Naruto: This Uchiha is too innocent.

When Orochimaru invited him to become his disciple, Uchiha Sora was stunned. To become the disciple of one of the Legendary Sannin of Konoha—this was an honor that countless people in Konoha dreamed of.

Unfortunately, the person extending the invitation was Orochimaru. What are Orochimaru's characteristics? He is obsessed with snakes, and many of the techniques he employs are accompanied by a strong visual impact, making viewers' scalps tingle. For example, his snake-shedding escape technique and his ability to spew out swarms of snakes are undoubtedly visually striking.

Uchiha Sora felt uneasy just thinking about what it would look like, not to mention that once he became Orochimaru's apprentice, he would inevitably be controlled by his forbidden spell.

Therefore, Uchiha Sora declined Orochimaru's invitation almost without hesitation, and his reason was impeccable: "Sorry, I already have a master, whom you should know; he is Namikaze Minato."

At this moment, he didn't hesitate to use Minato Namikaze as a shield. Even if Orochimaru went to Minato to verify, Minato would definitely cover for him.

"Minato..." Sure enough, when the name "Minato Namikaze" came out of Uchiha Sora's mouth, Orochimaru fell into deep thought. He gave Uchiha Sora a deep look.

After a moment, Orochimaru's lips curled into a sinister smile as he slowly said, "Is that so? In that case, I won't steal your place. However... if you're interested, my apprenticeship will always be reserved for you." His smile held a strange undertone, making it difficult to decipher.

"If that day ever comes, I will."

Uchiha Sora originally thought that his encounter with Orochimaru had come to an end, but to his surprise, Orochimaru did not leave. Instead, he asked him a very philosophical question.

What do you think is the meaning of life and death?

Well… this is indeed a difficult question. A flurry of diverse answers he'd seen online in his previous life flashed through Uchiha Sora's mind. But after a moment's thought, he didn't borrow any of the opinions of experts or scholars from his past life. Instead, he gave a simple answer befitting his current age:

"I have no idea."

"Is that so?" Orochimaru's lips curled into a faint smile, seemingly unsurprised by Uchiha Sora's answer. In his eyes, whether Uchiha Sora could answer the question was unimportant; he was merely using the question to elicit those long-held thoughts swirling deep within his own heart.

"In my view, the meaning of death only truly becomes apparent when it can be utilized. Life itself, in fact, has no inherent meaning. The meaning of life only truly exists at the moment life is made eternal. It's just a pity..."

Orochimaru paused slightly, his eyes flashing, and said, "In this world, no one can truly achieve immortality."

Upon hearing Orochimaru's words, Uchiha Sora felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to his heart. He was well aware of the deeper meaning hidden behind Orochimaru's words.

The meaning of death lies in its potential for use, referring to the Impure World Reincarnation technique.

The meaning of life lies in its immortality, which directly reveals Orochimaru's relentless pursuit throughout his life. He is obsessed with exploring immortality, sparing no expense in trying to break the shackles of life and achieve eternal existence.

Orochimaru probably thought that Uchiha Sora was just an innocent child, which is why he made no attempt to hide his true desires and spoke so frankly about them.

"Kid, what are your thoughts on the dead?" Orochimaru leaned down slightly, bringing his face close to Uchiha Sora's, his vertically slit eyes now appearing even narrower.

Uchiha Sora's heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively took a step back. He really didn't want to have any more contact with this guy who exuded a strange aura. He knew Orochimaru's madness and was afraid that he might accidentally become the subject of Orochimaru's human research experiments.

"I mourn for the deceased."

"Mourning for the deceased..." Orochimaru was slightly taken aback upon hearing this answer. A hint of surprise flashed in his deep eyes, as if he had not expected Uchiha Sora to give such a compassionate reply.

After a long pause, Orochimaru slowly raised his head, a chilling smile playing on his lips: "What a wonderful answer, brat. Do you know that in this world, there exist many forbidden techniques that can disrupt the balance of life and death? If one day, someone you cherish returns from the world of the dead through those forbidden techniques, standing alive and well before you, how would you face them?"

At that moment, an image uncontrollably surfaced in his mind—Uzuki Kazunari, "resurrected" through the Impure World Reincarnation technique, stood before him in a hostile posture.

In that instant, rage burned like a raging fire in Uchiha Sora's heart; he even entertained the thought of killing Orochimaru. Uzuki Kazunari had finally managed to escape this world that caused him so much pain, and now he was being dragged back into this endless abyss—what was he trying to do?!

Orochimaru keenly caught the fleeting killing intent in Uchiha Sora's eyes. His snake-like eyes narrowed slightly, and the upward curve of his lips became even more sinister: "It seems you know quite a lot, and you've found your answer too."

Suddenly, Orochimaru lunged forward and grabbed Uchiha Sora.

Uchiha Sora was startled, and the next moment a sharp pain shot through his shoulder... Orochimaru had stretched out his neck and bitten him hard!

A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and he twirled the kunai in his hand, thrusting it at Orochimaru without hesitation. The latter's body twisted strangely, dodging the attack, while Orochimaru also created distance.

He stuck out his tongue, which was several tens of centimeters long, and licked the air in a circle, seemingly unconcerned about Uchiha Sora's earlier offense.

"Uchiha genius, remember your answer. If one day you change your mind or want to become my disciple, you can find me through this."

He laughed heartily, ignoring the fear of the crowd around him, and left with an air of nonchalance.

Uchiha Sora's face turned ashen. Looking to the side, he saw a clear snake-mouth mark on his shoulder.

He was relieved that Orochimaru had not yet encountered Jugo, so the mark left on him was not a cursed mark, but probably just a tracking mark.

As for actively seeking out Orochimaru through the mark, he felt that was impossible.

The pursuit of immortality comes at a price that cannot be ignored: loneliness. In eternal life, those you cherish and those who cherish you will all die, and only you will remain in this world to "enjoy" this so-called eternity.

In this process, one loses humanity, gradually loses all emotions, until becoming a god without emotions, like a puppet...

"I mourn for...the deceased."

Uchiha Sora clutched his shoulder and murmured softly.