Chapter 206: The Reaper and the Evil God! And the Transformation of Sakura Haruno!
Konoha Village, in the ruins of the Chunin Exams arena.
Orochimaru showed no disappointment at failing to truly capture the Reaper. Instead, he felt an unprecedented excitement that a ninjutsu could summon an unknown existence of that caliber. Although the jutsu demanded the caster's life as a price, it undoubtedly proved that this world was far deeper and more mysterious than he had imagined.
"The Reaper, the soul… this world is indeed full of secrets worth exploring."
Orochimaru licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with a thirst for unknown knowledge. He couldn't help but recall Hidan, the individual from the Akatsuki he had heard about, who worshiped an Evil God. It was rumored that Hidan had achieved immortality through a cruel ritual, making his very existence an enigma.
"Is the Evil God worshipped by that Jashinist on the same level as the entity I saw today? Or does this world hide even more 'god-like' beings waiting to be discovered?"
A series of questions entangled Orochimaru's mind, giving him a deeper understanding of the "truth" of this world.
"Perhaps those ancient legends, those forgotten ruins, hide clues about 'them.' The Jashinists might have also glimpsed the tip of the iceberg of similar existences. These 'gods,' these secrets of 'immortality,' will all be a step towards me uncovering the truth of the world."
"Lord Orochimaru, all designated targets have been retrieved." Sakon reported respectfully.
"Very well."
Orochimaru nodded. "The chaos in Konoha should end now. They will have a lot to deal with later. The Daimyo and the other Four Great Nations—heh—notify all units, prepare to withdraw."
The main strategic goals—retrieving a large number of Sharingan and Byakugan, and pushing the stagnated windmill of the ninja world—had been largely achieved. The unexpected appearance of the "Reaper" was a pleasant surprise, pointing him towards a new direction for future research.
Just as the main force began an orderly retreat, a Sound Ninja responsible for monitoring suddenly reported to Orochimaru via the headset:
"Lord Orochimaru, an abnormally massive surge of magical energy has been detected in the central area of Konoha Village! Its magnitude… far exceeds the total of all our Magical Girls combined! The direction points to… the area where Naruto Uzumaki fought the Sand Village Jinchuriki! It's Naruto Uzumaki!"
"Oh?"
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in his golden snake eyes. "The Demon Fox's son? It seems he, too, is beginning to display the special characteristics granted by 'causality.'"
He pondered briefly. His previous contact with "Kyubey," along with his own experiments and observations, gave him a vague understanding of certain "rules" that transcended individual power. However, he currently had no opportunity for direct intervention with Naruto Uzumaki.
The time was not right; hasty intervention might invite unnecessary trouble. "Ignore it, continue the withdrawal." Orochimaru commanded.
However, no sooner was the order given than the monitoring ninja issued another alert:
"Lord Orochimaru! Another, another powerful magical fluctuation has appeared! Although not as massive as the last one, its magnitude—is less than Naruto Uzumaki's! But equally far exceeds all our Magical Girls combined!"
This powerful magical fluctuation, this newly appeared Magical Girl, completely ignited Orochimaru's perpetually unsatisfied desire for knowledge.
"Interesting…"
"It seems Kyubey-kun has gained another new Magical Girl. I'll take a look."
He shimmered, vanishing from his spot and speeding towards the source of the new magical fluctuation.
A moment later, Orochimaru arrived at a devastated residential area. Houses were collapsed, fires burned, and the air was thick with the smell of blood and char.
Amidst the ruins, he saw a slender figure with pink hair—Sakura Haruno.
The girl knelt on the ground, distraught. In front of her were two already cold corpses. Judging from their clothing and scattered belongings, they were her parents. Her once-warm home had become scorched earth.
Sakura's eyes were vacant, her tears long dried, leaving only endless emptiness and despair. Kyubey did not respond to her cries. Her body trembled slightly, her lips parted, unable to make any sound. Extreme sorrow and sudden tragedy, combined with an uncontrollable self-reproach and fear deep within, continuously drowned her.
On her chest. The Soul Gem, the symbol of the Magical Girl contract, was being visibly tainted by corruption at a rapid pace.
"It's the little girl in the same squad as Sasuke and the Demon Fox's son."
"This one squad actually yielded so many surprises?"
Orochimaru's mind quickly surfaced Sakura Haruno's profile: A super academic at the Ninja Academy, possessing knowledge and theoretical foundation far beyond her peers. She answered perfectly during the Chunin Exams when others had to cheat. She showed astonishing talent in Genjutsu. Based on her match with Ino Yamanaka, she seemed to harbor an unknown second personality.
Add to this the massive, almost out-of-control surge of magic he was witnessing now.
"Truly—a perfect unpolished gem."
Orochimaru's snake eyes flashed with excitement. "Such powerful magical potential, it would be a pity to let her directly turn into a Witch."
He realized that Sakura was currently at her most mentally fragile moment, having lost her loved ones. This immense grief was both the catalyst for her Witch transformation and his best opportunity to strike while she was vulnerable.
It's just resurrecting a couple of dead people.
Those two cold corpses would be the perfect springboard for him to approach this girl of infinite potential.
Orochimaru adjusted his robes. A gentle yet profound smile appeared on his face as he slowly stepped out of the shadows, arriving before Sakura.
"Isn't this the little girl from the same team as the Demon Fox and the Uchiha boy?"
His voice was soft, like a kind elder comforting a startled junior. "It seems… something very sad has happened to you?"
Sakura slowly raised her head, a trace of focus finally entering her vacant eyes. She saw the face with the gentle smile and the golden snake eyes that seemed to pierce one's soul.
"It's you… it's you!!!"
"You attacked the Chunin Exams! You destroyed Konoha! It's you, you who killed my mom and dad!!!"
Accompanied by her furious roar, a massive surge of magic far exceeding her usual level suddenly exploded, shattering the surrounding rubble and tiles. The rampant energy aimed directly at Orochimaru, as if it would tear him to shreds in the next second.
However, facing this almost out-of-control magic, Orochimaru maintained his unhurried smile.
"Little girl, anger solves nothing."
Orochimaru could see Sakura's self-reproach and guilt. Combined with some of Sakura's past information, and the fact that she was still like this despite making a wish to Kyubey, the truth seemed quite obvious.
"And, you seem to have misunderstood one thing."
"Your parents' death wasn't because of me, but because of…"
"You yourself!"
"Don't pin everything on me—"
Sakura's body stiffened, and the magical fluctuation wavered slightly. Orochimaru's words stabbed at the part of her heart she least wanted to admit.
"However…"
Orochimaru changed his tone, his voice full of temptation. "I might be able to help you."
Sakura abruptly looked up, her eyes filled with disbelief.
"For example—resurrecting them, and making up for your mistake?"
"Resurrect them?"
"Of course."
Orochimaru nodded, his snake eyes glinting with a seductive light. "In this world, nothing is impossible. You can choose to use your powerful magical strength to attack me now, and kill me. If you do that, you will lose the chance to see them again forever."
"Or, you can choose to accept my help, and serve me for the rest of your life."
"So, little girl—"
"Tell me your choice."
The night wind blew, lifting Orochimaru's clothes and stirring the messy pink hair on Sakura's forehead.