Naruto: Zanka No Tachi

Chapter 75: NZNT: Chapter 75

Hearing the voice, Hiruzen immediately recognized the speaker’s identity. After all, the voice was too distinctive. He had been very familiar with its owner.

”Orochimaru!”

The white-haired man, called Hiruzen by Orochimaru, exclaimed in surprise. However, his expression quickly returned to normal.

With a slow, steady pace, a tall, slender figure walked in.

Orochimaru wasn’t wearing the Akatsuki’s signature cloak. Instead, he was wearing a loose-fitting, light-colored kimono.

Because of Yusuke and Sasori’s mockery, Orochimaru had also stopped wearing the shimenawa over his kimono.

Orochimaru had long wanted to go to Mount Shumisen to find Hiruzen, but Sasori had been following him, making it impossible for him to escape.

Now that Sasori was involved in the mission to ambush Yusuke, it gave Orochimaru the opportunity to act alone.

In Orochimaru’s eyes, Akatsuki was just a temporary haven. He didn’t want the Akatsuki members to know about Hiruzen’s existence.

After all, a scientific talent like Hiruzen could be incredibly useful if used properly. He didn’t want Akatsuki to become too powerful.

”Orochimaru, how did you find me? Also, this place is guarded by my men. How did you get in?” Hiruzen asked with a gloomy expression.

Hiruzen also harbored resentment towards Orochimaru.

When Hiruzen was still in Konoha, Orochimaru was considered the most outstanding ninja among his peers. His exceptional talent formed a stark contrast with Hiruzen’s, causing Hiruzen to feel a constant sense of dissatisfaction.

Orochimaru looked around at Hiruzen’s experimental equipment in the cave and said calmly, ”You wouldn’t think that your three mediocre subordinates could stop me, would you?”

”As for how I found you, it’s because you’ve never been out of my sight!”

At this point, Orochimaru paused and his snake eyes fixed on Hiruzen.

”Although you’re weak, I’ve noticed your ambition for a long time. I agree with some of your ideas.”

”But our thoughts are simply beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. This, of course, includes that stubborn old fool, the Third Hokage!”

Both Orochimaru and Hiruzen were scientific-minded ninjas. However, Orochimaru’s natural talent was exceptional. He quickly rose to prominence in Konoha and even the entire ninja world.

Hiruzen was also very intelligent, but unfortunately, he wasn’t naturally gifted. Although he diligently trained himself, he only reached the level of an ordinary jōnin.

Compared to the Sannin, his peers, he still had a significant gap. This made Hiruzen, who was arrogant and ambitious, unable to bear it.

Unfortunately, the ninja world was based on talent. Ninjas without talent had very limited room for growth.

Therefore, Hiruzen, unwilling to be ordinary, embarked on the path of developing forbidden techniques and conducting human experiments.

But people are different. Danzō could conduct human experiments, and Orochimaru could do it as long as he didn’t go too far. But you, a mere Hiruzen, also trying to imitate others and conduct human experiments, was naturally unacceptable to some people.

So, not long after Hiruzen started his human experiments, Konoha’s high-ranking officials discovered him and raided his laboratory. He narrowly escaped from Konoha with his life.

Hiruzen’s experience filled him with resentment towards Konoha, especially the Third Hokage.

Hearing Orochimaru mention the Third Hokage, Hiruzen also showed a look of indignation. Then, the two renegades, who had both fled Konoha for developing forbidden techniques, spent some time trash-talking the Third Hokage.

About fifteen minutes later...

”Let’s get back to the point. You didn’t come here just to reminisce, did you, Orochimaru?” Hiruzen’s tone was no longer as harsh as it had been at the beginning.

Apparently, after trash-talking the Third Hokage together, the relationship between the two men, who hadn’t seen each other in years, had eased slightly.

”I’m here for the forbidden technique you’ve been researching, the one that fuses kekkei genkai. You call it ’Demonic Statue of the Realm of Living Beings,’ right?” Orochimaru said slowly.

Hiruzen sneered, ”You’re not joking, are you? I’ve poured so much effort into this technique. You want me to just give it to you?”

Orochimaru smiled, ”Don’t worry. I don’t need your complete technique. Just the basic version.”

Hearing Orochimaru’s words, Hiruzen became even more wary of him. It was clear that Orochimaru had been secretly watching him, and he knew everything about the development of his Demonic Statue of the Realm of Living Beings technique.

The basic version of the Demonic Statue of the Realm of Living Beings technique allowed a person to fuse with a summoned beast or a kekkei genkai. For example, this was the version of the Demonic Statue of the Realm of Living Beings technique that Hiruzen had used on several of his subordinates.

Hiruzen was currently developing the advanced version of the Demonic Statue of the Realm of Living Beings technique. This version would allow the user to fuse with the five chakra nature kekkei genkai: Water, Fire, Earth, Lightning, and Wind. This was Hiruzen’s ultimate dream!

It must be said that Hiruzen was a rare scientific genius in the ninja world. If he hadn’t been limited in his vision and hadn’t understood that the fusion of the seven chakra natures could create ”Kekkei Mōra,” he would have considered the ultimate version of the Demonic Statue of the Realm of Living Beings technique!

”Even for the basic version, you must pay an equal price!” Hiruzen said.

If it had been anyone else, Hiruzen wouldn’t have even considered trading the Demonic Statue of the Realm of Living Beings technique.

But he knew that he wasn’t Orochimaru’s match right now. If he refused outright, Orochimaru might become hostile, and he might not live to see his technique perfected.

Orochimaru thought for a moment and smiled, ”Your Demonic Statue of the Realm of Living Beings technique requires a lot of kekkei genkai ninjas for experimentation, doesn’t it?”

”In exchange, when you have a target that’s difficult to capture, I’ll lend a hand. I’ll capture that target alive and give it to you.”

Hiruzen considered it for a moment and finally reluctantly agreed. After all, the situation was stronger than him. It was better than angering Orochimaru and getting himself killed.

”One day, I will wash away the shame of today!” Hiruzen vowed to himself.

He took a scroll from the bookshelf in the laboratory and threw it to Orochimaru. At the same time, he asked, ”What use do you have for this technique that can only fuse one kekkei genkai? With your strength, this technique doesn’t seem to be of much help to you.”

Orochimaru licked his lips, ”It’s just an interesting idea!”

It turned out that after Orochimaru saw the power of Yusuke’s Fire Release, he suddenly had an epiphany.

Many kekkei genkai abilities seemed ordinary, but in fact, if they were developed deeply enough, they could unleash incredibly powerful strength.

For example, Yusuke, who had been playing with fire, had a Fire Release that was clearly far more powerful than any other Fire Release ninja.

In Orochimaru’s view, who didn’t know about Ryūjin Jakka, this was because Yusuke had developed his Fire Release to a higher level.

And Orochimaru, who had acquired the Ice Release kekkei genkai after using ”Reanimation,” felt that Ice Release jutsu had immense potential, but the premise was that it had to be developed to a sufficient degree.

At this time, Orochimaru thought of Hiruzen’s ”Demonic Statue of the Realm of Living Beings” technique.

In Orochimaru’s imagination, he only needed to make some modifications and enhancements to Hiruzen’s basic ”Demonic Statue of the Realm of Living Beings” technique, allowing him to continuously fuse with similar Ice Release kekkei genkai, and he could continuously strengthen his Ice Release abilities!

It can be said that Orochimaru’s idea and Hiruzen’s were on two different paths. If Hiruzen chose to be comprehensive, Orochimaru chose to specialize!

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