Within the range of his Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki), Naruto clearly sensed the appearance of a massive purple serpent.
Apparently, some Otogakure shinobi had used Orochimaru's blood to perform a summoning technique, calling this purple serpent into existence.
The moment it emerged, the serpent opened its mouth and spat out a slimy figure.
That figure had long black hair, pale skin, snake-like eyes with purple eye shadow—an appearance that exuded terror.
Now covered in the serpent's thick mucus, the man was striding toward the underground lab's entrance.
"Orochimaru-sama has returned!?"
Upon hearing this, Guren's face instantly went pale.
Her whole body trembled.
Fearful visions flashed through her mind.
She couldn't help but glance at Naruto's back.
Naruto didn't even look back.
"Smack yourself on the head—use some force. I'm scarier than that Orochimaru freak."
Seeing Naruto's calmness, Guren breathed a sigh of relief.
She clenched her fist and tapped her own forehead hard.
Bang!
Tears welled up in her eyes.
"Hohoho… two brats. One of you even looks like you're from the Uzumaki Clan…"
At the lab's entrance, Orochimaru paused, eyes narrowing dangerously as he looked at the two girls.
"Who brought you here? Don't tell me it was that idiot Jiraiya?"
Seeing his face, Karin shrank back in fear, hiding behind Yakumo, who was still painting.
Yakumo raised her head and glanced at Orochimaru, replying calmly:
"We were brought here by Menma-sama. And your little underlings here? We've requisitioned them."
Orochimaru blinked in confusion.
A few seconds later, his brain caught up—and he found it absurd.
He'd been robbed… by kids?
Even though he had been fuming just a second ago, the thought made Orochimaru let out a hoarse laugh:
"How arrogant. Do you even know who I am?"
Just as he finished, Yakumo's brush landed heavily on the canvas.
Blue paint streaked across the page like a bolt of lightning—
—and in reality, a thunderclap struck from the sky, slamming down precisely on Orochimaru's head.
"Ughhh!!"
Orochimaru let out a shrill scream.
Black smoke curled up from his body—and even from inside his mouth.
Yakumo didn't stop. She inhaled slowly and formed hand seals.
"Genjutsu: True Illusion!"
In an instant, a genjutsu that surpassed the control of the five senses activated.
To Orochimaru, the world turned into a sea of lava and flames.
Under the influence of this illusion, the S-rank rogue-nin felt real burning pain.
Even his clothes appeared to catch fire and disintegrate to ash.
Screams rang out again and again.
A dozen seconds later, Orochimaru's body collapsed onto the ground—no longer moving.
Yakumo exhaled, finally relaxed.
"Menma-kun's being overly cautious. So this 'Cold Lord Orochimaru'? Please, I could take him down by myself."
But at that moment…
"Hohoho… such a terrifying genjutsu. To think it could actually harm me within the illusion. Is it some kind of special Kekkei Genkai?"
A cold voice echoed nearby.
Yakumo and Karin's faces changed drastically.
Orochimaru stood there, still dripping with disgusting slime, his eyes filled with greed and curiosity.
"How is this possible!? My genjutsu definitely trapped him…"
Yakumo panicked. She hurriedly formed hand seals to activate another illusion.
But this time, Orochimaru was ready.
As soon as he saw her hands move, he dropped low to the ground, opening his mouth unnaturally wide:
"Mandara no Jin!!" (Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes)
A chilling, raspy cry echoed.
Instantly, thousands upon thousands of black venomous snakes surged from Orochimaru's mouth.
They formed a massive tidal wave of serpents—black, slithering, and utterly horrifying.
Yakumo and Karin paled as the sea of snakes loomed overhead.
"Ugh…"
Yakumo opened her mouth to scream—
—but before she could even shout, Naruto's voice boomed from the lab's entrance:
"Katon: Enjōkō!" (Fire Style: Blazing Rampage)
"Kō!!" (Radiance!)
A torrent of raging flames swept out.
The wave of snakes was devoured by the reverse tide of fire.
Each serpent became a burning torch, sizzling and hissing in agony.
The blazing inferno scorched the sea of serpents until none remained moving.
A savory roasted scent wafted through the air.
But Orochimaru's expression only grew darker.
He glared toward the entrance.
"Who's there!?"
Emerging from the underground corridor was a young man with long black hair, wearing a black robe and a white fox mask.
His exposed arm burned with roaring flames.
"…Katon? No… there were no hand seals. And the fire is burning directly on his skin… it looks more like a Kekkei Genkai…"
"Scorch Release from Sunagakure? But after Pakura's death, that bloodline was lost…"
"And I've never heard of anyone like this in the entire shinobi world…"
Orochimaru was shaken—his mind racing with theories but reaching no conclusions.
Naruto met his gaze. Coldly, he said:
"I am Namikaze Menma. Orochimaru… pleased to meet you."
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes like a snake.
"Namikaze Menma… never heard of you. But that doesn't matter. Why did you invade my lab?"
Naruto remained expressionless.
"I'm here to propose a collaboration."
"Collaboration?" Orochimaru raised an eyebrow.
"Mm." Naruto nodded. "I quite like your Otogakure. From now on, this place is mine."
"But don't worry—I'm no devil. If we collaborate, I'll let you stay."
"The only condition is this: you follow my orders, work for me… and never perform experiments on children again."
After hearing these terms, Orochimaru almost laughed out loud.
He, the great Orochimaru—once an elite of Konoha, nearly the Fifth Hokage.
Even after defecting, he remained a feared S-rank rogue-nin.
Even Pain of the Akatsuki had approached him with courtesy when inviting him to join.
And now this unknown kid… was more arrogant than even Tendo Pain.
Orochimaru's gaze grew even colder than a snake's.
He extended his tongue and licked his lips, then suddenly roared:
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Manda!" (Summoning Jutsu: Manda)
(End of Chapter)
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