Naruto: Fire-Release system

Chapter 94: I Want to Make a Deal with You!

"It seems the Leaf Village has recovered quite well," Uchiha Yi remarked, taking in the familiar scenery with a rare touch of admiration.

He recalled how he had once turned this very place into a wasteland using the awakened power of the Flame-Flame Fruit. The destructive aftermath of that attack had left lingering effects on the environment, and restoring it to its former state would've required a tremendous amount of effort and resources.

But somehow, within just a couple of years, the Leaf Village had been fully restored. It was a testament to their underlying strength and resources, particularly thanks to Hashirama Senju's unparalleled Mokuton abilities.

"You!" Tsunade fumed internally, knowing all too well that this devastation had been caused by the man walking beside her. Yet she couldn't voice her frustration, forced to maintain a façade of cordiality while inwardly grinding her teeth in anger.

"Hmm? Where's the Third Hokage's face on the mountain?" Uchiha Yi asked casually as they approached the Hokage Rock. "It's gone?"

"Heh," Tsunade scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Isn't it thanks to a certain someone's handiwork?"

"Well," Uchiha Yi replied with a slight smirk, "I did do a good thing. Otherwise, the Leaf would've faced more than just destruction."

"You!" Tsunade glared at him, her frustration bubbling up, but she quickly shifted the subject to avoid dwelling on past grievances. "Orochimaru wants to meet you. Are you interested?"

"Orochimaru?" Uchiha Yi paused for a moment, then nodded. "Fine, let him come to me. I'm curious to see what he has to say."

He hadn't interacted much with Orochimaru, having only encountered him once or twice. The last time Orochimaru came up was during Pain's leadership of the Akatsuki when two teams were dispatched to eliminate him. Whether the mission succeeded or not, Uchiha Yi didn't know, nor did he care much.

Now, it seemed Orochimaru had something he wanted from him.

"Alright, I'll let him know," Tsunade said and hastily left after dropping Uchiha Yi off at his destination.

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"You three can relax here for now, or explore the village if you want," Uchiha Yi told Karin, Hinata, and Haku, who had followed him. "Don't worry if anything happens. I'll handle it."

"Yes!" Karin immediately nodded obediently, her enthusiasm making her tug on Hinata's hand. "Let's go look around!"

"Alright," Hinata replied shyly as she let herself be pulled away.

Haku, ever calm and composed, followed with a polite bow. "We'll be careful."

With the three gone, Uchiha Yi finally found some peace and quiet—though not for long. Orochimaru soon arrived, as expected.

"Long time no see, Uchiha Yi. Or should I call you by your old alias, 'Ah Fire'?" Orochimaru greeted him with a sly smile, his golden eyes gleaming with intrigue.

"Get to the point," Uchiha Yi replied coolly. "I don't want to waste my time with meaningless chatter."

"Hmm, straight to business," Orochimaru chuckled. "You've certainly grown from the so-called 'tail-end student' you once were. Very well, I want to make a deal with you."

"What kind of deal?" Uchiha Yi asked, his interest piqued.

"I want to know if the Six Paths Sage's legendary treasure really exists," Orochimaru said bluntly.

"Oh?" Uchiha Yi raised an eyebrow, momentarily caught off guard. "And why would you think something like that is real?"

He couldn't help but feel exasperated. The so-called "Six Paths Sage's Treasure" had been nothing more than a fabricated rumor he spread to tarnish Sarutobi Hiruzen's reputation and lure unsuspecting ninjas into his trap. He hadn't expected someone as brilliant as Orochimaru to actually entertain the idea.

"At first, I didn't believe it," Orochimaru admitted. "But after years of research, I uncovered numerous secrets about the ninja world. The Uchiha, Senju, Hyuga, and other clans with long-standing histories—there's a consistent thread linking them back to the Sage of Six Paths."

He continued, "Tracing these connections led me to ancient artifacts scattered across the world, tools supposedly belonging to the Sage of Six Paths. These 'Six Paths Tools' possess powers far beyond ordinary ninja tools, further supporting the notion of a greater treasure."

Orochimaru's tone grew more intense as he explained, "What I couldn't uncover, however, was the specific treasure supposedly linked to the Uchiha and Senju clans. And that, Uchiha Yi, is where my curiosity lies."

Listening to Orochimaru's reasoning, Uchiha Yi couldn't hide his surprise. While the scientist's deductions were remarkably close to the truth of the ninja world, it was still astonishing to see how far he had pieced things together from a mere rumor.

"You seem to know quite a bit," Uchiha Yi remarked, his expression betraying a hint of respect.

Orochimaru, ever observant, caught the subtle change in Uchiha Yi's demeanor and pressed further. "You know something, don't you?"

The tension in the air was palpable as Orochimaru's words hung between them.

"Well, what are you offering in return?" Uchiha Yi finally asked with a smirk, deciding to entertain the idea.

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To Be Continued…

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