"Is that so? Must've been my imagination. No enemy could possibly infiltrate our encampment without being detected by the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan."
Tsunade's suspicions about Orochimaru were momentarily eased by his composed explanation. Could it be he wasn't a Reincarnator after all?
In truth, testing whether someone was a Reincarnator was simple: just try to speak about the Lord God and see if the system blocked it. But… the cost of doing so was high. If Orochimaru wasn't a Reincarnator, the Lord God would surely enact punishment.
Forget it. Maybe she was just becoming overly paranoid after being drawn into the system so suddenly…
Tsunade chuckled at herself bitterly.
---
Meanwhile, Orochimaru was inwardly alarmed.
That voice just now—someone had spoken directly into his mind… and Tsunade, who stood right beside him, hadn't sensed a thing.
Was it genjutsu?
But who, inside this tent, could cast such an illusion on him without him even noticing? And for what purpose?
Then the voice came again:
[I am the Lord God. You have been chosen as a Reincarnator. You must now complete the missions I assign. As a reward, I will grant you tools or points, which you may exchange for anything you desire.]
Lord God? Reincarnator? The ability to exchange for anything?
It all sounded like some snake oil salesman's pitch.
Orochimaru sneered. He didn't care how grand the promises were—he had just one question:
"Can it grant me immortality?"
In response, a glowing screen suddenly appeared before him.
At the top of a special exchange category, a clearly labeled entry read:
[Eternal Life]
[Ageless, undying. Cells will never decay or die.
Cost: 100,000 points.]
Orochimaru's heart skipped a beat.
The screen flickered, listing countless options across different categories:
[Vampire Bloodline — Greatly enhances strength and agility. Except for the heart, all vital organs become non-essential. No aging. Requires periodic blood intake to maintain an unnatural state of immortality.
Drawbacks: vulnerability to sunlight, garlic, and silver (varies by tier).
Cost: 5,000 to 200,000 points, depending on rank.]
[Yomi Yomi no Mi — Revives the user after death, enhances spiritual energy, and allows the soul to inhabit a corpse. As long as the soul remains, life endures.
Cost: 80,000 points.]
[Flesh of the Immortal Monk…]
Option after option scrolled past, dazzling Orochimaru with their promises.
Nawaki, watching through the system interface, didn't even bother answering his question.
Immortality? In the Lord God System, that was one of the least impressive perks. There were so many ways to achieve eternal life—it was practically a side effect of half the items.
How utterly predictable.
Still, as Orochimaru stared at all the exchange options—each leading toward immortality—his icy heart began to beat faster.
But hold on… was any of this even real?
How did he know this wasn't just some illusion? Just words on a screen?
Then came the Lord God's voice again:
[You may submit items or jutsu scrolls to earn points.
If the jutsu exists fully in your memory, you may upload it directly—no need to transcribe.]
[Try it yourself.]
Orochimaru paused for a brief moment—then, without hesitation, began submitting jutsu.
[Submitted B-rank Ninjutsu: Hidden Shadow Snake Hands – 50 points]
[Submitted A-rank Forbidden Jutsu: Twin Snakes Mutual Death – 250 points]
[Submitted B-rank Ninjutsu: Fierce Snake Step – 50 points]
[Submitted S-rank Forbidden Jutsu…]
Many of these were Orochimaru's personal techniques—some were even classified as forbidden. But he didn't hesitate at all.
If this system was real, and all it took was a few jutsu to buy eternal life—then it was the deal of a lifetime.
If it was fake, then he had merely "remembered" the techniques in his mind. No harm done.
That was Orochimaru—ruthlessly pragmatic.
---
Watching Orochimaru's jutsu flood into the system, Nawaki grinned. Another massive haul.
While Orochimaru didn't know as many jutsu as Tsunade, the sheer number of forbidden techniques he had secretly studied made up the difference.
And unlike Tsunade, he uploaded everything without hesitation—including several powerful S-rank forbidden jutsu—earning a huge batch of points.
Total submitted value: Over 10,000 points!
That was several thousand more than Tsunade's total!
Orochimaru calmly watched as his points stopped accumulating—settling at 5,000 points (after Nawaki's usual cut).
Then, without a word, he made his choice:
"I'll exchange for: Lesser Vampire Bloodline."
In the end, he couldn't resist the allure of immortality—opting for the only option he could currently afford that promised eternal life.
Though labeled "lesser," it could still be upgraded over time. With enough points, he could evolve his lineage—Baron → Viscount → Count → Marquis → Duke → Progenitor.
Yes, there were drawbacks… but for Orochimaru, those were trivial concerns.
[Your wish shall be granted.]
Nawaki tapped the confirmation on the interface, a satisfied smirk curling at the edge of his lips.
—
At that moment—
Orochimaru's heart seized violently. It felt as though his blood had begun to flow backward, surging against his already fragile heart!
The pain was excruciating. Even Orochimaru, who was no stranger to agony, felt his vision blur.
Clenching his jaw to suppress any sound, he collapsed against the war table with a crash, knocking over several maps and scrolls.
Yet deep down, he wasn't panicked—he was ecstatic.
This Lord God… might be real.
And I… am about to live forever!
—
"Lord Orochimaru!"
"Orochimaru!"
"What happened?!"
The Jōnin around the tent froze mid-discussion. Alarmed, they rushed to his side.
This wasn't just any ninja—he was one of the top commanders, and a personal student of the Third Hokage. If something happened to him, their odds of victory would drop dramatically.
Tsunade also rushed forward, her palm glowing with green medical chakra as she reached out to check Orochimaru's condition.
But just before her hand touched him—
A deathly pale hand shot up to stop her. The fingers were unnaturally long… and tipped with sharp, claw-like nails.
A raspy voice emerged—eerily calm, but laced with coldness:
"I'm fine. No need for concern. Let's proceed as planned—
Let the vote commence."
"Will we strike first, or maintain our current position?
Each person gets one vote. Abstentions are not allowed."
Orochimaru straightened up slowly, flashing a smile at the others.
He appeared completely fine—even energized. His naturally pale complexion masked the drastic transformation perfectly.
As he smiled… a pair of sharp, bestial fangs gleamed faintly from beneath his lips.