A New Snake In The Shinobi World

Chapter 285:

There was no doubt that the reanimated ninjas under Orochimaru's control had a profound impact on the war.If not for the fact that many powerful individuals hadn't yet died in this era or that some of the stronger ones hadn't reached their full potential, the devastation caused by this jutsu would have been even more catastrophic.

Of course, the more reanimated ninjas Orochimaru summoned, the harder it was for him to maintain control over them.

Even with his current level of strength, he couldn't manage everything at once.

For this reason, many of the less powerful reanimated ninjas were programmed with simple attack commands. Orochimaru only exerted direct control over them when absolutely necessary.

"Negotiating with the Suna Ninjas?" Orochimaru mused, the corners of his lips curving into a faint smile. "That's fine. With the First and Second Hokage present, there shouldn't be any issues."

"As for Kumo's side…" he continued, his voice laced with indifference, "their fate depends on how efficient the Second Tsuchikage is."

Bang!

Orochimaru's musings were interrupted by the sudden, violent opening of the wooden door.

At the entrance stood an anxious-looking Kushina.

"Lord Orochimaru," she said hurriedly, "please… come quickly. Mikoto… she…"

"What's wrong?" Orochimaru asked, his tone calm and collected, despite her panic.

"She… she seems to be in pain," Kushina managed to say.

"Pain?" Orochimaru replied, his voice as composed as ever. "That's normal. After all, she's in the process of merging two distinct powers."

"Two powers?"

"Yes." Orochimaru paused, then added, "Forget it. I'll come with you and take a look."

With that, he rose slowly from his seat, adjusted his robes, and followed Kushina out of the cabin.

The orders for his plans had already been given, and there was nothing else requiring his immediate attention.

In the open clearing next to the cabin, Mikoto was kneeling on the ground, her palms pressed against the earth as she gasped for air, her breaths heavy and labored.

Her body was drenched in sweat, droplets rolling down her face and pooling on the ground below. To anyone unfamiliar with the situation, her posture might have been easily misunderstood.

Orochimaru approached her slowly, crouching down beside her. Without a word, he handed her a tissue.

"Wipe the sweat," he said casually.

"Th-thank you, my lord," Mikoto replied, her voice still trembling as she accepted the tissue and wiped her face.

"There's no need to be so formal," Orochimaru said with a faint smile. "How do you feel?"

"My eyes… they feel stronger. My vision is sharper," Mikoto replied, glancing at him.

"Just your eyes?" Orochimaru pressed, raising a brow.

"It… it feels like my body has grown stronger as well," she admitted. Then, with hesitation, she added, "Lord Orochimaru, what exactly is happening to me?" ŕΆ????ÓᛒËṥ

Orochimaru's expression didn't change as he explained, "You're experiencing the fusion of the Mangekyo Sharingan and the unique physiology of the Uzumaki clan."

"The Mangekyo?" Mikoto repeated, stunned. "And the Uzumaki clan's… physique?"

Kushina, standing nearby, was equally shocked.

Mikoto blinked rapidly, trying to process what he had just said, but her disbelief was evident. "That can't be…"

Even Kushina, who had known Orochimaru for some time, seemed shaken by the revelation.

But it wasn't the mention of the Uzumaki clan's unique traits that left them reeling.

It was the implication.

The question burned in both of their minds: Could Orochimaru really give such incredible powers to someone else?

Mikoto, at least, had some prior understanding of Orochimaru's abilities. She was familiar with the potions he used to help unlock latent powers like the Sharingan. But this… this was far beyond anything she had imagined.

Kushina, on the other hand, had no prior exposure to Orochimaru's methods.

The sheer weight of what he'd said left both women speechless.

"To clarify," Orochimaru began, as if amused by their reactions, "the genetic material for the Mangekyo was extracted from myself long before I mastered Sage Mode. As for the Uzumaki clan's traits…"

He paused, the corner of his mouth curling into a smirk. "During my re

"Brats shouldn't stick their noses into adult matters," Orochimaru interrupted, not even glancing her way. "Instead of gossiping, why don't you focus on improving your cooking skills? The food you make…" He clicked his tongue dramatically.

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