"Eye of the Three Tomoe?!"
Orochimaru's pupils constricted, his expression frozen in shock.
Then, abruptly, adrenaline flooded him.
Excitement.
It coursed through his veins.
This weapon—the Eye of Three Tomoe—was exactly what Orochimaru had been searching for: a way to gain Sharingan abilities without an Uchiha body.
If he could obtain it outright—no need to capture Sasuke. No more risky body theft… just immediate power.
Greed and madness flickered in his snake‑narrow eyes.
If he could hold that eye… he would pay any price.
Suddenly, his aura exploded in intensity.
Where before Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura had only felt minor discomfort—now they froze in terror. It was the crushing imprint of Orochimaru's shirahari political weight: the breath of hundreds of war‑killed shinobi consolidated into a whisper.
But Tian Yu remained calm.
A breeze tousled his hair. He lifted his blade, not flinching.
Though Tian Yu had never killed as many as Orochimaru had, his strength now exceeded impact. Orochimaru's aura meant nothing to him.
Years of refining the Eye of Three Tomoe had fortified Tian Yu's spirit. With it, he estimated he could rival any Uchiha wielder of the Sharingan—even though none remained alive.
Tian Yu spoke casually, "Still want to fight me?"
He watched Orochimaru warily, hands behind his back, blade sheathed, a mocking smile on his face.
"You know you're not my match."
Orochimaru's face darkened. He'd realized during their battle that the boy's strength was real. He'd underestimated Tian Yu—at his peril.
If they continued fighting, both could perish—but Orochimaru knew he would lose.
"What will you do to me now?" he asked warily, one knee bent, ready to transform again.
Tian Yu chuckled, turning away. "Didn't say I'd hurt you again. But had you treated me nicely earlier, none of that would've been necessary."
He removed his weapons and walked up to Orochimaru, hands clasped behind his back, head tilted slightly.
"I told you—we fight first, chat later. Don't worry. Orochimaru, we're not enemies."
At that, Orochimaru nearly spat blood. **Chat? He'd inflicted near-fatal blows and called it civil?**
Yet something in Tian Yu's tone unsettled him less than his strength. In this world, few dared address him so boldly—and fewer still survived doing so.
"What do you mean—work together?"
Orochimaru's snake‑eyes glinted dangerously as he studied Tian Yu's composed posture.
Then Tian Yu spoke matter-of-factly:
"I know one reason you came to Konoha: you want Sasuke's body. Gain his Uchiha bloodline."
Orochimaru gave a strangled breath. *He knows.*
"And I also know after you saw me use the Eye, you targeted it."
He caught the eye and tossed it slowly toward Orochimaru.
"You… you are…"
Orochimaru reached instinctively, heart pulsing with greed.
But when he took it—nothing happened.
Its power lay dormant in his hand.
Tian Yu smiled. "It's a weapon... and it takes a contract to activate. No one else can use it."
Then, with a gesture, twenty identical eyes appeared—silver orbs floating above his palm.
Orochimaru's expression shattered.
He thought it rare to obtain one. Now he faced two dozen.
He hadn't anticipated this at all.
End of Chapter.
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