From Naruto onwards, I've become a dreamer.

Chapter 16 Orochimaru again
late at night.

Orochimaru, alone in the laboratory, was organizing his recent research data.

"The legendary power that first quelled the chaos is becoming more and more intriguing."

There was still no progress on the Wood Release bloodline limit, but the failed experiments piqued his interest: "Just some remaining cells have such amazing vitality. I can hardly imagine how terrifying the First Hokage must have been."

Orochimaru put down the documents in his hand, sat down in a chair, and planned to close his eyes and take a nap.

Just as he was starting to feel sleepy, his mind went blank for a moment.

Immediately afterwards, that familiar hazy black mist surged toward him like a tide. Having learned from his previous experience, although he was still a little nervous, he did not panic.

However, this time it did not seem to be a 'gathering'. In the depths of the surging black mist, a figure suddenly appeared, seemingly formed from radiance, with six wings of light on its back, exuding an aura of boundless antiquity. Its eyes, as deep as stars, silently watched his spirit.

Not a party?

Orochimaru was slightly startled. He had thought he would be dragged into the Church of Bones again, just like last time.

He wasn't stupid; after a moment's thought, he roughly guessed the reason: "What a rare guest, Father Adam. I never expected you to make a special trip to see me. May I ask what can I do for you?"

"I've come to tell you some good news, Orochimaru."

With the aid of ritual magic, Uchiha Munezuki, appearing in the form of a dream, let out a loud voice that echoed through the air.

"Oh?" Orochimaru's eyes lit up upon hearing this, his curiosity piqued.

Zong Yue didn't keep them in suspense and said directly, "A piece of news about [immortality]."

Immortality?

Orochimaru's pupils dilated slightly, and his throat felt like it was stuck, wriggling but unable to make a sound.

He wasn't doubting that Adam was lying to him, after all, he had witnessed the other's methods before; it was just that the news was so shocking that he couldn't recover for a long time.

After a moment, Orochimaru realized he had been somewhat rude and quickly apologized: "I'm sorry, Mr. Adam. I've been researching immortality for a long time, but without any progress. I'm quite shocked to hear this news now. I hope you can understand!"

“I can understand,” Zong Yue said calmly.

"Mr. Adam, what price do I need to pay?"

Orochimaru's eyes flickered slightly as he suppressed his inner elation and forced himself to calm down.

Everything has a price; he understood this principle a long time ago.

But that's immortality!

The dream I've been pursuing for so long is now within reach.

No matter the cost, we must obtain it!

"I'll tell you the price later."

Zongyue mysteriously held back a secret, then said to Orochimaru, "Five kilometers east of Konoha, there you will find the answer you seek: a creature that has lived for thousands of years and originates from the mythical era. It should be able to satisfy your request."

That's right, the immortal being he was referring to was none other than 'Black Zetsu'.

Hmph, he thinks he can just run away after offending me?
That bastard Black Zetsu, does he really think this is a hotel, where he can come and go as he pleases?

He wanted to see just how many lives Black Zetsu had to dare to defy the Grand Duke Judgment.

"The mythological era? They lived for thousands of years?"

If Orochimaru was only slightly shocked just now, his heart was now in turmoil.

The information conveyed in that short sentence was so vast that it almost caused his brain to crash.

Is Adam's statement a myth circulating in the ninja world, or could it be true?
Orochimaru dared not think any further, a chill ran down his spine, and his thoughts were in complete disarray.

“If we don’t go now, he’ll run away.” Zong Yue called out to Orochimaru, a half-smile on his face. “After all, your friend doesn’t seem very reliable. He probably won’t be able to stop him for long.”

His friend? Orochimaru paused, then realized: "You mean... Jiraiya?"

In the entire Hidden Leaf Village, there are basically only two people he can call his friends, and the only unreliable one is Jiraiya.

"Go."

With a single sentence, the figure, as radiant as a god, vanished into the black mist.

Back in reality, Orochimaru suddenly opened his eyes, a fierce killing intent flashing deep within his purple pupils: "People from the mythical era thousands of years ago? Heh. This is getting more and more interesting. I didn't expect that there are so many secrets hidden in the ninja world that I don't know about."

At the same time, Black Zetsu, trapped in the forest outside Konoha, was being brutally beaten.

If Fugaku Uchiha was at most a bit troublesome, then the legendary Sannin Jiraiya made Black Zetsu wish he were dead.

He can use various ninjutsu styles at will, and is especially skilled in Earth Release and Fire Release, which are his natural counters.

However, what made Black Zetsu even more desperate was that Jiraiya was the successor of Mount Myōboku, and that stinky toad had bewitched the Hagoromo brothers, causing them to betray and seal their mother, Princess Kaguya.

"No, I can't dawdle any longer!" Black Zetsu decided to use the same trick again, scattering his body to escape: "That stinky toad from Mount Myōboku has prophetic abilities. If I stay in contact with Jiraiya for too long, I might be able to keep my identity from being discovered!"

boom!
Black Zetsu was like a splash of water, its body transforming into countless black droplets that flew in all directions.

"Trying to run away?" Jiraiya lay prone on the ground, his long, lion-like hair standing on end: "Ninja Art: Needle Jizo!"

Whoosh whoosh—

The soft hair suddenly hardened like steel needles, howling like a torrential rain as it rushed towards the scattered water droplets.

Many black droplets were pierced, emitting screams, but a few still managed to escape.

"Ninjutsu I've never seen before." Seeing that he couldn't catch up, Jiraiya simply stopped and frowned, muttering to himself, "I feel like this guy is a bit strange. Not only is his ninjutsu strange, but his body structure is also strange. It seems I need to find some time to go to Mount Myōboku and ask the Great Toad Sage."

The price Black Zetsu paid to escape was undeniably heavy.

Although in essence, he is not a living being, but merely a mass of Yin-attribute chakra separated from Kaguya's body.

However, tonight's events were fraught with mishaps, one after another, resulting in heavy losses for Black Zetsu, who lost two-thirds of his 'quantity' and will need at least six months to recover.

"Damn you, Uchiha Munetsuki, you'll remember this!"

Black Zetsu gritted his teeth, realizing that his miserable state was entirely due to that Uchiha brat: "Hmph, you'll regret it, Uchiha Muneki. When I get back, I'll make you experience the most painful thing in the world. I'll make you lose everything and suffer endless torment!"

sizzle
Suddenly, the bushes beside them rustled, and several snakes emerged from them.

As if it possessed a spirit, the venomous snake raised its upper body, stared at him with its scarlet vertical pupils, flicked its tongue, and made a chilling sound.

"A few mere beasts dare to scare me!" Black Jue was startled, but upon realizing they were just snakes, he became enraged and tore the snakes to pieces.

But then he sensed something was wrong: "Why are there snakes here?"

"Hehehehe."

A sinister laugh rang out, and Black Zetsu felt a chill run down his spine.

No, that can't be, right?

He can't be that unlucky, can he?
Twisting his stiff head, Black Zetsu turned his gaze toward the source of the sound. Under the bright moonlight, he saw a handsome man with long black hair, narrow eyes, a cold demeanor, and a venomous snake-like appearance. He walked toward him with his hands in front of his chest and a smile on his lips.

Damn, it's Orochimaru!

Black Zetsu felt that he had probably offended the god of luck.

Otherwise, what merit or ability did he possess to encounter two of the legendary Sannin in a single day?

March 8th, sunny

It's cold, and I'm late. I lost twenty yuan on the scratch-off lottery yesterday; I hope I can win today. I asked the editor: "Do you think I'll become famous?" The editor replied: "Focus on writing, stop dreaming."

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(End of this chapter)