“Should I resort to such methods?”
Wu Wei stood with his back to Orochimaru, gazing at the two jars of 'tea leaves' on the table.
As a specialty of Hozuki Castle, the Hozuki fruit, long used for brewing wine and consumption, possessed another function.
The yellow Hozuki, also known as groundcherry, was edible. The white Hozuki was also edible, but it carried a fatal side effect for ninjas.
Indistinguishable in taste, ingesting the white Hozuki would cause a ninja's chakra to stagnate, leading to a temporary coma.
After a long hesitation, Wu Wei reached for the jar containing the yellow Hozuki, his movements steady as he brewed two cups of groundcherry water.
“Lord Orochimaru, this is tea brewed from the unique groundcherries of Hozuki Castle. It offers a distinct flavor.”
“Please!”
With a respectful demeanor, he placed the tea before Orochimaru and then turned to sit down beside him.
“Why didn’t you use the white ones?”
Orochimaru, cradling the scalding cup, looked up at Wu Wei.
“Perhaps, with my own strength, I couldn’t withstand the effect of the white Hozuki. This would also spare Lord Wu Wei the risk of his secrets being exposed…”
Wu Wei’s pupils contracted sharply, his body stiffening as he sat.
“Lord Orochimaru is joking…”
Forcing a smile, Wu Wei shook his head at Orochimaru with difficulty.
“Hozuki Castle owes its present prosperity to the support of the Five Great Ninja Villages, especially Konohagakure, where Lord Orochimaru resides. Our relationship is exceptionally close.”
“Minor personal secrets are of no consequence, whether exposed or not…”
Wu Wei spoke calmly, yet the slight tremor in his fingers revealed the unprecedented storm raging within him.
“Why… why does Orochimaru know so much about Hozuki Castle’s secrets?”
“What is his purpose here? Could it be the legendary Gozu Tenbatsu, capable of granting wishes?”
Wu Wei’s thoughts raced, unable to fathom Orochimaru’s intentions. He felt exposed, as if he were a transparent being before him, devoid of any secrets. This suffocating sensation caused a fine layer of sweat to bead on his forehead.
“Lord Wu Wei, there’s no need to worry.”
Orochimaru placed the still hot teacup back on the table, his face a mask of smiles as he looked at the tense Wu Wei.
“While my purpose in visiting Hozuki Castle is indeed for the Gozu Tenbatsu left by the Sage of Six Paths…”
Wu Wei’s expression changed; his worst fears were materializing.
“However…”
Sensing Wu Wei’s thoughts, Orochimaru shifted his tone.
“My primary objective is to strike a deal with you, Lord Wu Wei. In exchange, I can help you truly fulfill one wish.”
“For example…”
Orochimaru watched Wu Wei’s astonished gaze, prolonging the suspense before dropping a condition Wu Wei absolutely could not refuse.
“Resurrect the mother of the child Muku…”
Like a thunderclap exploding in his mind, Wu Wei was stunned. He inadvertently spilled the scalding hot water onto himself.
Yet, he seemed to feel no pain, his expression alight with excitement as he stood.
“You… what did you say?”
Orochimaru smiled and nodded.
“Just as you imagine.”
“Resurrecting a person is a simple matter. With my current strength, there are at least three ways I can achieve it.”
As he spoke, Orochimaru released a sliver of his Six Paths-level power.
Wu Wei’s body stiffened. He felt the entire world crushing down upon him. His chakra couldn’t be mobilized, and even breathing became incredibly difficult.
This feeling of powerlessness, like an ant gazing up at a god, caused two sharp beams of light to shoot from Wu Wei’s eyes.
“Lord Orochimaru, I implore you to fulfill my wish to revive my deceased wife. For this, Wu Wei is willing to offer you everything!”
Wu Wei knelt before Orochimaru with a thud, his forehead touching the ground, refusing to rise for a long time.
Orochimaru sighed inwardly.
“This is the nature of ninjas, both powerful and fragile!”
Bonds can make ninjas incredibly strong, but they can also become cages that bind them.
But fortunately, he had long since held his own destiny in his hands.
“Rise!”
Orochimaru sighed softly, slowly retracting his Six Paths-level pressure.
“To revive your wife, I will need some of her physical tissues that she left behind in life.”
“Flesh, bone, even hair will suffice.”
“I have it!”
At this moment, Wu Wei had no doubt about the truth of Orochimaru’s words. Upon hearing this, he nodded repeatedly with joy.
“I have carefully preserved the umbilical cord left when Muku was born, and her hair.”
“I will retrieve the Gozu Tenbatsu and my late wife’s belongings for Lord Orochimaru at once.”
Orochimaru waved his hand, signaling Wu Wei to calm down.
“Don’t be hasty.”
“First, hear the terms of the deal, and then decide. It’s not too late.”
Wu Wei remained kneeling before Orochimaru and nodded heavily.
“Whatever it is, I agree!”
His fervent devotion lessened Orochimaru’s initial inclination to impose harsh demands. He shook his head with a sigh and stated his conditions to Wu Wei.
“It’s quite simple.”
“The ninja world is on the cusp of unification. The system of one village per nation will soon be abolished.”
Wu Wei started, and seeing that Orochimaru hadn't finished, he patiently continued to listen.
“However, conflicts among humans will not disappear easily because of this. Therefore…”
“I need an organization that will obey me, responsible for monitoring and punishing unstable elements among humanity.”
“And a force like Hozuki Castle, specialized in arresting and guarding criminals, is clearly the best choice.”
“Lord Wu Wei, these are my conditions.”
Wu Wei looked at Orochimaru in disbelief.
He hadn’t expected Orochimaru’s request to be so simple.
Hozuki Castle, merely responsible for guarding prisoners, had always depended on the whims of the Five Great Nations. From Orochimaru’s tone, it seemed they would merely be exchanging masters, serving only Orochimaru’s faction from now on.
For Wu Wei, this was an incredibly simple matter.
“Only… only these?”
Wu Wei felt a sense of unreality, wondering if he had fallen victim to some illusionary technique or was dreaming.
Orochimaru smiled and nodded, giving a positive confirmation.
“Only these!”
“Hozuki Castle cannot offer more, can it?”
Wu Wei stared into Orochimaru’s eyes for a long moment, then smiled with understanding, his gaze solemn as he bowed.
“Thank you, Lord Orochimaru, for your trust in your subordinate!”
“I swear upon my deceased wife’s name, as long as Lord Orochimaru helps me revive her, the Hozuki lineage will serve Lord Orochimaru for generations to come.”
“Even if my future descendants are unfilial and unable to continue the family line, I will leave a will, instructing them to select the most loyal disciple to take over Hozuki Castle.”
“Until the day Lord Orochimaru no longer requires the existence of Hozuki Castle!”
Orochimaru nodded in satisfaction.
“This is sufficient!”