Chapter 47 – The Invitation Renewed
"It seems…" Izaya thought, a grim resolve settling over him, "it's time to reveal a few trump cards."
Since arriving in this world, he had never intended to expose his true strength prematurely. But looking at the smiling, predatory Orochimaru before him, he understood. He could no longer hide.
This was different from his spar with Uchiha Itachi. This time, he could feel a genuine, cold killing intent emanating from the Sannin. To lose here meant death.
"Not running anymore?" Orochimaru mused, a flicker of disappointment crossing his features as he saw Izaya stand his ground. "Then let me see what a child like you is truly capable of."
After a soft murmur, Orochimaru's pupils constricted into slits.
Shing!
The Kusanagi Sword was drawn once more, held firmly in his grasp. In the blink of an eye, a silver sword shadow was already upon Izaya.
"So fast…!"
Izaya had been prepared for an attack, but Orochimaru's speed defied his expectations. The sharp tip of the Kusanagi was right before him, and behind him was a dead end.
"No choice!"
Trapped, Izaya could no longer afford to hide his secrets. The moment the sword was about to pierce him, he activated his Sharingan.
Instantly, a pair of dark red eyes with three tomoe swirling within appeared in Izaya's sockets. With the powerful dynamic vision granted by the Sharingan, the previously blurred sword shadow slowed down just enough.
"Now!"
Seizing the narrow opening, Izaya threw himself into a backward roll. He paid the price with a few severed strands of hair, but he managed to evade Orochimaru's probing strike.
"The Sharingan…" Orochimaru paused, genuinely taken aback. "Boy, if you only had my attention before… you truly have my interest now!"
Just as Izaya tried to catch his breath, Orochimaru's next attack was already upon him. And this one carried a weight that told Izaya the Sannin was now getting serious.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!
Seemingly realizing Izaya's advantage in taijutsu while using the Sharingan, Orochimaru sheathed the Kusanagi and instead weaved a series of hand signs. As the last seal was formed, a violent hurricane, laden with dust and debris, roared toward Izaya.
Though it was only a C-rank Wind Release technique, amplified by Orochimaru's immense chakra, it was lethal. Even before it hit, Izaya could feel the killing intent woven into the gale.
"Orochimaru is truly on another level…"
Facing the powerful wind, Izaya's expression turned grave. In his normal state, there was simply no way to withstand this.
The Sharingan's dynamic vision… No, it's useless here.
He could see the technique coming, but his physical body wasn't fast enough to completely evade it.
"It seems the Sharingan alone isn't enough!"
Gritting his teeth, Izaya made a decision.
Whoosh!
A wave of heat exploded from his body. Before Orochimaru could react, a crimson, shimmering mist enveloped Izaya. Though the Blaze Fruit's power didn't manifest into full flames, the intense heat radiating from the mist instantly withered the nearby weeds.
"The Sharingan… and this high-temperature mist…" Orochimaru's eyes widened, and a wild, ecstatic laugh threatened to escape his lips. He halted his prepared attack, his curiosity utterly consuming him. He had to see what other surprises this seemingly ordinary boy held.
"And what's this?"
A moment after Orochimaru stopped, another transformation occurred. The mist-like flames intensified, and Izaya's entire body ignited, turning him into a living, breathing man of fire.
"Fire Release? No… ordinary Fire Release cannot achieve this… Could it be… an unknown Kekkei Genkai?!"
As Izaya laid all his cards on the table, a unique, voracious joy ignited within Orochimaru. He had a premonition. This boy, labeled a 'dead last,' was anything but. He was a rare genius, perhaps not seen in Konoha for a century!
Thinking this, Orochimaru slowly raised a hand, gesturing for a truce.
What is he planning now?
Having revealed his enhanced Fire Release, his Blaze Fruit elementalization, and his system-granted Sharingan, Izaya had been ready for a fight to the death. Yet now, Orochimaru wanted to stop?
Wary, Izaya didn't press an attack. Instead, he took a defensive step back, watching the Sannin closely.
"Little devil, your name is Izaya, correct?"
"It is. Are you planning to let me go?" Izaya replied, then added with a forced, joking tone, "I can't imagine one of the Legendary Sannin would offer a truce to a child like me. No one would believe it."
"Hah… You are no ordinary child." Orochimaru wasn't angered by the sarcasm. He continued to stare, his slitted eyes squinting in a smile that now held a distinct, calculated purpose.
Izaya watched, unable to guess what was going through the Sannin's mind.
"Come with me," Orochimaru said after a long moment of silent confrontation, his voice a low, compelling whisper. "You cannot become truly powerful by remaining in Konoha…" A glimmer of genuine, cold expectation shone in his eyes.
What the hell? He's fixated on recruiting me? Can't he just let it go?
As Orochimaru renewed his offer, a profound sense of helplessness washed over Izaya. There was no denying Orochimaru's current strength. Becoming his subordinate would indeed bring rapid growth, potentially elevating him to elite jōnin level within a few years. For most, this was a life-changing opportunity.
But for Izaya, it was utterly unappealing.
With the system, he didn't need Orochimaru's help to become strong. The more critical point was the price. If he agreed, he would undoubtedly be marked with a cursed seal as a means of control. And when it came to something as vile as that… Izaya wanted nothing to do with it.
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