"Sasuke-kun, what's wrong? Could it be that you still can't abandon these meaningless bonds?"
As Orochimaru looked on with confusion, a playful voice suddenly rang out: "Should I call you Orochimaru-senpai... or perhaps Orochihime-senpai?"
To verify that his Living Corpse Reincarnation Technique was the perfect reincarnation jutsu, Orochimaru had chosen a female body as his first vessel.
Hearing this voice, Orochimaru's hair stood on end!
Following the sound, he saw that nightmarish, terrifying figure!
Orochimaru's face turned extremely grim as he forced a stiff smile: "Surely someone of Kai-kun's caliber can transcend such narrow gender limitations?"
Narrow... gender limitations? What if he became a woman?
Kai couldn't help but shudder, not daring to think further. If that really happened, he'd rather be dead.
"Heh heh..." Kai looked at Orochimaru like he was staring at a pervert.
Then he spoke: "Orochimaru-senpai, don't you think inciting a Konoha ninja to defect right in front of me is rather inappropriate?"
Seeing Kai's icy expression, Orochimaru felt some fear but still stubbornly said: "Kai-kun, Sasuke-kun's choice to follow me is his own decision—it has nothing to do with me." Even facing Kai, Orochimaru didn't want to give up Sasuke, this perfect vessel.
Three years ago, when Orochimaru had just joined the Akatsuki, Itachi Uchiha had defeated him with a single Tsukuyomi, igniting within him an endless desire for the Sharingan.
In Orochimaru's view, the Sharingan was the most perfect bloodline limit in this world!
"Nothing to do with you?" Kai didn't argue with Orochimaru, simply looking at him calmly: "If I say it's related, then it's related."
In the ninja world, might makes right—that's the only truth!
The Sage of Six Paths had the biggest fists, so he founded Ninshū and passed it down for millennia. Hashirama Senju had the biggest fists, so he pacified the chaotic era and established the ninja villages. Kai's fists were equally large, so whatever he said became truth!
Hearing Kai's words, Orochimaru lowered his head, not daring to let Kai see the hatred in his eyes.
"Of course, if I say it's unrelated, then it's unrelated." Kai's mocking voice suddenly rang out.
Orochimaru's eyes suddenly lit up with joy as he looked at Kai. He heard another meaning in Kai's words: If you satisfy me, then I won't interfere with Sasuke's matter.
"Kai-kun, what do you need?" Orochimaru asked directly, afraid that any delay might make Kai change his mind.
"Two conditions. If you agree, Sasuke is yours. If you don't..." Kai shrugged indifferently: "Then start digging your grave here."
Before Orochimaru could respond, Naruto became anxious and shouted: "Old man, you can't let him take Sasuke away! Sasuke is our comrade!"
"He's your comrade, not mine." Kai looked somewhat helpless. Raising his hand, he used a slight repulsive force to knock out both Naruto and Gaara, then turned his gaze back to Orochimaru.
"Heh heh... Kai-kun, you jest." Orochimaru laughed stiffly a few times before asking: "What are the two conditions?"
"Jūgo of the Scales." Kai spoke four words.
Ever since the Chūnin Exams, Kai had been interested in Jūgo of the Scales—someone naturally capable of absorbing natural energy who would involuntarily undergo Sage Transformation when staying in places with excessive natural energy.
If Kai's Sage Mode was an active form of transformation, then Jūgo's curse mark was a passive form of Sage Transformation.
The only problem was that Jūgo couldn't control this transformation and would fall into a berserk state.
Kai had searched for Jūgo before. Logically, since Sasuke's Heaven Curse Mark was extracted from Jūgo, Kai should have been able to trace the chakra source using his Kagura Mind's Eye to find him.
But to Kai's surprise, there wasn't a single trace. In the end, Kai had to set his sights on Orochimaru.
"No problem." Orochimaru agreed without thinking.
For nearly ten years, Jūgo had only been used to develop the Heaven and Earth curse marks—he served no other purpose. Using him as a bargaining chip, Orochimaru naturally felt no heartache.
"What's the second condition?" Orochimaru asked.
"For three years, you cannot use Living Corpse Reincarnation on Sasuke Uchiha." Kai said calmly, showing no concern about whether Orochimaru would disagree.
As for why he made such a request, Kai reasoned that since Itachi was his disciple, he couldn't be too harsh on his student as a teacher.
Orochimaru hesitated. Originally, he had planned to use Living Corpse Reincarnation immediately once he got Sasuke, to avoid complications. However, seeing Kai's increasingly cold gaze, he quickly said: "Of course, that's no problem."
Nearby, Sasuke watched himself being traded like merchandise, his whole body trembling as he clenched his fists.
Seeing Sasuke like this, Kai paid no attention. This kind of angsty teenager wouldn't change without experiencing significant hardship.
"Haku, take these two brats back to Konoha." Kai pointed to the unconscious Naruto and Gaara, instructing Haku who stood behind him.
Then, looking at Orochimaru, Kai said: "Alright, Orochimaru-senpai, time to complete our transaction."
"Of course, no problem. Jūgo of the Scales is housed in a base in the Land of Fire—not very far." Orochimaru replied.
He then knocked out Sasuke, hoisted him over his shoulder, and leaped away.
Kai and Kimimaro followed closely behind.
Northern Land of Fire, before a desolate cave
Orochimaru pointed to the pitch-black cave entrance: "He's inside."
"Hmm..." Kai frowned. His Kagura Mind's Eye still couldn't sense any chakra presence. After thinking, he said: "Kimimaro, bring Jūgo of the Scales out for me."
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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