Chapter 6: The Twilight Hermit Order
In that single instant, Orochimaru's world tilted on its axis.
The person holding the tantō blade to his throat was none other than Sakumo Hatake—who had supposedly committed suicide days ago!
"This is impossible!"
Even the notoriously cold-blooded Orochimaru couldn't maintain his composure. His face contorted with genuine shock and horror.
He had personally witnessed Sakumo commit seppuku with that very blade in his own home. He had confirmed the body himself with his own eyes and hands.
Yet this same man—who should be rotting in a grave—now stood behind him, threatening him with that iconic white chakra blade!
It was utterly, incomprehensibly absurd.
For the first time in years, Orochimaru desperately wished he were merely dreaming.
"Anything is possible, Orochimaru."
At that moment, Uchiha Kazuki spoke, his voice possessing an almost hypnotic quality that seemed to soothe Orochimaru's racing thoughts despite himself.
"No... you can't be White Fang!" Orochimaru gritted his teeth, his pupils trembling slightly with genuine emotion. "I witnessed White Fang's suicide with my own eyes! I confirmed his death personally, and I can guarantee it wasn't genjutsu or any substitution technique!"
"There are many definitions of death, Orochimaru. Is the 'death' you're so certain of truly absolute?"
Kazuki gently raised his hand, gesturing for White Fang to release him. "Sakumo Hatake is indeed dead, but... what died was merely his physical body. What stands before you now is his spirit."
"His spirit... you mean his soul?!"
Orochimaru's eyes flashed with sudden, intense excitement, his voice rising despite his attempt at control.
He had been secretly researching the soul for years, but even after consuming hundreds of test subjects, he'd made virtually no meaningful progress.
Now, a living—or rather, unliving—example stood before him.
How could he possibly not be tempted?
"Soul? Heh, that understanding isn't entirely accurate, but it's not completely wrong either."
Kazuki shook his head, offering no further elaboration. "Now, I can answer your first question. I have no intention of interfering with your fate, nor do I plan to harm you. Your presence here is due to the Lord's choice. And now, you have two options before you."
Hearing this, Orochimaru's guard immediately went up. "Which two options?"
"The first option is simple: treat all of this as nothing more than a strange dream." Kazuki began walking slowly back toward the bone cross, his footsteps echoing in the vast hall. "Whether you tell others after waking or keep it locked away in your heart makes no difference to us."
"And the second option?" Orochimaru pressed, unable to hide his curiosity.
A voice deep within him—perhaps intuition honed over years of research—told him this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If he let it slip away, he would regret it for the rest of his life.
"The second option is to become the Lord's Servant."
Kazuki's voice remained infuriatingly calm. "In doing so, you will receive revelation regarding your destiny. You'll gain that precious sliver of opportunity to fight back against fate itself—to no longer be its slave."
"Didn't you just say 'the enlightened are always happy'?" Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, a sly smile curving his lips. "But now you're saying that by joining you and becoming the Lord's Servant, I can actually fight against my own destiny? That's quite the contradiction, Adam."
"Of course you can."
Kazuki stood beneath the towering bone cross, his expression radiating absolute devotion. "When everything ends, the Primordial Creator will awaken from death's slumber, and the kingdom the Lord envisions will descend upon the material world. The future the Lord has proclaimed will unfold and become reality. Those who serve will be free."
"Interesting. Very interesting indeed."
Orochimaru's calculating eyes darted back and forth as his smile widened. "However, in exchange for my cooperation, I need you to teach me everything you know about the soul—its nature, its manipulation, its secrets."
He didn't particularly care whether this so-called "Lord" was real or merely an elaborate deception.
What truly mattered was the knowledge this mysterious figure possessed regarding souls and spirits—that was the real treasure.
"What do you say to my terms?" Orochimaru licked his lips like the predator he was, revealing a dangerous smile. "Of course, besides joining your little organization, I'm willing to pay additional compensation. For instance... I could provide information on Konoha's bloodline limits, sections of the Scroll of Seals, or even the First Hokage's cellular samples. You must be interested in at least one of those, correct?"
Damn it... as expected of Orochimaru!
Hearing this offer, Kazuki's heart nearly skipped a beat. He quickly activated his 'Soothe' ability to mask his turbulent emotions.
It had to be said—Orochimaru's conditions were incredibly tempting.
Setting aside Konoha's various bloodline limits, the Scroll of Seals alone contained numerous forbidden techniques. And the First Hokage's cells, which held the legendary Wood Release... any of these would be enough to make most shinobi salivate.
However, it was a pity...
While these things were undeniably precious, they weren't what he needed at this particular moment. His pathway required different materials entirely.
"The Lord doesn't care about such things, and neither do I."
Kazuki politely declined Orochimaru's offer, his tone suggesting complete indifference to the tempting conditions. "Orochimaru, perhaps in your eyes those items are priceless treasures, but in truth, they are worthless trinkets—meaningless to our greater purpose. So put away your petty bargaining."
My heart is breaking... this hurts so much...
Internally, Kazuki felt like he was bleeding. But to maintain the mystique of his character, he had to refuse.
He could only comfort himself with the knowledge that there would be other opportunities in the future. No need to be shortsighted about the present.
"Heh, very well."
Orochimaru shrugged nonchalantly, seemingly unbothered by the rejection. "So then, 'Adam,' can you tell me exactly what kind of organization this is? What are its true goals?"
"The Twilight Hermit Order."
Kazuki's ethereal voice seemed to reverberate throughout the cathedral, taking on an almost divine quality. "Our sole purpose is to intervene at crucial junctures in history, to guide the tides of the era, and steer them in the direction we desire—all toward the ultimate goal of awakening the Primordial Creator who has fallen into death's eternal slumber."
White Fang, having sheathed his legendary blade, stepped silently to the side, becoming little more than a shadow.
"What a fascinating place. Is this where we'll hold our meetings from now on?"
Orochimaru surveyed the eerie Cathedral of Bones with genuine interest, seemingly admiring both its macabre grandeur and the sheer impossibility of its construction from countless skeletal remains. "I'm beginning to find you truly intriguing, Adam. Someone with your abilities should be famous throughout the shinobi world, yet you have absolutely no reputation whatsoever. How... interesting."
His long, narrow, serpentine eyes fixed on the mysterious figure shrouded in mist beneath the bone cross.
Curiosity—that dangerous, all-consuming curiosity that had driven him since childhood—demanded he dissect this mystery.
"Since you mentioned meetings..."
Kazuki focused his will, and the black mist within the Cathedral of Bones began surging like a tide.
Although he'd never attempted this particular feat before, this entire place was constructed from dreams and consciousness. It should be possible, right?
In an instant, a long bronze table materialized in the cathedral's hall, flanked by several high-backed chairs—all forged from the same burnished bronze material—positioned at precise intervals around the table.
White Fang and Orochimaru found themselves seated in the first positions, facing each other across the table's width, positioned near the head where Kazuki stood.
Sorry, Klein. I'm borrowing your idea here.
Kazuki felt a twinge of guilt toward the protagonist of Lord of the Mysteries. But hey, we're both transmigrators. You'd understand.
"A truly realistic texture."
Orochimaru reached out to touch the bronze chair, and the unique coolness of real metal sent an involuntary shiver down his spine. "Without a doubt... this cannot be genjutsu. No illusion technique could replicate this level of physical sensation."
As a master of various ninjutsu, he'd naturally studied genjutsu extensively. Such perfect realism was beyond the capabilities of any illusion technique he'd ever encountered or researched.
The Twilight Hermit Order... what secrets are you really hiding?
Orochimaru's mind raced with possibilities. This mysterious figure's demonstrated abilities transcended any ninjutsu he'd ever seen or conceived of.
Perhaps... this truly is my chance. The opportunity I've been searching for.
I'll trust him... for now.
Author's Note: Orochimaru has been recruited! The Twilight Hermit Order grows. What will Kazuki do with such dangerous allies? Thanks for reading!
[End of Chapter 6]
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