In the Land of Fields, one of Orochimaru's underground bases.
Orochimaru's body was covered with tubes connected to various devices as they carried out a physical examination.
"All indicators show no abnormalities, and there's no trace of any technique… What exactly entered my body and manipulated me?!"
Furious, Orochimaru ripped out every tube and destroyed the equipment.
"There's no need to reject me, Orochimaru."
A voice echoed within his mind—the voice of the Priest Master.
"You are the one I have chosen. You should feel honored and proud."
Orochimaru was shaking with rage. "What are you?"
"My name is Priest Master. I am the one who will help you stand at the pinnacle of this world."
A spectral figure appeared before Orochimaru.
"You're a soul entity? Don't tell me you've perfected an immortality forbidden technique?!"
Seeing the phantom form, Orochimaru's face filled with disbelief before darkening.
"I know exactly what you're thinking, Orochimaru. You're thinking of completing that unfinished forbidden jutsu—transferring your soul into another body to get rid of me. It's useless. My soul has already fused and bound with yours. You and I are one now. No matter what body you transfer into, I will be there with you."
The Priest Master, who could probe Orochimaru's memories, exposed his intentions without hesitation.
Forced into a passive position, Orochimaru instead grew calm. "Why did you choose me?"
"Because of your strength and your ambition. That is why I selected you. I could have simply erased your soul and replaced you entirely, but I chose not to. I want to cultivate you as my successor."
Orochimaru said coldly, "Successor? Hmph. What could you possibly have that is worth following?"
"Everything I possess. Even if you complete your reincarnation jutsu, it has an unavoidable flaw—the compatibility of the soul."
Orochimaru frowned. "Soul compatibility?!"
"Each person is born with a soul that grows along with the body. The soul develops into a form most suited to its vessel. But your reincarnation technique ignores this. Even if you forcibly transfer your soul to another body, the mismatch will cause irreversible damage."
This was something Orochimaru had never considered. He had focused solely on how to move the soul—never on whether the soul was compatible with the new vessel.
"If that's all, I can make up for such flaws on my own."
"I believe you have the talent. As I said, I will teach you everything—grant you true immortality, and even my ability: Word-Spirit Divine Arts."
"Word-Spirit Divine Arts?"
"Yes. A power born when one is chosen by the world itself. Its might is limitless. The only thing that can oppose Word-Spirit Divine Arts is another being chosen by the world. Once you master my Word-Spirit, you will be standing atop the world."
Orochimaru had no real concept of this so-called power, so the Priest Master shared part of his memory.
After witnessing the power of the Word-Spirit Divine Arts, Orochimaru felt excitement stirring within him—though only excitement. Having witnessed the power of the Rinnegan, he found this new ability somewhat similar to Pain's ocular techniques.
Compared to the Priest Master's Word-Spirit, what Orochimaru currently desired more was the legendary eyes said to belong only to the Sage of Six Paths himself—the exalted Rinnegan, the "eyes that govern life and death." Ever since his defeat by Pain, Orochimaru had coveted them endlessly.
But the Rinnegan was out of reach, while the Priest Master's power was right in front of him.
"Then what's the cost? I don't believe in free miracles falling from the sky."
"You're still too weak. I need you to keep growing—to help me obtain something."
"What?"
"As you are now—merely Kage-level—you have no right to know."
Orochimaru frowned. Kage-level isn't enough? Then what level must I reach…?
"To show my sincerity, I'll give you a gift first."
The Priest Master waved his hand, opening a rift. A massive corpse fell into the underground chamber—the slain body of the Yamata no Orochi.
"What is this?"
"The mythical demon serpent—Yamata no Orochi."
"Yamata no Orochi?!"
"You've modified your body, integrating serpentine traits and using them through ninjutsu. But the serpent genes you use are far too weak. This is the gift I give you."
Before seeing the corpse, Orochimaru would have scoffed at the claim that his serpent genes were "too weak."
After all, the genes he used came from the White Serpent Sage—a millennia-old serpent revered in Ryūchi Cave.
But confronted with the Yamata no Orochi's corpse, he had no choice but to admit that his White Serpent Sage genes were indeed insignificant by comparison.
The hierarchy of serpents was absolute. When Orochimaru saw the White Serpent Sage in Ryūchi Cave, he felt a natural, instinctual pressure from its bloodline. But what he felt now—standing before the corpse of the Yamata no Orochi—was far more violent and overwhelming.
A legendary creature now lay before him, stirring the curiosity of the scientist within him.
Examining the wounds carved into the enormous body, Orochimaru asked, "Who could possibly slay a mythical being like this?"
"Ubuyashiki Yōsuke."
"The samurai?!"
"Yes. He, too, is someone chosen by the world—and my sworn enemy. He is almost certainly searching for you as well. We have no need to confront him directly yet."
Remembering the form Yōsuke took in battle, Orochimaru asked, "What was that state of his? His aura was more ominous than even a tailed beast."
"Ubuyashiki Yōsuke is the Primordial Demon King."
"Demon King? Are there truly such things as demons in this world?"
The Priest Master did not reveal that he and Yōsuke were from another world.
"Yes. He is a demon I created personally—immortal, immune to sunlight, possessing virtually no weaknesses."
"You created him?"
Orochimaru's curiosity about the Priest Master grew even deeper. He hadn't expected such a powerful existence like Ubuyashiki Yōsuke to be something that was created.
"There are no materials left to create demons. In this world, only Ubuyashiki Yōsuke remains."
Orochimaru said nothing, but his mind was already spinning.
No materials? But there is a perfect specimen right there. As long as I obtain even a single tissue sample from Ubuyashiki Yōsuke… I can study it!
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