NOVEL WEB Chapter 65: Chapter 075
Orochimaru had to offer a sacrifice in order to summon it.
And it had worked with Orochimaru many times in the past, eating well each time. But this time…
This time… this…
"100,000 Explosive Tags—try handling this!"
"...YOU—!"
Manda roared, hurriedly opening its mouth and spitting out a thick, white mucus-like substance to try and dampen the force of the exploding tags below.
No one knew how long passed—maybe ten minutes, maybe an hour.
When the smoke finally cleared, Manda was lying on the ground, panting heavily.
The air was filled with a savory aroma—as if grilled snake was being served.
But Manda was still alive. Charred and filthy, yes, but alive. After all, it was the personal summon of one of the Legendary Sannin—Orochimaru. It couldn't possibly be that weak.
Of course, it came at a price—five layers of its flesh had been cooked through.
It had also shed its skin five times.
Probably used up all the skins it could've shed for the rest of its life.
"I'll never agree to being summoned by you again!"
Manda cursed Orochimaru.
"I'll give you 300 sacrifices next time," Orochimaru said calmly.
"Oh. Well, that's acceptable then." Poof—Manda vanished.
It had sensed people approaching once the tags had finished exploding. It had no intention of sticking around to take the fall for Orochimaru.
And indeed, people were arriving—Hiruzen Sarutobi's group, along with Danzo.
"You're not dead, Danzo?"
Orochimaru looked genuinely surprised.
Danzo silently unwrapped the bandages on his right arm. Beneath them were eleven Sharingan embedded along the limb. The lowest one was now blind.
"This is the power of the Sharingan's sacrificial technique—Izanagi," Danzo explained.
"It allows a Sharingan to record the user's uninjured state, and rewrite reality to negate death or injury."
"..." Orochimaru.
"So... Sharingan can be used like that too?"
"..."
For a moment, Orochimaru regretted it.
Maybe he really shouldn't have grafted that arm full of Sharingan onto Danzo.
If he'd kept it for himself, he wouldn't have had to 'die' three times today.
"Orochimaru!"
Hiruzen, who had arrived with the others, now stepped forward with an accusatory tone.
"I once spared you out of admiration for your talents, hoping you'd repent and return to Konoha."
"But…"
"I was wrong."
"You've still been colluding with Danzo behind the scenes," Hiruzen said.
"..." Orochimaru.
"Do you hear yourself?" Orochimaru retorted. "You even summoned the Monkey King."
The Monkey King was the Sarutobi clan's exclusive summon. As the clan head and Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi's personal summon was the boss of the monkey summons.
The Monkey King was massive, hailed as the strongest summon creature.
Not only did it have physical prowess and the ability to use ninjutsu, it could also transform into the legendary Adamantine Staff.
During the Nine Tails' attack on the village, it had transformed into the staff and helped push the Nine Tails out of the village under Hiruzen's command.
So Orochimaru had always respected it as the strongest summon.
And summoning it now could only mean one thing—Hiruzen was fully prepared for battle.
"So spare me the lecture, Sarutobi."
"I haven't even done anything that dangerous," Orochimaru said, lightly twirling a lock of hair.
"..." Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"You really have practiced the Living Corpse Reincarnation Technique…"
"You… you've crossed a forbidden line."
"I can't allow you to continue existing."
"Do you have any idea how much harm you've caused the village?"
"Even if it costs me my life, I must stop you," Hiruzen declared.
"..." Orochimaru.
"Is there even a point to this self-righteous talk?"
"I once thought dying at your hands would be a fitting repayment for what you taught me."
"You were the one who let me go," Orochimaru said—but it was an embellishment of the truth.
Back then, he had already begun researching Cursed Seals. Now, just like those marked with the Cursed Seal of Heaven, he couldn't die. He could always reappear through his markings.
"Sarutobi, enough talk—let's just fight."
"I told you not to be soft-hearted. You can't raise Orochimaru like a loyal dog," the Monkey King muttered.
"Shut up!" Hiruzen snapped.
"..." The Monkey King fell silent.
"Ugh…" Orochimaru let out a soft sigh.
"I've been hunted down by you people all day. My mood is terrible."
"Then Danzo, my so-called partner, also betrayed me."
He sounded almost weary. "And I still have more important things to do."
"I don't want to waste any more time on you."
"But…"
"I did come back hoping to have a nice, heated talk with you, Sarutobi-sensei."
"And since you welcomed me so 'warmly'..."
"Well, I suppose that works too."
Orochimaru looked toward Hiruzen.
There were 151 people gathered here in total.
Leading them was Hiruzen Sarutobi, with Danzo, Koharu, and Homura at his side. Then there were the members of Root under Danzo and the elite ANBU loyal to the Third Hokage.
It was quite a lineup.
Everyone present was at least a Chunin.
But Orochimaru had already taken down several Jonin.
So the only real threats were those four elders.
And Danzo—with so many Sharingan in his possession… he was indeed dangerous.
However—
"Sensei…"
"Or should I say, Sarutobi."
"You sure had fun with those Explosive Tags."
"But did you know?"
"Before the Explosive Tag was developed during the Second Great Ninja War, there was someone who played with them very creatively."
"?" Hiruzen seemed puzzled.
"Forgotten his name already?"
"Looks like you weren't much of a student after all."
"Or maybe none of Konoha's students are worth much," Orochimaru said.
It wasn't even a lie.
Back when Orochimaru visited the Akatsuki, he learned that Pain—their leader—was once one of Jiraiya's students.
Pain had become an organization leader powerful enough to rival Kage… and yet never once reached out to Jiraiya.
So perhaps, one day, even Pain would follow Konoha's tradition—disciples turning on their teachers.
After all, those kids had once been war orphans from Amegakure. There was no doubt they'd eventually seek revenge on Konoha.
"Let me show you."
"You're old now. You'll never understand."
"How important immortality really is."
"I originally planned to make Sasuke my next vessel."
"But I've changed my mind."
"I've decided on Kitahara Kaede!" Orochimaru declared.
"How dare you!" Hiruzen snapped. He already knew Kitahara Kaede possessed the Rinnegan.
And he knew Danzo had been eyeing him as well.
Was this going to be like Yamato?
No—that was different. Yamato might have Wood Release, but he wasn't a big deal.
But Kitahara Kaede… with the Rinnegan…
He was a master of ninjutsu and had read countless ancient texts and scrolls. He knew exactly what the Rinnegan represented.
In the past, Jiraiya had said he received a prophecy from the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku—to find the Child of Prophecy.
And now, with the Rinnegan reappearing in the world… wasn't that a perfect match for the prophecy?
Hiruzen wanted to seize this chance.
According to his teacher—the Second Hokage—they had to find the next generation, cultivate them, and pass the future into their hands.
Konoha needed a worthy successor.
He would never admit it… but he knew he had done a poor job.
He had failed in many ways. Held back again and again.
Of course he knew.
But now…
"Orochimaru…"
"This time, I will not let you go," Hiruzen said.
"Indeed," Orochimaru replied. "I don't feel like wasting breath on you either."
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