He had thought the Chinoike Clan had all died out; he hadn't heard anything about this clan for many years.
What kind of place was Hell Valley? Not only was it a barren wasteland, but food was also extremely scarce. When the Chinoike Clan was exiled to Hell Valley, the Uchiha Clan was guarding them.
"I encountered a member of the Chinoike Clan not long ago. The Chinoike Clan's Ketsuryugan is not as potent as the Sharingan in terms of potential, but there's one thing the Uchiha Clan doesn't have."
Orochimaru smiled mysteriously, deliberately building suspense.
"What is it?"
Aokawa couldn't think of anything the Chinoike Clan had that the Uchiha Clan didn't, especially since the Ketsuryugan was countered by the Sharingan… His gaze couldn't help but drift towards the lipstick mark.
Is it… a woman's lipstick mark?
"The Chinoike Clan's Ketsuryugan is not as good as the Sharingan. What does the Uchiha Clan lack compared to the Chinoike Clan?"
Kakuzu was very familiar with both the Chinoike Clan and the Uchiha Clan; the former was completely overwhelmed by the latter.
"That is, they don't belong to any Ninja Village now. The Chinoike Clan, exiled to Hell Valley, is no longer a Ninja clan of the Land of Lightning. This is why I want them to join the company."
Orochimaru not only wanted to research the Chinoike Clan's Ketsuryugan but also wanted them to become part of the company. Her current research funds basically came from the company's earnings.
Even if it was absolutely neutral, some petty individuals would still target the company.
Therefore, enhancing the company's strength was also very necessary. Furthermore, the Chinoike Clan's Ketsuryugan was a rare ocular Bloodline Limit in the Ninja World, and it was also an ocular Ninjutsu that could cast genjutsu.
"Indeed, the Chinoike Clan was exiled to Hell Valley in the Land of Hot Springs by the Lightning Country Daimyo's family. They will not return to the Land of Lightning, which caused them so much suffering."
Perhaps due to being betrayed by Takigakure in the past, Kakuzu felt some sympathy for the Chinoike Clan's plight, but there were still some things he had to say.
"Orochimaru, I must remind you that the Ketsuryugan, like the Sharingan, can only be awakened through strong emotional stimulation. It won't be easy to make them loyal to the company."
"I already have a plan to deal with it."
Orochimaru was well aware of this, which is why she wanted to teach the Eye Sealing Curse Mark to Uzumaki Chigusa and Uzumaki Nano.
"That's good then."
Kakuzu placed the documents he was holding on the coffee table and asked, "When can the Jiongu be modified?"
"Aren't you worried about any problems?"
Orochimaru asked with a smile. Kakuzu making a decision so quickly was unexpected; she had thought he would consider it.
"I'm well aware of the Jiongu's weaknesses. If your modifications, Orochimaru, can help me overcome those weaknesses and become stronger, I'm willing to undergo them."
Kakuzu believed Orochimaru wouldn't lie to him about this. This meant everything written in that document was true. After the modifications, he would become hundreds, even thousands of times harder to kill!
As long as he still had Jiongu tentacles, no matter how many times he was killed, it wouldn't be true death, unless all of the Jiongu tentacles were eliminated.
He, who originally no longer trusted anyone and only trusted money, found it strange that he would trust someone who told him, "You work for money, not for me."
"Jiongu modification?"
Aokawa was slightly stunned, looking at the document on the coffee table, feeling very curious.
"Excuse me, may I take a look?"
"Suit yourself."
Orochimaru didn't mind.
"Go ahead."
Kakuzu also didn't care. Once the Jiongu modification was complete, he would no longer need to worry about his heart. The vitality brought by the Zero-Tails Cells would be enough for him to live for a long time, and the Transformation Formula would allow him to cast Five Nature Transformation Ninjutsu more easily.
With permission, Aokawa picked up the document and began to read it, becoming more and more astonished. He hadn't expected that Lady Orochimaru had actually researched Kakuzu's Jiongu and already had a modification plan.
"Kakuzu, before we proceed with your Jiongu modification, some preparations are needed. You know about the Transformation Formula; it's up to you whether it's carved onto the mask or the blood vessel tentacles."
Orochimaru stood up and continued, "If anyone from the Chinoike Clan has ill intentions, you can go find Chigusa. She has mastered a method to deal with Bloodline Limit Ninja who possess ocular Ninjutsu."
"I should probably head back now."
Orochimaru saw that Aokawa and Kakuzu had nothing more to say and was about to use the Flying Thunder God Technique to leave when Aokawa couldn't help but say, "Lady Orochimaru, the lipstick mark on your face..."
"Lipstick mark?"
Orochimaru froze for a moment. Water droplets condensed to form a mirror.
"This... this..."
Orochimaru's eyes widened as she looked at the lipstick mark on her cheek. The thought of having spoken for so long in front of Aokawa and Kakuzu with a lipstick mark on her face filled her with intense shame and embarrassment.
"You didn't see anything, understand?"
Orochimaru took out a handkerchief to wipe off the lipstick mark on her face, her gaze at Kakuzu and Aokawa flickering with killing intent.
"Lady Orochimaru, please... please rest assured, I didn't see anything just now."
Aokawa looked up at the ceiling.
"I was looking at important documents."
Kakuzu also didn't want to provoke Orochimaru, indicating that he hadn't seen anything.
"Hmph!"
Orochimaru snorted coldly and left using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Aokawa breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that if he hadn't reminded Lady Orochimaru, the consequences would have been far more severe than they were now.
"Uzumaki Chigusa, huh... I haven't heard of the Uzumaki Clan having any sealing Ninjutsu against ocular Ninjutsu."
A flicker of understanding passed through Kakuzu's eyes as he said, "It seems Orochimaru has had her eye on the Chinoike Clan for a long time."
"Lady Orochimaru would never do anything without confidence. You've been at the Company for so long, Kakuzu, don't you understand by now?"
Aokawa, as always, trusted all of Lady Orochimaru's decisions, even to the point of blindness, never doubting any of her choices.
"I can't be like you... no, like all of you, in trusting Orochimaru."
Kakuzu looked at Aokawa, who never doubted Orochimaru's decisions and steadfastly carried them out. Ever since being betrayed by Takigakure, he trusted no one; only money would not betray him.
"Then why are you letting Lady Orochimaru modify your Jiongu?"
"I trust her research results."
"Someone like you, who doesn't trust Lady Orochimaru, isn't worthy of receiving Lady Orochimaru's modifications!"
Bang—!
Aokawa and Kakuzu's conversation ended with Aokawa slamming the door and leaving. Soon, Aokawa returned, and under Kakuzu's puzzled gaze, pointed at the door and said, "This is my office! Go back to your finance office!"
"..."
Kakuzu couldn't refute Aokawa's words. He stood up, left the president's office, and returned to the finance office.
The Land of Hot Springs, with its numerous hot springs, is a sacred place for healing.
It is said that hot spring inns in other places all claim to have hot springs from the Land of Hot Springs, but in reality, the water in their hot springs is not from the Land of Hot Springs.
Hell Valley, as its name suggests, is a deep valley like hell, and it has historically been the preferred place for various countries to exile criminals.
With the emergence of the Ninja Village system, Hell Valley was abandoned, and most serious criminals were imprisoned in Kusagakure's Hozuki Castle.
The air in Hell Valley was filled with the pungent smell of sulfur, and the boiling spring water glowed red due to excessive heavy metals.
The man who returned to Hell Valley looked at the familiar surroundings and skillfully found the Chinoike Clan's territory, hidden within a barrier.
"Ashu, you're back."
The Chinoike Clan's patriarch looked at Ashu as he walked in, noticing he had something on his mind, and asked, "Did something happen during your recent outing?"
"Patriarch Bafu, I met Orochimaru..."
Ashu recounted in detail his experience of leaving Hell Valley and going to Tanzaku Street in the Land of Fire, handing the business card to Bafu.
"Leaving Hell Valley to go to the Land of Waves?"
Bafu looked at the business card in his hand, lost in thought. The Chinoike Clan, living in Hell Valley, had also heard of the great name of White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company. He was a little worried that the Land of Waves might not be as good as they had heard.
"Ashu, choose a few clansmen to go with you to the White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company in the Land of Waves to take a look. If the Land of Waves is really as good as we understand it to be, joining the Company would be the best choice for our Chinoike Clan."
Bafu returned the business card to Ashu. In recent years, the Chinoike Clan had been affected by the harsh environment, getting worse each year. If this continued, who knows when the Chinoike Clan would completely disappear from Hell Valley.
"Yes, Patriarch Bafu!"
Ashu nodded, feeling the heavy burden on his shoulders.
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