Inside Hanzo of the Salamander's ninjutsu archive.
Orochimaru had already finished a cursory reading of the catalogued techniques.
"Aside from a few specialized Water Release jutsu, there's nothing particularly noteworthy. How disappointing, 'Demigod'..." Orochimaru said with a hint of regret.
"He was called a 'Demigod' because he was personally powerful, not because of his research capabilities. Besides, the Land of Rain lacks deep roots. The Hidden Rain Village was established by Hanzo himself; compared to the Five Great Nations that have endured through several generations of Kage, it's bound to be lacking," Diarmuid explained.
The Hidden Rain had been founded by Hanzo shortly before the Second Great Ninja War. The village lacked powerful shinobi clans; in fact, Hanzo was the only one in the entire village truly capable of top-tier combat. It was only natural that their hidden reserves were shallow.
"You make a valid point," Orochimaru nodded. After a pause, he asked, "What about his summoning scroll? His Summoning Beast might not be on the level of the Three Great Sage Regions, but it was formidable. That Ibuse... the Salamander... it gave us Sannin plenty of trouble back in the day."
"Didn't find it. It's possible a summoning scroll for the Salamanders doesn't even exist, given his unique circumstances," Diarmuid shook his head.
Hanzo's summon was indeed powerful. While Diarmuid had no personal interest in it, he could have handed it off to someone in the Yorozuya. For a member like Jūzō, whose strength was somewhat middling, having a Salamander summon would be a massive asset.
But they had found nothing. Perhaps Hanzo had never used a scroll and had simply forged a direct, forceful contract with the creature. It was a possibility, summoning contracts didn't always require mutual consent and a signed scroll; there was the path of the forced contract.
Much like how Obito forcibly contracted the Nine-Tails during his attack on Konoha, or how Madara had done the same. Of course, they used the Sharingan to control the beast first. Hanzo didn't have the Sharingan, but with his level of power, a forced contract was well within his capabilities.
"That is a shame, then," Orochimaru shrugged, not overly concerned. He already had his contract with Ryuchi Cave, so he didn't personally care; he just viewed it as a wasted asset.
Orochimaru turned to leave to attend to his own business, but as he moved, he noticed Diarmuid holding a scroll marked with the kanji for "Forbidden."
"What technique is that?" Orochimaru asked, his interest piqued.
"A technique that I think will leave you absolutely ecstatic once you read it," Diarmuid grinned, waving the scroll.
"Even for a Forbidden Technique, 'ecstatic' might be a stretch," Orochimaru rolled his eyes. Then, as if remembering something, he performed a summoning seal.
Poof. A cloud of white smoke erupted, and a scroll appeared in his hand.
Orochimaru handed it to Diarmuid. "The Reanimation Jutsu. Haven't you always been interested in soul-based ninjutsu? This is a detailed summary I've compiled... Once you follow the instructions and master this, you'll have at least a basic understanding of the soul. It will make acquiring any other spirit-type techniques much easier in the future."
Back when Orochimaru was still in Konoha, even when he was planning to defect, he had never taught the village's secret techniques to Diarmuid. But now, he was willing to hand over the Forbidden Technique created by the Second Hokage, complete with detailed annotations.
Diarmuid's eyes lit up. "Then I won't stand on ceremony. Thanks... Speaking of which, any word on Tsunade? I'm still hoping to ask her about the Spirit Transformation Technique."
The Reanimation Jutsu was something Diarmuid cared about deeply; mastering it was like having an ultimate insurance policy. No one knows when they might die, not even Diarmuid. If he happened to choke to death on a meal one day and someone dug him up to "resurrect" him via Reanimation, knowing the jutsu himself would mean possessing the power to break free. With enough luck, he might even pull off a true revival.
Furthermore, he was currently very interested in the soul and spiritual energy. Orochimaru's annotated version of the Reanimation Jutsu was of immense value. If nothing else, it was a perfect "Intro to Souls" textbook.
"And this. You should take a good look at it; these are the foundational concepts," Orochimaru said, summoning a handwritten notebook and handing it over.
Before Diarmuid could speak, Orochimaru continued, "I've found zero news on Tsunade. As I said before, you'd be better off looking for leads in the gambling circuits. However, we have a bit of a problem. That fellow Jiraiya seems to have locked onto me. He already tracked me to the Land of Birds; he'll likely discover our abandoned base there soon. Perhaps even..."
"...Perhaps even track us all the way to the Land of Rain, right?" Diarmuid finished, flipping through the notebook with a smile.
The notebook contained basic knowledge regarding the soul. On the first page, it introduced the various "Gods" associated with the soul. Diarmuid was surprised to see the famous Reaper (Shinigami) mentioned, the one used in the Reaper Death Seal.
Before reading this, Diarmuid had assumed the Reaper was the ultimate authority over souls in this world, the big boss of the Underworld. But the notes suggested the Reaper wasn't particularly high in the divine hierarchy.
The true ruler of the Netherworld, the Pure Land, was called the King of Hell.
Orochimaru had even sketched an illustration of this King of Hell based on legends and research. It wasn't hyper-realistic, but Diarmuid recognized it instantly.
This... isn't this the entity summoned by the Naraka Path of the Rinnegan?
Diarmuid had always thought that was just a manifestation of the Rinnegan's power. He hadn't realized it was an actual deity.
According to the notes, the Reaper's "prestige" was lower because he only dealt with the act of killing. The King of Hell, however, could truly reverse the boundary between life and death... and no one could lie in his presence, or they would be executed instantly.
Impressive. Maybe I can find a way to summon him for research later? Diarmuid thought.
"Exactly," Orochimaru nodded. "He could very well track us here. You might not know this, but Jiraiya has always been exceptionally skilled at tracking and intelligence. a top-tier master of information gathering."
Indeed, Jiraiya wasn't just the strongest fighter among the Sannin; he was a master spy.
"Oh? Good for him," Diarmuid said dismissively, continuing to read.
"You don't seem concerned about him coming to the Hidden Rain? Aren't you worried about exposure? For instance, the fact that you've taken over the country?" Orochimaru asked with a smirk.
"Hahahaha, Orochimaru... even if Jiraiya doesn't track us down, he likely already knows about the Land of Rain. We've tried to suppress the news, but our partner is Danzo. You don't actually think he'd keep our secrets from Konoha, do you? I am certain Konoha leadership knows exactly what's happening here. So whether Jiraiya finds out on his own or through a report is irrelevant. He'll know sooner or later," Diarmuid laughed.
Danzo was a "scheming old fox," but he was someone who put Konoha's interests at the top of his list (or at least a very close second). Diarmuid was sure Danzo wouldn't hide the upheaval in the Hidden Rain from the village elders. They probably already knew Diarmuid had usurped power.
Jiraiya might be "lost in the red-light districts" and out of the loop for now, but he would find out eventually. It didn't matter if he discovered it himself or through a mission briefing. Thus, Diarmuid didn't care if he showed up. There was no "exposure" to worry about when the secret was already out.
Orochimaru pondered this, a look of realization crossing his face. "You're right. I was a bit too close to the situation to see the obvious. Given Danzo's nature, Konoha likely knows the truth. In that case, exposing our location to Jiraiya doesn't change much..."
"If he shows up, I'll just treat him to some drinks and see if I can trick him into helping me find Tsunade," Diarmuid joked.
"Likely impossible," Orochimaru said flatly.
"Why not? I don't have any ill intent toward Tsunade. I just want to make a deal," Diarmuid grumbled.
"Because you're too handsome. Jiraiya probably won't let you anywhere near her... Heh heh heh..." Orochimaru chuckled.
Diarmuid didn't see what was so funny, but Orochimaru seemed unable to stop himself, his laughter growing louder.
This guy's sense of humor is weird. What's so funny?
After a bout of hysterical laughter, Orochimaru noticed Diarmuid's blank stare and gradually regained his cold composure.
Diarmuid asked, "Anyway... do you think there's... any chance between me and Tsunade?"
"What kind of chance?" Orochimaru asked.
"Cough. You know I'm a kind-hearted soul. I've heard Tsunade has some psychological issues and can't move past the shadows of her past. I'm perfectly willing to sacrifice myself to help her move on... What do you think?" Diarmuid asked shamelessly.
"So, you're asking if you can pick up Tsunade?" Orochimaru's lips curled into a wicked smile.
"Cough. If you must put it so crudely, then yes," Diarmuid rubbed his nose.
"You're dreaming. Tsunade is of the Senju Clan, the granddaughter of the First and Second Hokage, the Princess of the Land of Fire. And who are you, Diarmuid? A man who might become an enemy of Konoha, an S-Rank criminal wanted across the shinobi world. Do you think that's possible?" Orochimaru said with pure disdain.
"Hey! That's uncalled for! Putting the 'wanted' thing aside, I have a friendly, cooperative relationship with Konoha. What 'enemy'? Don't talk nonsense. I've played Shogi with the Third Hokage! I helped the Fourth Hokage catch Jiraiya peeping at the women's bath! I... well... I'm close partners with the Third's best friend, Danzo! When you lay it out like that, I'm basically Konoha's best friend! How could I be an enemy?" Diarmuid argued indignantly.
"But you want to steal their Scroll of Seals, and you want to steal even more Sharingan..." Orochimaru sneered.
Diarmuid paused, then patted Orochimaru's shoulder with a solemn expression. "Actually, you might not know this, but I have a special admiration for Senju Tobirama, the Second Hokage. Everything I'm doing is to inherit his will. See, he always found the Uchiha Clan suspicious. I'm simply helping him fulfill his dying wish by dealing with them. This allows Konoha to develop peacefully, removes internal strife, and ensures a prosperous future. Doesn't that make me a hero of Konoha? And as a hero who admires the Second, it's only natural that I'd want to inherit the Scroll of Seals that contains most of his jutsu, right?"
Orochimaru stared at Diarmuid in stunned silence. After a long while, he spoke:
"With your level of shamelessness, you might actually pull it off with Tsunade..."