That night, the Konoha group stayed overnight in a village under the control of the Akatsuki.
Kiyohara sat cross-legged in the room assigned to him, organizing the gains from the day.
There wasn't much money found on the Ame shinobi, but several encrypted intelligence scrolls had already been handed over to Orochimaru.
The shinobi tools collected were of decent quality and helped replenish what had been consumed during the battle.
More importantly, he had further familiarized himself with the "Power of the White Snake" during combat.
It doesn't feel as exaggerated as it was portrayed in the original story… Is that because Orochimaru is still in the process of perfecting it?
Kiyohara rubbed his chin as he pondered.
Orochimaru's chakra reserves were roughly at the level of 7—fairly large, but not top-tier.
TN: I don't know what this is, maybe from that 'something' book the author keep talking about in earlier chapters.
What truly mattered was his profound understanding of ninjutsu, which allowed him to greatly reduce chakra consumption, coupled with an extremely fast recovery rate. The end result was the illusion of possessing an enormous chakra pool.
And Orochimaru's greatest strength lay in one thing—he was nearly impossible to kill.
With his astonishing regenerative abilities, skin-shedding recovery, and even the capacity to revive remotely through cursed seals placed elsewhere, Orochimaru's "immortality" had reached its peak.
Aside from Orochimaru himself, no one truly knew how many revival contingencies he had prepared.
Every time people thought they had killed him, he was, in fact, still alive.
Anyone who could earn the title of the Sannin had their own unique trump card.
Kiyohara reflected that the "Power of the White Snake" excelled in regeneration and chakra recovery, functioning as a passive ability.
If he were caught in an ambush before he could activate Steel Release, it would at least prevent him from being instantly overwhelmed.
It also indirectly improved the endurance of his Steel Release.
As Kiyohara was deep in thought, footsteps sounded outside the door, followed by a knock.
"Kiyohara-kun, it's me."
Orochimaru's voice.
Kiyohara stood up and opened the door. Orochimaru stood alone in the dim corridor, his golden slit pupils faintly gleaming in the darkness.
"Orochimaru-sama."
"Come take a walk. There are some things I want to ask you."
The two strolled casually through the village. The villagers along the way looked at Kiyohara and Orochimaru with evident fear.
"Do you know why I took the initiative to help the Akatsuki today?" Orochimaru suddenly asked.
Kiyohara thought for a moment and replied,
"Amegakure is currently ruled by Hanzō the Salamander. Internally, he suppresses all opposing voices; externally, he maintains isolation. If the Akatsuki can gain a firm foothold in the Land of Rain, it will inevitably divert the people's attention and drain Hanzō's resources."
"And the Land of Rain sits at the crossroads of the three great nations of Earth, Fire, and Wind. Its strategic position is extremely important. The Rain Village troubled by internal issues is more beneficial to Konoha."
Kiyohara continued his analysis.
"Helping the Akatsuki is equivalent to planting a nail in the Land of Rain. No matter how the future situation changes, that nail may prove useful."
Orochimaru chuckled softly, his laughter echoing through the stone corridors.
"Sharp—very sharp. Kiyohara-kun, not only is your ninjutsu talent outstanding, your judgment of the overall situation far surpasses that of your peers."
He stopped walking and turned to face Kiyohara.
"Kiyohara-kun, is your obsession with bloodline limits really just about becoming stronger?"
This was a dangerous question.
Kiyohara fell silent for a moment and chose a relatively safe answer.
"Bloodline limits are shortcuts in ninjutsu. For the same effect, they consume less chakra and deliver greater power. In this era, strength is the guarantee of survival."
"And besides…"
He added,
"Exploring the mysteries of a bloodline limit is itself fascinating, the fusion of chakra natures, the body's adaptation to that fusion, the expression of genetic factors… these are all unsolved puzzles."
Orochimaru's smile grew more genuine.
Once again, he had obtained confirmation from Kiyohara.
"Very good. In the next few days, you may encounter even more interesting things. Rest well. Tomorrow, Minato will take Kakashi and Rin ahead to carry out another mission. Our team will remain behind to wait until the materials are fully handed over."
Orochimaru smiled faintly.
He knew quite a lot about holders of bloodline limit.
In the past, he hadn't had much spare capacity to study them in depth, but now it seemed he should find an opportunity to delve deeper.
The last time, the fragments of Kaguya Clan bones and residual cells Kiyohara had submitted had already yielded him considerable research results.
"Yes."
Kiyohara returned to his room but did not rest immediately.
He sat cross-legged and began checking his physical condition.
The "Power of the White Snake" was steadily and continuously restoring his chakra, while subtly modifying his body at the same time.
He could feel his control over chakra becoming increasingly refined.
Outside the window, rain began to fall once more.
...
At the same time, in a hidden base somewhere within the Land of Rain.
A man wearing a brown hood, revealing light-gray hair and a pale gray beard, draped in a light yellow cloak, looked like a barefoot traveling doctor.
He lowered his head and read an intelligence report.
This was information submitted by his subordinates, monitoring certain areas of the Land of Rain.
"Konoha shinobi have entered the Land of Rain… led by Orochimaru."
Shinnō muttered softly, his fingers tapping lightly on the tabletop.
"Their objective is to escort merchant supplies?"
He set the scroll down and walked to the other side of the laboratory.
There, various human specimens and experimental equipment were neatly arranged.
"Orochimaru… heh."
Shinnō sneered.
After his homeland, the Land of Sky, was destroyed by Konoha during the Second Shinobi War, it was forced underground. Orochimaru had also played no small role in that war.
As one of the surviving remnants and the leader of the Land of Sky, Shinnō had devoted himself for years to schemes of national restoration and the accumulation of power for revenge.
"Magnet Release bloodline limit… Kiyohara."
Shinnō picked up another intelligence report, this one from the Land of Fire.
"Aside from the missing Third Kazekage, the newly appointed Fourth Kazekage, and Kumogakure's Toroi, only a very few shinobi can use Magnet Release. And this Konoha chūnin can wield it, interesting."
His original plan had been to track down an Iwagakure's Steel Release shinobi. That man had killed several researchers from the Land of Sky during a previous mission and stolen an important piece of data.
Shinnō needed to retrieve the data—and preferably obtain the Steel Release shinobi's corpse for research.
But now, there was another target worth adding.
"Orochimaru's disciple, possessing Magnet Release… If I can obtain both of these bloodline limit, uncover the secrets behind them, and combine that with my 'Body Revival Technique,' the 'Eight Gates,' and the dark chakra of Zero-Tails…"
A fanatic gleam flashed through Shinnō's eyes.
"Perhaps I can create a truly ultimate body!"
He walked to the corner of the laboratory and opened a sealed metal case.
Inside, twelve syringes were neatly arranged, each filled with a deep green liquid.
"The product of the forbidden medical technique 'Body Revival,' seventh-generation improved version."
Shinnō took one out and examined it under the light.
"It can push the body to its absolute limits in a short time. Combined with infinitely opening the 'Eight Gates'… even Orochimaru would be worth fighting."
He carefully put the syringe away and began organizing his equipment.
Special chakra-metal knuckle guards, a shinobi tool pouch filled with various medicines…
Finally, he clipped a palm-sized device to his waist—an artifact left behind by the Land of Sky's technology, capable of interfering with chakra perception within a certain range.
"Dismissed."
Shinnō said to his subordinates.
He still retained some of his former followers, the Sky Shinobi.
More than that, Shinnō continued researching the technology once possessed by the Land of Sky.
However, his current focus lay more on Zero-Tails, since its chakra could also power the "Ancor Vantian Fortress."
Its destructive power was no less than that of a Tailed Beast Bomb!
...
The next morning, Minato departed early with Kakashi and Rin.
Their mission was only to escort the caravan to the border of the Land of Rain. The remaining handover work would be handled by Orochimaru's team.
"Orochimaru-senpai, Kiyohara, Kurenai, Genma, this place is in your hands now."
Minato said with a smile.
"Travel safely."
"Understood."
Kiyohara replied.
Kakashi's gaze lingered on Kiyohara for a brief moment, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he simply nodded.
"You take care too, Kiyohara."
Rin said with a gentle smile.
Kiyohara looked at Rin.
In his heart, he was calculating how much time remained before Rin would be captured.
After seeing off Minato's team, Orochimaru led Kiyohara and the others back into the village, where the three members of the Akatsuki also appeared.
Today, besides Yahiko and Konan, Nagato was present as well.
However, Nagato hid his face beneath his red hair, concealing his Rinnegan.
Standing behind Yahiko, he looked like a silent follower.
"The handover will take another two days."
Yahiko said.
"Our people are distributing the supplies to various hidden medical points. Also… regarding the Steel Release shinobi you asked about earlier, we've received some information."
A spark of interest flashed in Orochimaru's eyes.
"Oh?"
Before resting the previous night, Orochimaru had asked the Akatsuki to help gather intelligence. He hadn't expected their intelligence network to be this capable.
Konan took out a map and spread it across a stone table, pointing to an area in the northeastern part of the Land of Rain.
"Three days ago, a caravan was attacked in this area. The attacker used a very special ability, he could turn his skin into metal and tear open the iron plating of the wagons with his bare hands."
"What about identifying features?"
Kiyohara asked.
"Male, around thirty years old, with a scar on the right side of his face."
Konan answered.
"He calls himself 'Kanorou.' What he took wasn't money, but several kinds of rare metal ores the caravan was transporting."
Orochimaru licked his lips.
"Rare metals, hm… Perhaps Steel Release becomes stronger when sustained by metal elements? Or maybe this fellow hasn't fully mastered his bloodline limit yet and requires external metal assistance."
Kiyohara looked at the marked location on the map, it was about a day's journey from here.
If they set off now, they could reach the area by evening.
"Orochimaru-sama, should we—"
"Of course we're going."
Orochimaru interrupted him, his smile burning with excitement.
"Steel Release, a bloodline limit that can harden the body. I'm very interested in its principles. And besides…"
He looked at Kiyohara.
"Didn't you want to see more varieties of bloodline limit? This is a perfect opportunity."
Yahiko hesitated slightly.
"That Kanorou is no weakling. He's already attacked four caravans, and even Amegakure's pursuit squads failed to catch him. If you're going, please be careful."
"No matter."
Orochimaru waved his hand dismissively.
As they left the village, Kiyohara noticed Konan's gaze linger on him for a moment.
He turned back, but Konan had already turned away, leaving behind only a blue silhouette.
"Kiyohara, let's go."
Genma reminded him.
The four of them departed the village, moving swiftly toward the northeastern direction indicated by the Akatsuki.
(End of Chapter)