Just as fear surged in Orochimaru's heart, he pondered how best to speak—what words might impress Uchiha Yue enough to spare his life.
Yet when Uchiha Yue finally approached, the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan was already revolving ominously in his eyes. Without giving Orochimaru a chance to speak, Yue unleashed Kotoamatsukami—the fabled genjutsu of Shisui Uchiha, repurposed through Yue's own eternal Mangekyō.
After all, when Orochimaru originally attempted to possess Sasuke's body, Sasuke had already been contaminated with multiple foreign chakra residues—traces of at least three distinct consciousnesses lingered within the dimensional space of his body. Orochimaru had also once targeted Itachi Uchiha for possession but was swiftly sealed by the Totsuka Blade within Itachi's Susanoo.
By this point in time, Orochimaru had fully developed his Living Corpse Reincarnation technique and was firmly on the path of achieving immortality through body-hopping.
Therefore, rather than risk having Orochimaru slink off into the shadows only to resurrect in some hidden corner of the world, Yue opted to subjugate him directly using Kotoamatsukami, ensuring permanent mental domination without physical death.
Moreover, Orochimaru possessed vast resources—experiments, research, and bodies. Controlling him meant gaining all of those treasures. For example, Kimimaro's high-density Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse) or Jūgo's special Sage Transformation body, both held potential to vastly enhance Yue's own physique and chakra reserves.
In addition, even if Orochimaru's genetic specimens were set aside, his scientific ingenuity alone was invaluable. With such a subordinate, the long-term benefits would be immense.
"Hehe… So this kind of ocular technique truly exists? The Mangekyō Sharingan is more incredible than I imagined!"
As the haze of confusion faded from his eyes, Orochimaru chuckled softly. His voice carried no trace of fear or unease now. Though his gaze still burned with desire as he stared at Yue, it was clearly laced with reverence.
"The power of Kotoamatsukami is not merely to rewrite memories—it plants an absolute order. Any thoughts opposing that implanted command can no longer arise. Judging from your state, your self-awareness remains intact."
Seeing the eager light still flickering in Orochimaru's gaze, Yue raised an eyebrow, a trace of admiration in his tone.
For Orochimaru, the implanted command was straightforward: Yue is his master, and his loyalty is absolute. He is to obey every order, without exception.
Despite understanding his own subjugation, Orochimaru's self-awareness remained untouched. He knew he had fallen under Kotoamatsukami, and that his thoughts were no longer fully his own. Yet he felt no resistance. In fact, he appeared proud to serve.
And although the compulsion made it impossible for him to oppose Yue, Orochimaru's fascination with the Sharingan had only intensified. His desire to explore its mysteries burned brighter than ever.
"I command you: You are forbidden from harming any member of the Uchiha clan—directly or indirectly. You are not to orchestrate their deaths through any proxy means either."
Seeing the obsessive gleam in Orochimaru's eyes, Yue understood all too well what the man was thinking. He issued the command calmly, letting it seal Orochimaru's options.
"Ah… Master, you wound me. My passion for the Sharingan is limitless!"
Orochimaru wore a distressed expression, even casting a pitiful glance at Yue, though his tone was laced with mock complaint and genuine longing.
"Hmph! Save me the theatrics," Yue snapped, then added coldly, "I've only forbidden you from harming Uchiha. I never said you couldn't study the Sharingan."
"Besides, you've long maintained ties with Danzo Shimura, who stockpiled many Sharingan harvested from the Uchiha Massacre. You likely possess a number of preserved Sharingan and biological samples."
"If that's the case, why not clone an Uchiha body yourself? When the time comes, reincarnate into that clone. The result won't differ much from inhabiting a genuine Uchiha."
As he sensed a flicker of calculation in Orochimaru's expression, Yue gave a cold snort and laid the idea bare.
In truth, Yue had often wondered—even in his previous life—why Orochimaru remained obsessed with stealing other people's bodies. It was not only dangerous due to rejection, but also degraded the soul, causing cumulative damage.
And while the physical body held undeniable importance, the soul mattered just as much. Constantly switching vessels would inevitably corrupt the spirit, making true immortality impossible.
Instead, if cloning technology was developed—and the clone incorporated Orochimaru's own genes from the beginning—the resulting body would be perfectly compatible.
Furthermore, if the process prevented the clone from developing a soul, the usual damage from soul transference could be avoided or significantly minimized.
Clearly, such a path held more promise and stability.
"Yes, cloning… A splendid idea, and one with tremendous potential," Orochimaru mused, eyes narrowing. "Unfortunately, my current technology is far from flawless. The clones suffer from instability, imperfections—structural weaknesses that limit their usefulness."
"So, compared to wasting resources on flawed creations, I've found it more efficient to modify and seize already exceptional vessels."
That Yue knew about Living Corpse Reincarnation didn't surprise Orochimaru. He responded with a thoughtful nod, though regret tinged his voice.
Clearly, he had once entertained similar ideas, but the technology had simply not matured. As a result, he clung to his current reincarnation method, flawed as it was.
"Technology will advance in time. Don't be impatient and ruin your soul through defective reincarnation," Yue replied, shaking his head slightly. "The fact that my Sharingan controlled you so easily might already be a symptom of that spiritual degradation."
"In the Boruto era, I recall Orochimaru no longer relied on stealing others' bodies. Instead, he advanced human cloning—he even made a 'son' for himself."
"Perhaps the so-called 'synthetic human' research is merely today's flawed cloning tech, perfected through relentless refinement."
"Is that so? Then I must truly focus on advancing my cloning methods," Orochimaru murmured, eyes glinting. "Otherwise, the cumulative soul damage may compromise my future vessels. Even the reincarnation process itself could destabilize."
Whether this revelation arose from his own reflection or Yue's Kotoamatsukami-induced compulsion was unclear, but the result was the same: Orochimaru's research would shift.
"Tech breakthroughs take time. You'll need to experiment methodically. Don't rush it."
"But for now," Yue said, voice turning sharp and curious, "catalog everything valuable you possess. Let me see if there's anything useful to me."
After all, in a chaotic shinobi world, power remained the ultimate truth. Without overwhelming strength, even a genius like Orochimaru could not be subdued, let alone enslaved.
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