Chapter 119: The Tradition of Matricide

Hearing Orochimaru take the initiative to ask for intelligence on Hiruzen Sarutobi, Uchiha Li became serious.

More than two years ago, he had proactively brought this subject up with Orochimaru, but Orochimaru’s attitude had been ambiguous. At that time, Orochimaru neither denied nor confirmed anything, merely offering a few vague words. But now, with Orochimaru raising the matter himself, his stance was crystal clear.

"Orochimaru is likely looking to prove himself to Hiruzen Sarutobi."

After defecting for so many years, Orochimaru’s choice to return to the Hidden Leaf Village and attempt to kill the Third Hokage surely had a motive. Some say it was because the Third chose Minato over him for the position of Hokage, leaving Orochimaru filled with resentment. However, in Uchiha Li’s view, this perspective does not hold up. At that time, Orochimaru likely did not care about the title of Hokage at all; he cared only for his experiments and the singular path toward immortality.

Regarding the "Konoha Crush" plan, Uchiha Li had his own understanding from his previous life. He believed that Orochimaru’s desire to kill the Third was not for revenge, nor was it born of hatred. On the contrary, Uchiha Li felt that Orochimaru harbored complex, contradictory feelings toward the Third. When their ideologies clashed, Orochimaru wanted to prove to his teacher that his own philosophy was the correct one. Thus, he launched the Konoha Crush; he wanted to demonstrate that the Third’s antiquated mindset was no longer suited to the current era.

Uchiha Li rubbed his chin, thinking, "If we really look at it, the Hokage position has always had a tradition of killing one's master, hasn't it?"

Just as Nagato showed no mercy to his former mentor, Jiraiya; or how Obito caused the death of Minato by instigating the Nine-Tails incident; or even the relationship between Sasuke and Orochimaru—they were, in a sense, teacher and student. Sasuke eventually killed Orochimaru, and had it not been for the Cursed Seal of Heaven, Orochimaru would not have been able to resurrect. In Uchiha Li’s eyes, these individuals killed their teachers to solidify their own "Way of the Ninja." They had goals they were determined to achieve, and their teachers had become obstacles, so they acted.

Therefore, Uchiha Li was not surprised that Orochimaru wanted to continue this tradition. In any case, it was a good thing for him if someone else took care of the Third. Although the Third had stepped down, he remained in the village. As long as he was there, he was a threat. Yet, Uchiha Li could not simply go and kill him; such a rash act would ruin everything he had painstakingly built. But if Orochimaru were the one to do it, the blame would fall entirely on him.

However, even though Uchiha Li was pleased by Orochimaru’s intent, he would not make it easy for him. It was his tradition to never let a goose fly by without plucking a feather.

Looking at Orochimaru, Uchiha Li said, "Teacher, I am naturally willing to help you collect intelligence on the Third, but..." He paused, rubbing his fingers together; his intent was obvious.

"Li-kun, excessive greed is not a good trait," Orochimaru said, a flash of killing intent crossing his eyes.

He quickly suppressed it, however, knowing it would be unwise to fight Uchiha Li within the village. Especially now, with the Fourth Hokage, Minato, at the height of his power, Orochimaru had no desire to experience the "Flying Raijin Jutsu."

Uchiha Li listened to the threatening tone and said calmly, "Teacher, if you want the horse to run, you have to feed it grass, don't you?"

Initially, he had offered to collect intelligence on Hiruzen Sarutobi voluntarily, meaning no reward would have been needed. But Orochimaru had not agreed then; he was only asking now. Therefore, the initiative no longer rested with Orochimaru, and it was only natural for Uchiha Li to seek compensation. After all, any bit of knowledge Orochimaru let slip was priceless. He would not miss this opportunity.

"Li, you will regret this sooner or later," Orochimaru said with a hint of irritation. "Tell me, what do you want this time?" He added, "Just so you know, the old man’s intelligence isn't worth that much."

While he hoped to obtain some information on Hiruzen to facilitate his plans, it was not strictly necessary; he had plenty of time to collect it himself. Furthermore, he was currently rushing to perfect a particular jutsu, which required time and specific environmental conditions—after all, this was Konoha.

Hearing the warning, Uchiha Li smiled. "Don't worry, Teacher Orochimaru. What I need is not difficult for you to provide."

Orochimaru’s expression eased slightly. Uchiha Li continued, "I hope to acquire some means of self-preservation, or methods to enhance my defensive capabilities. Anything, whether ninjutsu or otherwise—except for physical body modifications."

He had been considering this for a long time. Ninjas in the world of the Hokage were essentially glass cannons—high offense, low defense. A moment of carelessness, even for those at the level of the Six Paths or the Kaguya clan, could lead to death by a sneak attack. Figures as powerful as Madara Uchiha or Isshiki Otsutsuki could be caught off guard in the gutter. Thus, Uchiha Li placed great importance on his own defenses. He had even considered, like Danzo, transplanting a Sharingan to use Izanagi for emergencies. However, Izanagi had its limitations, and true strength lay in one's own defensive prowess. Such ninjutsu were rare, and Uchiha Li had been at a loss. But for someone like Orochimaru, who possessed a vast array of survival techniques, this would be simple.

Before Orochimaru could speak, Uchiha Li added, "Of course, what I ask for is of high value, so I can make up the difference with other things—perhaps secret techniques unique to the Uchiha clan, or a large sum of funds. Either will do."

Orochimaru fell silent. He had always viewed Uchiha Li as a reflection of himself, so he was not surprised by such a request. He did possess various survival methods, but since Uchiha Li explicitly rejected body modification, most of his techniques were off the table. Those that could satisfy the request involved his core secrets, which he could not hand over. It was not a simple request to fulfill.

Yet, Uchiha Li’s offer was tempting, especially the Uchiha secret techniques, which Orochimaru was very interested in. He believed he would eventually need to use the Living Corpse Reincarnation to inhabit a perfect Uchiha vessel, and those techniques would prove useful then.

After a moment of thought, Orochimaru discarded several options and suddenly had an idea. "I do know of a method to significantly enhance physical durability. It should meet your requirements..."