" Lord Orochimaru, everything has been resolved."
A boy with red lips and white teeth, and two red dots between his eyebrows, knelt on one knee in front of Orochimaru. In front of them was a small group of Sunagakure scouts.
However, at this moment, this scout squad, which even included Jonin, had been completely wiped out, with no survivors, and their deaths were extremely gruesome, with only a few drops of blood remaining.
Orochimaru nodded in satisfaction and appreciation. To have mastered the Shikotsumyaku to this extent after only three months of formal Ninjutsu training was a talent that rivaled even Uchiha Itachi and Naoki Senju.
However, there is ultimately an insurmountable gap in the upper limit of growth...
"You did very well, Kimimaro. You're a very satisfactory child."
After being praised by Orochimaru, Kimimaro displayed obvious joy, much like a puppy being petted by its owner.
"Thank you for the compliment, Lord Orochimaru. Kimimaro will surely become the sharpest blade in Lord Orochimaru's hands."
"Um."
In response to Kimimaro's praise, Orochimaru nodded indifferently, then, as if noticing something, casually dismissed it with:
"Your strength is now sufficient. Go back and adjust your condition, and prepare to receive the Cursed Seal."
Cursed Seal! Kimimaro took a deep breath. Was he finally about to receive Lord Orochimaru's highest-level blessing?
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru!"
Kimimaro rushed back to the temporary base without a moment's rest, fearing that something unexpected might happen during the process of receiving the Cursed Seal.
He wasn't afraid of death, but he was afraid of no longer being able to serve Lord Orochimaru. If he couldn't serve Lord Orochimaru, what meaning would his existence have?
Like those crazed clansmen, indulging in slaughter, only to be surrounded and killed one by one by the Kirigakure's Anbu?
Shortly after Kimimaro left, a figure completely shrouded in a cloak and hat quickly approached, and as soon as he got close, he complained with dissatisfaction:
" Orochimaru, why did you choose the Land of Land of Wind as your rendezvous point? Have you forgotten that you ate sand here for three days?"
After removing his straw hat, his signature white hair stood out starkly against the swirling yellow sand of the desert. Who else could it be but Naoki Senju, who had mysteriously disappeared from Konoha and nearly drove the Anbu mad?
However, even though Naoki Senju didn't expect that Orochimaru, even though he was far away from Konoha, still possessed considerable power within the Konoha. Not only could he command summoning beasts to infiltrate Konoha and deliver messages, but he could also provide a safe passage that completely bypassed Konoha's barrier!
The Konoha Barrier is the most powerful barrier among the Five Great Shinobi Villages. It is the result of cooperation between Konoha and the Uzumaki Clan, and it can detect everything, both in the sky and on the ground.
Even someone as powerful as Pain had no choice but to force his way into Konoha, unable to evade the barrier's detection, but Orochimaru managed to do so.
As expected of Aunt Snake has mastered the core technology of the Shinobi World.
Having not seen each other for a long time, Orochimaru was somewhat sentimental, but Orochimaru was not the kind of person who would sit down and reminisce.
"There's a reason I chose the Land of Wind. Sunagakure and the One-Tail are my first big gift to you. I wonder if you and Tsunade can handle this gift?"
Good heavens, Orochimaru's appetite is even bigger than in the original story. Originally, he only wanted to take the opportunity to weaken the strength of Sunagakure and make Sunagakure realize who the big brother is. Now he simply wants to annex Sunagakure.
However, Orochimaru's appetite was exactly what Naoki Senju wanted. Weakening him was just a necessary plan, because if they didn't weaken him, even without Orochimaru, Sunagakure would launch a ' Konoha Crush Plan ', and then more than just the Third Hokage would die.
Although the Land of Wind is barren and Sunagakure has nothing worth coveting, one cannot allow others to sleep soundly beside one's bed.
The Land of Wind, Sunagakure —these are just the beginning...
"All the major clans in Konoha, including the Hyuga Clan, have nominally submitted to the Senju Clan. If they dare to have any disloyal intentions, I will show no mercy."
Still the same domineering style... Orochimaru nodded knowingly. It seems that not only is she busy running around, but Naoki and Tsunade have also made considerable gains in Konoha. This way, there's no need to worry about Danzo stealing the fruits of their labor...
"As expected of Naoki-kun, I don't need to worry about the Sunagakure matter. However, after the last incident, the Kirigakure seems determined to form an alliance with Konoha, and they even want to participate in this Chunin Ninja Exams. We need to be careful that they don't ruin our plans."
Naoki Senju was completely unaware of the information Orochimaru provided. And what a coincidence that Kirigakure is getting involved too! Could it be that troublesome Mei Terumi is also coming?
Women are all petty, especially pretty women. They just snatched the Three-Tails Isobu from Kirigakure; it's no wonder they'll fight when they meet again...
Naoki Senju was at his wit's end, and coupled with the harsh climate of the Land of Wind's desert, he couldn't help but suggest:
"Let's go back to the base first. Besides, I'm quite interested in that Cursed Seal; I heard it can even alter the human body's structure?"
When the topic turned to scientific research, Orochimaru immediately became interested, showing a much greater enthusiasm than when they were discussing conspiracies and intrigues.
"That's right, the Cursed Seal was extracted from a special individual. His structure is truly unique. Despite being constantly infused with Natural Energy, he can still maintain a human form and consciousness. Although this power is uncontrollable, through my research, I've found that it can grant others ' Sage Mode ' through the Cursed Seal."
Even just describing Sage Mode and the Cursed Seal in words made Orochimaru so excited that he licked his lips. It's clear that Orochimaru's obsession with Sage Mode is no less than his Sharingan.
"Oh? To what extent can it be enhanced now? I've experienced the power of Sage Mode before; it was a truly earth-shattering change."
At this point, Orochimaru was in a bit of an awkward situation. Since it wasn't yet the timeline of the original story, Orochimaru's research on the Cursed Seal Cursed Seal State One. To develop a stronger Cursed Seal, further research was needed.
"I'll tentatively call the current state 'Cursed Seal One,' which can roughly strengthen a Genin to the Chunin. However, the success rate is not high, and it has certain side effects, including a certain impact on lifespan."
Orochimaru spoke frankly to Naoki, but he wouldn't say so much to the experimental subjects who received the Cursed Seal. After all, they were all experimental subjects, and it was their honor to receive the power of the Cursed Seal One.
Moreover, Orochimaru's important purpose in being so honest was to invite Naoki Senju to help him perfect the Cursed Seal State Two, or even the Cursed Seal State Three, until he could achieve the perfect ' Sage Mode '!
At Ryūchi Cave, the White Snake Sage didn't even meet him; he simply used the power of Sage Mode to injure him, indicating that he was completely unable to bear the power of Sage Mode.
But he refused to accept this. He wanted to use his own strength and the power of science to explore a perfect Sage Mode that required no talent!