The two drank more and more, progressing from a pot to a jar of wine.
Itachi hadn't eaten this heartily in a long time. To offset the greasiness of the meat, he drank alongside his meal.
As the drinking continued, a certain numbness began to set in.
Although he managed to retain some clarity, his mind was a bit dazed.
If Orochimaru were to make a move at this moment, his chances of success would be rather high.
...
However, considering how drunk Itachi was, Orochimaru, who had been egging him on, wasn't faring much better. Despite having a good tolerance for alcohol, he was also a bit woozy. The two were practically on equal footing in their drunken state.
"Take him to the finest guest room. Post someone outside and ensure that if he needs anything, you handle it immediately."
After finishing the final cup of wine, Orochimaru called for someone to escort Itachi to rest.
Once Itachi, slightly dazed, was led away by the attendants, Orochimaru watched their figures disappear before rising and walking toward his room. His gait, however, was noticeably unsteady.
After Itachi was taken to a clean room and the attendants had left, he opened his eyes.
Although his face was flushed red, the one visible eye was sharp and alert.
Having suffered once before, Itachi was naturally not going to let his guard down again. All of this had been a deliberate test of Orochimaru.
Surveying the room's furnishings, Itachi adjusted himself on the bed, finding it to his liking, and drifted into a light sleep.
...
Orochimaru, meanwhile, arrived at his room, drank a cup of tea, and sat for a while before heading to his laboratory.
He wanted to see if there were any suitable eyes he could prepare for Itachi.
As for Shiro, the little one had been taken off to play by the attendants during dinner.
The night passed without incident.
...
When Itachi woke up, the lights outside were still bright, leaving him unsure of the current time.
Getting up, he walked to the table, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it in one go to soothe his parched throat.
"My lord, you're awake?"
Just as he downed a second cup of tea, a woman entered the room.
"Yes, I'm awake. What time is it now?"
Looking at the beautiful woman before him, Itachi responded softly, his thoughts wandering briefly in surprise. Orochimaru had women around? And with a decent sense of aesthetics, too.
"My lord, it's already morning. Lord Orochimaru said that after you freshen up, you can enjoy breakfast."
The woman spoke softly, her tone respectful but not overly subservient.
Her voice was gentle.
...
"Alright, you may leave."
Hearing her words, Itachi replied in a hushed, slightly hoarse voice, his throat still recovering.
"Itachi, did you sleep well last night?"
When Itachi followed the woman to the sitting room, she stopped at the doorway. As the automatic doors slid open, he stepped inside, greeted by Orochimaru's voice.
"Quite well. And you?"
Noticing Orochimaru playing with Shiro, Itachi smiled faintly as he asked.
Once he sat down, he saw that Shiro had already been fitted with a new eye, though he hadn't noticed when it happened.
"Not bad. It's been a while since I've had so much fun."
At the sound of Itachi's voice, Shiro immediately broke free from Orochimaru's hands and flew toward Itachi.
"Little one, as soon as your master shows up, you abandon me, huh?"
Watching Shiro, Orochimaru remarked with a touch of resignation.
"Thank you. I was just about to ask for your help in fitting it with an eye."
Itachi smiled at Orochimaru's slightly disappointed tone.
"Caw, caw, caw..."
Shiro leaned into Itachi, perched on his hand, and chirped nonstop.
"What's the matter, Shiro?"
Itachi reached out and gently touched Shiro's feathers, somewhat puzzled.
When Itachi extended his other hand to pet Shiro, the bird moved its newly replaced eyes closer to his fingers.
Startled, Itachi quickly withdrew his hand, afraid of hurting Shiro's eyes. He paused momentarily, lost in thought.
Orochimaru observed the scene in silence, his expression slightly subdued.
"Caw, caw, caw..."
Seeing Itachi hesitate, Shiro grew anxious, flapping its wings and flying toward Itachi's right eye socket.
"Caw, caw, caw..."
...
"Shiro, I don't need your eyes anymore. You must help me see the other half of the world," Itachi said softly, gently picking up Shiro and stroking its head.
"Don't worry, Shiro. I'll find a suitable eye for your master," Orochimaru said after a brief silence.
Inwardly, Orochimaru sighed in admiration. *As expected of Itachi—he even shows such loyalty and sentiment to a crow.*
"Caw..."
...
"Let's eat, Itachi. Shiro," Orochimaru said, breaking the silence as the atmosphere grew somber.
"Not bad, Orochimaru. I didn't expect you to live such a lavish lifestyle," Itachi remarked with some admiration, sitting in a spot not far from Orochimaru.
"Hehe, Itachi, why don't you stay here with me? We could build a village together. What do you think?" Orochimaru asked, smiling at Itachi's comment.
"It's a good idea, but I have many things to take care of," Itachi replied, slightly tempted but mindful of the responsibilities awaiting him. Staying in one place for long wasn't an option.
"Itachi, when do you plan to return to Konoha? Let me join you when you do," Orochimaru said, his eyes gleaming with interest.
"Soon, not just for the Mangekyo Sharingan but also to see my foolish little brother," Itachi said, sipping his milk.
He didn't refuse Orochimaru's offer outright. With Orochimaru's help, the likelihood of success would undoubtedly increase.
...
"Hehe, I came up with an idea last night," Orochimaru said with a sly grin, licking his lips with his distinctively long tongue. His expression was, however, a little hard to describe.
"Oh? What idea?" Itachi asked, intrigued.
The man before him wasn't just a genius researcher but also a formidable general capable of leading armies.
"Danzo's strength is merely at the Kage level, fluctuating at best. I know the location of his base. We can infiltrate and eliminate him directly. With our strength, it shouldn't be too difficult," Orochimaru suggested.
Itachi was momentarily stunned by Orochimaru's proposal.
Orochimaru's plan left him uncertain. Was Orochimaru underestimating their opponent, or was he testing Itachi?
However, since Orochimaru was willing to help, Itachi felt obliged to analyze Danzo's strength to ensure they didn't miscalculate.
"According to you, Danzo's right eye is Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan. This won't be as simple as it seems," Itachi said, cautiously analyzing Danzo's abilities.
He used this statement as a pretext to gauge Orochimaru's reaction. If Orochimaru didn't respond, Itachi would have no choice but to reveal the specifics of Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan techniques.
...
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