Chapter 80: Orochimaru will not pretend to be cute

Orochimaru pondered in silence, then sighed, sounding a little bored.

"Even if the White Snake Sage is truly seeking transformation, I have no leverage to offer in exchange," he muttered.

A white snake that had survived for thousands of years and mastered sage arts—Orochimaru couldn't imagine what he had that could possibly be of value to such a being.

It wasn't self-deprecation. It was simply self-awareness. Sage techniques lay far outside his current realm of understanding.

"This information isn't something for you to use so directly," the Djinn interjected, shaking his head. "I'm telling you this because the White Snake Sage may not be stingy with its power. It probably doesn't even care about conserving natural energy anymore."

Orochimaru froze for a moment, then furrowed his brow in thought, confused.

He could understand what the Djinn was implying. After all, the White Snake Sage had been stockpiling natural energy for ages. A little more or less wouldn't make a difference. But what did that have to do with him? If anything, it just made the idea of a bargain seem even more unreachable.

Power freely given is often the most dangerous. Just earlier, they had been discussing the kind of price one might need to pay for the White Snake Sage to take him seriously—to truly teach him Sage Art.

"There are costs you can see… and those you can't," the Djinn said knowingly, a sly smile on his lips.

"Ten million ryō. That's what you paid to acquire Uchiha Shinsuke's First Hokage cell transplant. But if it was just ten million… would you have done it?"

"Of course not," Orochimaru answered without hesitation.

His mind flashed back to all the gains that operation had brought him. He began to understand.

"This time, you don't need an equal trade. What matters is the gesture. Let the White Snake Sage see you—just as you once saw potential in Shinsuke Uchiha."

The Djinn's voice was persuasive, patient. He was trying to explain carefully, knowing this was where Orochimaru's instincts tended to fail him.

Orochimaru had always been hailed as a genius. He grew up admired, feared, never needing to lower himself. Even in fair trades, he carried a quiet arrogance—always feeling a step above the other party.

So now, to ask him to humble himself before the White Snake Sage—to play the role of a supplicant—was no easy task.

If done wrong, it could come off as insincere… even insulting. It could backfire.

All the Djinn could do was explain the logic as clearly as possible. The finer details, the adjustments… those would be up to Orochimaru.

Orochimaru fell into deep thought. After a long silence, a strange glint passed through his eyes.

He had long sought immortality. And now, with a wish-granting spirit at his side, he was beginning to grasp the mindset of long-lived beings like the White Snake Sage.

"The old plant trees, and the young enjoy the shade."

For those who lived long enough, it wasn't about leaving a legacy—it was about planting seeds today and resting beneath their shade tomorrow.

Beings like that weren't stingy with a little watering and sunlight.

Thinking of something, Orochimaru suddenly turned to glance at Manda, who was busy swallowing a second pig on the other side of the clearing.

The Djinn noticed his gaze and smiled faintly. "Looks like an idea just came to you."

"It did," Orochimaru said slowly. "I was just thinking… the White Snake Sage may have tried far more methods than we've imagined in its pursuit of transformation."

A sly smile curled his lips. He licked them unconsciously, voice lowering in thought.

"Putting Manda aside for a moment—there are three Snake Princesses in Ryūchi Cave. Are they snakes that took on human forms? Or former kunoichi who trained in Sage Arts? If it's the latter, that's understandable. But if it's the former… just how massive must their original bodies be?"

The tone of the conversation had taken a strange turn, but the Djinn didn't flinch. He understood that Orochimaru wasn't driven by lust or worldly pleasures—this wasn't about some Xu Xian fantasy.

"Ask Manda," the Djinn suggested. "He may be a gluttonous idiot, but he's old enough to know a few secrets."

"No. Manda doesn't know much about the Snake Princesses in Ryūchi Cave. And if I ask the wrong question, I might spook him. He's shrewd in his own way."

Orochimaru grinned. "I'll try again later—after this business is done. But for now…"

Boom—

The ground trembled slightly.

Manda dragged his bloated body over to the tree where Orochimaru was perched, casting a long shadow from above. He looked down at him.

"Orochimaru. The third sacrifice. Bring it over. Now."

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow at Manda's visibly bulging stomach. "Still not full?"

"You must be joking. I could go for ten more—no, five will do. Just hurry it up."

Manda let out a disdainful snort. "You're not thinking of backing out, are you?"

"Ah…"

Orochimaru's expression didn't change. His voice was calm, composed. "Of course not. But the summoning time is almost up. I'll be sending you back now. Don't worry—once I begin my Sage training in Ryūchi Cave, I'll bring you a proper offering then."

"Sage Arts? Still chasing that dream?"

Manda snorted, nostrils flaring. His serpent face curled into an expression of almost human contempt. "Fine. I'll be waiting in Ryūchi Cave."

With a loud pop of smoke, Manda vanished.

Orochimaru stood quietly at the top of the tree, gazing into the distance.

Then, without another word, he turned and headed back in the direction of the Land of Fire. This region's prey had grown too scarce—he'd need to travel farther to find something suitable.

The Djinn peeked forward, tilting his head. "Honestly, I thought you were bluffing. Didn't expect you to actually go catch another sacrifice for him."

"Why not?" Orochimaru replied with a twisted smile. "Though I doubt this one will be quite as tasty."

---

The Land of Stone.

Nestled between the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth, this region was nothing like its neighbors. Unlike the Land of Rain, which at least had moisture, the Land of Stone was barren—dry and cracked, filled with endless rock and sand. Decay and desolation hung thick in the air.

Calling it a "country" was generous at best. The population was sparse, scattered in tiny family villages rather than organized towns.

And even then, "villages" meant settlements of barely a dozen people. It was a far cry from places like Konoha, which was more a city than a village, home to hundreds of thousands.

So poor and unproductive was the Land of Stone that not even the Five Great Nations had any interest in conquering it.

Its existence was tolerated only because it served as a buffer zone between the Lands of Wind and Earth.

Orochimaru had commanded armies here before—during the great wars between nations. He knew the terrain well. And yet, standing here again, seeing the familiar wasteland… he felt a strange pang of emotion.

He understood, perhaps more clearly now, that this decay was not a natural fate. It was tied to the White Snake Sage.

In the shinobi world, "natural energy" wasn't just a myth—it influenced the vitality of entire regions. The ancient Land of Rōran, after all, had created an oasis in the middle of a desert using the power of the Dragon Vein.

So, if the White Snake Sage were to die—or if it completed its transformation and condensed its power into a new form—the natural energy flowing from Ryūchi Cave could alter this barren land's fate.

It could bring the Land of Stone back to life.

Of course… that would just make it a more tempting target. The Lands of Wind and Earth would likely rush in to seize it.

A bitter truth.

Still, thoughts aside, his pace never slowed. Orochimaru moved swiftly, eyes locked ahead.

His destination: Ryūchi Cave.

A bottomless fissure in the earth.

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