Chương 186: Orochimaru Meets His Natural Enemy

That evening, after finishing work, Dongye Zhen parted ways with Hayate and Yugao and headed home alongside Yamato. After a year and a half of living together, Yamato had fully integrated into the family. Even the surname in his official records had been changed to Dongye. Yet despite acknowledging a certain someone's place in his heart, he stubbornly refused to call him "big brother." Even the most honest kid could develop a mischievous streak after being bullied long enough.

As they walked, Yamato asked, "Zhen, still no breakthrough with your Wood Release development?"

"Nope. If it were that easy, Wood Release wouldn't be special. That bloodline limit isn't just about chakra fusion. Though I have made progress with another kekkei genkai."

"Oh? Has your Ice Release improved again?"

"Not Ice Release. If you already have it, what exactly is there to improve?" Then why does my Wood Release have none of the God of Shinobi's grandeur? Yamato grumbled inwardly before asking, "Then what new bloodline ability is it?"

"You really want to know? Call me 'big brother' and maybe, if I'm in a good mood, I'll tell you." Yamato: "..." See? The more Dongye Zhen teased him, the more rebellious he became. At that moment, a girl suddenly appeared in front of them. Yamato instinctively took a step backward. Dongye Zhen raised an eyebrow.

"Oh my, isn't this our dear senior Anko? What brings you here?"

"I'm not here for both of you. I'm here for you."

"Sorry, Senior Anko. If you're asking me out, you'll need to make a reservation and wait in line. Yamato's available immediately—he's not nearly as popular as I am." Yamato: "..." Please don't drag me into this.

"Idiot! Who's asking you on a date?!" Veins bulged on Anko's forehead.

"It's my teacher. He wants to see you."

"Oh." Dongye Zhen placed a hand over his chest.

"You scared me there. I thought you meant something serious. It's just Orochimaru-senpai." That was even scarier. Yamato knew exactly who Orochimaru was. He'd also heard the rumors linking the recent disappearances to him. A trace of concern entered his voice.

"Zhen, want me to come with you?"

"No need." Dongye Zhen waved him off.

"Just head home and let everyone know where I went. I'll be fine."

"Alright. Be careful." Anko stared at them in disbelief.

"You two jerks! Is my teacher really that terrifying?" The pair exchanged a glance. Yep. She truly had no idea. Leaving Konoha's main district behind, Dongye Zhen followed Anko eastward at high speed.

"Pretty far, isn't it? Senior Anko, you're not actually helping Orochimaru-senpai ambush me, are you? There's a trap waiting ahead, right?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? It's not far at all. We're almost there."

"I'm serious. Haven't you heard about the recent disappearances?"

"What do those have to do with my teacher?"

"What if they do?"

"Impossible. Absolutely not—" Before she could finish, she exploded. Literally. The Anko beside him burst into smoke. A Shadow Clone. For some reason, it had suddenly dispelled itself. Dongye Zhen looked down at the small snake hissing at his feet. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Following it, he arrived at a hidden underground laboratory. Deep beneath the earth. Dark and oppressive. Very much Orochimaru's style.

Unlike the facilities he'd seen on the Eastern Front years ago, this laboratory near Konoha was protected by numerous barriers. Konoha's barrier techniques vastly surpassed those of Takigakure. Their concealment capabilities were first-rate. Of course, if Dongye Zhen truly wanted to find them, he could. He simply hadn't cared enough to bother. Passing through a long underground corridor, he followed Anko's chakra signature across a vast subterranean chamber and into a laboratory. Her condition didn't feel right.

That was likely why the Shadow Clone had dispelled. Inside the dimly lit room, Anko appeared unconscious. Yet her body trembled uncontrollably. Dongye Zhen stepped closer and pulled away the hand clutching her shoulder. A strange seal had appeared on her skin. The Cursed Seal of Heaven. An incomplete version, at least for now.

"Orochimaru-senpai." His voice echoed softly through the darkness.

"You're truly ruthless. Even your beloved disciple isn't exempt. Do you have any idea how much she trusts you?" No answer came. Instead, several giant snakes burst from the shadows, lunging toward him. Their fangs gleamed. Their flexible bodies twisted through the air, seeking to restrain him. Grabbing Anko, Dongye Zhen vanished in a Body Flicker. The next instant, he stood outside the laboratory in the central chamber surrounded by massive support pillars. A figure slowly emerged from the darkness.

His voice was low and raspy.

"Trust is meaningless to me."

"What a waste." Orochimaru smiled faintly.

"Zhen, I know you're powerful. But you're like me—lacking one of those enviable bloodlines blessed by heaven." His golden eyes narrowed.

"Eventually, you'll reach a ceiling."

"Wouldn't you like to push beyond it?"

"You're talking about the seal on Anko?"

"Precisely." Orochimaru's smile widened.

"It can grant you a mysterious power. Something you've never experienced before."

"Mysterious?" Dongye Zhen pointed at Anko's shoulder.

"You mean natural energy, right?"

"..." Orochimaru's carefully prepared sales pitch died instantly.

"Oh?" He studied Dongye Zhen anew.

"So you know about it. Not surprising, I suppose."

"You're part of Minato's Shadow Guard and you've interacted with Tsunade." His eyes sharpened.

"Have you signed a contract with Mount Myoboku? Or perhaps Shikkotsu Forest?"

"No."

"I don't have a summoning contract."

"Then you lack the qualifications to learn Sage Arts." Orochimaru's voice grew more persuasive.

"Which means you need the cursed seal even more." Dongye Zhen glanced at Anko.

"So I can become a vessel for your resurrection or reincarnation?" Orochimaru's expression stiffened.

"... How do you know that?"

"I sensed it." Dongye Zhen shrugged.

"There's diluted, low-quality natural energy inside. Along with a backup copy of your chakra." He tapped his temple.

"The spiritual imprint is particularly obvious." A smile tugged at his lips.

"I doubt you left a guardian angel inside your precious disciple out of affection." He glanced down at Anko.

"Judging from her condition, she nearly died just now."

"You can sense natural energy?"

"The stuff?" Dongye Zhen looked genuinely puzzled.

"I've been using it since I was a kid." A pause.

"Don't tell me you can't?" Another pause.

"Oh wow." His expression turned sympathetic.

"So that's really the case. No wonder you had to invent such a clumsy workaround."

"..." For perhaps the first time in years, Orochimaru felt his composure cracking. The calm confidence he always carried shattered under the weight of pure irritation. He suddenly wanted to punch someone. So he attacked. Ninja Art: Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes Dropping to the ground, Orochimaru opened his mouth. A horrifying torrent of snakes poured forth. Thousands. Tens of thousands. An endless writhing mass. They hissed and coiled over one another, flooding toward Dongye Zhen like a living tidal wave.

In a confined underground space, few techniques were more effective. Overwhelming numbers. Venom from every direction. Orochimaru wasn't trying to kill him. Only restrain him. Unfortunately, this attack struck directly at Dongye Zhen's greatest weakness. He had trypophobia. Watching countless snakes intertwine into a living carpet made his scalp crawl. And knowing they'd all come from Orochimaru's mouth somehow made it even worse. Yet another reason he disliked mouth-based ninjutsu.

Dongye Zhen slowly raised his right index finger. A crimson spark appeared at its tip. Then it expanded instantly into a colossal shield of blazing fire. The burning wall swept forward. The advancing snake horde wasn't pushed back. The moment it touched the flames, it simply ceased to exist. Reduced to ash. The underground chamber filled with the aroma of roasted snake. Sage Art: Fire Release — One-Horned Inferno A new evolution of the One-Horn series. Integrated with Fire Release's extreme heat.

Offense and defense in one. Killing, cremation, and ash disposal—all in a single convenient package. The blazing wall halted only a short distance from Orochimaru. The Sannin's eyelid twitched. He could feel the terrifying temperature radiating from the technique. Far beyond ordinary Fire Release. If it hit him, he would die. The snakes scattered across the floor as piles of ash were proof enough. Perhaps because of the dry air, his voice sounded even hoarser than usual.

"Why did you stop?"

"Because you're not the real one."

"Oh?" Orochimaru tilted his head.

"And if I were?"

"Would you attack?" Dongye Zhen grinned.

"Maybe."

"I'm not exactly a champion of justice, Orochimaru-senpai. We don't have any personal grudge." His smile widened.

"But you did just try to plant a cursed seal on me."

"For that, you'll need to pay a price."

"Hehehe..." Orochimaru chuckled softly.

"Interesting."

"What do you want?"

"You've been working with Advisor Danzo, haven't you?" Dongye Zhen's eyes gleamed.

"Prepare evidence."

"And if you continue cooperating with him in the future, keep gathering more."

"Evidence?" Orochimaru laughed.

"Helping Minato remove obstacles?" He spread his hands.

"With your strength, wouldn't killing Danzo be simpler?"

"You think we're like you?" Dongye Zhen shook his head.

"Internal matters aren't the same as external ones."

"There are procedures."

"There are rules."

"And if I refuse?" Dongye Zhen smiled brightly.

"Orochimaru-senpai."

"You'll probably defect today." His tone remained casual.

"If you think you can escape my pursuit, feel free to test that theory." Then he seemed to remember something.

"Oh, right."

"I almost forgot." He pointed at Anko.

"A cursed seal like hers?"

"I can remove it in under two seconds." His smile became almost cheerful.

"I wonder how many chakra backups you've prepared."

"If Anko is your only anchor..." His eyes narrowed.

"You might actually die."

"The permanent kind." Orochimaru: "..."

"And another thing." Dongye Zhen continued casually.

"Minato-senpai mentioned that the Second Hokage once developed a technique capable of summoning the dead back from the Pure Land." A pause.

"But people killed by my special methods don't leave souls behind."

"They don't reach the Pure Land."

"They don't linger."

"They simply cease to exist."

"Forever." Orochimaru: "..." Damn it. For the first time in his life, Orochimaru felt as though he'd encountered his natural predator. What was the point of pursuing immortality if the other side could erase souls outright? Then again... Perhaps immortality still had value. If nothing else, when you couldn't beat someone, you could always outlive them.