The dimly lit research lab was shrouded in an eerie silence.
Orochimaru, still maintaining his white snake form, coiled himself in front of the unconscious White Zetsu, his serpent-like pupils flickering with an unreadable light.
He had never truly cared about the position of Hokage. The only reason he had ever considered claiming the title was that, in his eyes, no one else was worthy of it. But now that Yamanaka Shinno had demonstrated strength far beyond his own, withdrawing from the struggle for the Hokage seat hardly mattered.
Likewise, he did not care about being defeated.
Failure was never something to fear—no one could win forever. Even Hashirama Senju, the man hailed as the God of Shinobi, had suffered losses at the hands of the Uchiha in his youth.
What truly captivated him was the mystery surrounding Yamanaka Shinno.
A single person could not possibly master everything. There was a limit to one's capacity.
Yet Shinno displayed extraordinary chakra control and an unfathomable chakra reserve. He wielded genjutsu that was nearly impossible to guard against, effortlessly performed secret techniques from his clan, and even showcased mastery over Water Release techniques, the long-hidden Flying Thunder God Technique, and the legendary Wood Release, which he had never revealed before.
Now, he had even brought out an arsenal of strange humanoid creatures, their mere existence hinting at a terrifying secret—Madara Uchiha had been alive until recently.
Not only that, but Madara had also possessed more than just the Mangekyō Sharingan—he had mastered Wood Release as well.
And the one who killed him looked exactly like the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju?
How many shinobi in this world could use the Flying Thunder God Technique? And among them, how many could also rival Madara in battle while possessing a mastery of Water Release?
Did it even need to be said?
This so-called 'Tobirama' had defeated and killed Madara without using Wood Release at all. Was it because Shinno was confident that his Flying Thunder God Technique and Water Release alone were enough to deal with an aged Madara? Or had he gained something valuable from the battle?
It was simply too absurd to believe that Shinno had somehow witnessed Wood Release and learned it on the spot like some kind of prodigy beyond imagination.
"He doesn't care if I uncover his secrets... What an arrogant man. Hehehe..."
Orochimaru's voice was a husky, low chuckle.
The strong dictated the fate of the weak.
But power dynamics were never set in stone.
Observe him. Surpass him. Defeat him. Control him.
Even if it wouldn't be easy, the greater the challenge, the more thrilling it was, no?
Earth Release: Rock Fist Jutsu! Earth Release: Added-Weight Rock Jutsu! Water Release: Mighty Water Arm Jutsu!
Boom! Boom! Smack! Boom! Boom! Smack!
"I won't dare anymore! If I ever respond to Orochimaru's summoning again, I'll be a toad!"
Manda curled into a tight ball, screaming as he shamelessly begged for mercy.
"You damn human! You deserve to die! I'll eat you!"
A massive serpent with crimson scales—Shinya—slithered toward Shinno, having been drawn by Manda's cries. Consumed by its hatred for humans, it instinctively attacked.
Naturally, it was promptly beaten into submission.
Unlike Manda, who had completely surrendered and refused to resist, Shinya had at least attempted to fight back, struggling despite the pain. It had spirit, at the very least.
Boom! Boom! Smack! Boom! Boom! Smack!
Half an hour later...
"Boss, just say the word! I, Shinya, am the most loyal! If you tell me to go east, I won't even glance west!"
Shinya, now missing most of its scales and with both of its venomous fangs broken, forced an ingratiating smile despite its battered state.
"Call me if you need anything! I have way more battle experience than Shinya!"
Manda shamelessly sucked up to Shinno, pretending to be the more reliable one.
"Shut the hell up! I've fought more wars than you, you idiot!"
"Manda! If I weren't in so much pain right now, I'd kill you!"
"Shinya! Don't act tough! I'm still in better shape than you!"
The two serpents hissed menacingly at each other, ready to brawl at a moment's notice.
"Enough! Take me to the White Snake Sage."
Shinno shot them a cold glare, uninterested in their theatrics.
"Boss! I'll take you there!"
"No, me! Boss, my head is wide, it'll be more comfortable to sit on!"
Manda and Shinya locked eyes, their heads knocking together as they prepared to throw down again.
"Tch! One more word, and I'll beat you both with Wood Release!"
The two massive serpents squeezed their heads together, their bodies twisting into a tangled mess as they slithered through the labyrinthine tunnels.
Shinno sat on the makeshift platform they formed with their skulls, feeling utterly speechless at their antics.
His mind, however, was focused on analyzing his latest experiment with the [Graveyard Nurse] trait.
Both Manda and Shinya possessed powerful venom, their toxicity enhanced by natural energy. The poison was extremely corrosive.
A normal person with mild poisoning would need a punch from Tsunade at full force to neutralize the venom completely.
Moderate poisoning? Two or three punches.
Severe poisoning? At least five or more.
And anything worse than that...
Well, at that point, the person would be dead on the spot. What would be left to cure?
"I need to pace the punches and spread out the damage over time. Otherwise, I might end up killing the patient instead of curing them."
Shinno muttered under his breath, satisfied with the detoxification abilities of the [Graveyard Nurse] trait. The fact that it could counter any poison was already beyond overpowered.
He then turned his attention to the rewards granted by the system for altering Orochimaru's fate, as well as the blue [Fate Weaver] energy that now surrounded him.
As expected, the best way to reap massive rewards was by influencing major figures from the original story.
"System, use all my trait draws."
[Congratulations! You have obtained the following traits:]
[Food Fetish] (White): Love blossoms where the stomach leads. The holder will fall deeply in love with beings they perceive as food. The longer the contact, the greater the hunger and affection. They will not harm their beloved, but if the 'food' attempts to escape or resist, love will turn to hate... and then digestion.
[Bandit's Excited Fist] (Green): Increases body agility, strength, flexibility, and charm through taijutsu. Also accelerates growth in strength and taijutsu proficiency.
[Borrowed Account Login] (Purple): Grants the ability to connect with souls in the Pure Land, temporarily borrowing their peak-level abilities. Each use leaves behind residual energy, permanently strengthening the user.
Shinno stared blankly at the [Food Fetish] trait.
"Wait... so I might fall in love with a cow?"
He felt a chill run down his spine.
"No. Absolutely not. Some things are just... wrong. Right, my brothers?"
Pls Drop some Power Stones
Fanfic is finished on (258 chapters in total.)
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