Orochimaru had no idea how long he had been searching at the location of Kannabi Bridge in the Land of Grass.
During this time, secret messages from the Hokage arrived ordering Orochimaru to the front lines to participate in the war, but he ignored them all; he couldn't care less now.
I want eternal life!
He drank dew when thirsty and ate voles when hungry. Luckily, Hiruko was already a dead man; otherwise, he would have had to endure this hard life with Orochimaru.
Although Ninjas far surpass ordinary people, they still need to eat and sleep. Even the Root, those mission machines that operate outside, require supplies of Military Rations Pills and sleep.
But for a ruthless person like Orochimaru, who went without sleep for so long and supplemented his hunger with a few mice, even a dead man like Hiruko felt he was being hard on himself.
He also began to admire Orochimaru from the bottom of his heart. A person like Orochimaru would become a great figure even without a wise teacher like the Third Hokage.
Because there is a type of person who is born unwilling to be behind others.
Hiruko shifted the object of his jealousy to Jiraiya.
As soon as Jiraiya had money, he loved to indulge in wine and women. Even while following Orochimaru, he still found time to visit the red-light district of the Land of Grass.
What a bastard!
Of course, Hiruko could also understand Jiraiya, because the thing Orochimaru was looking for was too strange. When asked, Orochimaru couldn't explain it clearly himself, only saying he was looking for the mastermind behind the scenes.
He had been searching for several weeks without a trace. Where was this mastermind?
It was purely out of boredom!
Konoha is still at war! Orochimaru's actions are cutting off his own future!
Still want to run for Village official? In your dreams!
Hiruko was nearby, adapting to Orochimaru's white snake cells.
Not long ago, Hiruko had used the Chimera Technique to devour Orochimaru's white snake cells. With Orochimaru's snake pupils, his strength had reached the level of an Elite Jonin.
The white snake cells in Hiruko's body suddenly sensed a toad spying on them from the bushes. Just as he charged forward, the toad fled.
He looked at Orochimaru and said, "Hey! Orochimaru, are you really not going to do anything about Jiraiya? He doesn't care about anything else; he's clearly monitoring you."
Orochimaru was gnawing on a mouse caught by the small snakes. After eating it, he snorted, "Let him watch if he wants! As fellow Sannin, it's not easy for me to shake him off."
A cold light flashed in Hiruko's eyes: "How about we kill him?"
Orochimaru threw a dead mouse at him, and Hiruko quickly dodged.
"If you want to die, don't involve me. If Jiraiya really gets serious, even I can't beat him."
Hiruko was somewhat incredulous: "How is that possible? How could that dead last Jiraiya be stronger than you?"
Back at the Ninja Academy.
Orochimaru was a top student in all aspects, leading the class in both combat and theory.
Ryou was the dead last in combat but first in theory.
Tsunade was first in combat, but her theory was mediocre.
Hiruko was unremarkable in both areas.
Jiraiya was the double dead last in both theory and combat. In combat class, he could only take advantage of that sickly Ryou.
So when Jiraiya was taken as a disciple by Hiruzen, everyone thought the kid had struck gold with luck.
At that time, although Hiruzen was not yet the Sandaime, he was already a famous young Jonin in Konoha Village, a candidate for the next Hokage alongside Danzo.
Orochimaru glanced back, seemingly seeing Jiraiya hidden in the distance.
"There is a type of person who accumulates strength over time. You only see his playful surface, but he is more diligent than anyone deep down."
"Jiraiya is someone who has mastered Senjutsu."
"Senjutsu? How is that possible?"
Hiruko's eyes nearly popped out from jealousy.
Orochimaru didn't explain much. Jiraiya thought he was well-hidden, but how could he still keep up after being shaken off several times?
There was a faint aura of a Sage; Orochimaru wouldn't mistake that aura, it was the symbol of natural energy.
Orochimaru had felt it in the Ryūchi Cave.
Orochimaru had no talent for Senjutsu, and he was very jealous of Jiraiya's talent in it.
But such things cannot be forced, and they won't be forced.
Senjutsu is an existence that transcends the level of forbidden jutsu.
If Orochimaru wanted to catch up to Jiraiya, he would have to learn more and more forbidden jutsu, and first, he needed to possess a long lifespan.
"Hiruko, hide yourself and don't let Jiraiya find you. I don't want the forbidden jutsu of Edo Tensei to be discovered by him."
To prevent Jiraiya from finding him, Hiruko was asked by Orochimaru to use Transformation Jutsu to change his appearance, but Orochimaru still felt uneasy.
A person's Chakra is their most prominent feature.
Hiruko sneered: "Don't look down on me, Orochimaru. I have fused with your white snake cells; Jiraiya definitely won't recognize me."
In the eyes of Jiraiya's detection Ninjutsu, Hiruko might just appear to be Orochimaru's summoned snake.
Orochimaru stopped wasting words: 'Hiruko, keep searching. From beginning to end, I have never believed that kid Ryou died so easily. He must have joined some shadowy force.'
Hiruko stood up helplessly: "Orochimaru, that's enough. What power in the current Ninja World could hide from the Sannin and the yellow flash?"
"You must be obsessed!"
Orochimaru shouted at Hiruko: "Stop whining. Ryou dismembered you and threw you into a toilet. Don't you want to kill him?"
"Aaaah—!"
Hiruko broke down as soon as Orochimaru mentioned it. He didn't expect Ryou's actions to be so beastly. After collaborating for so long, couldn't he have dug a hole to bury him?
Did he have to bury him in a toilet?!
"Ryou, you damn bastard, don't you dare die so easily. I will definitely catch you, tear you into pieces, and throw you into a toilet to marinate until you're seasoned."
Seeing that Hiruko's fighting spirit had soared even higher than his own, Orochimaru smirked and then glanced into the dense forest.
Ignoring Jiraiya's tailing, he stood up and continued to search for Ryou's trace.
Finally, Orochimaru and Hiruko found a sliver of a clue: it was Ninjas from Kusagakure searching for someone outside.
There were two Jonin and two Chunin.
Orochimaru and Hiruko easily intercepted these four.
Orochimaru coldly asked one of the Kusagakure Jonin, who had somewhat pale skin: "What are you searching for?"
'Orochimaru! Why are you here?'
The pale-skinned Kusagakure Jonin looked at Orochimaru with a grim expression.
"Stop talking and answer me quickly, or I'll kill you."
Although Kusagakure is an ally of Konoha, Konoha has plenty of such allies, and they are all used as pawns.
Furthermore, Konoha hasn't settled the score with Kusagakure for sitting idly by while Iwagakure used Kannabi Bridge to invade the Land of Fire!
Once Kirigakure is dealt with and the Ninja World War ends, Kusagakure will definitely face the consequences.
The Kusagakure Jonin was helpless. If it were an ordinary Konoha Jonin, he could still manage, but this was Orochimaru of the Sannin, a great figure whom the Kusagakure leader would have to treat with absolute respect.
The Kusagakure Jonin looked at the female Jonin beside him; seeing her shake her head, indicating surrender to Orochimaru.
Having no choice, the Kusagakure Jonin explained their group's purpose.
His name was Mui, a Jonin of Kusagakure.
In their group, Mui was an outlier; he was from the 'Grass Fruit' faction, while the others here were Ninjas from the 'Grass Flower.'
Kusagakure is a small Ninja Village, but the currents are strong.
The Village's Ninjas are divided into two factions.
One is the dove faction, the 'Grass Flower,' which advocates for maneuvering between the Five Great Nations, using a 'fence-sitter' strategy to survive, not actively expanding, and prioritizing dependence on powerful nations to obtain resources.
The other is the hawk faction, the 'Grass Fruit,' which is dissatisfied with their status as a small nation and advocates for using force to escape the control of major powers, such as by seizing Tailed Beasts or researching forbidden jutsu to rise to power.
The 'Blood Prison' movie is about the militant 'Grass Fruit' Ninjas, who wanted to open the box of ultimate bliss left behind by the Sage of Six Paths to rule the Ninja World.
Why did the Kusagakure Ninjas appear here?
It happened like this... a Kekkei Genkai user from the 'Grass Flower' named Ryūzetsu was captured ten days ago. Her teacher is the female Jonin of this group, Chizu.
Chizu then led the 'Grass Flower' Ninjas to search for her.
As for Mui of the 'Grass Fruit' faction.
Because his son Muku was good friends with Ryūzetsu, Muku requested Mui to come and find his little companion.
After understanding the sequence of events, Orochimaru asked about the kidnappers' methods one by one.
Mui and the others' answers were that it was mysterious, stealthy, and impossible to guard against; no one in the Village had any recollection, just like a ghost.
"Hmph! Just like a ghost... I've finally found you!"
Orochimaru was ecstatic in his heart; he finally had a clue to the person behind Ryou.
Hiruko couldn't help but be shocked as well. There really was a mastermind behind the scenes!
Who is this person? To have actually hidden from the Sannin and the yellow flash!
Not to be underestimated!
Orochimaru stared at the Kusagakure Jonin Chizu and asked, 'What Kekkei Genkai does that one called Ryūzetsu have?'
Chizu looked at Mui, and Mui nodded.
Chizu helplessly informed Orochimaru: "Ryūzetsu's Kekkei Genkai allows her to use a forbidden jutsu that can save someone on the brink of death, but it also requires paying the price of her own life."
"Saving someone on the brink of death?!"
Orochimaru was startled. Such a technique is undoubtedly very valuable. Imagine if a Ninja who played a decisive role in a war could be saved; how much of an impact would that have?
But this was too unexpected.
Ryou's technique is a life-related forbidden jutsu, and this Ryūzetsu's technique is also a life-related forbidden jutsu. This proves that the mastermind behind the scenes needs life-related Secret Techniques to recover their health.
Orochimaru felt he was getting closer and closer to the truth.
He had a feeling that the person behind Ryou would surely make him, or everyone, drop their jaws in shock.
Orochimaru asked the Kusagakure group again: "After such a long time, that one named Ryūzetsu has likely been disposed of. Why are you still continuing to track her?"
'...'
The Kusagakure Ninjas remained silent.
Orochimaru roared: Speak, or I will capture all the villagers of Kusagakure to feed my snakes."
Orochimaru's majestic killing intent made it difficult for even the two Jonin, Mui and Chizu, to remain steady.
Mui hurriedly said: "It's like this, Lord Orochimaru! Shortly after Ryūzetsu was abducted, several high-level Fire Release Ninjutsu were stolen from the Village."
"They were all stolen from my home. At that time, I hit that white monster with Fire Release: Heavenly Prison, and he fled!"
"My Fire Release: Heavenly Prison can seal someone's Chakra. If the person bound tries to forcibly mold Chakra, their entire body will burn; they will also burn if they get too far from the caster."
"I didn't expect that white monster to actually endure my Ninjutsu and flee so far. These past days, we have been tracking him based on my sensory connection to the Ninjutsu."
Orochimaru pressed further: "Are there any clues?"
Mui signaled to a Kusagakure Chunin behind him, who immediately took out a piece of white, bark-like skin with the seal of Fire Release: Heavenly Prison on it.
"We tracked him to this place. I suspect that after the white monster was hit by my technique, he ruthlessly scraped off the part of his body where the technique was placed."
Orochimaru was instantly overjoyed when he saw the skin piece the Kusagakure Chunin had taken out: "That's right, this is it! Good, good, he's in this area. I've finally found you."
Orochimaru formed hand seals, and suddenly thousands of snakes were spat out from his mouth.
The Kusagakure group dodged in fear, looking at the snakes covering the mountains and fields; every one of them felt their skin crawl.
"My children, help me find him!"
"Hiss—"