he was dangerous!
As for why Orochimaru had told Otsutsuki Toneri about this? Merely to earn some goodwill.
It really was her. Interesting, Otsutsuki Toneri couldn't help thinking as the corners of his mouth lifted.
Before you continue