Chapter Forty-Two: Transaction (II)
"Ryūchi Cave? What kind of place is that?"
Hearing Orochimaru's words, Ryūya understood immediately, but on the surface he appropriately showed a look of confusion and continued asking.
"Ryūchi Cave is a sacred land of inheritance in the ninja world, on par with Mount Myōboku and the Shikkotsu Forest. Many powerful snake-type summoning beasts live there, making it an ideal place for your ninja beast to grow."
Seeing this, Orochimaru was neither surprised nor suspicious and patiently explained.
After all, who could have imagined that Ryūya was a transmigrator from another world who was also deeply familiar with the plot of the Naruto world?
In Orochimaru's understanding, Ryūya was merely an ordinary member of the Akimichi clan. It was perfectly normal for him not to know about the three great sacred lands of the ninja world.
"On par with Mount Myōboku? You mean that legendary place where sages who can use Senjutsu live?"
Ryūya looked shocked, then his expression turned to wild joy.
In Konoha, as the fame of the Three Legendary Sannin continued to spread, the fact that Jiraiya had learned Senjutsu at Mount Myōboku was no longer a secret.
"That's right—Mount Myōboku. Ryūchi Cave also has sages living there, known as the White Snake Sage."
Orochimaru nodded.
"Then… if the green snake goes there, will it be able to learn Senjutsu as well?"
Ryūya's tone was filled with barely concealed anticipation.
"Although your ninja snake already possesses the ability to absorb natural energy, all I can do is send it to Ryūchi Cave. Whether it can master Senjutsu or not will depend entirely on its own fate."
Orochimaru shook his head lightly.
"So it can't necessarily learn Senjutsu?"
Ryūya lowered his head, his voice growing somewhat subdued.
"Then, Orochimaru-sama… can you use Senjutsu?"
He then raised his head again, looking at Orochimaru with hopeful eyes.
"I do not practice Senjutsu, but I do know the methods to cultivate it. Do you want them?"
A confident smile appeared on Orochimaru's face.
"Senjutsu is so powerful—if you know how to cultivate it, why don't you practice it yourself?"
Ryūya curled his lips, his expression clearly skeptical.
The confident smile on Orochimaru's face immediately stiffened.
Ryūya's words had struck a sore spot.
Back then, among the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen's three students, Tsunade was the Princess of Konoha, born with a halo of glory. Orochimaru was a true genius who could learn any ninjutsu with ease. Jiraiya, on the other hand, was a complete failure—the dead last who amounted to nothing.
Yet it was precisely this dead last, Jiraiya, who by chance reached Mount Myōboku and learned Senjutsu, instantly leaping to become the strongest among the three.
Naturally, Orochimaru had coveted such a powerful ability as Senjutsu.
However, even though Jiraiya could master it, Orochimaru stopped after only borrowing external means to sense natural energy and never continued his training.
That was because cultivating Senjutsu carried great risks—especially in the initial stages.
So-called Senjutsu refers to ninjutsu performed using senjutsu chakra. Senjutsu chakra is created by mixing one's own refined chakra with natural energy.
But natural energy is not something easily controlled. A single mistake could cause the user's body to mutate, or even turn into stone, never to revert.
This was a risk Orochimaru was unwilling to bear.
Thus, without guidance like that provided by the two Toad Sages of Mount Myōboku, Orochimaru naturally gave up on cultivating Senjutsu.
Later, when he discovered Ryūchi Cave, even after passing the White Snake Sage's three trials, Orochimaru still chose to give up—for the very same reason.
However, abandoning the cultivation of Senjutsu did not mean abandoning its power. Orochimaru had continued to research Senjutsu in secret, and the Cursed Seal was one type of Senjutsu-derived variation he had developed.
"The reason I do not cultivate Senjutsu is not because I cannot, Ryūya-kun, but because I am unwilling to risk my life to do so.
Senjutsu is indeed powerful, but it also carries enormous danger. Not just anyone can cultivate it. Are you sure you want it?"
A cold light flickered in Orochimaru's eyes as he spoke word by word.
"I want it."
Seeing this, Ryūya's heart tightened. He dared not provoke this man further and obediently nodded.
The difficulty of cultivating Senjutsu was something Ryūya naturally understood. But without research and experimentation, how could he be willing to miss out on such a powerful force?
"Heh heh, here."
As if he had already anticipated Ryūya's response, Orochimaru let out a sinister laugh, took out a scroll, and tossed it to him.
Ryūya quickly caught it and immediately opened it to examine the contents.
He had to confirm its authenticity first.
"Orochimaru-sama, this is what you wanted."
Soon after, Ryūya finished reading, closed the scroll, and likewise took out another scroll, handing it to Orochimaru.
He had already reviewed the contents of the scroll he received—it was a genuine method for cultivating Senjutsu. It even recorded powerful techniques such as Sage Mode, Inorganic Reincarnation, and the White Rage Technique.
Aside from the Cursed Seal, Orochimaru had given Ryūya everything he knew about Senjutsu.
His straightforwardness was partly to show sincerity, and partly because Orochimaru did not believe Ryūya would be able to master Senjutsu simply by having the methods.
Seeing how decisive Orochimaru was, Ryūya did not hesitate either.
The scroll he handed over contained the incomplete version of the Sealing of Glutony Technique.
Of course, to prevent Orochimaru from mass-producing powerful ninja beasts and thereby affecting the entire development of the ninja world, the core formula recorded in the scroll was intentionally incomplete.
Ryūya was confident that after obtaining this scroll, Orochimaru would not come back to trouble him. The techniques recorded within could still achieve part of the Sealing of Disease Technique's effects, but with far lower efficiency and extreme instability.
Ryūya also could not guarantee whether Orochimaru would be able to deduce the complete Sealing of Disease Technique from it, or develop some other monstrous new technique.
That was beyond Ryūya's control.
However, if Orochimaru hoped to replicate a second green snake using this alone, it would be virtually impossible.
The green snake's growth path itself had been an accident—something Ryūya could not replicate. Just the fact that it could absorb and utilize natural energy was something most ninja beasts were incapable of.
Faced with such a special case, it was only natural that Orochimaru's research would yield no concrete results.
Presumably, Orochimaru would not make things difficult for him over this.
"Ryūya-kun, you truly didn't disappoint me."
After accepting the scroll, Orochimaru gave Ryūya a satisfied smile and tucked it into his robe.
As for the authenticity of the scroll's contents, Orochimaru had no concerns whatsoever about Ryūya tampering with it.
"Orochimaru-sama, you flatter me."
Having obtained the Senjutsu cultivation scroll, Ryūya was also in a very good mood.
After that, once the transaction was complete, the two confirmed once more the timing for sending the green snake to Ryūchi Cave, then parted ways.
Ryūya did not want excessive private contact with Orochimaru, while Orochimaru was eager to return to his secret base to study the technique Ryūya had given him.
This time, their transaction was one of mutual benefit, and both sides were very satisfied.
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