บท 110: Chapter 108: Acquired
Chapter 108: Acquired
In the depths of Konoha, Baishi, now disguised, walked unhurriedly through the village.
Although half an hour had passed since the chaos began, the village was far from settling down. His ears occasionally caught cries of pain echoing in the distance, a sign that the wounded had yet to be fully tended to.
Baishi felt no guilt for the state of the village.
It wasn't because he was heartless; it was simply the reality of the situation. Without his intervention, the number of casualties in Konoha tonight would have been several times greater.
As for the Nine-Tails, he muttered to himself, "It's all just a transaction."
Having confirmed his perspective, Baishi stopped wasting time and headed directly toward a specific destination.
Before infiltrating the village, he had used the Spiritualization Technique to determine Orochimaru's current location. Now, all he had to do was follow that lead.
---
Ten minutes later
In Konoha's outskirts, Baishi arrived at the entrance of a Root research base.
"Who's there?"
Two masked Root operatives emerged, blocking his path and issuing a warning.
Ignoring them, Baishi continued forward toward the base's entrance.
"Stop!"
One of the operatives hurled a kunai at Baishi's feet in a clear warning.
Pausing briefly, Baishi glanced at the two men.
The moment his gaze met theirs, a wave of icy dread washed over the two operatives.
Most shinobi would have been paralyzed with fear, but these were Root operatives—trained to suppress all emotions. Despite their instincts, they prepared to attack.
However, before they could act, Baishi's figure vanished, leaving only two shallow footprints in the dirt.
"Not good!"
Hearing footsteps behind them, the two operatives spun around to counterattack. But as the thought crossed their minds, their bodies crumpled to the ground.
Gurgle...
The sound of blood splattering filled the air as both men clutched at their throats, their lives fading from their eyes.
Without sparing them another glance, Baishi proceeded toward the base.
Killing them had been as effortless as squashing ants. They hadn't even managed a token resistance.
---
The dim underground passage echoed with Baishi's measured footsteps.
"You've arrived," a raspy voice called out, breaking the silence.
Baishi stopped and looked toward the corner of the passage ahead.
Moments later, Orochimaru emerged from the shadows.
As always, he wore a sly grin, one that exuded a faint yet unmistakable air of malevolence.
Baishi studied him intently, sensing something was off about Orochimaru tonight. He couldn't quite pinpoint the reason.
When no answer came to him, Baishi dismissed the thought and asked directly, "You don't seem surprised by my visit."
Orochimaru chuckled lightly. "Heh. Over the past month, aside from that Uchiha, someone else has been peering into Konoha from the shadows. I presume that was you?"
Baishi smirked but said nothing.
Taking his silence as confirmation, Orochimaru continued, "You've been using the Spiritualization Technique, haven't you? Fascinating. Such terrifying talent."
This time, Baishi's expression revealed genuine surprise.
It was one thing to deduce that he had been spying on Konoha, especially given that the Nine-Tails was sealed within him.
But to pinpoint his use of the Spiritualization Technique and to estimate the duration of his surveillance with such precision—that was a different level of insight.
'Wait... The timing, this location...'
Scanning his surroundings, Baishi noted the conspicuous lack of activity beyond the two Root guards he had killed.
It was almost as if Orochimaru had been waiting for him.
'Could he have sensed me using Spiritualization Technique? That shouldn't be possible... unless...'
Baishi's gaze sharpened as he stared at Orochimaru, various theories swirling in his mind.
If his guess was correct, Orochimaru had already made significant progress on his Living Corpse Reincarnation technique. Even if it wasn't perfected, it must be far along.
Otherwise, there was no plausible explanation for Orochimaru's ability to detect Baishi's presence, as the Spiritualization Technique targeted the soul.
No comparable technique could sense it.
Still, Baishi chose not to voice his thoughts, merely keeping them to himself.
Seemingly uninterested in pursuing the topic further, Orochimaru shifted the conversation. "So, what brings you to me tonight?"
It was a casual question, yet it carried a subtle weight.
Baishi noticed something else: Orochimaru seemed unusually indifferent about the Nine-Tails.
'That's what's odd about him tonight,' Baishi realized.
In the past, Orochimaru had feigned allegiance to Konoha, hiding his true ambitions. Tonight, however, his façade had dropped entirely. He had no interest in Konoha's future, only his own.
Baishi mused, 'It seems Orochimaru is preparing to leave Konoha soon—either voluntarily or by force.'
Clearing his thoughts, Baishi decided to cut to the chase. "I need the Adamantine Sealing Chains."
"The Adamantine Sealing Chains... the sealing technique developed by the Uzumaki Clan to subdue Tailed Beasts?" Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed with intrigue as he scanned Baishi, searching for traces of the Nine-Tails. When he found none, his brow furrowed. "What do you want with it?"
Before Baishi could answer, Orochimaru dismissed his question. "Never mind. That's irrelevant. The real question is: what will you offer in return?"
'Knew it,' Baishi thought. Orochimaru's obsession with acquiring rare jutsu made him the perfect target.
After a moment's thought, Baishi posed his counteroffer. "Do you want to know the identity of that Uchiha?"
'Sorry, Obito. I might have to sell you out again,' Baishi thought wryly.
Predictably, Orochimaru's eyes lit up with interest. "Oh? Who is he?"
"Uchiha Obito," Baishi replied bluntly.
"Obito..." Orochimaru murmured, the name tugging at a distant memory. His eyes widened slightly. "Minato's student?"
"Correct," Baishi confirmed.
Orochimaru's mind raced as he pieced together fragments of information.
"Those eyes," he muttered. "The Mangekyo Sharingan, correct?"
The hunger in Orochimaru's gaze was palpable, and Baishi couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Obito. Yet, he offered no protection, nodding affirmatively.
"Indeed. They are Mangekyo Sharingan."
"Does Minato's team's fate tie into those eyes?" Orochimaru pressed, his tone sharp.
After a moment of hesitation, Baishi nodded again.
"And the one pulling the strings behind all of this?" Orochimaru's voice dropped, heavy with implication.
Without hesitation, Baishi shook his head. "I don't know."
'There's no way I'm giving up Uchiha Madara's name for a single sealing jutsu,' Baishi thought.
For a brief moment, Orochimaru glared at him, as if weighing his next move. But ultimately, he relented and dropped the matter.
(End of Chapter)
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