Hearing the movement outside, Diarmuid and Sasori stopped their bickering. They walked out of the room, and Diarmuid's eyes lit up.
Orochimaru!
After all this time, the man had actually come. The bait had worked perfectly. To Diarmuid, the most valuable people in the shinobi world weren't warriors like Madara or Hashirama, but "Great Scientists" like Orochimaru or Tobirama. Tobirama was long dead, but Orochimaru was someone he could potentially recruit, or at least collaborate with.
Diarmuid stepped forward enthusiastically. Before Kakuzu could even introduce them, Diarmuid grabbed Orochimaru's hand and shook it vigorously. "A rare guest! Orochimaru-san, I have been looking forward to meeting you for a long time!"
Orochimaru was momentarily stunned by the warmth of the greeting. However, one doesn't slap a smiling face, and he was wary of Diarmuid's strength. Anyone who could kill the Third Raikage and preserve the body was someone to be respected.
Orochimaru knew the Raikage's strength. Years ago, he had infiltrated Kumogakure and caused the death of the previous Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, Blue B. He had even managed to steal one of Gyūki's horns for research. He did that through stealth because he knew he likely couldn't beat the Raikage in a fair fight.
Seeing Diarmuid's passion, he forced a smile. "The reputation precedes you. I assume you used that method to invite me because you need my assistance?"
"Exactly!" Diarmuid confirmed instantly. "I have always admired your talent, your pursuits, and your ideals, Orochimaru-san. I believe we are kindred spirits. The path of the shinobi is long; I hope we can walk it together."
Orochimaru: "???" Isn't this a bit much? We just met. Kindred spirits?
"Ah... well..." Orochimaru hesitated.
Seeing this, Diarmuid quickly added, "Don't worry, I'm not forcing anything. I am truly sincere, especially regarding your academic and research talents. I have two things for you. First, my blood, which I'm sure you've already studied. Second, we have the Third Raikage's body. I'm interested in the secret arts of the Cloud. If you could help extract that information from his mind, the reward..."
"The reward is unnecessary," Orochimaru interrupted. "Being able to handle the body of the Third Raikage is reward enough. I only hope the findings..."
Diarmuid followed his lead without hesitation. "Of course, everything will be shared with you. Like I said, we are partners."
Orochimaru was truly surprised. This man was incredibly generous, perhaps even a bit too easygoing. Normally, if he succeeded, he could just keep the secrets for himself, but Diarmuid's open offer made him feel almost guilty about the idea of hiding anything. Besides, Diarmuid's style—secret bases, killing Kages—felt very "villainous," which Orochimaru found strangely relatable.
"Then, thank you," Orochimaru nodded.
However, his primary interest remained Diarmuid's blood. Looking at Diarmuid's youthful appearance, he couldn't help but ask: "If I may, how old are you?"
Diarmuid grinned. He knew this was coming. "Forty-one."
Orochimaru was in his late thirties at this time, not yet forty. Looking at Diarmuid, who looked to be in his early twenties, Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with a predatory light. "Just as I thought!"
Kakuzu and Sasori were the ones surprised this time. Kakuzu was an old man, so his age was no secret. But Sasori, who was still relatively young, had assumed Diarmuid was his contemporary. This guy was over forty? He didn't look it, and his personality wasn't "old" at all.
As Orochimaru excitedly opened his mouth to speak, Diarmuid patted his shoulder. "Let's handle the Raikage first. Then we can talk about other things."
This temporarily suppressed Orochimaru's urge to dissect Diarmuid. "Very well. I am a professional; it won't take long."
Sasori bristled slightly at the "professional" comment, feeling targeted.
They entered the lab, and Orochimaru saw the Raikage's body. "I have studied the secret seals of Kumogakure in the past..." he said, turning to Diarmuid.
He stopped mid-sentence. On a nearby shelf sat a glass jar filled with unknown fluid, containing a pair of eyes.
"Sharingan!?"
Diarmuid looked over, sounding a bit embarrassed. "Ah, sorry. As a Konoha ninja, seeing that might be... awkward."
"It's fine," Orochimaru said, recovering quickly. He was already mentally checked out of Konoha. As for the Uchiha, they were an arrogant clan that looked down on civilians like him. He had no reason to feel protective of them. "But I am curious... where did these come from?"
The Uchiha were dangerous, and few who targeted their eyes survived the clan's retaliation.
"Uchiha Kagami," Sasori said coldly.
Orochimaru blinked. So Danzo didn't kill Kagami? You guys did? After a moment, he nodded and approached the Raikage. He pressed his hand to the dead man's forehead, sending chakra into the brain.
He closed his eyes, sensing the intricate web of defenses. After a long silence, he opened them. "There are five layers of seals, all interconnected. Any forceful attempt to break them triggers a chain reaction that destroys the brain. This is Kumogakure's 'Five-Petal Secret' technique."
Diarmuid, who knew nothing of sealing arts, nodded as if he understood. "And?"
"One week," Orochimaru said calmly. "I can break it in one week."
Diarmuid grinned. "Excellent. I look forward to the good news." He paused, then added, "By the way, Orochimaru-san... I am very interested in ninjutsu."
"Oh? As am I," Orochimaru replied.
"See? Kindred spirits," Diarmuid said, staring intently into Orochimaru's eyes.
Orochimaru: "???" Why is he still staring at me?
"Ahem. I am very interested in ninjutsu..." Diarmuid repeated, clearing his throat.
When Orochimaru still looked confused, Diarmuid continued, "I heard you studied under the Third Hokage? He is known as the 'Professor,' said to have mastered countless techniques. I wonder if the rumors are true?"
Finally, Orochimaru understood. This guy is remarkably thick-skinned.
He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a scroll. "If you are interested, I have some techniques here you might find useful for... reference."
Diarmuid's eyes sparkled. "Oh, you shouldn't have! Truly, such a generous gift. You really shouldn't have brought anything!"
Even as he spoke, his hand had already snatched the scroll.
Orochimaru's eyelid flickered. He wanted to hit him, but he forced a smile. "A gift for the host. It is only right."
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