Chapter 39: The Predator Behind the Prey
Staring at the wary, slightly panicked Shukaku before him, a glint of determination flashed in Yusuke's eyes. With a swift draw of his blade, a crimson inferno surged forth, spiraling into a vortex that engulfed the tailed beast entirely.
"Ryūjin Jakka: Zengoku no Shō!"
Encased in the blazing whirlwind, Shukaku let out a soul-wrenching shriek, thrashing violently. But no matter how fiercely it struggled, the searing flames refused to be extinguished or shaken off.
The move Zengoku no Shō was a sword technique that unleashed flames of unimaginable heat upon unsheathing, trapping the enemy in an all-consuming blaze that would only vanish once the target was reduced to ashes. It was especially effective against large, high-regeneration enemies like tailed beasts.
After a while, Shukaku seemed to realize the futility of resistance. It gave up on struggling and instead began swinging its massive claws in a frenzy, aiming directly at Yusuke.
Yusuke, now facing a berserk Shukaku, didn't bother launching further attacks. He simply dodged with precision. The longer the fire burned, the weaker Shukaku became. Its attacks gradually slowed, losing their earlier ferocity.
With a thunderous crash, the colossal creature finally collapsed into the sands. Its chakra and life force nearly depleted, Shukaku now lay on the ground, barely clinging to life.
Yusuke then reabsorbed the lingering flames still burning on Shukaku's body into Ryūjin Jakka. He took out a sealing scroll, preparing to initiate the Two Form Seal.
But suddenly—
"Yusuke-kun, I wonder… would you be willing to hand over the One-Tail to me?"
A raspy, eerie voice rang out by his ear. At the same time, a pale figure with serpentine eyes appeared behind him—it was none other than Orochimaru, the traitorous Sannin who had defected from Konoha.
Before Yusuke could react, eight grotesque serpents sprang from Orochimaru's back, lunging toward him with fangs bared.
The familiar voice had already sent a jolt of alertness through Yusuke. But in this moment, Ryūjin Jakka had already been sheathed. It was far too late to counter or dodge.
He felt sharp pain surge through his limbs and shoulders—the snakes had sunk their fangs deep, clamping down on him with vicious force.
Yet just when Orochimaru thought he had secured his prey, intense flames erupted from Yusuke's wounds, instantly vaporizing the venom and racing along the serpents toward Orochimaru.
Startled, Orochimaru swiftly severed the snakes protruding from his back, narrowly avoiding the blaze. Yusuke seized the chance to break free and leap away.
Putting distance between them, Yusuke spun around, his eyes narrowed as he glared coldly at Orochimaru, murderous intent radiating from his gaze.
Outwardly calm, Yusuke was already calculating his next move.
He knew very well—his chakra reserves were nearly depleted. Facing a Kage-level shinobi like Orochimaru in his current state was extremely dangerous. Especially this particular snake—deceptive, persistent, and skilled at playing the long game.
Ryūjin Jakka was powerful but also immensely draining. If he were at full strength, he wouldn't fear Orochimaru. But now? If Orochimaru chose a war of attrition, he would have no choice but to retreat.
Which meant the Shukaku he had just subdued with so much effort might end up in Orochimaru's hands for nothing.
"Lord Orochimaru, we're old acquaintances, aren't we? Attacking me out of nowhere like that… don't you think that's a little excessive?" Yusuke said with a calm smile, brushing off the torn fabric where he'd been bitten.
The wounds, while severe in appearance, had already been dealt with. Thanks to his mastery of flame techniques, Yusuke had sterilized and cauterized them in seconds. It was a crude but effective method—one he could only use on himself.
Orochimaru, seeing Yusuke composed and unreadable, frowned slightly. As expected, this man was no easy opponent.
Clicking his tongue with a serpentine flick, Orochimaru chuckled. "I must admit—I lack your talent. You can erect a Four Violet Flames Formation all by yourself. Me? I could subdue Shukaku, perhaps, but capture it? I'd never be certain. So… I thought I'd let you do the heavy lifting."
"Oh, and Yusuke-kun—no need to call me 'Lord' anymore. After all, I've left the village."
At present, Orochimaru had already begun cultivating his own elite force—Kimimaro, Jūgo, and the Sound Four among them. They were all outstanding talents, but still too young to be of help just yet. If they were at their prime, Orochimaru could've easily captured Shukaku by setting up a barrier with the Sound Four.
Yusuke fixed his gaze on him. "Mizuki is your man, isn't he? He's the one who leaked my whereabouts to you, correct?"
Orochimaru raised a brow in mock surprise, then praised, "Impressive, Yusuke-kun. To notice that much… your instincts are as sharp as ever."
Of course, Orochimaru had no idea that Yusuke wasn't deducing Mizuki's betrayal—he was simply aware of it as a transmigrator, having already known Mizuki's background.
"So, you deduced that with my Dual Polarity Seal, I wouldn't let Shukaku escape in the desert of Nara, and thus you've been tailing me in secret, waiting to reap the benefits after I've finished with the tailed beast," Yusuke said.
Orochimaru chuckled sinisterly. "Correct. But Yusuke-kun, you already have the Nine-Tails. How about letting me take this Shukaku off your hands?"
Yusuke smiled. "It's a tailed beast, Orochimaru. You can't possibly think you'll just snatch it away with a few words, can you?"
Seeing that Yusuke seemed confident, Orochimaru tested him further. "Do you still have the strength to fight me, though?"
"I've been hiding beneath the sand this whole time, watching your battle with Shukaku. By now, your chakra must be nearly exhausted, don't you think?"
Yusuke had felt something different about Orochimaru earlier—his complexion seemed much more flushed than before. Now, he realized that Orochimaru had likely been sheltered beneath the sand, his body roasting under the heat of the Blaze Release: Scorched Earth Seal technique that Yusuke had deployed. The temperature underground had even been unbearable for Shukaku, but Orochimaru must have used some sort of technique to protect himself; otherwise, even someone as strong as him would have been cooked alive by now.
"If it were anyone else, they'd indeed be spent. But,"
"I am an Uchiha!"
As the words left his mouth, Yusuke's eyes transformed. Three crimson-golden flame tomoe appeared within his Sharingan, and he calmly stared down Orochimaru.
Orochimaru's pupils constricted in shock as he recognized the change. He had suspected that Yusuke might have awakened his Sharingan, but he hadn't expected to see a version of the Sharingan that he'd never encountered before. Though he didn't know exactly what powers this Flame Tomoe Sharingan possessed, something deep within him instinctively screamed that it was dangerous.
"Yusuke-kun, do you realize? You're like a cornered prey now, trying to intimidate your hunter with empty threats," Orochimaru sneered.
At this moment, Orochimaru's eyes flickered with dangerous intent, his entire body exuding a suppressed aura, as if he could strike at any moment.
Despite Orochimaru's menacing presence, Yusuke remained unfazed.
"That's right. It is an empty threat," Yusuke replied with a calm smile. "After all, this Sharingan is my last trump card. I'd rather not use it unless absolutely necessary."
Orochimaru fell silent after hearing this.
After a long pause, he finally seemed to relent. "You should know that I possess quite a few valuable jutsu, ninja tools, and information. If you hand over this Shukaku to me, name your price."
Yusuke frowned slightly, taking a moment to think. "Orochimaru seems very intent on obtaining this Shukaku. Considering my current lack of strength, it might be best to return the favor and get something worthwhile in return."
"Moreover, there are indeed things I'd like to get my hands on from Orochimaru."
He sighed, then spoke in a tone that feigned frustration. "You know, I've put in so much effort to subdue this Shukaku. The battle just now was grueling, and I nearly lost my life in the process."
"Then there's the fact that you ambushed me and I've sustained quite serious injuries."
Looking at Yusuke, who was still energetic and talking freely, Orochimaru coldly interrupted, "Yusuke-kun, just say what you want."
"First, I need twenty vials of Hashirama Cell Fusion Fluid."
The Hashirama Cell Fusion Fluid was an experimental serum that Yusuke and Orochimaru had jointly developed during the creation of the Two Form Seal. Besides its use in the seal, it had many other applications. Yusuke knew the method to create it, but lacked the necessary materials. He figured he could ask Orochimaru for some.
"No problem," Orochimaru agreed with a nod. Though precious, the fluid could be easily made by Orochimaru himself, so it wasn't a problem for him.
"Second, I need to know the exact location of Danzo's Root Organization laboratory."
For Yusuke, Danzo and the Root Organization were targets that would need to be dealt with sooner or later, as they had a longstanding enmity with the Uchiha clan. The lab contained valuable resources that Yusuke hoped to get his hands on.
Orochimaru furrowed his brow at the second request, but after a moment of thought, he relented.
Although Orochimaru had defected, he still maintained covert connections with Danzo and had been a collaborator in Danzo's human experimentation projects. He knew the location of the Root Organization's laboratory quite well.
"Third, I need to know the exact location of the Ryūchi Cave and how to enter it."
"That's fine," Orochimaru answered.
"Fourth—"
"Yusuke-kun, don't be too greedy," Orochimaru interjected, a hint of displeasure flashing across his face.
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