Coercion and manipulation were tactics that both the original Orochimaru and the current Orochimaru excelled at.
However, in the original work, Orochimaru's strength was limited, and he could, at best, threaten smaller villages.
Now, with his newfound power, Orochimaru could even threaten the great shinobi villages.
Mei was furious upon hearing his words.
She was intelligent enough to recognize the vast disparity in strength between herself and Orochimaru.
If Orochimaru were to act, there was no scenario in which she could defeat him. The only outcomes would be her meaningless death and an enraged Orochimaru unleashing devastation on Kirigakure.
She had no doubts that Orochimaru would carry out his threats.
Kirigakure's current situation was precarious. Most of their forces were stationed on the front lines, and the remaining ninjas in the village were hardly capable of defending against an attack.
Moreover, Orochimaru had his own army of reanimated shinobi.
Among the reports Mei had received from the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, there were at least three Kage-level combatants under Orochimaru's command.
If such individuals were unleashed on the village, the ninja clans of Kirigakure would...
"Damn it! Why are you doing this? Why?" Mei's voice trembled with despair.
This was the suffocating pressure brought by absolute power.
And Orochimaru knew her well enough to exploit her weaknesses. He knew that, despite Kirigakure's flaws, she deeply cared for the village and could never abandon it.
"I told you—this is for peace," Orochimaru said, his tone calm as he walked ahead, with Kabuto following closely behind. "Initially, I didn't plan on this, but after meeting you, I decided otherwise."
He glanced back at her. "In other words, you're the only one who can save Kirigakure now."
Mei trailed behind him, her mind racing.
At only eighteen or nineteen years old, she had no initial interest in becoming Mizukage. Like Tsunade before her, she had little desire to take on such a burden.
But if becoming Mizukage meant saving the village...
"You… What exactly do you want me to do?" she asked cautiously. "I'll say this upfront: I won't do anything that would harm my village."
"Relax," Orochimaru replied casually. "I have no interest in harming your village."
---
With Mei reluctantly leading the way, Orochimaru and Kabuto approached the outskirts of Kirigakure Village.
Shrouded in thick mist year-round, Kirigakure was isolated from the outside world.
After taking control of the Fourth Mizukage, Obito's cruel regime plunged the village into chaos, launching unnecessary wars and persecuting those with kekkei genkai.
For Mei to have survived and thrived under such conditions was a testament to her strength and capability.
"The environment here isn't exactly ideal..." Orochimaru muttered as they walked.
The perpetual mist left the village humid and damp. For someone like Mei, a master of Water Release, this wasn't a problem. But most people needed special clothing to tolerate the humidity.
"When it comes to the environment, it's naturally not as pleasant as Konoha," Terumi Mei remarked, casting a sharp glance at him. "Orochimaru, I hope you'll keep your promise."
"We'll see how you perform," Orochimaru replied with a sly smile, handing her a kunai marked with his Flying Thunder God seal.
"You…" Mei hesitated, glaring at him before taking the kunai and heading toward the village.
To her, everything Orochimaru was forcing her to do felt like a betrayal of her home.
The thought made her stomach turn.
But what choice did she have?
If Orochimaru decided to attack, Kirigakure would be defenseless. The Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, was far from reliable and even at his peak, he wouldn't stand a chance against Orochimaru's army of Kage-level reanimated shinobi.
---
Following Orochimaru's instructions, Mei returned to her residence.
Moments later, Orochimaru and Kabuto appeared in her room, using the Flying Thunder God technique.
Her private quarters were simple and clean, with a faint, pleasant fragrance lingering in the air.
"Now," Orochimaru said, surveying the room briefly before turning to her, "tell me where your Mizukage is."
---
The Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, appeared much younger than his actual age.
With green hair, striking purple eyes, and a noticeable scar beneath his left eye, Yagura carried himself with an air of quiet authority. He wielded a hooked staff adorned with a green flower, a weapon uniquely his own.
Despite his youthful appearance, Yagura's knowledge of specialized ninjutsu and his ability to govern Kirigakure proved that he was no mere child.
Orochimaru observed him from the roof of a tall building, watching as Yagura moved through the mist-covered streets below.
Narrowing his eyes, Orochimaru smirked slightly.
"Just as I thought…"
"What is it? Are you going to—"
"You two stay here," Orochimaru interrupted, cutting off Mei.
Before she could question him further, Orochimaru leapt from the rooftop, bypassing the village's defenses with the Flying Thunder God technique.
Rather than approach Yagura directly, he reappeared inside a dimly lit hut near the Mizukage's office.
The room was dark, and in the corner sat Obito, his whirlpool-patterned mask partially obscured by shadows.
"Orochimaru, what are you doing here?" Obito asked, his voice calm but laced with surprise.
What surprised him wasn't Orochimaru's presence in Kirigakure, it was the fact that Orochimaru had sought him out immediately upon arrival.
"I have something to discuss with you," Orochimaru said directly.
"Couldn't you have relayed it through Zetsu?" Obito asked.
Orochimaru smiled faintly. "No, this isn't something Zetsu can know about."
Hearing this, Obito's posture straightened slightly. His expression, though hidden behind his mask, turned serious.
Orochimaru approaching him in secret, without Zetsu's knowledge? This was clearly something significant.
"What is it?" Obito asked, his tone cautious.
"You're aware of my relationship with Tsunade, correct?" Orochimaru began.
"Of course," Obito replied without hesitation. If not for Orochimaru's ties to Konoha's leadership, Obito might have attacked the village much sooner.
Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed. "I spoke to Tsunade and uncovered the reasons behind your... condition."
"So what?" Obito said coldly, narrowing his eyes.
He wasn't surprised that Orochimaru had learned about him. With Tsunade as Hokage and access to Konoha's intelligence, it would have been easy for Orochimaru to piece things together.
"I want you to work for me," Orochimaru said bluntly, "and in return, I'll bring Rin back to life."
Obito froze, his body stiffening. "Bring Rin back to life? Are you joking?"
"Why would I joke about something like this?" Orochimaru countered. "Was my resurrection of Nawaki not proof enough of my capabilities?"
"Don't think I don't know how your resurrection technique works," Obito retorted. "It requires living human cells. You can't bring someone back without a clone to act as a vessel."
Orochimaru chuckled. "You've done your research, but you still underestimate me."
His voice dropped slightly, taking on a more sinister tone.
"Tell me, Obito… What if I told you I could create a Rin from nothing?"
***
Bonus chapter. Eid Mubarak ✨️ to my Muslim readers.
This book is complete. Support me on Patreon to read all advanced chapters: /Blownleaves.