Jiraiya fell backward, completely drunk, while Tsunade was already slumped over the table, snoring softly.
Taking advantage of the moment, Kairen leaned against Tsunade's thigh in the style of his homeland.
Orochimaru slowly stood up. He hadn't drunk much.
After all, as a researcher, Orochimaru would never allow himself to get drunk—he had no interest in experiencing what it felt like when the mind detached from the body's control.
From the sleeve of Orochimaru's robe, a long serpent slithered out. The snake flicked its tongue, coiling sinuously around Kairen, binding him tight.
Orochimaru licked his lips, his eyes full of greed.
The Living Corpse Reincarnation technique was not yet perfected, but the prerequisite Curse Mark had already been developed. He could plant the Heaven Curse Mark on Kairen's body, establishing the conditions for future reincarnation.
Inside Kairen's consciousness cluster, the cannon persona shouted frantically,
"Damn! Orochimaru's got his eyes on the main body!"
A shadow clone tried to calm him down.
"Relax. It's only around Konoha Year 49 right now. His Living Corpse Reincarnation won't be perfected for another three or four years. And even if it was, don't forget we've got System Daddy—the Infinite Resurrection System can block all spiritual attacks."
The cannon persona let out a breath of relief, then said,
"The boss is drunk right now. Who's taking over the body? We gotta deal with Orochimaru."
Sasuke clone stepped forward.
"Dealing with him? That's my specialty!"
His spiritual chakra flowed into Kairen's mind, and in an instant, Sasuke's personality took over the body.
Orochimaru's tongue slithered out, licking the side of Kairen's neck.
Kairen's eyes opened—his pupils cold, filled with contempt and dominance.
"If you don't want to lose yourself, slither back to your hole where you belong."
"What did you say?!" Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, murderous intent flashing as an inexplicable fury rose within him.
What irked him most was Kairen's gaze—those eyes, sharp and high like a hawk's, looking down on prey.
Kairen smirked. His hand glowed with monstrous strength as he tore apart the giant python Orochimaru had summoned.
Then, moving like a swift leopard, his body blurred into afterimages. In the blink of an eye, his hand clamped tightly around Orochimaru's neck.
Kairen's icy eyes met Orochimaru's.
"A serpent is still a serpent. To hunt a hawk is to defy heaven's order. One day, it'll cost you that scaly skin of yours."
"Urgh—"
Orochimaru suddenly opened his mouth wide, vomiting out a human head drenched in mucus.
The Serpent Substitution Technique—Orochimaru's most perfected replacement jutsu. It could even evade Amaterasu and, best of all, required no hand seals.
"Disgusting snake!"
Kairen stepped back.
Orochimaru's body slumped to the ground like a limp serpent. His eerie golden eyes stared at Kairen.
"Brat, you've successfully made me angry."
Kairen snorted coldly, his expression proud and aloof.
"The way you crawl on the ground suits your destiny perfectly—you'll always be gazing up at those stronger than you."
"You little bastard!"
Grinding his teeth in rage, Orochimaru thrust out a hand.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
In an instant, countless serpents shot from his sleeves. Under Kairen's gaze, thousands of black serpents streaked toward him like dark lightning.
Kairen crossed his arms over his chest, curling his middle finger slightly.
The gourd's lid popped open, and streams of liquor gushed out.
With a burst of flames, the alcohol ignited into roaring fire, enveloping the assaulting serpents in molten blaze. The air filled with the acrid stench of roasted snakes.
Watching Kairen's fiery technique, Orochimaru analyzed quickly.
Using high-concentration alcohol to amplify fire—enhancing both intensity and duration. This brat's jutsu was astonishing, again and again.
The ruckus from their battle stirred Jiraiya. His back twitched slightly.
Half-dazed, Jiraiya woke up, stretching lazily.
"What's all the noise? Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?!"
Orochimaru halted his attack, slowly straightening. The killing intent in his eyes faded away.
Kairen snorted softly, also ceasing his movements.
The haze of alcohol lifted slightly from Jiraiya's head. He looked around at the messy courtyard, littered with blackened, charred snake corpses.
"What the hell happened here?"
Orochimaru didn't answer.
Kairen's proud demeanor made him disinclined to explain.
The cannon persona took control again, and Kairen's body now radiated a rowdy, fiery aura.
Grinning cheekily, Cannon-Kairen said to Jiraiya, "We're grilling snakes!"
"Grilling snakes?!"
Jiraiya shot Orochimaru a look. The latter's demeanor was cold and distant. Grilling snakes in the middle of the night? Had he suddenly developed a taste for them?
Shaking his head, still slightly dizzy, Jiraiya wasn't a fool. He instantly noticed the traces of battle scattered around.
He didn't know what had sparked the conflict between Kairen and Orochimaru, but the two exuded the auras that naturally destined to clash.
Yawning, Jiraiya staggered up and draped an arm over Orochimaru's shoulder, laughing heartily.
"Orochimaru, if you want to grill snakes, do it tomorrow. It's late—let's head home."
"Hmph."
Orochimaru snorted coldly and turned, following Jiraiya out of the courtyard.
Cannon-Kairen tried to invite them to stay, but Jiraiya politely declined before leaving.
Once everyone was gone, Cannon-Kairen chuckled, scooped Tsunade into his arms, and carried her inside.
After stripping off his own clothes, he handed control back to the main consciousness.
...
Within the Uchiha Clan compound, at the patriarch's house.
The Uchiha family sat formally around the dining table, eating in silence.
Uchiha Fugaku glanced at his son, Uchiha Itachi, whose lowered face betrayed an unspoken concern.
"Itachi, what's wrong?" Fugaku asked.
The gentle Mikoto turned her gaze to their son as well.
"Itachi, if there's something on your mind, say it."
Itachi nodded. His young voice broke the quiet.
"I saw someone at the dango shop today. He was wearing a gray short-sleeved shirt. His aura felt just like someone from the Uchiha Clan, and his ninjutsu was incredible. He used Water Release—but it came out as liquor!"
"Oh, and he called me by name. He said his name was—Moku Kairen!"
Fugaku set down his chopsticks and looked at his son.
"So, you met him after all."
Mikoto blinked in surprise. "You know him?"
"I found out just today," Fugaku replied calmly. "That giant eagle that swooped into Konoha earlier? That was him transformed."
Itachi's eyes widened. "That giant eagle? What kind of ninjutsu was that?"
Fugaku shook his head.
"I don't know. Probably a modified high-level Transformation Technique."
Then he looked Itachi straight in the eyes.
"Listen, Itachi. That man, Moku Kairen—he's extremely strong, and he possesses a Kekkei Genkai that nullifies physical attacks."
"He crippled three Jōnin from Root. I want you to make him your goal—someday, you must surpass him."
Mikoto smiled softly. "Why be so strict with Itachi? He hasn't even started his ninja path yet."
Fugaku shook his head, resting both hands on his knees, his tone serious.
"He's different. Because that man—he's the last Senju."
Mikoto froze. Itachi looked up, startled.
"The Senju Clan… I thought they'd all disappeared?"
Fugaku's voice was calm.
"They could never vanish completely. They were our Uchiha Clan's bitter rivals for over a thousand years. Itachi, do you have the confidence to catch up to him?"
Itachi raised his head, clenching his small fists.
"I do. If he's the last Senju, then as an Uchiha, I'll never lose to him."
Fugaku smiled in satisfaction.
"By the way, Father," Itachi added, "he felt strangely familiar to me."
"Oh? Now that you mention it, I noticed it too," Fugaku said thoughtfully. "That child feels… very much like one of our own."