Unbelievably Extravagant

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Kakashi and Guy nervously stepped onto the golden bell's platform.

From up close, the golden bell appeared even more massive.

Although Kakashi and Guy were mature for their age as ninjas, they weren't so mature as to lose their curiosity about new things.

Ding! Ding!

The crisp, melodious chimes reverberated across all the islands, carrying a serene and almost purifying quality that seemed to wash over the heart and soul.

Even Orochimaru and the Nine-Tails found themselves pausing, their minds unusually tranquil as they listened.

Orochimaru quickly noticed something was off. He wasn't the kind of person easily influenced by external factors.

Why did this sound make him feel so calm?

Kitaro casually explained, "This world is full of wonders. It's infused with something akin to willpower. Sometimes, this willpower can even bring inanimate objects to life—similar to a blend of Yin-Yang Release."

"There's a theory that Devil Fruits are born from the collective will of all life in this world. For instance, people feared lightning, so the Rumble-Rumble Fruit came into existence. They longed for light, and the Glint-Glint Fruit was created. They dreamed of flight, and the Float-Float Fruit appeared…"

"I can't say for certain if this theory is accurate, but it's clear that this world is vastly different from the ninja world."

Orochimaru's interest in this world only deepened.

"What do you need from me?" Orochimaru asked bluntly. He knew his student well—Kitaro wouldn't go to such lengths unless he had a purpose.

"Oh, Orochimaru-sensei, don't be so harsh. I invited you out of admiration for your brilliance. How could you doubt my sincerity?"

"..."

Orochimaru stared at Kitaro silently, his expression saying, Go ahead, keep acting.

"Ahem." Kitaro cleared his throat. "Well, I do have a favor to ask. I want to create a protective barrier for my kingdom."

"A barrier? How big are we talking?" Orochimaru asked. He had taught Kitaro about barrier techniques before, though Kitaro hadn't shown much interest, finding them cumbersome.

"If possible, I'd like it to cover the entire territory."

"..."

Orochimaru said nothing, his gaze unreadable as he processed the sheer absurdity of the request.

The territory of Kitaro's kingdom spanned about 1.08 million square kilometers.

A barrier over the entire region? Was he serious?

"Uh… Is that too difficult?"

"..."

Difficult? It was nearly impossible!

Orochimaru couldn't fathom how the man who controlled the Float-Float Fruit had achieved his feats, but it was undeniably impressive.

"Well, if that's too much, we can focus on creating barriers for the central cities of each island."

"You've given me quite a troublesome task."

"Hey, you're the best at what you do! Besides, most of the islands aren't even operational yet. Apart from the main island, only Fish-Man Island has been developed."

"Fish-Men?"

"They're a race that originally lived 10,000 meters under the sea. They're born with ten times the strength of humans."

"Interesting… I'd like an island of my own," Orochimaru said, already imagining the research opportunities with these Fish-Men.

"Of course! You can pick any one of the ten major auxiliary islands."

"I'll also need a lot of equipment."

"No problem. I'll assign people to assist you. You can direct them as you see fit or even personally procure what you need. The technology in this world is on par with—if not superior to—ours."

"Additionally, I'll allocate a research budget of one billion Berries per month. That's roughly equivalent to one billion Ryo in terms of purchasing power."

Orochimaru nodded, clearly satisfied.

Kitaro didn't question how Orochimaru would spend the money. He trusted his teacher's brilliance implicitly.

Orochimaru wasn't the kind of man to squander wealth—he was a scientist who could make fortunes out of scraps. Even the golden bell, which dazzled everyone else, barely elicited a flicker of interest from him.

To Orochimaru, it was just an object. Its only intrigue was the strange willpower it seemed to emit.

When Kitaro decided to build his kingdom, Orochimaru was the first person he thought of. Talent like Orochimaru's was worth more than gold.

It wasn't just about building a kingdom; it was about building a legacy that would last.

"Orochimaru-sensei, do you need eternal lif—"

"No need!"

"At least not right now. Just give me the breathing techniques. I'll explore this world's powers on my own."

Orochimaru's pride wouldn't allow him to take shortcuts, even if he had pledged loyalty to Kitaro.

"Fair enough."

With that, Kitaro activated his Mangekyō Sharingan. Locking eyes with Orochimaru, he cast a genjutsu so powerful that Orochimaru couldn't resist.

In an instant, Kitaro transferred all the breathing techniques to Orochimaru's mind.

When the genjutsu lifted, Orochimaru regarded Kitaro with a sly smile. "Your genjutsu has gotten even stronger."

"In my defense," Kitaro said sheepishly, "my genjutsu was always strong. I just didn't want to use my full strength against you before."

"..."

Orochimaru said nothing, though his expression seemed to say, Sure, keep telling yourself that.

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