[Ding! Orochimaru Data Pack acquired. Use now?]
Ryuuto blinked. "Wait, what?! You're telling me that Orochimaru? The walking biology experiment himself?"
[Affirmative. Host has completed the prerequisite mission. Use now?]
Ryuuto exhaled through his teeth. "You're kidding. Orochimaru was one of the big bosses back in the early Naruto timeline. That guy could practically rewrite the laws of death itself."
He paused, the thought clicking in his head like a live wire.
Impure World Reincarnation…
If he could master that, then every enemy he defeated could be turned into his personal puppet army. No resurrection cooldowns. No betrayal risk. Not even Loki's mind control stick could compete with that.
"Shion, use it. Inject that data straight into my head!"
[Heh. You sure, Host? Orochimaru's 'data' might melt that peanut brain of yours.]
"Do it before I change my mind!"
[Fine, fine. Don't blame me if you start hissing mid-sentence. Data upload… now.]
A surge of raw information slammed into Ryuuto's mind. His vision flickered—spells, seals, serpents, and ritual circles spiraling into his consciousness like a flood. His breath hitched.
Then the flood subsided, leaving him drenched in sweat and full of power.
Learned Techniques:
— Impure World Reincarnation
— Summoning: Ten Thousand Snakes
— Living Corpse Reincarnation
— Earth Style: Substitute
— Triple Rashōmon
— Seal of the Five Elements
— Sword of Kusanagi
— Curse Mark Control
Ryuuto whistled low. "This guy really collected every forbidden trick in existence. No wonder he couldn't die."
His grin turned sharp. "Alright, Snake King. Let's see what you've got."
"Ryuuto-san!" Guy—still new to her training uniform—looked half-worried, half-starstruck. "You've been muttering about snakes for five minutes straight. You okay?"
He let go of her hand and chuckled. "Perfectly fine. Just preparing to test something."
After helping her settle into her new dorm at the Axville Mutant School (with Jean overseeing the arrangements), Ryuuto left for the nearby forest—the same one where he'd first met Natasha Romanoff. The air there always felt heavy with expectation.
Storm—Oluoro Munroe—floated down beside him, folding her arms. "You're not going alone, are you?"
Ryuuto smirked. "Wouldn't dream of it."
He snapped his fingers.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
In a burst of smoke, dozens of clones appeared, each grinning with the same devilish confidence.
"Earth Style: Rock Fist!"
The ground trembled as his clones punched it in unison.
Data synchronization began flashing in his mind's eye—percentages ticking upward like download bars.
[Onoki Data Pack—Synchronization 100% Complete.]
[Orochimaru Data Pack—Progress 42%... 58%... 73%...]
He cracked his knuckles. "Alright, time for the real test."
Dropping into a crouch, he slammed his palms into the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu—Ten Thousand Snakes!"
BOOM.
The earth exploded into a cloud of smoke.
Trees bent and shattered under a thunderous pressure wave. When the haze cleared, Ryuuto found himself staring up… at it.
A purple-scaled serpent the size of a stadium loomed above him, black patterns coiling across its armor-like skin. Four jagged horns crowned its head, and golden eyes glared down like twin suns.
Even Storm staggered back, whispering, "By the Goddess…"
Ryuuto's lips twitched. "Now that's a summon."
The serpent's tongue flicked out, the air vibrating with its hiss. "You… summoned me, human?"
Ryuuto stood his ground. "Yeah. You're Ten Thousand Snakes, right? Used to serve someone named Orochimaru."
"Serve?" the beast sneered. "He fed me a hundred humans every time he called upon me. You—" its slit pupils narrowed "—don't smell like him. What will you offer?"
Ryuuto's smirk deepened. "How about a deal? If I defeat you, you obey me. If you win, you can eat me and walk free."
The serpent roared with laughter. "You? This tiny mortal dares challenge the King of Snakes?"
"Try me."
The beast lunged—fangs like skyscrapers descending. The ground erupted under the force of its strike.
BOOM.
A shockwave tore through the clearing. Storm covered her mouth, heart pounding. "Ryuuto!"
But when the dust settled, there was no blood. Only… mud.
The serpent spat, furious. "A substitution?!"
A blur of red flashed behind its head. Ryuuto's voice rang out:
"Earth Style: Dynamic Core!"
The entire ground beneath the serpent heaved upward like a living mountain.
The Ten Thousand Snakes—hundred tons of raw muscle—was hurled into the air.
Storm's eyes widened. "By the Goddess, that's—!"
The land crashed down in a quake that split the forest in half.
When the tremors faded, Ryuuto landed atop the serpent's horn, cloak fluttering, dust swirling around him like an aura.
He looked down, expression cold. "Convinced yet?"
The great serpent stared up, finally silent.
Then it chuckled, a low, resonant rumble. "Very well, human. From this day forth, the King of Snakes answers your call."
Ryuuto grinned. "Good boy."
[Ding! Contract with Ten Thousand Snakes established!]
[Orochimaru Data Pack—Synchronization 100% Complete!]
Shion's voice echoed lazily in his head. [Congrats, Host. You just became the discount version of Orochimaru. Try not to shed your skin mid-class.]
"Bite me," Ryuuto muttered, still grinning. "We're just getting started."