"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
Several venomous snakes shot out from Orochimaru's sleeves, their scales glistening in the moonlight, carrying a foul, fishy stench as they lunged toward the Shadow Guard on the eaves.
This was one of Orochimaru's most frequently used techniques, swift and malicious.
However, the Shadow Guard didn't dodge.
Just as the snakes were about to strike, another Shadow Guard appeared out of thin air, and the two of them formed hand seals simultaneously.
Their movements were perfectly synchronized.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
Boom!
A thick earthen wall rose from the ground, blocking the path of the snakes precisely.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The snakes slammed into it one after another, their heads splitting apart, but the wall remained uncracked.
"Wind Release: Wind Cutter Jutsu!"
A third Shadow Guard followed closely, waving his hands as several sharp wind blades shot through the air, slicing the stunned snakes into bloody pieces.
The entire sequence flowed seamlessly, their coordination flawless.
Orochimaru's expression darkened.
The level of coordination between these guards meant they had undergone incredibly rigorous training.
Failing with his first strike, he didn't hesitate. His body twisted unnaturally as he slid along the ground toward the shadows on the western side.
"Soft Physique Modification!"
Once he entered the shadows, he had countless ways to escape.
"Don't even think about it!"
Two dark figures suddenly emerged from the shadows ahead, their short blades flashing in intersecting arcs, cutting off all his escape routes.
Their movements were cold and precise, without wasted motion, each strike aimed at his vital points.
Forced to halt, Orochimaru tapped the ground with his toes, launching himself upward to break through from above.
However, just as he leaped, his feet were suddenly bound tight.
At some point, several massive hands made of mud had burst from the earth, gripping his ankles firmly.
Even underground, there were ambushes.
A trap from all directions.
Orochimaru's expression finally changed completely.
From the moment he had acted until now, only a few seconds had passed, yet his three attempts to break through in different directions had all been intercepted.
These guards were like precise killing machines, predicting his every move before he made it.
Cornered, a flicker of madness crossed Orochimaru's eyes.
If he couldn't escape, then he would destroy everything.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Biting his thumb, he rapidly formed hand seals, preparing to summon his contracted beast.
Manda.
That colossal serpent was enough to flatten the entire Daimyo's manor.
He refused to believe these guards could stay calm in front of such a creature.
Just as his blood-stained hand was about to hit the ground, Arashi, who had been standing and observing from a distance, finally frowned slightly.
"This won't do," he said softly.
The next instant, he moved.
No one saw his motion clearly.
Only an afterimage flashed past.
Orochimaru's body suddenly froze.
A hand had stopped him.
That hand didn't use much strength, yet it instantly disrupted all his Chakra flow.
The Summoning Jutsu he was about to complete came to an abrupt halt.
His contract with Ryūchi Cave was forcibly severed by an incomprehensible, overwhelming force.
Orochimaru stiffly turned his head.
At some unknown moment, Arashi was already beside him, still wearing that calm smile.
"When you're a guest, behave yourself," Arashi said as he withdrew his hand, his tone casual, like scolding an unruly child. "If you damage my courtyard, it's troublesome to clean up."
Orochimaru staggered backward, his face filled with disbelief.
It was as if Arashi were a monster.
How was this possible?
How did he do that?
In a daze, Orochimaru felt a cold kunai press against his throat, pulling him back to reality.
He had lost.
Looking at Orochimaru, Arashi smiled faintly.
"Don't struggle. You can't escape."
"You…" Orochimaru began to speak.
But Arashi didn't give him the chance.
"Let me guess why you're here."
"I killed Danzō and disbanded Root."
"So, your funding source was cut off."
"Your research on the First Hokage's cells, without Root's protection, you can't continue that either, right?"
"And your immortality experiments, also stuck?"
With every sentence Arashi spoke, Orochimaru's pupils shrank further.
By the end, his eyes were filled with sheer shock.
How could this man know secrets that only he and Danzō knew?
"So, you set your sights on me." Arashi spread his hands, a mocking smile on his face. "You wanted to turn me into your puppet, to satisfy all your desires?"
"Tsk, tsk."
"Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin, reduced to such despicable methods, how pitiful."
For the first time, his sinister face showed unease. "What, what do you want?"
"Simple." Arashi snapped his fingers. "I want you to work for me."
Orochimaru froze, then sneered, his voice hoarse and mocking. "Work for you? What makes you think I'd submit?"
"Because I have what you need." Arashi's smile didn't fade.
"You want money. I can give it to you, enough to last ten lifetimes."
"You want experimental materials, including the First Hokage's cells. I can provide as many as you need."
"Even the immortality you seek, I can show you a path toward it."
Arashi's gaze bore into him, deep and unwavering, filled with confidence that saw through everything.
"As long as you obey."
Orochimaru fell silent.
Money.
Experimental materials.
First Hokage's cells.
Immortality.
Every word struck precisely at his greatest desires.
He couldn't refuse.
And at this point, he didn't have the right to.
After a long silence, his throat moved, and he spoke hoarsely, "What do you want me to do?"
"Two things." Arashi raised two fingers.
"First, develop a plague vaccine."
"Vaccine?" Orochimaru blinked, momentarily stunned.
Arashi continued as if he hadn't heard him. "The southern plains were hit by floods, submerging seven towns and displacing over a hundred thousand people.
"The floodwaters have receded, but plagues always follow disasters. Signs of infection have already appeared among the survivors.
"By normal medical means, isolation, diagnosis, and antidote development take too long.
"By the time the plague is contained, at least thirty percent of the victims will have died."
Arashi's voice was calm, but his gaze was cold and calculating.
"I don't have that much time to wait. Nor that many lives to waste."
His eyes locked on Orochimaru, as though he were evaluating a rare specimen.
"And you, Orochimaru, are a genius in this field. I want you to solve it in the shortest time possible."
Orochimaru understood.
He was to use his scientific expertise to stop an epidemic.
For him, that wasn't difficult.
He just hadn't expected the forbidden arts he spent his life studying would one day be used to save lives.
It felt absurd.
"Fine," Orochimaru nodded. For him, it was a trivial matter.
But what about the second?
"And the second?"
Arashi's smile widened. "The current crop yields are too low. I need you to use your techniques to double all agricultural output across the Land of Fire."
"..."
Orochimaru froze completely.
His golden eyes widened in disbelief.
Had he heard that right?
Crops? Yields?
He hadn't misheard, had he?
This man had gone to such lengths, overpowering him, offering irresistible temptations, all for this?
Not to assassinate foreign dignitaries.
Not to destroy ninja villages.
Not to develop weapons of war.
But to have him farm?
(To be continued.)