"Th-this is…?!"
Orochimaru's golden eyes widened, staring at the shifting pattern in Obito's scarlet gaze.
Not the familiar tomoe… but something far more intricate.
Never-before-seen patterns…!
His heart pounded. He could feel it the power radiating from those eyes was on a level beyond the three-tomoe Sharingan.
Obito's calm voice confirmed his suspicion.
"This is the Mangekyō Sharingan, the evolved form of the ordinary Sharingan. The true power of the Uchiha."
"Subarashii…"
Orochimaru licked his lips, unable to hide the greed twisting across his face. Excitement filled his eyes like a starving beast shown a feast.
So it was true. The Sharingan could evolve.
The three tomoe weren't the apex at all. And now, he wanted them desperately.
But Obito's indifferent glance snapped him back to reality. That casual, almost bored look sent a chill down his spine. Cold sweat gathered at his temples.
Orochimaru forced a smile. "So then… what kind of deal does the great Madara intend to strike with me?"
"I need a supply of Hashirama's cells."
Obito's tone was light, almost conversational.
Orochimaru blinked, then gave a thin smile, tongue sliding across his lips again.
"Hashirama cells… those are not something I can provide in bulk. Dangerous to handle."
"After all they are very rare and precious."
The implication was clear: he wasn't about to hand them over easily.
Obito tilted his head, voice dropping cold.
"It seems because I was being polite, you got the wrong idea… Mr. Snake-chan."
Before Orochimaru could avert his gaze, his vision twisted. He was caught.
A genjutsu.
Obito's Mangekyō dragged him into a world not of jutsu, but of mockery. Days... no, years of endless torture played out in an instant.
Obito didn't bother teaching him techniques like Madara once did for him. No… Obito's illusion forced Orochimaru to act human.
To live as one. To taste the things he discarded so easily. To choke on normalcy.
When Obito finally released him, Orochimaru collapsed to one knee, gasping for breath, face pale and drenched with sweat. His pride and sanity rattled, just as Itachi once humbled him in the anime.
Obito's voice was flat, cutting through the silence.
"Listen well, PedoMaru. To sit at the table as equals, you need equal strength. You don't have it. You are not qualified to make terms with me."
He let the words sink in, his tone still casual, almost mocking.
"Telling you about the evolution of the Sharingan wasn't a favor. I only said it because I thought it was funny."
He straightened, crimson eyes glowing through the mask.
"Nevertheless, that little bit of information should be enough for someone like you."
Orochimaru forced a thin, trembling laugh.
"Hahaha… yes. I nearly forgot. You're the legendary Madara Uchiha… the man who fought the First Hokage himself."
Though his face twisted with anger, his words carried nothing but obedience.
Obito sighed, unimpressed. "Don't waste my time with cheap temptations. I'm not here to play."
His voice changed.
"You give me the Hashirama cells, and you walk away alive. How's that sound?"
He tilted his head slightly, tone almost mocking.
"Don't worry… in time, you'll be grateful to me. I'm sure of it. And if I need something else in the future, you won't refuse… right?"
Orochimaru was silent for a long moment, golden eyes narrowed. Finally, he hissed out a response:
"So this is it… you truly mean to humiliate me."
Obito didn't answer. He just gave him a blank, dismissive look, as if to say, What are you even talking about?
"I see~."
Orochimaru realized this man had never taken him seriously at all, treating him like nothing.
His anger boiled, but he still didn't strike.
His instincts screamed at him: if he made a move now, he would die.
Obito didn't know Orochimaru could sense it that deep down, he understood this man could actually kill him.
And truth be told, with the Devouring Coffin, Obito really could end him if he tried anything reckless.
But Obito wasn't about to play it like some naïve protagonist from a cheap novel, the kind that bowed their heads just to impress Orochimaru.
Acting humble while pretending to be a genius who understood the entire shinobi world.
He had read about those so-called protagonists who would spill every secret of the shinobi world just for dramatic effect.. blabbering about the Eternal Mangekyō, the Rinnegan, even the Sage of Six Paths and the Ōtsutsuki.
All just to watch people gape at them in shock, as if they were some all-knowing oracle.
In reality? They were nothing more than pathetic wannabes... Naruto-world fodder trying too hard to look omniscient.
That wasn't him. Why negotiate when he was already stronger? Why lower himself when he could simply take what he wanted without wasting time?
After only a few glances, Orochimaru fell silent in thought, then nodded slightly.
Even if he had suffered a loss this time, it wasn't meaningless. He had gained something invaluable: the knowledge that the Sharingan could evolve.
That single fact opened up an entirely new path of research. For a man like him, that was more than enough.
"How?"
Obito's calm voice pulled him back.
"Very good," Orochimaru hissed, his tone laced with excitement.
"This has broadened my horizons and given me new research ideas. For me, this information is… priceless."
Without hesitation, Orochimaru opened his mouth unnaturally wide. With a wet, sickening sound, he spat out a scroll.
"Here's what you came for."
The slime-slicked scroll spun through the air. Obito's lips curled in disgust, but he caught it anyway, enduring the nausea.
With a flick, he unsealed it, revealing rows of carefully preserved Hashirama cells.
Obito's eyes narrowed with satisfaction. Right in front of Orochimaru, he stored them away into his Kamui dimension.
"Oh? So this is one of the Mangekyō Sharingan's techniques?" Orochimaru murmured with fascination.
"That's right," Obito replied indifferently. Then, after a pause, he added,
"Since you've behaved… I'll give you one free piece of information."
Orochimaru immediately shifted his focus, sensing it would be important.
"Your and Danzō's Wood Release experiment… it didn't fail," Obito said flatly.
"One of the children survived. He awakened Wood Release. His current codename within Root is Kinoe."
For a rare moment, Orochimaru froze. His expression darkened instantly.
This man wasn't the type to lie about something so trivial, which meant only one thing. Danzō had deceived him, hiding the success of their experiment.
The thought ignited Orochimaru's fury. For a researcher, having results stolen and concealed was an unforgivable insult.
But Obito didn't bother to linger. Space around him began to twist and warp.
"The deal is done. Goodbye."
In an instant, he vanished.
"…Mangekyō Sharingan," Orochimaru whispered, his tongue sliding across his lips.
Watching the space where Obito disappeared, his eyes burned with obsession.
I must obtain it…
Later that night — Konohagakure.
Crowds of villagers gathered along the main road by the village gates, lining both sides to welcome the arriving delegation from Kumogakure.
The Cloud shinobi at the front raised his hand and waved cheerfully, drawing loud cheers from the people.
"Hmph. These Konoha fools… so easy to please," the Cloud leader muttered under his breath, his smile never faltering as he mocked them in his heart.
And in the distance, perched high in a tree, Obito watched with a smirk of his own.
The next day, the formal negotiations between Konoha and the Cloud began.
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