"Raiden, I have a way to make you an eternal existence!"
Orochimaru's words completely captured Uzumaki Raiden's attention, instantly extinguishing the killing intent he had toward Orochimaru. There was no denying it—the allure of immortality was too overwhelming. Even for him, resisting such a temptation was impossible.
Uzumaki Raiden could roughly guess that if Orochimaru was proposing a method for achieving immortality at this moment, it wouldn't be the same as his own body-switching technique.
Raiden remained silent, sliding the Sakegari no Tachi back into its scabbard. Seeing that the conflict between Uzumaki Raiden and Orochimaru had seemingly ended, the surrounding researchers let out a collective sigh of relief. They instinctively took a few steps back, unwilling to overhear the conversation between Uzumaki Raiden and Orochimaru.
These people weren't fools. They already knew part of Uzumaki Raiden's plan, and what they had learned was already dangerous knowledge. If they stumbled upon something they shouldn't know, they feared Raiden would silence them—despite his popularity and high reputation in the village.
"Hehehe!" Orochimaru grinned when he saw Uzumaki Raiden sheath his blade, his smile gleaming with satisfaction.
"Raiden, do you want to untie me first?"
"There will be experiments in the future. If I remain bound here, it won't be easy to carry them out."
"You desire immortality, and that is closely tied to the experiment I am about to conduct."
Seeing that Uzumaki Raiden no longer harbored killing intent, Orochimaru smirked mockingly. Even though Raiden had planted a curse mark in his soul, Orochimaru had already carved his own path and successfully taken over the body of an Ōtsutsuki.
At this point, Orochimaru had come a long way in his pursuit of eternal life. As long as he continued to use Chakra to stabilize this body, he would truly achieve immortality.
"Untie you? Brother, don't push your luck!"
Raiden crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Orochimaru without speaking, showing no intention of releasing him. Orochimaru, however, didn't seem impatient. He chuckled, locking eyes with Uzumaki Raiden. He knew Raiden couldn't refuse his offer.
Raiden understood Orochimaru's thoughts the moment he saw his expression. After a long moment of contemplation, he casually waved his right hand. The researchers took this as a signal and swiftly left the cave. Once they were gone, Uzumaki Raiden formed a hand seal, and the Kongō Fūsa binding Orochimaru loosened.
"Hahahaha!"
Orochimaru couldn't help but laugh as the golden chains fully dissipated. The sensation of having both feet firmly on the ground again was exhilarating. As soon as the Kongō Fūsa was lifted, Orochimaru regained full control over the Chakra in his new body. Feeling this immense, unparalleled power, he couldn't help but laugh.
His laughter echoed through the cave for a long time before finally fading. With a smirk, Orochimaru's figure flickered, and he vanished from his spot.
"Huh?" Uzumaki Raiden wasn't surprised by Orochimaru's movement. A person like Orochimaru couldn't be completely subdued by a single curse mark, especially now that he had gained a new body and new powers. With Orochimaru's ambition, there was no way he would willingly remain under someone else's control.
The moment he was freed, Orochimaru chose to attack Uzumaki Raiden. As for the curse mark in his soul? As long as he could kill Raiden immediately, its existence wouldn't matter.
Taking advantage of his sudden freedom, Orochimaru planned to strike Uzumaki Raiden from close range—his best chance at victory.
But Raiden had anticipated everything.
"Hmph!" Raiden let out a soft snort. In an instant, black lightning enveloped his entire body. As Orochimaru lunged at him, Raiden pivoted slightly, their figures clashing.
"Hey!" Orochimaru reappeared behind Uzumaki Raiden, still smirking.
"Brother, is this all you've got?"
Just as Raiden finished speaking, his expression froze. A tear had inexplicably formed on the sleeve of his left arm, exposing his pale skin. A bright red wound immediately caught his attention.
Even under the protection of Lightning Armor, he had been injured! Since fully mastering the Lightning Armor Technique, he had never sustained injuries from such an attack.
Orochimaru's speed was impressive, but Raiden could react. Orochimaru's strength was formidable, but it was still inferior to Raiden's. Yet, despite these physical limitations, Orochimaru had managed to wound him.
"This power..."
Raiden wiped the blood from his arm and narrowed his eyes at Orochimaru, increasing his Chakra output.
"The pressure is intense. Even after obtaining this body, that feeling hasn't weakened in the slightest."
"Spatial Ninjutsu can harm him, but this kind of injury…"
Orochimaru bent slightly, glancing at the wound on Raiden's arm before launching another attack. In mere seconds, the wound on Raiden's arm had completely healed.
"Brother, you're getting a little arrogant."
"Since I dared to release you, it means I can bind you again."
Raiden didn't resort to the curse mark's power. Facing another attack from Orochimaru, he spoke coldly before swiftly drawing the Sakegari no Tachi.
Orochimaru, who had just closed in on Raiden, extended his right hand toward his heart. However, his attack landed directly on Raiden's blade.
In the next instant, Raiden swung his sword, severing Orochimaru's arm in a flash. The dismembered limb tumbled through the air before landing on the ground. Strangely, no blood seeped from the wound—the arm didn't seem to belong to a human at all.
"That speed… how is it possible?!" Orochimaru slid back, clutching his severed arm. Staring at Raiden, he was momentarily stunned.
"Brother, don't think that just because you obtained an Ōtsutsuki's body, you can challenge me."
"If he was truly my equal, how could I have captured him?"
Raiden twirled his blade before smoothly sheathing it. His initial rage had subsided. After all, if he truly wanted to achieve eternal life, he needed Orochimaru—the most brilliant scientist in the ninja world.
And Orochimaru, after that brief exchange, should now understand the overwhelming difference in their strength. Given his intelligence, he wouldn't foolishly continue to provoke Raiden. Further fighting would serve no purpose except to irritate Raiden.
"Your strength keeps growing."
Orochimaru licked his lips as the muscles on his severed arm began writhing wildly. Within seconds, a brand-new arm sprouted from the wound, fully restored, as if nothing had happened.
Raiden's eyes flickered briefly at the sight. Then, concealing his surprise, he calmly stated:
"Brother, I just want to know how to reach the other side. Don't provoke me any further—I might not be able to hold back."
"I'll kill you."
Raiden's voice wasn't loud, but Orochimaru could hear the absolute resolve in his tone. With a strange chuckle, Orochimaru tore off the tattered rags clinging to his body and put on a clean white coat. Moving to an instrument, he began adjusting its settings while speaking:
"Raiden, I will find a way to help you."
"After all, even in the future, I want familiar faces around."
"I… I'm afraid of being alone too."
The laboratory doors closed once more. In the following days, Uzumaki Raiden's whereabouts became erratic. Yet, those living with him noticed nothing unusual.
Raiden had marked the lab with the Flying Thunder God technique, allowing him to teleport there whenever necessary.
Seasons passed. Autumn faded swiftly, and winter lingered only briefly in Konoha.
Two years passed in a blur, and spring arrived once again.
As people grow older and the world changes, it becomes easier to withdraw into oneself. After all, personal strength is limited, and the wishes of the elderly often become simple—they just pray for a life free of turmoil.
"Uh ho ho!!"
Early in the morning, a fit of coughing echoed through the courtyard. Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was about to send Konohamaru to school, covered his mouth, gripping the doorframe for support as he coughed violently.
"Grandpa, hurry up! I'm going to be late!" Konohamaru rushed out of the house, trotting as he urged Hiruzen forward.
Looking at his innocent grandson, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled warmly, straightened his posture, and reassured him, "Alright, alright, take it easy."
The warm sunlight filtered through layers of clouds, bathing Konoha in its golden glow, filling the village with vitality.
"Alright! Let's go!"
At Konoha's gates, a four-person ninja team gathered, led by a middle-aged shinobi. The team was diverse, with both young and old members—the youngest was a red-haired girl, around thirteen or fourteen, while the oldest was a gray-haired veteran.
It was Senju Karin who had spoken.
It had been a while since Karin was promoted to Chūnin. Following Uchiha Sasuke's disappearance, Naruto Uzumaki left to train under Jiraiya, leading to the dissolution of Team 7. Karin had since begun working with different teams. Hatake Kakashi, being one of the village's few elite jōnin, no longer led genin squads and had taken on higher-ranking missions.
This time, Karin had been temporarily assigned to another team for a specific mission.
Over the course of her Chūnin career, Karin had grown significantly. She had been undertaking missions in the ninja world, earning recognition through her accomplishments.
Previously, in the Land of Snow, as Kakashi defeated Zabuza Momochi, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Karin had played a crucial role in rescuing the country's princess.
Additionally, in the Land of Craftsmen, she had defeated the first ancestor of the nation, preventing a potential catastrophe from befalling the ninja world. These experiences not only contributed to Karin's growth but also made her name known in the ninja world.
The missions that were originally meant to shape Naruto Uzumaki had, in this reality, been undertaken by Karin.
Just as Karin's team was about to depart Konoha, two figures appeared on the horizon, approaching steadily. As they drew closer, Karin's eyes widened in surprise.
Meanwhile, in the Land of Fire, an underground Gold Exchange bustled with activity. Deidara casually tossed a broken corpse onto the cold steel table before stepping aside.
A middle-aged man with a mustache adjusted his magnifying glass, scrutinizing the body carefully before letting out a small sigh of disapproval.
"Guest, the quality this time is poor."
"The condition of the corpse is terrible. If you want to exchange it for gold, we'll have to deduct the payment."
The body belonged to a bald monk, likely in his thirties. He wore a monk's robe, with a white sash embroidered with the kanji for "fire" around his waist. Though the corpse was burnt and stiff, its muscular frame bore clear signs of rigorous training, indicating he was no ordinary monk.
"Deduct money?"
"Deidara, I should have handled this myself. Just look at how messy the battle was. Our efforts are being wasted."
Seated inside the Hiruko puppet, Sasori squinted at Deidara, his voice laced with mockery.
"Bastard! That's art!"
"This guy should feel honored to have been killed by my art."
"How dare you deduct money?! You should be paying extra for this masterpiece!"
Sasori's words cut deep, as labeling Deidara's art as "messy" was the ultimate insult.
"No, no, no," the Gold Exchange manager quickly interjected, flashing a nervous smile. "A ninja's corpse is valuable, but when it's this damaged, deductions are inevitable."
"What?!"
Deidara's eyes widened in rage, and a small clay insect materialized in his palm. He was about to attack the mustached man when Sasori intervened.
"Hey, stop."
"Don't cause trouble for me."
Sasori's tone was firm, his gaze sharp with warning.
"Tch, fine. I'm going to get some air. You deal with this."
Clicking his tongue in irritation, Deidara turned away and left the dimly lit room. However, before exiting, he discreetly dropped several clay insects into the shadows.
Sasori, who had been silently observing, shot Deidara a cold glare but said nothing. Deidara simply smirked and walked out.
The Gold Exchange was located beneath a public restroom. After a long sigh, Deidara emerged from the building, leaping onto the rooftop and gazing at the landscape.
"Target confirmed. That's an Akatsuki member."
"Iwagakure's S-rank rogue ninja, Deidara."
"Asuma, do we engage?"
Roughly a hundred meters away from the public restroom, a small Konoha squad concealed themselves within the trees, their eyes locked on Deidara.
"Yes."
"Eliminate them one by one. Take him down before his partner shows up."
Asuma Sarutobi gave a slight nod, issuing his command. At his signal, the squad began closing in on Deidara, preparing to strike.
(End of Chapter)