Chapter 65: Become a Part of Me

In the dense forests south of the Land of Fire, near Konohagakure, wild beasts roamed freely but in one secluded corner, silence reigned. Hidden within that quiet was a staircase leading deep underground.

This passage was so well concealed that the naked eye could hardly detect it. The entrance was sealed by chakra, making it highly visible to sensory-type shinobi, but then again, who would come to such a forsaken place?

At the bottom of the stairway stood a massive gate carved with the image of a fearsome serpent. Twin snake-shaped stone pillars flanked the entrance. Beyond the doors, only darkness awaited a void so deep it exuded an aura of death, dread, and malevolence.

From within that eerie darkness came a series of guttural, agonized screams. If anyone were present, their scalp would have gone numb from the sound alone.

"Kabuto, the First Hokage's cells are incompatible with your body. If you force a fusion, you'll likely die," Orochimaru said indifferently, placing the limb made from Hashirama's cells aside.

Kabuto had proven himself a useful subordinate. Letting him die would be a waste. Orochimaru himself wasn't afraid of dismemberment thanks to his Living Corpse Reincarnation technique, he could recover from any injury but Kabuto didn't have that luxury.

"Understood, Lord Orochimaru," Kabuto replied calmly. But a closer look revealed that he was far from composed. He was still young, and losing an arm was not something so easily brushed off.

"This is troublesome," Orochimaru muttered with a frown. In this era before the world was consumed by battles between godlike shinobi ninjutsu still required hand seals. Without an arm, Kabuto was effectively crippled.

"Come with me," Orochimaru said after a moment's thought, leading Kabuto to a hidden door at the end of a dim hallway.

Inside was a chamber filled from floor to ceiling with scrolls, more than Kabuto could count. It looked less like a room and more like a library.

"My Lord... What is all this?" Kabuto was shocked. Orochimaru had collected so many jutsu scrolls?

"Heh." Orochimaru let out a low, eerie laugh. "See for yourself."

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru." With permission granted, Kabuto approached a scroll and opened it with his remaining hand.

"This is... Earth Release: Earth Spear!" It detailed not only the hand signs and mechanics of the jutsu, but also included insights and practice notes.

He opened another. "Wind Release: Gale Palm," again complete with annotations and usage techniques.

One scroll after another, all filled with various ninjutsu. Kabuto couldn't hide his astonishment. The sheer volume of techniques collected in this room was staggering.

The more jutsu a shinobi mastered, the more versatile and dangerous they became. Take Kakashi, for example using his Sharingan, he had copied over a thousand techniques, making him a top-tier ninja even among elite jonin.

Tsunade had once said Kabuto was "not weaker than Kakashi," but Kabuto knew full well that if they fought to the death, Kakashi would win without question.

"Why, my lord? Why gather so many jutsu?" Kabuto asked, genuinely puzzled.

"You still don't understand me, Kabuto," Orochimaru replied with narrowed eyes.

Kabuto had always thought Orochimaru only pursued eternal life. But what he didn't know was that Orochimaru's desire for immortality stemmed from something greater: he wanted to master every jutsu in existence.

But a human lifespan was far too short. That was why Orochimaru sought to transcend mortality to give himself the time and power to achieve that goal.

Orochimaru walked over to a stone wall. From his sleeve slithered a green snake, which retrieved a worn scroll and delivered it into Kabuto's hands.

"This is Living Corpse Reincarnation," Orochimaru said flatly. But the words shocked Kabuto to the core.

He knew exactly what this meant. This was Orochimaru's ultimate survival technique, one that had taken decades to perfect. Learning it would allow Kabuto to escape his disabled state by taking over another body.

"Lord Orochimaru..." Kabuto was truly moved. That his master would entrust him with this forbidden jutsu it meant everything to him.

To Kabuto, Orochimaru wasn't just a superior. He was someone who saw his worth, someone who made him feel like he belonged. And in that moment, Kabuto's loyalty solidified completely. Orochimaru had gained himself a devoted disciple.

What Kabuto didn't know, however, was that the version of Living Corpse Reincarnation he had received was incomplete. It had major flaws. While it ensured his new body wouldn't reject him, it also limited him to a single reincarnation for life.

Worse still, the host body had to be carefully chosen. If the target was too powerful, the backlash from the transfer could kill him before it was complete.

To Orochimaru, Kabuto was just another useful tool. Giving him this technique was already more generosity than he usually afforded anyone.

"Lord Orochimaru, there is something I must confess." Kabuto suddenly said, a resolute gleam in his eyes.

"I was placed by Sasori as a spy to watch you..."

Orochimaru's expression twisted in shock. Kabuto had always been loyal, diligent, and efficient. The thought that he might not be his own had never occurred to him.

After a moment of stunned silence, Orochimaru's eyes narrowed with cold intent. Killing intent surged. If Kabuto truly was a spy, he couldn't be allowed to live.

"Please, my lord, let me explain!" Kabuto said quickly, explaining everything that had happened.

Only then did Orochimaru's killing intent subside.

"Sasori tried to control me through puppetry. It was laughable," Kabuto said with a bitter smile. "Only you, Lord Orochimaru, understand who I truly am. I have never once betrayed you."

"I see... So I misunderstood you," Orochimaru chuckled. "Then continue serving me, Kabuto."

With his years of experience, Orochimaru could tell Kabuto was telling the truth. Still, it was always wise to keep a backup plan. Orochimaru was pleased he had only given Kabuto a flawed version of his technique. That alone was enough to keep him in check.

"Come with me." Orochimaru led Kabuto to a sealed chamber and gave a chilling smile.

"This is the arena. The one who survives will become your new vessel."

"Understood, Lord Orochimaru!" Kabuto stepped into the darkness.

A moment later, the low sounds of growling and howling echoed from within.

"Become a part of me," Orochimaru whispered.

____________________

NEXT CHAPTER : Assassinating the Fifth Hokage!

(As Tsunade, Neji, and Shizune near the gates of Konoha, an ambush awaits rooted in betrayal. Neji reveals Danzo's dark ambition to control the shinobi world, and just as doubt begins to flicker in Tsunade's heart, masked assassins strike. What they didn't expect was Neji. With overwhelming power and lethal precision, Neji shatters their assault, exposing Danzo's treachery with blood and chakra. This isn't just a fight it's a declaration of war.

Next chapter: How will Konoha respond when the truth can no longer be hidden?)

Want to read 35 chapters ahead? Join me on P@treon, the story is on sale now!

P@treon.com/_tey 

Change @ to a.