I founded the "Bragging Cult" in Naruto.

Chapter 609 Even the same person can behave drastically differently for various reasons.

"Is Rope Tree still alive? That's wonderful."

In the dimly lit basement, Orochimaru rubbed his fingers together awkwardly, listening to his other self's "happiness," his eyes less guarded and aggressive.

Looking at Tatsuma, who had given a general overview of the world and his own situation, he said, "Well... I'm starting to have some doubts. Nawaki didn't die, Kato Dan didn't die, Hatake Sakumo didn't die. It's like a world where people's hopes for regrets have been fulfilled."

"You should also know that I have no reason to lie."

Tatsuma shrugged, and Orochimaru nodded, saying, "Indeed, you must be very powerful, possessing not only the power to rewrite those regrets, but also true power!"

"Lord Orochimaru, I advise you not to test him."

Seeing Orochimaru's sudden burst of murderous intent and chakra, Tatsuma remained calm and said, "You wouldn't want to experience that kind of consequence."

Tatsuma's eyes were filled with coldness. Although he didn't respond with a burst of chakra or killing intent, Orochimaru still felt a faint unease. Suddenly, Orochimaru grinned, licked his lips, and said:

"Now I believe you. You are someone Orochimaru taught."

Confident, calm, powerful, and ruthless, the ninja before him, who called himself Sakamoto Tatsuma, was practically the perfect version of himself, while he himself was imperfect.

Seeing that Orochimaru had wisely restrained his malice, Tatsuma finally smiled, a smile that was both businesslike and sarcastic, and said, "Now, it's your turn, Lord Orochimaru."

"Me? I've never seen you before. My disciple died. I betrayed the village and became a rogue ninja. I also stole the village's forbidden techniques and developed my own forbidden techniques. Now I'm preparing to discuss with my 'partner' how to destroy Konoha."

"By the way, you might know my partner, the Fourth Kazekage of Rasa. Everything should have gone smoothly, but I never expected something so interesting to happen in the desert."

Orochimaru, seemingly caught off guard, directly revealed the truth that he was a rogue ninja, appearing unconcerned about what Tatsuma, a Konoha ninja, might do to him.

Because if this were truly someone he had taught, he would never have acted on it.

"Is the forbidden technique that, like a snake shedding its skin, abandons the decaying body?"

Tatsuma asked, and Orochimaru nodded, saying with considerable pride, "That's right. With the Reanimation Jutsu, I can use other people's bodies to achieve rebirth, and even immortality."

After he finished speaking, the basement fell silent. After a long while, Tatsuma asked, "Orochimaru-sama, have you ever offered sacrifices to your own body?"

"Um?"

Orochimaru's pride instantly turned into confusion. What kind of question was this? He was still alive, so how could he possibly be worshipping himself?

Just kidding.

Tatsuma also noticed that this Orochimaru didn't seem to have the same sense of humor as the Orochimaru he knew better, so he quickly changed the subject and asked, "What about the rejection reaction?"

Orochimaru's expression stiffened, clearly indicating that he had not solved the problem. Tatsuma smiled and said, "Actually, I noticed something was wrong from the beginning. Your chakra hasn't changed, but the feeling you give off has."

You've tried so hard to modify your body, but it's still not your own. The rejection reaction has made your chakra chaotic and contradictory. This technique of yours is truly clumsy.

Orochimaru's face darkened completely. Just as he was about to retort, Tatsuma spoke first: "Actually, you have the same problem as me right now, don't you?"

"What's the problem?"

"My soul has slipped away." Tatsuma pointed to his head and then said, "Of course, you... perhaps the word 'you' isn't used here."

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, sizing up Tatsuma, and then said, "Soul slipping away, that's quite a nice word. Did I coin it? To be honest, I do have this problem; every body has an expiration date."

But each transfer of the soul can temporarily circumvent this. As long as the body is changed within the expiration period, the soul escaping is not a problem. Oh, right, you seem to disdain this "clumsy" method.

"That's right, I didn't expect your expectations to be so low. You're so happy with just a temporary fix."

Tatsuma spoke in the same sarcastic tone as Orochimaru, which made Orochimaru appreciate him even more. Orochimaru chuckled and said, "This is an unsolvable problem with no fundamental solution."

Even cloning one's own body cannot solve this problem, because once the soul begins to slip away, it begins to evolve on its own and no longer fits the original body.

A cloned body might slow down the process, but it can never truly match the original body. Besides, I chose rebirth to gain power I didn't originally possess; this is a necessary price to pay.

"I will find a fundamental solution."

A hint of disappointment flashed in Tatsuma's eyes, but he quickly said confidently. Orochimaru didn't comment, only saying, "I think we've finished talking."

"You don't seem interested in research on another version of yourself?"

Tatsuma was now quite curious. He had just mentioned some of the projects he and Orochimaru had been researching together. Although they hadn't gone into great detail, he felt that it should be enough to pique Orochimaru's interest.

"Those are just things I can do; I'm more interested in things I can't do."

Orochimaru spoke with absolute confidence. Although he was curious, he wasn't that curious, because he knew he could do the same research as his other self. He was just too lazy to spend the time and effort on it.

Seeing that Orochimaru had said so, Tatsuma also stood up and said, "In that case, I won't bother you any longer, Lord Orochimaru, but please don't interfere with my mission."

I can't guarantee that.

Orochimaru smiled elegantly, and Tatsuma also smiled, saying, "Then I can't guarantee you can go back."

After saying that, the two stopped talking. Tatsuma walked straight out of the basement, while Orochimaru sat motionless for a long time before licking his lips and saying, "Goodbye, Tatsuma-kun."

He bent down and picked up the dead white snake. His sharp fingernails cut its mouth, but no blood flowed out. Only when he pulled out the fang and looked at the traces of blood inside the hollow fang did he reveal a sickly smile.

Staring at the dim light in the basement for a long time, he murmured, "How shall we meet again, Tatsuma-kun?"

In the high-rise building, Tatsuma also raised his hand and gently rubbed the spot on his finger where he had been bitten earlier, murmuring, "Lord Orochimaru, please don't let my trip fall through."

Fortunately, Orochimaru doesn't know him well enough. I imagine Lord Orochimaru is still smiling confidently right now. I really look forward to the day we meet again.

With his hands hanging down, Tatsuma looked in another direction, his figure flashed again, and he quickly appeared on the edge of the city, where the slender Kakashi was carrying a tall Konoha Jonin.

"Kakashi, I'll do it."

Tatsuma landed next to Kakashi. Kakashi looked up and, without hesitation, threw the man on his back to Tatsuma. If his teacher had said such a thing to him, Kakashi would have insisted on carrying him without hesitation.

But as for Tatsuma... Hmph!

Catch the man and lay him flat on the desert ground. He reached out and covered the man's body, sensing his condition. Soon, his brows furrowed.

He knew the man's identity: Yamato, a Wood Release ninja from Konoha and the chief engineer for post-war repairs. What made him frown was the Hashirama cells inside Yamato's body.

Unlike the experimental subjects that Tatsuma had handled, including himself, the Hashirama cells in Yamato's body showed no signs of proliferation. Instead, they were evenly distributed throughout his body and lacked any active characteristics.

"Hiss~"

The chakra scalpel sliced ​​through Yamato's skin, and at the same time, a small porcelain bottle appeared in Tatsuma's hand, catching the flowing blood. He then put the cap on and began to form hand seals to inscribe a sealing technique.

"Wood Release: Exploding Tree Gun!"

Suddenly, Yamato opened his eyes, his shoulders surging as he formed hand seals, and long tree spears pierced towards Tatsuma, while he reached out to grab the small porcelain bottle in Tatsuma's hand.

"Don't move the wounded."

"Bang!"

Tatsuma's chakra erupted, like a flood, shattering the wood-style spears into pieces. Yamato himself was also thrown into the distance by the shockwave.

Yamato's hands transformed into countless vines, plunging into the loose quicksand to steady himself. He landed on the ground, warily eyeing Tatsuma and Kakashi, his hands still in hand seals, and questioned them:

"Who are you?!"

"Kakashi, tell him who we are."

Tatsuma glanced at Kakashi, then lowered his head to continue sealing the porcelain bottle in his hand. Kakashi grumbled that Tatsuma was being arrogant, then looked at Yamato and asked in confusion:

"Aren't you a Konoha ninja? You might not recognize me, but you certainly recognize him!"

As he spoke, he pointed at Tatsuma with a hint of disdain. Although he was very dissatisfied with Tatsuma, Kakashi still acknowledged Tatsuma's strength and fame. Not to mention Konoha ninjas, which ninja in the ninja world wouldn't know this guy?

You look somewhat familiar.

Yamato observed Kakashi, then looked at Tatsuma wearing the Yaksha mask and shook his head, saying, "As for you, I have never seen you before, nor have I ever used the Yaksha mask."

Yamato was once a member of the Anbu, and even a member of Root. He is quite familiar with the Anbu and Root. This Yaksha mask has never been used.

"Hehe~"

Kakashi suppressed a laugh, looked at Tatsuma, and said in an exaggerated tone, "This is the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, known as the White Demon of the Ninja World, and has many other names such as the 'Striking Hand,' the 'Talkative Tobirama,' and the 'Dragon of Konoha,' Sakamoto Tatsuma!"

"There are actually Konoha ninjas who don't recognize me, and I, Hatake Kakashi, am just a nobody? How could anyone find me familiar? No way! You're not pretending to be a Konoha ninja, are you?"

"The Fourth Hokage? Not Namikaze."

Yamato was taken aback, almost blurting it out, but he stopped himself, looking at Tatsuma warily. He then glanced at Kakashi a few more times, and finally couldn't help but ask, "Kakashi-senpai?"

"senior?"

Kakashi's eyes widened. This guy looked almost thirty years old, right? Calling him "senpai"? Before he could ask, Yamato interjected, "Isn't your teacher Minato Namikaze? How come it's Tatsuma Sakamoto?"

"Who said my teacher is this guy? My teacher is Minato Namikaze. You really know me? I've never seen you before."

"Of course I know you, it's just that you're clearly older than me."

"The dragon veins have caused a distortion of spacetime. There are multiple timelines here, or rather, parallel worlds and overlapping universes. Which one do you find easier to understand?"

Tatsuma interrupted, standing up and saying, "By the way, I'm also a Wood Release ninja. How about we shake hands using Wood Release techniques?"

"A handshake? What?"

"Wood Release! All are Cloth Bag Techniques!"

Yamato stared blankly up at the giant hand that was tens of meters high, swallowed hard, and realized he couldn't do it.

(End of this chapter)