Seeing Orochimaru's completely dejected expression, his shoulders slumped and eyes vacant, Naruto felt a twinge of something that might have been sympathy.
Just a twinge. Very small.
"Orochimaru-senpai, you don't need to look so defeated," Naruto said, his voice taking on what he probably thought was a comforting tone. "I don't have any personal grudge against you. We're not enemies, not really. I'm not going to do anything terrible to you."
He gestured broadly, as if presenting a reasonable argument.
"You're an old veteran of Konoha, after all. You've been around for decades, seen things, learned things. You definitely know more about the shinobi world than Sasuke and I do." Naruto's smile was bright, almost friendly. "So we're just going to have a nice chat. That's all. Just a conversation between fellow ninja."
"..." Orochimaru remained silent, his expression carefully neutral.
I don't believe a single word of that nonsense, he thought with bitter certainty. This boy might only be twelve years old, but he has more schemes in his head than I do. More tricks, more angles, more ways to manipulate a situation.
If I actually believed his "just a chat" story, how would I explain the one hundred Flying Thunder God marks now decorating my body like some kind of macabre tattoo collection?
No, Naruto's words were sugar coating on poisoned medicine. Pleasant-sounding lies wrapped around harsh reality.
"Alright, now that we've established a foundation of mutual understanding," Naruto continued, completely ignoring Orochimaru's lack of response, "let's talk about the issue of compensation."
The word hit Orochimaru like cold water.
"Compensation?" His head snapped up, confusion breaking through his carefully maintained composure.
Then his gaze swept across their surroundings, taking in the full scope of destruction. What had been his secret laboratory—painstakingly constructed over months, carefully equipped with instruments that cost a fortune, stocked with experimental samples that represented years of research—was now nothing but rubble.
Ruins stretched in every direction. Broken equipment jutted from collapsed walls. Precious specimens lay crushed beneath fallen stone. Everything he'd built, destroyed in minutes.
Oh, Orochimaru realized, sudden understanding blooming. He's going to compensate me for the laboratory. That's surprisingly decent of him.
A flicker of genuine hope sparked in Orochimaru's chest. Joy, even. Small and fragile, but real.
Because rebuilding this base wouldn't be easy. It would require several years' worth of income from Oto Village. Years of diverting funds, purchasing equipment, transporting materials. The financial burden was substantial.
If Naruto was willing to pay compensation, that would ease the rebuild significantly. Maybe even make it possible to construct something better, more advanced.
Of course, Orochimaru wasn't stupid enough to ask for full value. Not when his life depended on Naruto's goodwill. Better to be reasonable, to seem gracious and understanding. Ask for basic costs only—no labor charges, no mental damages, no inflated numbers.
Leave a good impression, Orochimaru calculated. Make him think I'm being cooperative and generous. That'll improve my situation going forward. Make future negotiations easier.
"Naruto-kun," Orochimaru began, injecting warmth into his voice, "I understand this destruction wasn't intentional. You were defending yourself, after all. And to be honest, while some of the experimental samples were quite valuable, the physical structure of the laboratory itself didn't require tremendous financial resources..."
He was about to continue, to explain his very reasonable compensation expectations, when Naruto interrupted.
"Wait, wait. Orochimaru-senpai, what exactly are you talking about?"
The question stopped Orochimaru mid-sentence. His mouth hung open slightly, words dying on his tongue. He blinked, trying to process the confusion in Naruto's voice.
"Didn't you just say we needed to discuss compensation?" Orochimaru asked carefully, genuine bewilderment coloring his tone.
Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! We're definitely talking about compensation. But it's not compensation that we give to you."
He paused for effect, smile widening.
"It's compensation that you give to us. The defeated party compensates the victorious party. That's how it's worked since ancient times, hasn't it? Basic shinobi economics. The loser pays the winner. Simple."
The words landed like kunai between Orochimaru's ribs.
For a moment, the snake Sannin could only stare, his mind struggling to adjust to this sudden reversal. Then the full implications sank in, and his teeth ground together audibly.
Under the eaves, he reminded himself, forcing his jaw to relax before he cracked a molar. I'm completely under his control. My life is in his hands.
He'd already been defeated. Thoroughly. The Impure World Reincarnation had been useless. His two Hokage summons had been obliterated. Even if he burned through every remaining forbidden technique, sacrificed every spare body he'd prepared, it wouldn't matter.
Resistance meant death. Cooperation meant survival.
The choice was obvious.
"Fine," Orochimaru said quietly, the word forced through clenched teeth. "I'll pay compensation."
"That's the spirit!" Naruto's face lit up with approval. "This is the proper demeanor of a senior ninja. It makes us younger generation feel such admiration for your wisdom and grace."
The praise was so obviously insincere that it hurt worse than a direct insult would have.
"Now then, Orochimaru-senpai," Naruto continued, his tone shifting to something more businesslike, "I'm really curious about something. In the Forest of Death, I definitely crushed you. Reduced you to paste. But here you are, alive and functional. How exactly does that work? I'm genuinely interested in the mechanism."
Seeing Naruto's focus shift to his Living Corpse Reincarnation technique, Orochimaru felt a flicker of his old pride resurface. This was his masterwork, after all. His solution to mortality. Something he'd spent decades developing.
And if Naruto wanted it, well... Orochimaru wasn't particularly possessive of the technique. Not anymore. Because Living Corpse Reincarnation had a fatal flaw—it required finding and stealing new bodies periodically. It was immortality through theft, sustainability through parasitism.
Naruto's training method, on the other hand, appeared to offer true immortality using one's own body. Self-sustained, no containers needed, no body-swapping required. Just perfect, eternal physical existence.
Why would Naruto need my inferior technique when he has something so superior? Orochimaru wondered. Unless he's just curious about the mechanics? Or wants to understand alternative approaches?
"Ah, Naruto-kun is interested in my Living Corpse Reincarnation!" Orochimaru's voice took on a lecturing quality, the tone of a researcher discussing his favorite subject. "Allow me to explain. I've studied the human body for decades—anatomy, physiology, the interface between chakra and flesh. After countless experiments, numerous failures, I finally developed this technique."
He gestured expansively, despite his current defeated position.
"The process was arduous. Brutal, even. Years of trial and error, dead ends and breakthroughs. Because of how precious this research is, how hard-won, I never recorded the technique in scrolls or texts. Too valuable. Too dangerous. It exists only here—" he tapped his temple, "—in my memory."
"Then please write it down," Naruto said simply.
"Of course. No problem at all." Orochimaru nodded with false cheerfulness.
He produced a pen and paper from somewhere in his robes—shinobi always carried writing materials for exactly these situations—and began transcribing the technique from memory.
His hand moved across the page with practiced efficiency, forming characters and diagrams, documenting the seals and procedures. Each stroke was precise, professional. This was knowledge he'd internalized so deeply that writing it out required barely any conscious thought.
As he worked, Orochimaru couldn't contain his curiosity entirely.
"Naruto-kun," he ventured, keeping his voice casual, "you mentioned before that your training method can lead to the path of immortality. True, lasting immortality through physical perfection."
The pen continued moving, not breaking rhythm.
"To be completely honest, while my Living Corpse Reincarnation can achieve a form of immortality, it's not a permanent, once-and-for-all solution. There are limitations, requirements, complications."
He paused his writing just long enough to glance up at Naruto.
"So I'm genuinely curious—why are you interested in my technique at all? What use could it possibly have for someone pursuing your path?"
"That's true, I did say my method leads to immortality," Naruto admitted openly, his tone matter-of-fact. "And with my current strength, I can already cross the ninja world without fear. No one's strong enough to threaten me. My method will eventually let me set foot on the eternal road."
He met Orochimaru's eyes directly.
"I don't need to hide any of this anymore. Because nobody dares covet what's mine. Not when trying to take it would mean certain death."
The casual confidence in those words was absolute. Not arrogance—just statement of fact.
Then Naruto's expression shifted slightly, eyebrows drawing together. "But regarding your question about my training method..."
He leaned forward, and despite the size difference, despite Naruto being in his massive transformed state, Orochimaru felt distinctly like he was being examined under a microscope.
"Why, Orochimaru-senpai? Are you interested in learning it?"
The question hung between them, weighted with implications.
Orochimaru's heart rate spiked. Every instinct he possessed screamed danger. An intuition honed through decades of survival, through countless near-death experiences, through living as a missing-nin in a world that wanted him dead.
Don't say yes, that intuition warned. Whatever you do, don't admit interest.
If I say I want it, Naruto won't give it to me. Worse—he might decide I'm a threat that needs eliminating. Can't appear too eager. Can't show my hand.
"Where would I get such presumptuous ideas?" Orochimaru forced out a weak laugh, the sound strained and artificial. "I was just asking out of idle curiosity. Nothing more."
"Good," Naruto said, his smile returning. "Because even if you were interested, it would be useless. You can't practice my method. Physically impossible for you."
He stated it bluntly, no sugar coating.
"If just anyone could learn it, I would have taught Sasuke already. But practicing Ultimate Taijutsu requires foundation building—specific preparations that aren't achievable through normal means. I had access to what I needed only because of... special circumstances."
Naruto's hand waved vaguely, not explaining further.
"You don't have those resources, Orochimaru-senpai. Nobody does. So the technique is useless to you regardless."
Hearing this, Orochimaru's mind immediately jumped to conclusions.
He's deceiving me, the snake Sannin thought. Of course he is. Just like I keep my Living Corpse Reincarnation secret, he's protecting his training method. No one shares their core techniques freely.
I'll just have to be more creative. The beauty trap can still work. Get closer, gain trust, perhaps steal samples for study. There are always other methods.
Most importantly—I can't take it by force. That's suicide. I can only request, persuade, manipulate.
The pen finished moving across the final page. Orochimaru set it down, the Living Corpse Reincarnation technique now fully transcribed.
"By the way," Naruto said suddenly, his attention shifting, "those two Hokage you summoned—the First and Second. That was quite impressive. I'd like to see that ninjutsu technique too. The Impure World Reincarnation, Edo Tensei."
He paused, then seemed to reconsider.
"Actually, no. That's too troublesome to explain one technique at a time." Naruto's grin widened into something predatory. "How about this instead—just give me all your ninjutsu. Everything you know. Complete collection."
The request—no, the demand—was so audacious that Orochimaru actually felt his eye twitch.
He wants to hollow me out completely, Orochimaru realized with numb horror. Extract every technique, every secret, every scrap of knowledge I've accumulated over fifty years of research and experimentation.
Squeeze me dry until there's not a single drop left.
Orochimaru's heart filled with bitterness. He hadn't even gotten a chance to properly research Naruto's training method yet, and he was already being drained of everything he possessed.
But then, as despair threatened to overwhelm him, a flash of inspiration struck.
An idea. Risky, perhaps even desperate, but potentially brilliant.
Joy sparked in Orochimaru's chest, sudden and warm.
"No problem at all, Naruto-kun," he said quickly, injecting enthusiasm into his voice. "I'm happy to share my techniques. But I want to propose a condition first. Just one condition."
"What condition?" Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly with suspicion.
Orochimaru drew himself up straighter, arranging his expression into something earnest and devoted.
"I want to join under Naruto-sama's command," he declared formally. "I wish to follow Naruto-sama, to serve Naruto-sama, to pledge my loyalty completely."
His entire mode of address changed with those words. No more casual "Naruto-kun." Now it was "Naruto-sama," the honorific of a vassal addressing their lord.
"Pledge loyalty to me?" Naruto's tone carried obvious skepticism.
Looking at Orochimaru's suddenly servile appearance, his posture of a devoted retainer, Naruto felt absolutely certain the snake Sannin was scheming something.
Not that I'm worried, Naruto thought with confidence. Whatever Orochimaru is planning, it won't work. His tricks can't threaten me.
Still, the sudden reversal was suspicious enough to question.
"I remember in the Forest of Death, you kept insisting that Sasuke and I should join you," Naruto pointed out. "You wanted us as subordinates, as vessels, as students. Now suddenly the roles are completely reversed? Why the change?"
"Ah, Naruto-sama's confusion is understandable," Orochimaru said smoothly, his smile patient and explanatory. "Allow me to clarify."
He spread his hands in a gesture of openness.
"In the Forest of Death, I believed Naruto-sama and Sasuke-kun were newcomers. Fresh genin, inexperienced, despite your obvious potential. Meanwhile, I am a ninja who has been famous for decades. My strength, my reputation, my resources—all substantial."
Orochimaru's voice took on a self-deprecating quality.
"Naturally, from that perspective, I wanted to recruit you into my organization. That made logical sense given the apparent power dynamic."
He gestured between himself and Naruto.
"But now? After experiencing Naruto-sama's true strength firsthand? The difference between us is vast. Incomparable. I wouldn't dare suggest that someone of Naruto-sama's caliber should serve under me. That would be absurd. Insulting, even."
The explanation was smooth, logical, almost convincing.
"What you said makes a lot of sense," Naruto admitted, unable to find obvious flaws in the reasoning.
It was true, after all. He was significantly stronger than Orochimaru. That was demonstrated fact, not opinion. And people generally did want to align with power rather than weakness.
But accepting Orochimaru's service? That presented problems.
"However," Naruto said, his expression shifting to something apologetic, almost embarrassed, "I don't think you'd actually be useful to me, Orochimaru-senpai."
The words were blunt but honest.
You'd be useful, Orochimaru thought immediately. Your knowledge, your techniques, your research capabilities would be tremendously useful. But you don't need me. That's the real issue.
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