If one were to name the harshest environment in the entire ninja world, it wouldn't be the Land of Rain, where constant downpours make farming and production nearly impossible. Instead, the title would go to the Land of Wind, a nation built entirely within a desert.
The Land of Wind had a vast territory, but most of it was barren. Apart from a few habitable oases, the rest was an endless expanse of yellow sand, plagued by frequent sandstorms. Other than a handful of plants and animals adapted to desert conditions, the land was desolate.
Orochimaru, a man infamous for having the most secret bases in the ninja world, naturally had a stronghold in the Land of Wind. Recently, he had become obsessed with the forbidden technique Impure World Reincarnation and was conducting relentless research in his base there.
Boom!
A muffled explosion echoed through the base. Sand began to fall from the ceiling, landing on the experimental subject in front of Orochimaru. His movements paused, and a hint of displeasure appeared on his fanatical face.
"Bad news, Lord Orochimaru! We're under attack!" A subordinate rushed in to report, panic evident in his voice.
"Oh? Who is it?" Orochimaru extended his long tongue, habitually licking his upper lip as he asked in his signature eerie tone.
"I'm not sure! But they're all wearing black cloaks with red clouds. It seems to be some kind of organization," the subordinate replied.
The Akatsuki has come for me. Orochimaru wasn't surprised. When he decided to defect with the Sky Ring, he had anticipated that the Akatsuki's leader would issue a kill order against him. Facing this situation now, he remained calm.
He could have left the Sky Ring behind, which would have reduced the intensity of the pursuit. However, his insatiable curiosity and desire for the unknown made it impossible for him to give up the ring, a creation imbued with the power of the Rinnegan and possessing numerous mysterious abilities.
Besides, Orochimaru wasn't someone to be underestimated.
Unhurried, Orochimaru made his way to the base's entrance. Under the scorching sunlight, two Akatsuki members were already waiting for him.
One of them was someone he recognized—Sasori of the Red Sand. The two had once been teammates, but despite their shared pursuit of eternity, their paths had diverged fundamentally. Orochimaru sought spiritual immortality by constantly changing bodies, while Sasori had achieved physical immortality by turning himself into a human puppet.
Because of their ideological differences, the two, despite their similar ambitions and goals, had a terrible relationship and would gladly see each other dead.
Orochimaru then turned his gaze to the blonde youth standing beside Sasori. So this is one of the new recruits after my defection? He doesn't look like much, Orochimaru thought.
While Orochimaru was sizing up Deidara, Deidara was also observing Orochimaru. After all, this mad scientist was a fan-favorite character among Naruto fans.
"Sasori, are you here to kill me?" Orochimaru asked.
"And that kid over there, he must be from Iwagakure, right?" Orochimaru added, his extensive knowledge of talented individuals across villages allowing him to identify Deidara's origins with a single glance.
Sasori, irritated and not in the mood for small talk, immediately took out a sealing scroll and summoned his Third Kazekage Puppet.
"Orochimaru, I have the advantage of terrain here. You're doomed," Sasori declared. Indeed, in a desert filled with endless yellow sand, Magnet Release was significantly enhanced, much like Water Man entering the ocean.
"Hehehe!" Orochimaru let out his eerie laugh, showing no signs of fear. "I have a habit of taking anything I find interesting for myself, so I've borrowed something as well."
He quickly formed a series of hand seals.
"Impure World Reincarnation!"
As Orochimaru's jutsu activated, a coffin emerged from the ground, bearing a large kanji for "Three."
"What?!" Sasori exclaimed in shock as a figure identical to the Third Kazekage stepped out of the coffin.
Of course, "identical" wasn't entirely accurate—this was the actual Third Kazekage.
"Sasori! You bastard! You actually turned me into…" The Third Kazekage's memories were still stuck at the moment of his death at Sasori's hands. Upon opening his eyes, he found himself staring at his own body, now a puppet.
"Come, Sasori. Let's see which is stronger—your puppet or my forbidden technique!" Orochimaru said as he inserted a talisman into the back of the Third Kazekage's head.
The Third Kazekage: "…"
Have either of you considered how I feel about this situation?
As the battle between Orochimaru and Sasori heated up, Deidara, of course, didn't just stand idly by.
He created numerous Clay Centipedes and Clay Sand Worms, sending them burrowing into the sand to stealthily approach Orochimaru.
"Oh? An impatient little brat, are we?" Orochimaru remarked, watching as a massive Clay Python slithered through the sand toward him. Unfazed, he extended his right hand, and from his sleeve, dozens of giant snakes shot out to intercept the clay python.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
Boom!
The giant snakes were easily blown to pieces, forcing Orochimaru to switch to another jutsu.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!" A transparent air blade shot from Orochimaru's mouth, slicing the remaining clay python in half.
"I forgot your toys could explode," Orochimaru muttered.
"Myriad Snake Net Formation!" Orochimaru opened his mouth wide, releasing countless venomous snakes. Each snake, in turn, opened its mouth to release more snakes. Through this viral-like multiplication, the sandy battlefield was transformed into a sea of serpents within seconds.
Deidara quickly took to the skies. The sight below was utterly revolting, even though the snakes themselves were relatively weak.
"C2 Standard Type: Great Dragon!"
Roar! A clay dragon soared into the sky once more.
"Shock Value +500 from Orochimaru!"
"How magnificent! Can that explode too?" Orochimaru asked, unconsciously licking his lips—a habit he displayed whenever something piqued his interest.
"Orochimaru, try my art!" Deidara shouted.
Snap!
A small clay dragon shot toward Orochimaru like a missile.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A massive serpent appeared, swallowing the clay dragon whole—only to explode into fragments moments later. One had to admit, the summoning beasts of Ryūchi Cave often served as cannon fodder for Orochimaru's battles.
Seeing Deidara flying high above, Orochimaru wasn't without options. His neck suddenly extended—not just a little, but to an almost infinite length—reaching Deidara's altitude. From his mouth, a snake emerged, which in turn spat out a sword, and the sword began to extend, aiming straight for Deidara's chest.
Shhh!
The sword pierced through Deidara, only for his body to crumble into white clay. From behind the clay dragon, Deidara's real body emerged, riding a clay bird. He raised two fingers to his chest.
"Take this, a masterpiece at point-blank range! Hah!"
Boom!
"Shock Value +1000 from Orochimaru!"
Amid the blazing firelight, Orochimaru's body collapsed limply, only for a new, mucus-covered body to emerge from the remains, completely unharmed.
Orochimaru's Body Replacement Technique was truly infuriating!
Standing once more, Orochimaru looked up at Deidara in the sky, his interest in the blonde artist growing even stronger.
What a fascinating ability. If I could obtain his body, it might be worth it.
"Orochimaru, we've fought enough. Let's talk about cooperation now," Deidara said, lowering his altitude slightly to facilitate conversation.
"Cooperation? Didn't Pain send you to kill me? Isn't secretly collaborating with me disobedience?" Orochimaru asked, his tone as eerie as ever, but now tinged with curiosity and amusement.
"If I were that obedient, I wouldn't have become a rogue ninja in the first place," Deidara replied nonchalantly, spreading his hands.
"Interesting perspective," Orochimaru said, once again licking his lips.
"So, what kind of cooperation are you proposing?"
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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