312 - Naruto: The Tenseigan Ascendant (Patreon)

312 - The Hidden Flaw

Naoki watched Orochimaru calmly, waiting for him to name his price.

"Itachi Uchiha," Orochimaru said. "Bring him to me, and the Chimera Technique and Dark Medical Ninjutsu are yours. I'll give you everything you asked for."

His tone was casual, but Naoki caught the slight change in it when he said Itachi's name.

'I knew he'd become obsessed.'

Naoki kept the thought to himself.

Before, Orochimaru had seemed more interested in Homura Uchiha than in Itachi. But after Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan had humiliated him, Naoki had expected Orochimaru's attention to shift. He knew the man too well.

Naoki gave a rueful smile. "You're asking the impossible. If even you couldn't take him, how am I supposed to?"

Orochimaru sneered. "Naoki, I know what you can do. If you truly want him, you'll find a way."

Naoki pressed his lips together. "I have some advice, though I doubt you'll want to hear it."

Orochimaru held his gaze. "Go on."

"Give up on Itachi Uchiha. Going after him is like a mouse hunting a cat. It won't end well for you."

Naoki was not trying to insult his former teacher. He meant every word.

To take Itachi's body, Orochimaru would eventually have to devour his soul. There was no way around that final step. But battles of the soul favored those with ocular kekkei genkai, especially the Sharingan.

Even if Orochimaru managed to overpower Itachi by other means, he would be no match for his Mangekyo Sharingan when their souls clashed.

In the original timeline, Orochimaru had lost that struggle to Sasuke, who had only a three-tomoe Sharingan at the time. The devourer had become the one devoured. If Orochimaru insisted on trying Itachi, the outcome could be worse. Unlike Sasuke, Itachi would not leave Orochimaru's soul lurking inside his mind.

There might be nothing left of Orochimaru's soul at all.

Orochimaru's face darkened. "So you've started looking down on me too."

Naoki shook his head. "Never. I just don't think you should waste so much time on him. Choose someone easier to capture. There are plenty of Uchiha. Why fixate on the most dangerous ones?"

"I don't need a lecture from you." Orochimaru gave a dismissive snort. "If you want the techniques, bring me Itachi's body."

Naoki regarded him in silence.

Orochimaru would not understand that Naoki was trying to help until he came close to dying himself.

When Naoki said nothing, Orochimaru's mouth curved in a knowing smile. "Of course, you could try to take them from me. If you think you can."

Naoki shook his head again. "You taught me and protected me. I won't cross that line."

He turned and left without another word.

After he was gone, Kabuto Yakushi emerged from the shadows. "You were right, Lord Orochimaru. You intimidated him."

"Cough... cough..."

Orochimaru doubled over, coughing hard enough to bring up blood.

It took him a while to recover. His expression grim, he said, "No. He saw through my bluff. Don't underestimate the Byakugan. He can see more than we can."

Kabuto hesitated. "Then why didn't he attack?"

"I'm beginning to wonder the same thing," Orochimaru said quietly.

Kabuto changed the subject. "Danzo sent a message. He wants to know when you'll make your move."

"I would enjoy testing myself against the old man, but not yet." Orochimaru sounded almost disappointed. "I need a new body, one that lets me use my full strength."

Living Corpse Reincarnation granted Orochimaru a kind of immortality, but a transfer did not always leave him with all his power intact.

He also had to wait at least three years between transfers.

Orochimaru could extend his life indefinitely, but his strength was anything but constant. It could swing dramatically from one body to the next. His current vessel was a poor match, leaving him weaker than he had been in years.

After leaving the base, Naoki considered his next move.

If Orochimaru would not trade, he would have to take the technique by force. He had two possible targets: Hiruko, who had invented the Chimera Technique, and Hiruko's assistant, Shinno.

Shinno would be easier to handle. He also posed a serious threat to Shion. Removing him first would be one way to repay Miroku for what had happened.

With his decision made, Naoki summoned Manekimaru and sent Shinichi a letter.

In the Land of Rain, at Hiruko's base.

"Aah..."

Every so often, an agonized scream came from Hiruko's sealed chamber. Even at a distance, the sound made the pain behind it impossible to ignore.

In a corridor nearby, Shinno stood outside the sealing formula Hiruko had placed around the chamber and listened closely.

He checked the hands of his pocket watch. 'Over four hours. The damage to his body is worse than I thought.'

Of everyone in the Akatsuki, Shinno was the only one close enough to Hiruko to recognize that something was wrong with his body.

The others, including Pain and Obito, believed that surviving the Kekkei Genkai fusion ritual meant Hiruko had stabilized. They expected no further complications.

'The Chimera Technique still has a flaw... No. The flaw is in how Hiruko performed the ritual.'

Shinno had watched from the outside and could judge it more clearly than Hiruko could. The technique itself was not the problem. The conditions Hiruko had arranged for the fusion ritual were.

Tap... tap...

Footsteps sounded in the corridor while Shinno was lost in thought.

Shinno stiffened and called out, "Who's there?"

Shinichi came around the corner with a smile. "It's me."

Shinno's face went cold. Homura Uchiha, the spy Shinichi had left in Konoha, had ruined his plans. Shinno had no reason to welcome him.

Another scream tore out of Hiruko's chamber.