"Not included."
Hikari Uchiha's answer was blunt. "But I can give you blood samples from other Uchihas, including that Itachi you're so obsessed with."
Honestly…
She wasn't about to hand over her own blood sample to Orochimaru so easily.
Her genetic makeup was probably completely different from other Uchihas—or anyone in the ninja world, for that matter. Beyond her unique Yachihoko eye technique, she'd fused powers from other worlds. Who knows what Orochimaru might do with her DNA? He could churn out a bunch of her clones, and that'd be a mess to clean up.
Itachi, though? No big deal.
Even with his Mangekyo Sharingan, he was just a watered-down version of her.
On the other side…
Orochimaru's lips twitched subtly.
Before today, he'd definitely been itching to get his hands on Itachi's body—Hikari wasn't wrong to call it an obsession. But now…
Itachi?
Just some wet-behind-the-ears kid.
This "great-grandmother" in front of him, though… well, she didn't exactly look that old either.
"Second question," Orochimaru continued. "If you die someday, what happens to this agreement?"
"It's off," Hikari replied casually. "But only if I'm actually dead, not just missing."
"I know you've got some… less-than-pure thoughts about my body. I'll let you entertain those ideas, but if you ever act on them, be ready for the consequences. You'll only get one shot."
She paused, then dangled a carrot: "That said, if you prove your worth and earn my trust, I might consider giving you some of my blood samples."
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, licking his lips. "What about vile ninja—like me, for instance? Can I use them for experiments?"
(…Wow, you've got some serious self-awareness.)
Hikari mentally rolled her eyes but answered slowly, "…Sure, but only with solid reasons."
For people who'd crossed the line of basic humanity—like those Grass ninja earlier—talking about "human rights" was a bit too generous.
Even so, there needed to be clear standards, not just her personal whims deciding who lives or dies.
"Outside of research time, I…"
"Do whatever you want, as long as you don't touch my people. I won't meddle."
"What about funding and resources for research?"
"Submit a budget proposal. I'll review it and allocate funds based on the situation."
"What if—"
After a rapid-fire Q&A, the air fell silent.
Orochimaru stood quietly, mulling it over for a long time before finally speaking. "I've asked all my questions. So…"
"I will pledge my loyalty to you, Lady Hikari."
"Smart choice."
Hikari's eyes flickered, releasing the Tsukuyomi.
…
What happened in the Tsukuyomi space was just a moment in the real world.
So, one second, Guren and the others were fuming over Hikari's group injuring Orochimaru. The next, they were stunned to see him bowing respectfully to Hikari and inviting her to tour the base.
"Guren, Ushio, starting today, Lady Hikari is the new leader of the Sound Village. Treat her with even more respect than you show me. No disobedience, understood?"
"??"
Guren was dumbfounded at Orochimaru's orders.
After whispering a few questions to confirm he wasn't joking, the pineapple-haired girl reluctantly approached Hikari, bowing her head. "I'm Guren, your subordinate. Nice to meet you, Lady Hikari."
"Good girl."
Next up, Hikari followed Orochimaru for a tour of the Sound Village.
As she'd guessed, the village was less than a year old. Its total population was barely thirty or forty people. Guren, with her Crystal Style Kekkei Genkai, was the strongest among them, but only at elite chunin level. The rest averaged below chunin.
Knowing Orochimaru's habit of keeping multiple hideouts, he probably had secret bases outside the village too.
Also…
The Sound Village had a sizable underground area, extending into a cave system behind the village.
"…Why do you shady types always love holing up in places like this?" Hikari shot Orochimaru a weird look.
The last guy who liked skulking in sunless hideouts was Danzo Shimura. A rat in the gutters, a cunning snake in a cave—guess these spots suited them.
"By the way, have you been to the Mist Village lately, Orochimaru?"
"The Mist? No," Orochimaru replied. "I was planning to visit in a bit, but it sounds like something's changed over there, so I put it on hold."
"Changed?"
"Word is the Blood Mist policy's shifted. Don't you know about it, Lady Hikari? From what I've heard, it's tied to that attack the Mist launched on the Leaf not too long ago."
"What about the Akatsuki? Know them?"
"The group from the Rain Country? I've heard a little. Their leader supposedly has some powerful eye technique, but I've never seen it myself."
So…
The Akatsuki hadn't recruited Orochimaru yet?
Makes sense. In the original story, Orochimaru joined after seeing Pain's Rinnegan and actively sought them out. He was one of the later members to join. If Hikari hadn't shown up, he might've joined within the next six months to a year—but not now.
"Guess I'll need to swing by the Mist Village sometime to pick up Kimimaro…"
The Kaguya clan, after all, was a direct descendant of the Otsutsuki, making them valuable for research.
"And Jugo…"
Orochimaru had started working on curse marks early, even planting one on Anko before defecting from the Leaf. But perfecting the technique likely came after studying Jugo.
Suigetsu? Eh, just a Hydrification Technique user. Not a big deal.
Hikari mentally mapped out her plans, then stopped walking and called Eri over. She turned to Orochimaru. "This girl has the power of Words of Spirit, but it's also cursing her, eating away at her body. Here are two reports—one from the Leaf Hospital, one from a friend. Any ideas?"
Orochimaru skimmed the reports, lingering longer on the one from Dr. Brief. He looked up. "Sounds like a bloodline disease. Let's start with a blood sample."
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