He spoke each word distinctly, his voice filled with longing and obsession for the First Hokage's power.
"Give me your blood, and I'll help you save Hatake Sakumo."
Just as I thought.
Senju Chen fell silent. He lowered his head, his long bangs hiding his eyes and obscuring his expression. Dead silence settled over the room again, broken only by Orochimaru's breathing as he suppressed his excitement.
He had originally planned to use his sister's reputation as one of the Sannin and the Senju Clan's prestige to gradually turn Konoha High Command around and counter the rumors in the village. After all, the village probably did not want to lose a top-tier fighter like Hatake Sakumo either. Those at the top only intended to suppress him; they simply had not expected Hatake Sakumo to kill himself in the end.
Senju Chen felt that as long as public opinion was not entirely one-sided, someone still spoke up for Hatake Sakumo, he received regular counsel, and Kakashi spent more time talking to his father whenever he was free, he probably would not reach the point of suicide. That had been his entire plan to "save" Hatake Sakumo.
But Orochimaru's arrival gave him another idea for saving Hatake Sakumo. After a moment's thought, Senju Chen raised his head.
On his face was a wild, audacious smile that took even Orochimaru aback.
"I can give you my blood."
Orochimaru had expected that answer.
But his next words made this legendary member of the Sannin show genuine astonishment before a "child" for the first time.
"But you won't just help me save him." Senju Chen's voice was quiet, yet it echoed clearly into every corner of the room. "You'll also help me... 'hide' him."
Orochimaru's golden pupils abruptly contracted.
Senju Chen's eyes suddenly shone with startling brightness.
"A disgraced Hatake Sakumo who's 'alive' is a permanent thorn in many people's sides. But what if... he 'died'?"
As he watched Orochimaru's shocked face, the smile at his lips deepened, carrying a trace of malice that toyed with people's hearts.
"A hero who protected his comrades, only to be driven to his death by his own village... a 'Konoha's White Fang' who died a glorious death would be far more useful to certain people than a living failure, wouldn't he?"
"The Third Hokage is indecisive. He couldn't do it. But there's always someone in the village who enjoys handling these 'unsavory' matters in the shadows, and who would be happy to see the Hokage's faction weakened..."
Senju Chen paused, then uttered the name that made even the air freeze.
"For example... our Lord Danzo."
Orochimaru's brain instantly crashed.
He stared fixedly at Senju Chen before him. That young face shone with the light he knew best and found most fascinating-a radiance woven from intelligence, ambition, madness, and the deepest insight into human nature!
This brat didn't just want to save someone. He wanted to pull the wool over everyone's eyes, erase Hatake Sakumo, that sharpest of blades, from Konoha's chessboard entirely, and put him to his own use! He even wanted to seize this opportunity to exploit Danzo's ambition and carry out this staggering deception!
A long time passed.
A twisted, feverish smile slowly spread across Orochimaru's pale face.
"Heh heh... hehehehe... hahahaha!"
He began to laugh, his laughter filled with unprecedented excitement and delight.
"Interesting... absolutely fascinating!"
He looked at Senju Chen as though he were gazing at the world's most perfect work of art.
"I'll have your blood."
"And I'll have 'you,' too."
"Brat, become my disciple."
Orochimaru looked at Senju Chen, excitement and madness showing on his face.
In Orochimaru's golden, serpentine eyes burned the fervor and possessiveness of someone who had discovered a rare treasure. Become his disciple? That invitation sounded more like a declaration that allowed no refusal.
Senju Chen's heart pounded in his chest, but the composure and madness on his face, so at odds with his age, never faded. Meeting Orochimaru's gaze, which seemed intent on swallowing him whole, his smile took on a subtle shift, carrying a hint of childish cunning and awkwardness.
"Uncle Orochimaru," he began, his voice returning to its soft, childish quality, as though the wise schemer who had just danced with a snake and manipulated human hearts had been an illusion, "my sister... she wouldn't agree."
He ducked his head just enough, a trace of lingering fear appearing in his bright black eyes. "My sister's temper... you know how she is. If she found out you'd been meeting me in secret, and even wanted to get your hands on our Senju Clan's blood..."
"..."
The feverish smile on Orochimaru's face froze instantly, as though someone had pressed pause.
Tsunade.
The name came from Senju Chen's mouth without any emotion, yet struck Orochimaru's nerves squarely like a heavy punch.
For the first time, an emotion resembling "wariness" appeared on that face that treated every rule with indifference.
He could disregard the old Third's admonitions, Danzo's schemes, and even Konoha's laws.
But Tsunade...
An image flashed uncontrollably through Orochimaru's mind. On the battlefield in the Land of Rain, mud and blood flew together as that blonde woman cracked the earth with a stomp and punched an enemy's giant summoned beast so hard that its brains burst out and half its body turned to bloody mist.
That unreasonable, utterly crushing strength lay completely beyond the bounds of ninjutsu and science. It was more like a pure, violent natural disaster.
Orochimaru's pale cheek twitched involuntarily.
If that woman found out he was not only scheming against her only younger brother, but also coveting their Senju Clan's flesh-and-blood cells...
Our very own Orochi-mad scientist-maru suddenly felt a little chill around his neck.
Senju Chen watched him quietly, taking in that fleeting change in expression as a flash of satisfaction at his successful prank passed through his heart.
Sure enough, everything in this world had its counter.
Even the most treacherous venomous snake feared an unreasonable iron fist. His sister's aesthetics of violence sometimes worked better than any S-rank ninjutsu.
"Heh heh..."
A dry chuckle broke the silence. Orochimaru extended his long tongue and licked his lips, forcibly suppressing that brief lapse in composure.
"Becoming a disciple is merely a formality. I'm not interested in playing house." He fixed his gaze on Senju Chen again, curiosity and interest interweaving in his golden, slit pupils. "What truly interests me is you, and our 'cooperation.'"
His gaze seemed to say: Don't try any tricks. You can't escape my grasp.
"Here's to a happy partnership."
Senju Chen readily went along, his face instantly switching back to a child's innocence. He held out his small, fair hand, but raised only his little finger and waggled it at Orochimaru.
"Pinky promise."
"..."
Orochimaru stared at that tender pink little finger, utterly stunned.
A "little monster" who had just been plotting with him against the Hokage and Root, devising a staggering deception capable of overturning Konoha's balance of power, was now using the most childish, most ridiculous method to seal their pact.
That extreme contrast left Orochimaru's mind momentarily blank.
Then an irrepressible, hoarse laugh welled up from deep in his throat.
"Heh... heh heh... hahahaha!"
Absolutely fascinating! This brat was more interesting than any forbidden technique he had ever studied!
He extended his own pale, slender hand, gently hooking his cold finger around that warm little finger.
One large, one small, one cold, one warm, they hooked together just like that.
"It's a deal."
Orochimaru's voice carried a strange note of satisfaction. He released his hand, his golden pupils gleaming with excitement at putting their plan into action.
"Then, the first step. To make someone's 'death' seamless, we first need a 'corpse' that can pass for the real thing."
His gaze passed beyond Senju Chen, seemingly piercing the wall to look toward some dark corner of Konoha.
"And I know where to find the most suitable 'materials'..."