"Get lost, get lost, get lost! Why do you keep lusting after my body?" Sōkyū Hatake gave Orochimaru a rather speechless look. You're scaring me like this!
"Heh heh heh, mainly because I find this body of yours so fascinating. A body made of lightning, tsk, tsk." Orochimaru looked Sōkyū Hatake up and down as he spoke.
"It's still my own body. Orochimaru-sensei, we can move on from this." Sōkyū Hatake jumped straight up from the ground, and Pikachu hopped right onto his shoulder.
"Tsk, tsk, this Summoning Beast really is... I've never seen one anywhere but with you. What do you say? Why not let me study it?" Orochimaru's gaze settled on Pikachu, his eyes full of interest.
"Pika!!!" Pikachu seemed to sense the malice emanating from Orochimaru. His fur stood on end, and he began hissing at Orochimaru.
"Like master, like Summoning Beast, truly. Though that also shows you weren't using your full strength just now." Orochimaru watched Sōkyū Hatake with interest.
"Didn't you leave your Summoning Beast out of it too, Orochimaru-sensei?" Sōkyū Hatake shook out his body. This really did feel better.
"I could hardly use mine first, could I?" Orochimaru said, speechless. What would it look like if I brought out my Summoning Beast first?
"Tch, Orochimaru-sensei, it's time I went back to class. I used too much power just now, and the Shadow Clone I left attending class at school has already dispelled." Sōkyū Hatake stretched as he spoke.
When his Shadow Clone had disappeared just now, he had already received its memories.
"All right, I need to head back too. There's plenty to deal with on the front lines. Little Sōkū, when are you coming to help me there?" Orochimaru said casually.
Plenty of people had used Shadow Clones to attend school, but most only mastered the skill in their fifth or sixth year. Someone like Sōkyū Hatake, who used a Shadow Clone to attend school in his very first year, was truly rare.
"Help you on the front lines?" Sōkyū Hatake looked at Orochimaru, a strange feeling showing in the depths of his eyes.
"Yes." Seemingly sensing Sōkyū Hatake's seriousness, Orochimaru's gaze grew serious as well.
"Don't worry. As long as nothing unexpected happens, I'll be there in about six months," Sōkyū Hatake said confidently.
"Apply for graduation in six months?" Orochimaru looked at Sōkyū Hatake, rather speechless. What's with you people in the Hatake Clan?
Someone like Kakashi was already unlikely to ever appear again. After all, Kakashi had been born during wartime and could enter the Ninja Academy at four, which was why he had been able to graduate at five.
But things were different now. The enrollment age was now six, which meant that if Sōkyū Hatake graduated in six months, he would be setting quite a significant new record.
"Of course. I'll definitely reach that goal. Want to make a bet?" Sōkyū Hatake gave Orochimaru a mischievous grin.
"Although I believe you'll definitely reach that goal, since you're so enthusiastic, I'll take that bet. What are the stakes?" Orochimaru glanced at Sōkyū Hatake's face and spoke with some amusement.
"As for the stakes... Orochimaru-sensei, I'm a little interested in your Substitute Style," Sōkyū Hatake said outright. He wanted to get his hands on some of Orochimaru's ninjutsu now.
Of course, what he wanted most at the moment was Orochimaru's supposedly invincible Substitution Technique. Even after being imprisoned by Uchiha Itachi, he could still reincarnate when a suitable opportunity arose.
Wasn't that better than Voldemort's Horcruxes?
"Heh heh heh, I didn't expect little Sōkū to have such a big appetite. You want to take my Substitution Technique just like that?" Orochimaru watched Sōkyū Hatake with interest. This little student of his certainly had an appetite.
"Well? Are you betting or not?" Sōkyū Hatake asked Orochimaru directly, clearly intending to goad him into it.
"I'll bet. If I win, you'll have to contribute 2,000 cc of blood for my research." Orochimaru held up two fingers as he spoke.
"2,000 cc? Are you trying to drain me to death?" Sōkyū Hatake looked at Orochimaru, rather speechless. Are you planning to drain me into a dried husk?
"Not all at once, of course. Small amounts over multiple sessions." Orochimaru's face darkened. How did this little student of his come up with such bizarre ideas?
"All right, deal." Hearing that the 2,000 cc of blood wouldn't be drawn all at once, Sōkyū Hatake had no further objections.
"Heh heh heh, we'll wait and see, then. Little Sōkū, it's time to go back." Orochimaru suddenly grabbed Sōkyū Hatake by the collar and carried him out of the Valley of the End at tremendous speed.
"I knew you weren't using your full strength just now." Seeing Orochimaru's current speed, Sōkyū Hatake understood. Hadn't he been blatantly played?
"Why would I need my full strength to fight my little student? By the way, Anko is in your class now, isn't she?" Orochimaru suddenly asked Sōkyū Hatake.
"Yes. Why, are you interested in her?" Sōkyū Hatake knew that Anko would become Orochimaru's student in the future.
"Not really. Her father simply entrusted her to me before he died in battle," Orochimaru said calmly, but Sōkyū Hatake could see something unusual in his eyes.
"Then it seems you knew Mitaraishi Anko's father very well, Orochimaru-sensei." Sōkyū Hatake could tell that Orochimaru treated Mitaraishi Anko a little differently.
"I knew him very well. Back then, Mitaraishi Anko's father, Mitarashi Kurozuka, was my subordinate. He simply gave his life to protect me during a mission," Orochimaru said calmly, as though discussing something utterly ordinary.
"So yours was a bond forged in life and death. Why, are you planning to take Mitaraishi Anko as your student too once we get back?" Sōkyū Hatake shifted the conversation. He actually didn't know when Mitaraishi Anko had become Orochimaru's student.
"It's still early. But that little girl works very hard. I told her before that I'd take her as my student when she graduates," Orochimaru said expressionlessly.
Looking at Orochimaru's face, Sōkyū Hatake could now deeply appreciate why people said they would rather become Orochimaru's student than Hiruzen Sarutobi's.
At the very least... Orochimaru truly did give thought to his students.
Before you continue