Konoha: You're letting me build up my bonds, but you're offending the entire ninja world.

"Back in the village, I heard of Xuan Yuejun's genius. How well do you wield this Kusanagi sword?"

Shimura Gengetsu twirled his sword, its cold light gleaming. "It's really quite useful. Speaking of which, Orochimaru-senpai only gave me this one birthday present. Why didn't he give me any more after that? Did he look down on me?"

"........"

Orochimaru thought this person was mentally ill.

Do you really think I gave this sword away willingly? And you even have the nerve to ask why I didn't give it to you?

What the hell.

The Shimura family is indeed all bad.

One betrayed an ally, the other robbed them at their doorstep—they both deserve to die!

"Lord Xuan Yue is joking."

Orochimaru cursed inwardly, but his smile remained unchanged. "The Kusanagi Sword is a treasure that is very difficult to find, and you wouldn't be interested in ordinary gifts."

"Let's talk about the purpose of your visit. With all this commotion, many of my precious experimental subjects have been wasted."

"I don't have any particular purpose; I just wanted to find a teacher."

Orochimaru was stunned by Shimura Gengetsu's words.

"Teacher? Xuan Yue Jun, you're not joking, are you?"

"With your strength, no one in the entire ninja world can be your teacher. I am just a rogue ninja, and I am not qualified at all."

Gengetsu Shimura nodded in agreement. "Senior, you are very self-aware. In terms of combat, you are even a bit inferior to me if you were to become my disciple."

Orochimaru: “…”

That brat is so arrogant and deserves a beating.

Shimura Gengetsu ignored Orochimaru's feelings and continued, "However, you are not without merits, senior. I admire your research on forbidden techniques, as well as your summoning jutsu. I have long admired Ryuchi Cave."

"Most importantly..."

Gengetsu Shimura smiled and said, "There is only one and a half people in the ninja world who can be called scientists. One is you, and the other is Hiruko."

"I happen to be very interested in this area, so I came here."

"science..."

Orochimaru was genuinely surprised this time, his eyes flashing incessantly.

He hadn't expected that Shimura Gengetsu's purpose was this.

There are indeed very few people in the ninja world who value science. Konoha Village has its own research department, but most of them are from the perspective of ninjas, and everything is done in the name of war. There are very few people who have the patience to do research.

Orochimaru felt somewhat isolated in this regard, but he was still a little skeptical.

"Xuan Yue Jun, why are you interested in science?"

"Logically speaking, shouldn't you be pursuing more powerful ninjutsu, higher power, and greater status?"

"Is there a conflict?" Shimura Gengetsu asked in return. "Science can also help ninjas become stronger quickly. Ordinary ninjas can only rely on the power of science to break through their limits."

That one sentence hit Orochimaru right where it hurt.

This world is indeed too unfair.

Orochimaru was considered an absolute genius in the ninja world. He became a genin at the age of six, became a disciple of the Third Hokage, and by the age of twenty-six, the name of the Legendary Sannin resounded throughout the ninja world.

But after that, he didn't make much progress in his strength; everything had reached its limit.

Uchiha Itachi, a mere thirteen-year-old boy, could extinguish all his pride with just a pair of eyes.

This is the power of bloodline, like an insurmountable chasm separating them, the underdogs, from the geniuses.

“I understand... Lord Xuan Yue.”

Orochimaru subconsciously assumed that Shimura Gengetsu had also sensed his limits and wanted to break through them using other methods to become stronger, which was why he wanted to access the power of technology.

Well, actually it's not entirely wrong.

However, it wasn't him who reached his limit, but rather Kurenai Yuhi, Yugao Uzuki, and the others.

The two greatest cheat codes in the ninja world: the Sharingan and Hashirama cells.

The Sharingan requires new glasses, and the Hashirama cells are even more of a nuisance, leaving their mark wherever they go. Naturally, Gengetsu Shimura wouldn't allow them to use them.

However, his current physique is no different from Hashirama Senju's, and sooner or later the ninja world will also have more cheat codes like Gengetsu cells.

Shimura Gengetsu's purpose in seeking out Orochimaru was to improve his research capabilities and, incidentally, to research and refine several forbidden techniques together.

As for himself, he will slowly wait for the bucket to fill with water, and then he will naturally be invincible.

"But...why should I agree to your request?"

Orochimaru changed the subject, his smile becoming playful. "That's the result of my years of research. You think you can just make me hand it over based on your two sentences? That's wishful thinking."

While praise is warranted, how could Orochimaru, a cold and venomous snake, possibly be willing to share the results of his years of research with others?

Judging from this, this kid is trying to get something for free.

Phew~!

A blinding bolt of lightning from a spear grazed Orochimaru's cheek before he could react, even severing a strand of his hair, and slammed into the wall behind him.

"Orochimaru-senpai, there was someone who spoke loudly to me just like you, and I beat him up three times as a result."

Gengetsu Shimura casually glanced at the lightning in his hand. "That infamous Itachi, the one who wiped out his clan, awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan. But what use is it?"

"A person only has one life, so it cannot be squandered. You must recognize reality, understand your own position, and never offend someone you cannot afford to mess with."

"You think you can kill me?"

Orochimaru paid no attention to the Chidori spear that was right in front of him, his eyes narrowing into a long slit.

"No."

Gengetsu Shimura answered very decisively.

You can say Orochimaru is weak, you can say he's not strong enough, but you can't doubt his ability to survive.

Apart from Kaguya Otsutsuki, no one else in the entire ninja world can compare to Orochimaru in terms of survival ability. Even Gengetsu Shimura now has no confidence in completely annihilating Orochimaru.

but...

The boy gave a mysterious smile. "Killing you is indeed difficult, but I can outlive you to death."

"Orochimaru-senpai, I know that what you value most is eternal life and endless ninjutsu."

"If I reveal your whereabouts to Jiraiya, do you think you'll have any peace in the future?"

Orochimaru's face darkened.

Gengetsu Shimura then added insult to injury, "And this base, setting up a laboratory of this scale must have cost a lot of money, right?"

.0 .......

Having said that, he dispersed the lightning in his hand, replacing it with a semi-transparent barrier.

"Dust Release?!" Orochimaru's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Guess how many moves it would take me to destroy your Sound Village? And how many times could it be destroyed?"

"........"

Orochimaru had never felt such a strong urge to kill.

If eyes could turn into knives, Shimura Gengetsu would be in an even more miserable state than Nawaki, who was blown up.

This method of threatening is truly torturous.

Jiraiya is like a piece of chewing gum that you can't shake off. Once you're stuck with him, you can forget about doing your research in peace.

In addition, Shimura Gengetsu would occasionally send out a few Dust Release techniques...

It's likely that by the time he dies, he won't be able to develop a perfect method for achieving immortality or learn all the ninjutsu in the world.

Despite his anger, Orochimaru had to admit that he was afraid.

It's too toxic...

The snake's cold-blooded rationality led him to make the right choice.

"Lord Xuan Yue is joking."

Orochimaru smiled gently. “I’m glad someone is interested in my research. There are too many idiots in the ninja world who don’t understand what science means. Only you, Gengetsu-kun, have such insight.”

"If you want to study with me, I'd certainly welcome that."

Shimura Gengetsu also smiled and dispelled the Dust Release barrier, "Then I look forward to Orochimaru-sensei's guidance from now on."

"I will naturally teach you everything I know."

The tense atmosphere dissipated, and the two appeared to be having a pleasant conversation, showing no trace of the near-fight they had just been in.

Orochimaru did not refuse when he learned that Shimura Gengetsu would be staying there for a while.

A small snake crawled out of the laboratory, and ten minutes later, a person followed the snake back.

Upon entering, he ignored Shimura Gengetsu and the mess around him, and simply bowed his head respectfully.

"Lord Orochimaru."