Or was his target me?
Regardless, that old guy's actions had offended all three of them.
Kawaki Aoba's doubts didn't last long; Orochimaru was practically stripping Danzo of his dignity right in front of him.
Danzo's plan was clever. If Orochimaru had truly followed his instructions—and if Aoba hadn't been constantly using his Observation Haki—he might have exploited loopholes and caused a lot more trouble.
As for serious consequences, Kawaki Aoba wasn't too worried.
However, one question remained: why was Orochimaru telling him all this?
Facing Orochimaru, Aoba said calmly:
"Senior Orochimaru, thank you for sharing all this. But I've always believed in one thing: there is no unprovoked kindness in this world, nor unprovoked malice.
So, could you tell me your purpose? Otherwise, I would feel uneasy accepting this favor for no reason."
"Aoba-kun is indeed a straightforward person," Orochimaru said, his eyes glinting with excitement as he habitually stuck out his tongue to lick the corner of his mouth.
Then he said, "The techniques you call Hadō are arranged in numerical order. That implies higher-level techniques exist. If possible, I'd like to see those—more powerful soul-based arts.
Would Aoba-kun be willing to exchange them with me?"
"Exchange" was a well-chosen word, and Kawaki Aoba appreciated it.
"More powerful techniques certainly exist—some capable of subduing tailed beasts," Aoba said. "I don't mind revealing them, but I'd like to know what Senior Orochimaru is offering in return."
Hearing this, Orochimaru smiled. He wasn't afraid of demands—he was afraid Aoba would ask for nothing, which would leave him uncertain.
As for obtaining them through force? Orochimaru had considered it. But after weighing Aoba's strength, he gave up the idea.
After all, Kawaki Aoba had subdued tailed beasts in battle and created powerful soul techniques unknown in the Shinobi world. His strength might even rival Orochimaru's.
More importantly, Orochimaru felt a kinship with Aoba. Both were researchers—seekers of knowledge beyond the norm. For a kindred spirit, Orochimaru's approach was always different.
"Aoba-kun, before I met you, I had intended to offer my support in helping you become the Fourth Hokage. That was Danzo's suggestion—he believed you had the ambition for the position.
But after witnessing your behavior at the Jonin council today, I realized my mistake. You have no desire for the Hokage seat. So, I must adjust my offer.
What do you think of the more than one thousand subordinates who survived under my command during the Wind Country campaign?"
Aoba paused. That offer was full of sincerity.
Although Orochimaru had formally relinquished his command during the Jonin meeting, the fate of his 1,000-plus subordinates was still uncertain.
Nominally, he had lost authority over them. But out of respect, Minato Namikaze and Shikaku Nara had refrained from interfering in Orochimaru's former unit.
"Although Aoba-kun has no intention of seeking the Hokage position, some elite subordinates could still be useful in the future," Orochimaru continued. "And you don't need to worry about their strength or loyalty. As long as you agree, they'll become your supporters within Konoha."
In terms of strength, Aoba wasn't worried. The group may have varied in talent, but they'd survived on the Wind Country battlefield under Orochimaru's brutal training. They were no longer bottom-tier shinobi.
As for loyalty, Orochimaru's conditioning methods were legendary. But even if some were unstable, Aoba could rely on his advanced Observation Haki to read their emotions.
"Senior Orochimaru's terms are hard to refuse," Aoba said, scratching his head.
He genuinely hadn't expected Orochimaru to offer actual troops. He'd assumed Orochimaru would offer some Konoha forbidden techniques instead.
But this was better. A thousand-plus ninja—while not decisive on the battlefield—would form the core of his future faction in the village.
"In that case, I agree," Aoba said. "And since Senior Orochimaru is so generous, I won't be stingy either. In addition to ten mid- and high-level Hadō spells, I'll include ten Bakudō techniques. I guarantee these are unavailable anywhere else in the village."
"Bakudō? Binding arts, right? I thought there were very few of those. I assumed you didn't value them. I didn't expect there to be stronger ones as well. My perspective was too narrow."
With the deal sealed and the scrolls within reach, Orochimaru couldn't conceal his excitement.
Aoba saw the glint in Orochimaru's eyes and knew the Sannin was serious about researching Kidō further. Perhaps this knowledge would even lead to his development of Impure World Reincarnation (Edo Tensei)—the ultimate body-swapping jutsu he would later perfect.
After seeing Orochimaru off, Kawaki Aoba began preparing the Kidō scrolls for the exchange.
Orochimaru, for his part, took time to brief his former subordinates, preparing them ideologically for their new allegiance.
Though they had served him faithfully on the battlefield, true loyalty couldn't be transferred with a single command.
As Aoba walked back to his camp, he was still thinking about those thousand-plus ninja.
Yes, they had been used as bargaining chips. But wasn't this also a way out for them?
They bore Orochimaru's mark. If he were to defect—as he did in the original timeline—they'd likely face exile or be sent on suicide missions.
Anko Mitarashi's marginalization was the best-case scenario. The worst? Disposable cannon fodder.
But if they became Aoba's faction instead—a rising figure in the village—they'd be protected.
Even if Orochimaru defected in the future, these soldiers would have found a second chance.
And while Orochimaru was cold by nature, he wasn't without humanity when conditions allowed.
In the end, the deal was a win for all sides.
Orochimaru got 20 advanced Kidō techniques. Aoba gained a core force. And the ninja—castaways of war and ambition—earned a future beyond being discarded.
In the days that followed, Orochimaru buried himself in research, locking himself in his camp, rarely eating or sleeping.
Like a mad scientist, he immersed himself in soul-based arts.
It wasn't inaccurate—after all, Orochimaru was the only powerhouse in the Shinobi world who believed, not just in jutsu, but in science.
After several days of hard work, Orochimaru finally achieved significant progress in his research.
"I've finally found it," he murmured, his voice trembling with excitement. His snake-like pupils were bloodshot, and it was clear that he hadn't slept in days, as dark circles marked his pale face.
He couldn't help but imagine what expression Jiraiya would have on his face if he saw him in this condition.
Despite his fatigue, Orochimaru's excitement was palpable.
Although his soul power was not yet sufficient to perform the advanced ghost techniques, through his research, he had uncovered several ways to manipulate soul power—insights gained from studying these techniques.
As the research deepened, he found himself increasingly impressed by Kawaki Aoba's genius.
The development of the soul in such a way was a completely different path, and Kawaki Aoba was the one to forge it. Orochimaru began to wonder if Aoba had unlocked a power that could allow him to transcend the physical body entirely.
Orochimaru even suspected that, should Aoba's physical body perish, his soul could continue to exist in the world, a theory supported by the findings in his research.
"Ghost Dao... Aoba-kun, the name you chose is truly fitting. These techniques are clearly designed for pure souls. Have you already transcended the shackles of the flesh? I wonder—how long could your soul survive if you no longer depended on a physical body?" Orochimaru thought aloud, his snake-like eyes glistening with longing.
He imagined what it would be like to walk through the world as a soul, a state completely different from the Spiritualization Technique he had studied. But after a moment of yearning, Orochimaru shook his head. While he was curious about this soul state, he knew it wasn't suited for him—at least, not yet.
Still, the idea sparked new inspiration. Orochimaru's thoughts raced. The technique he had envisioned for immortality could now be improved. If possible, what Orochimaru wanted most was to obtain Kawaki Aoba's method of enhancing the soul.
However, Orochimaru knew that Aoba would never casually share such a secret. The method was clearly Aoba's most prized possession, and Orochimaru had nothing of equal value to offer in return.
Fortunately, Orochimaru was self-aware enough to understand that if he did request an exchange, it would be in vain. There was no other soul technique in the ninja world that could rival the power of Aoba's methods.
While Orochimaru and Kawaki Aoba were immersed in their work, someone else was even busier—Namikaze Minato.
Over the past few days, he demonstrated what it truly meant to lead by example, showcasing the speed and precision of the Yellow Flash.
Whenever they encountered Sunagakure forces on the battlefield, Konoha ninjas would activate the Flying Thunder God Technique using kunai imbued with chakra. In the blink of an eye, Namikaze Minato would appear, and the battle would be over in an instant. The bodies of fallen Sunagakure ninjas would then be swiftly recovered by Konoha forces.
Simple, efficient, and devastating.
Ninjas who had fought alongside Minato on the battlefield in Kumogakure were not surprised by his actions. For them, this was nothing new—just a basic operation from the Yellow Flash.
They even spoke of Minato's legendary battle in Kumogakure to the Konoha ninjas, recounting how he had decimated 50 jōnin from Kumogakure. Minato had teleported each of them to his side using the Flying Thunder God, then killed them instantly with the Rasengan.
After that battle, Kumogakure's leadership had issued an order: any ninja encountering the Yellow Flash during a mission could abandon their task without facing any repercussions.
Such a humiliating decree from Kumogakure only emphasized the immense threat Minato posed to weaker ninjas.
In just a few days, over 300 Sunagakure ninjas had fallen at Minato's hands. Considering Sunagakure's policy of cultivating elite ninjas, this loss was catastrophic.
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before Sunagakure would no longer be worried about their ninjas' morale—they would be concerned about how many ninjas they had left.
In the Sunagakure camp, the four highest-ranking officials, led by Chiyo, gathered to discuss their strategy.
"Damn Namikaze Minato. Damn Konoha ninjas! They're too clever. That Yellow Flash, I ran into him last time, but he didn't even fight me directly!" Ye Cang slammed the table in frustration, her tone filled with resentment.
Chiyo, seated across from her, sighed in exasperation. Ye Cang's childish behavior had not changed, despite having spent years on the battlefield.
But now was not the time to scold her. The most pressing matter was figuring out how to deal with Namikaze Minato.
After some discussion, they concluded that they were out of options. Their only choice now was a decisive battle.
If they didn't want to keep being outmaneuvered by Minato's speed, they had no choice but to engage Konoha in a battle with a slim chance of success. It was the trap Minato had set for them with his unmatched tactics.
"No, wait. That's not it," Ye Cang suddenly interjected. "We still have a chance! A night attack. We can launch an assault on Konoha's base camp. There are plenty of ninjas there. The Yellow Flash won't be able to avoid fighting us then."
The "Yellow Flash" was, of course, Namikaze Minato.
But as soon as Ye Cang spoke, she noticed that the other three were silent.
"Hey, say something! What do you think of my idea? A night attack on Konoha's camp! Surely there's no better plan than this!"
"Sigh," Rasa muttered. While he appreciated that his competition for the position of Kazekage was often a fool, having this fool as his teammate was a burden.
"Ye Cang, please use that clever head of yours to think this through. How many ninjas would we need to launch a successful night attack on Konoha's camp?" Rasa asked patiently.
Ye Cang frowned, irritated by Rasa's condescending tone, but answered anyway to understand why the others were quiet.
"Isn't it obvious? We all need to go. We've all seen how dangerous Orochimaru and those summoned beasts are. And that bastard Yellow Flash—his strength is undeniable. Anyone weaker than us would be killed instantly if they faced him."
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