"Orochimaru-sensei, since you already know it was me who made the move that night, you should also know why I went there, right?"
Orochimaru chuckled softly.
"My research being enough to pique your interest, Rokuro, is truly my honor."
"Orochimaru-sensei is too humble," Rokuro replied, his tone light yet respectful. "That laboratory of yours was conducting research on body modification. To tell you the truth, I've been studying medical ninjutsu for the past six months—just so I could understand your work. Unfortunately, it's far too advanced. With my current knowledge, I can only grasp the surface of it."
Orochimaru already had an idea where this was going, so he simply waited for Rokuro to continue.
"Since Orochimaru-sensei is a bit… short on funds right now, how about we trade? Your knowledge of body modification in exchange for my sealing work. If you can fill in the gaps in my medical understanding, you don't have to pay me a single coin. How does that sound?"
Orochimaru pondered for a moment, pretending to calculate costs—but in truth, he was analyzing Rokuro's motivation for his fascination with human modification.
"Rokuro… may I ask what your real reason is for studying body modification?"
If it were anyone else, Rokuro would never have answered. But with Orochimaru, he saw no reason to hide anything. After all, with a mind like his, even if Rokuro kept silent now, Orochimaru would eventually deduce it later.
Even in the original timeline, Orochimaru had recognized the potential of the Uchiha clan—that's why he'd always coveted Sasuke's body.
Many thought Orochimaru's obsession with Sasuke was just revenge for being humiliated by Itachi.
But that was an insult to his intellect. Orochimaru was a mad scientist who would do anything in pursuit of truth.
Hatred or vengeance never factored into his calculations.
Even his notorious "Konoha Crush" wasn't as simple as it appeared.
If revenge was truly his goal, why ambush the Fourth Kazekage?
A Kage-level ally would have made his revenge far easier.
The truth was, Orochimaru's goal in that operation wasn't to destroy Konoha—it was to eliminate Hiruzen Sarutobi.
In his eyes, the Third Hokage had become an obstacle to the village's progress.
As long as Hiruzen lived, Konoha would remain shackled by outdated ideals and stagnation.
And why would Orochimaru even care about Konoha's development?
Simple—research.
The best biological material in the shinobi world was Hashirama's cells.
But Hiruzen, cautious and conservative as ever, would never allow open experimentation on them.
Once he died, Tsunade would inevitably reform the village, and through that reform, Orochimaru could once again collaborate—openly or not—with Konoha, gaining access to its immense research resources.
And indeed, in later years, Orochimaru managed to create perfect clones and achieve true immortality—possibly even surpassing the limits of Living Corpse Reincarnation.
All of it made possible with Konoha's support.
So, from beginning to end, Orochimaru had only one true goal: scientific progress.
Anyone who stood in his way, even his most respected teacher, would die.
For a man like that, Rokuro saw no reason to play games.
"Orochimaru-sensei, how much do you know about the history of the shinobi world?"
"History?"
"Yes. Specifically, the history of the Uchiha clan."
Orochimaru licked his lips with that serpentine tongue of his.
"The Uchiha clan has been one of the most powerful families since the Warring States era. Only the Senju clan could rival them. According to the records, your ancestor, Uchiha Madara, possessed strength that bordered on godhood by today's standards… Wait—Rokuro, you're not planning to replicate Madara's power, are you?"
Rokuro nodded slightly.
Orochimaru's face broke into a delighted grin, followed by a low, slithering laugh.
"Ambitious! As expected of you, Rokuro. Your vision truly transcends mediocrity. To be honest, I too would love to witness Madara's power firsthand. Very well then—let's cooperate."
He extended his hand. Rokuro took it firmly.
"Now then," Orochimaru continued, "how far has your medical proficiency come?"
"I can treat most non-lethal internal and external injuries. Since I use sealing tools to perform the techniques directly, the effectiveness is far higher than normal medical ninjutsu. But when it comes to fatal damage—like missing organs—I wouldn't even know where to begin."
Orochimaru nodded, his analytical mind already gauging Rokuro's current skill level. After a few more technical questions, he produced several scrolls.
"These contain the knowledge you'll need next. Once you've mastered it, I'll teach you something deeper."
Rokuro accepted them, excitement flickering in his eyes.
"Thank you, Orochimaru-sensei. Don't worry—those medical tools you requested will be ready within three months. And by then, I'll have learned at least seventy percent of what's in these scrolls. We can exchange everything in one go."
Their terms settled, Rokuro was just about to take his leave
when the entire laboratory began to shake violently. The tremor rippled through the underground base and across the entire island.
Orochimaru calmly approached the monitoring screen and, upon seeing the display, let out a cold laugh.
"Troublesome guests again. Looks like this base is compromised. Kabuto—prepare to evacuate."
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama."
Kabuto materialized beside them, bowing slightly before giving Rokuro a sidelong, almost challenging glance.
Rokuro watched him go, feeling a flicker of admiration. In another life, Kabuto would rise from obscurity to become one of the most fascinating antagonists in the shinobi world—a man who defied his fate as a mere pawn.
But admiration didn't mean approval.
"Heh~ looks like Kabuto doesn't quite accept you," Orochimaru drawled. "Rokuro, care to show off a little?"
"Show off?"
Orochimaru pointed toward the screen. Rokuro leaned in—and froze.
There, approaching the island, was a familiar figure.
The legendary Toad Sage himself—Jiraiya.
No wonder Orochimaru had ordered a retreat.
Even without Sage Mode, a battle between those two would be evenly matched at best—and if Jiraiya activated it, Orochimaru might not even escape alive.
"Orochimaru-sensei… you're suggesting I face Jiraiya? With all due respect, I may offend you by saying this, but among the Three Legendary Sannin, I believe Jiraiya is the strongest. I doubt I'm his match right now."
Orochimaru chuckled.
"I didn't expect you to hold Jiraiya in such high regard. But that only means you won't want to miss this opportunity, right?"
That was the beauty of dealing with a genius—they never needed extra words.
Orochimaru had long noticed how Rokuro used powerful opponents as grindstones to sharpen his own edge. The stronger the enemy, the more exhilarated he became.
Without another word, Rokuro formed a seal and transformed into a member of the Root division.
"In that case," he said, "I'll go greet the Toad Sage myself. Orochimaru-sensei—see you in three months."
With a flicker of movement, he vanished.
Outside, as waves crashed against the island cliffs, Tahara Rokuro appeared before Jiraiya, ready to clash with a living legend.
And so began a battle worthy of two shadow-level titans.
END OF CHAPTER
35 CHAPTERS AHEAD!!
Forbidden Java Jutsu - MrBehringer's Secret
👉 patreon.com/MrBehringer