Two days later.
The Land of Rain.
The sky was oppressive and leaden, with clouds hanging so low they felt like a physical weight. Beams of light piercing through the heavens constricted as massive shadows swept across the land, bringing a damp, suffocating atmosphere to the desolate wilderness.
Skree—!
A falcon circled high above, drawn by the pungent stench of rotting flesh.
"It's going to rain again..."
Atop a steep cliff, a man stood on the jagged edge. He had long black hair, golden slit pupils like a snake, and wore a pitch-black kimono. He gazed down silently at the plain below, where the sound of suppressed breathing filled the air. His expression shifted—it was hard to tell if it was pity or sheer boredom.
Then, he closed his eyes.
In the next instant, the silence was shattered by world-shaking battle cries. The sounds of human voices, clashing kunai, and the roar of Ninjutsu erupted all at once.
Wind Style howled across the field; hidden weapons rained down like a localized storm; fire snakes lunged with gnashing fangs, and the very earth groaned as it surged upward.
Fine droplets of rain began to patter down, mingling with the streams of blood blooming across the soil. Roars, agonized shrieks, and mournful wails... all the various sounds composed a waltz of death.
It was because he had seen too many of these tragic echoes, too many of these scenes, and too much of this war—having witnessed the deaths of kin, dear friends, and disciples—that Orochimaru found it all so absurd.
To shoulder a meaningless title and wager a life not worth mentioning, only to finally step onto a stage like this.
And yet... all there was to appreciate was desolation.
Too weak, too helpless. Like a falling star streaking across the sky, leaving only silence in its wake.
For a long time, not a single human voice rose from beneath the cliff. Orochimaru abruptly opened his eyes, his golden snake pupils staring coldly at the mountain of motionless corpses. The gray war and the falling rain blended perfectly, creating a scene of absolute silence, terror, and gore.
But his gaze held only a profound sense of loathing.
Life should not be like this. To find things interesting when they move, and boring when they stop...
That was the "Coldblooded" Orochimaru.
Suddenly, a light breeze brushed past Orochimaru's back. Two sets of footsteps followed.
Hearing the sound, Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, and he couldn't help but lick the corner of his mouth as it curled into a smirk.
"Heh... something interesting has arrived."
Soon, two figures stood behind him. One tall, one short. It was Ryoma Aburame and Ren Uchiha, who had trekked for two days from the Land of Hot Water.
Ryoma stepped forward to stand alongside Orochimaru. Looking down at the brutal scars of battle beneath the cliff, he frowned slightly.
"Which wave of the Sand's assault was this?"
Orochimaru didn't turn around. His voice was raspy. "The third. Merely a probing attack."
"Rasa has just taken power. Over here, Ebizo is in command. He never fights a battle he isn't certain to win."
Orochimaru was concise, and Ryoma understood instantly. Ebizo, the strategist elder of the Sand and brother to Chiyo, was a master whose deep-seated schemes often threw enemies into chaos. With those two "old foxes" at the front, the Leaf was finding it difficult to make any real headway.
The two men stood in silence for a moment before Ryoma spoke in a muffled tone.
"I've brought your disciple."
"Your eye for talent is good. Though he lacks manners, he's a warm-hearted kid." Ryoma paused, his voice turning somber. "This time... don't let him die like Nawaki."
Orochimaru was stunned for a moment. His usually wooden, silent colleague was actually praising an Uchiha?
He turned his head in surprise, only to see empty air. Ryoma had flickered away the moment the words left his mouth.
A breeze carrying the scent of blood swept over the cliff, leaving only Orochimaru and Ren Uchiha.
Ren knew very well that their "master-disciple" relationship was nothing like what Ryoma imagined.
Ren believed Orochimaru had set his sights on his body and wanted to slice him up for research. On the other hand, the fact that Orochimaru had taken him as a student only to throw him into the most dangerous battlefields perfectly aligned with Ren's own desire for a "meaningful death."
In a way, they shared a strange tacit understanding across different dimensions.
But now that he was actually facing Orochimaru, Ren realized he couldn't see through the man at all. The man just stared silently at the carnage below. He didn't seem as eager to kill Ren as Ren had expected.
After a long time, Orochimaru spoke without looking back.
"Ren Uchiha..."
"What do you think a 'Ninja' is?"
Ren stared at Orochimaru's back, his brow furrowed. "Orochimaru, just say what you want to say."
"As one of the Sannin, 'appreciating talent' doesn't explain your motive for taking an Uchiha as a disciple."
Orochimaru shook his head, his voice like dry parchment. "I can sense it. Your gaze is very dangerous."
"It's the look of someone constantly prepared for battle. You're cautious. Do you think... I intend to harm you?"
He suddenly whirled around, his golden snake pupils staring at Ren with intense curiosity. Then, he exposed Ren's heart.
"Just as I thought. You're afraid."
Ren frowned. He wondered if his "cheap master" had a screw loose.
He was begging for death and couldn't find it; why would he be afraid of a snake that hadn't even evolved into its "cheating" phase yet?
He immediately drew the Kusanagi sword and pointed it at Orochimaru, his voice cold.
"Orochimaru, what nonsense are you spouting? Why would I be afraid of you?"
"Do you think I don't dare to strike you?!"
Orochimaru chuckled, his eyes squinting as if he were looking at a fascinating toy.
"You're afraid I'll catch you, take you away, and dissect you for the secrets you're hiding?"
He sneered and shook his head. "Rest easy. The Forbidden Jutsu: Body Revival... I have already mastered it."
"Your immortality, the artificial Tailed Beast in your gut, the secret techniques of Earth Grudge Fear, and that heart burning with flame..."
"I can find the answers to all of them within various techniques."
Ren was shocked, staring at Orochimaru in disbelief.
"What? You don't believe me?" Orochimaru smiled coldly and stepped forward.
He raised a hand and grabbed the blade of the Kusanagi sword Ren was holding. He pulled it across his palm, instantly carving a deep, bloody gash.
In the next moment, white steam began to evaporate from the wound. Within seconds, it had completely healed.
Ren's eyes widened. It was as if he were seeing a miracle performed on a street corner.
Orochimaru laughed raspy. "It seems you have no memory of what happened in the cavern, and the Uchiha didn't tell you either."
"In that cavern, I had already dissected you."
"I have already obtained exactly what I wanted!"
Hearing this, and seeing that the technique Orochimaru used was indeed the Forbidden Jutsu: Body Revival, Ren swallowed hard, his throat feeling incredibly dry.
He suddenly remembered: with the Uchiha clan's "illiterate" level of Medical Ninjutsu, how could they tell if Orochimaru was killing someone or saving them? And how could Orochimaru pass up such a perfect opportunity to conduct a thorough research?
Facing this version of Orochimaru, Ren instinctively took a step back, his Sharingan spinning to life as he looked at the man with horror.
If Orochimaru had already gotten the Forbidden Jutsu from him... then why take him as a disciple?
Going a step further, the fact that a Kusanagi sword had been pulled from the Uchiha clan's scrolls felt wrong. If Orochimaru only wanted his corpse, why give him the sword? This whole affair felt bizarre from the very beginning!
"Heh heh heh..."
Seeing the expression on Ren's face, Orochimaru couldn't help but let out a raspy laugh. His eyes were filled with a twisted sense of amusement.
He stepped even closer.
Puchi!
He allowed the Kusanagi sword to pierce through his black kimono, slicing into his abdomen until the tip protruded from his back.
Blood flowed like a fountain, the scent of iron filling the air, yet Orochimaru seemed to feel no pain. He leaned in close against the blade, towering over Ren's face. Licking his lips with an eerie excitement, he whispered:
"So, let me ask you once more—"
"My disciple..."
"What do you think a 'Ninja' is?"