Chapter 17: The Deal with Orochimaru

As soon as I spoke my words, I felt a sudden shift in the atmosphere. A strange chill crept over my body, as if I were trapped between the fangs of a giant snake. A terrifying killing intent filled the space, heavy enough to suffocate me.

"I am Hyojin, and killing me is not a wise idea—at least not before you find out where my information comes from, right?" I said with feigned calmness when I felt that Orochimaru was about to make a move. This was the first time I had experienced such a terrifying killing intent.

Orochimaru did not move, but his voice came out colder than ice: "You assume you have a choice here. I could simply extract the information from you and then dispose of you."

"The Uchiha clan leader is outside, and I believe you understand what it means to become an enemy of the Uchiha. In any case, I'm not threatening you; I'm offering you a deal that may interest you," I stated as if it were a given.

At my words, the killing intent eased slightly. Orochimaru seemed to be weighing his options. Maintaining his cold expression, he said, "Tell me about this deal you speak of."

I responded with two words, which visibly surprised him: "Eternal life."

For a moment, heavy silence filled the air. Orochimaru's narrowed eyes didn't blink even once, but he was looking at me as if considering dissecting me on the spot. Then, with carefully measured calmness, he spoke a single word: "Talk."

From his tone, I knew he was annoyed that I knew about his experiments and ultimate goal. Someone of his power does not like being led by the nose, especially by someone weaker than him. If not for the Uchiha clan backing me, he would have cut me down a thousand times over by now.

Understanding that I shouldn't provoke him further, I explained, "There are three ways to achieve eternal life. The first is a forbidden technique called Edo Tensei, created by the Second Hokage. However, it is flawed as it is now and still has room for improvement. But no matter how much it develops, in the end, it's nothing more than a puppet—you won't enjoy the pleasures of life, and your strength will be restricted to the moment before your death. You won't be able to grow stronger."

At my words, Orochimaru's expression initially showed annoyance, but when he heard my full explanation, his annoyance disappeared, replaced by curiosity. Since he had already acquired this technique, even though he hadn't yet explored ways to improve it, he knew my words were true. His interest was piqued, eager to hear about the other two methods.

Seeing his intrigue and the disappearance of his anger, I knew he had taken the bait, so I continued, "As for the second method, it is also a forbidden technique created by the Second Hokage, known as Living Corpse Reincarnation. This technique is still in its early stages and hasn't been fully developed, but if completed, it would be superior to the first method. However, it has a critical flaw."

Orochimaru was initially shocked to hear me mention the Living Corpse Reincarnation technique—it was precisely the method he had been considering. He had only recently obtained it, and when I mentioned a 'critical flaw,' concern flashed through his eyes. But when he saw me stop talking, he shot me a look demanding that I continue.

I waved my hand and said, "Don't you want to know why I told the Uchiha clan leader to request a meeting with you?"

Although he was irritated that I had changed the topic, his curiosity won out, and he nodded for me to proceed.

"Well, simply put, I'm sick. You might have noticed that from my appearance already. So, in exchange for this information, I want you to cure me," I said, pointing at my pale skin and weak state.

At my words, Orochimaru gave me a sharp look, then said, "Alright, boy. I will examine you and see what the issue is."

He extended his hand toward my shoulder.

As he touched me, a chill ran down my spine, as if a snake were slithering nearby, but I endured the sensation and allowed him to examine me while keeping a close eye on him.

Ignoring me, Orochimaru closed his eyes, analyzing my body.

After a while, he performed a simple medical technique on my hand, observed it for some time, and then, after about five minutes of strange procedures, he finally stepped back and spoke: "Interesting. Your name is Hyojin, correct? Your condition is rather unique—it's not a simple physical injury. I have a few possibilities in mind. Do you want to hear them?"

I nodded, curious.

Raising one finger, Orochimaru spoke in a neutral tone as if reading a medical report: "The first possibility: a bloodline defect. This is common among those with rare Kekkei Genkai. If the bloodline is unstable, it can lead to bodily collapse over time."

He raised a second finger. "The second possibility: an imbalance between your spiritual energy and your physical energy. This could explain your weak appearance, as your body may not be able to handle the strain caused by your spirit."

Then, he raised a third finger, a faint, almost imperceptible smile forming on his lips: "The third possibility… is the most interesting one. A conflict between multiple bloodlines. Normally, this would be fatal—unless something unexpected has happened."

Before I could ask what he meant, he continued, "It's also possible that more than one of these possibilities applies to you at the same time. Of course, I would need to conduct further tests to be certain."

"Can you elaborate?" I asked, not fully understanding his explanation.

Orochimaru nodded with uncharacteristic patience and explained, "The first possibility is a genetic flaw within your Kekkei Genkai. If the bloodline transfer is incomplete or flawed, it usually leads to death at a young age, and the symptoms worsen when using the Kekkei Genkai."

At his words, the name 'Kimimaro' immediately came to mind. His condition was somewhat similar to mine, according to my memories. However, while the symptoms were similar, they weren't identical—I rarely used my Ice Release, and when I did, my condition did not worsen significantly.

Noticing that I understood his words, Orochimaru nodded in satisfaction—he preferred dealing with intelligent people—before continuing: "The second possibility, as you learned in the academy, is that chakra is formed by combining physical and spiritual energy. Normally, the ratio isn't perfectly equal for most people, and it's usually not an issue. However, if the imbalance is too severe, symptoms may appear. Your symptoms suggest an excess of spiritual energy, which makes sense given that you're from the Uchiha clan. To test this, I used a simple genjutsu on you—and you didn't even notice."

I froze. When had he done that? I hadn't sensed him activating a genjutsu at all. My mind leaped to a terrifying conclusion: if he could do that without me noticing, what else could he do? Was this the gap between me and a Kage-level individual?

Ignoring my disturbed expression, Orochimaru continued, "The third possibility is a conflict between multiple bloodlines. Usually, when someone is born with two bloodlines, one of three things happens: first, and most commonly, the bloodlines clash, attacking each other inside the body, weakening vitality, and ultimately leading to death. Second, the two bloodlines coexist separately, allowing the user to access both without issues—though this is rare. The third possibility, which is purely theoretical, is the fusion of both bloodlines into a completely new, more powerful one."

A shiver ran through me, but I hid it quickly. There was no point in denying it—he had already figured it out. Though I had not awakened the Sharingan, the Uchiha blood ran through my veins, and with my Ice Release Kekkei Genkai… my body was likely hiding more secrets than I realized.

Orochimaru smirked knowingly. "Oh? It seems you do have another bloodline. What might it be?"

Regaining my composure, I replied, "That's none of your business. Now, tell me how to cure me."