Free Web NovelChapter 814: Chapter 638: Just Be Straight With Me, Orochimaru—Where Would You Rank Yourself?
Orochimaru was right.
Among the Thirteen Deadguard, there are no weaklings.
If it weren’t for Uehara Naraku’s support and Orochimaru’s relentless pursuit of power, Orochimaru himself would barely aspire to rank among the top ten of the Thirteen Deadguard officers...
Orochimaru wasn’t even a match for the likes of Senju Tobirama and Uchiha Itachi among them.
Not to mention, among the top four officers, every one of them had once stood at the pinnacle of the world, each bearing a unique title!
Even when facing them in person, Orochimaru felt a lingering fear...
For thousands of years, these officers didn’t need to slumber and restore their souls like in the past. Instead, they only needed to stay within Uehara City, absorbing spiritual particles to grow stronger...
Quite bluntly put...
Uchiha Madara and others, regardless of which world they were born in, would eventually reach the pinnacle due to their talent and willpower. Moreover, they had lived over a thousand years longer than Aizen Sousuke and experienced the baptism of other worlds... freeωebnovēl.c૦m
Catching up with them...
That is not an easy task.
Listening to Orochimaru showing some distrust in his strength, Aizen Sousuke didn’t mind and merely curled his lips into a smile, murmuring quietly, "It seems Orochimaru-san should have a lot of information to share with me..."
"Of course..."
Orochimaru’s eyes suddenly glinted with a sharpness that, for a moment, softened: "As long as you realize just how powerful they truly are... Hehehe... Without fearing them so much that you wouldn’t dare to resist..."
"That warning seems unnecessary."
Aizen Sousuke slowly shook his head and softly spoke, "Stopping one’s steps because of some thorns emerging on the road ahead means you’ll never witness the scenery of the thorny path..."
"Those are not just thorns..."
Orochimaru’s eyes darkened slightly, showing faint traces of anger and fear on his face: "If taken seriously, they are the floodwaters that could truly drown the Soul Society..."
"I’m all ears."
Aizen Sousuke nodded slightly.
As someone who enjoys exploring the unknown, Aizen Sousuke is very willing to listen to stories and information from others, although Orochimaru’s words require careful discernment...
To avoid being deceived by this guy Orochimaru.
"Let’s first talk about the enemies we need to face..."
Orochimaru glanced at Aizen Sousuke, lowered his head slightly, and began: "Because the lineage of the Uehara Race’s Patriarch relies on their Secret Technique, Uehara Naraku still needs quite some time before becoming our biggest enemy..."
"No."
Aizen Sousuke shook his head, directly interrupting Orochimaru’s words, and said in a low voice, "Even Naraku as he is now shouldn’t be underestimated... Although he still can’t pose a threat to us, I’ve personally seen him capture a Gillian Hollow, a feat no other Shinigami can currently achieve..."
In other words.
Many Shinigami struggle to reach such a level in their lifetime.
However, Uehara Naraku, at his age, has easily captured a Gillian Hollow, and in life-threatening situations, he may even contend with an Achyukas Level Hollow...
When Aizen Sousuke reached this point, he softly continued, "And according to Orochimaru-sama, Naraku should still be in his juvenile phase, right? Orochimaru-san must have an impression of how long it generally takes for each generation of Clan Leader Uehara to grow to their peak from this stage?"
"Hehehe... Indeed."
Orochimaru grinned sinisterly before beginning to share the secrets of the Uehara Race: "Generally speaking, the clan leader of the Uehara Race reaches their peak at around 150 years old, and this period lasts for about 100 years..."
This number is precisely calculated.
Because a typical Shinigami enters maturity around 150 years old, relying on the accumulation of time to gradually grow stronger in the future.
When Orochimaru reached this point, he added a sentence: "Uehara Naraku, however, has a slightly different case. Based on what I’ve observed about past Clan Leaders of the Uehara Race, they generally begin to wield their first Zanpakuto around the age of twenty..."
"But..."
A glint of light flashed beneath Aizen Sousuke’s spectacles, and he allowed a chilling smile to appear as he continued in a low voice, "Naraku has already mastered the first Zanpakuto inherited by his family at the tender age of fifteen this year..." freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
"No, it’s two Zanpakuto!"
Orochimaru reminded suddenly as he looked at Aizen Sousuke: "Because only upon mastering their Zanpakuto to the level of Bankai, can one start to touch the Zanpakuto held by the first Clan Leader Uehara..."
Although Orochimaru knew this was all made up according to a script...
But Orochimaru had worked hard enough to provide Aizen Sousuke with sufficient intelligence, truly wishing for Aizen Sousuke to take Uehara Naraku seriously...
At the very least...
Show a somewhat evenly matched stance!
"Is that so..."
Aizen Sousuke adjusted his spectacles, chuckling softly: "It seems I’ve indeed underestimated my subordinate... Between this youngster and your dear friend, the first Clan Leader Uehara, Orochimaru-san, who will go further?"
"..."
Orochimaru was somewhat breathless.
Aizen Sousuke indeed asked a good question!
After pondering for a moment, Orochimaru furrowed his brows slightly and said in a low voice, "Uehara Naraku’s talent is greater... If nothing happens, he might well be the strongest!"
Afterward, Orochimaru added another remark: "However, based on his character, the combat power he can unleash might also be the weakest..."
This wasn’t incorrect.
Even Aizen Sousuke couldn’t deny it.
Currently, Uehara Naraku is like a spoiled child, utterly unaware of any sense of proportion. If it weren’t for the protection of the Thirteen Deadguard, he would have been killed countless times already...
"Is that so..."
Aizen Sousuke’s smile grew larger, as if he’d heard something delightful: "Interesting, then if I find a way to make Naraku unleash his full power, perhaps he will be a worthy opponent in the future..."
Hmm...
A rival like that...
Just happens to be a future opponent for his ascent to the top.
If in the future, once the Hogyoku is complete, I gradually control Naraku’s life, making him stronger step by step, becoming the stepping stone for my further advancement...
This seems quite interesting.
"Are you crazy?"
Orochimaru threw a peculiar glance at Aizen Sousuke and couldn’t help but persuade him: "Shouldn’t we be doing everything we can to kill him now?"
"..."
Aizen Sousuke was silent for a moment, then smiled at Orochimaru, posing a conundrum: "Mr. Orochimaru... Can we currently surpass the Thirteen Deadguard to kill him?"
"..."
Orochimaru also fell into an eerie silence.
Because Uehara Naraku, that bastard, was always worried he would be forced to reveal his power, he painstakingly trained the Thirteen Deadguard as his guards. The purpose was precisely to prevent anyone from making a move on him, deterring others from coveting...
"Mr. Orochimaru."
Aizen Sousuke looked at Orochimaru and calmly began to introduce: "From the first moment I met him, until he became Vice Captain of the 5th Squad, I’ve never given up on the idea of killing Naraku, however..."
The rest went unsaid.
Because the existence of the Thirteen Deadguard always thwarted Aizen Sousuke’s plans, and before the Hogyoku was completed, Aizen Sousuke was even more reluctant to act personally and expose his identity...
"Then tell me the story of the Thirteen Deadguard..."
Orochimaru slowly nodded, a touch of nostalgia in his eyes, and said softly: "Among the Thirteen Deadguard, apart from the last four seats that can be dealt with using Arrancar Hollows, the others are not ordinary characters..."
"Their power is truly frightening..."
Aizen Sousuke’s expression remained unchanged as he calmly continued: "Mr. Orochimaru, could you provide me with intelligence on the Thirteen Deadguard?"
"Hehehe... Of course..."
Orochimaru chuckled lightly, slowly nodding, and began to divulge the intelligence on the Thirteen Deadguard. He had a portion of information to reveal about each Deadguard.
Because only by revealing enough information...
Can they further compel Aizen Sousuke to create a complete Hogyoku!
The Thirteenth Seat, Rasa, responsible for the Uehara Race’s finances, was listed among the Thirteen Deadguard because his ability to refine gold sand and other precious minerals.
The Twelfth Seat, Hozuki Gengetsu, also a wielder of a Water-type Zanpakuto, was equally skilled in Genjutsu. When it comes to Zanpakuto, in a way, Hozuki Gengetsu’s Zanpakuto is considered a lower version of the Kyoka Suigetsu...
The Eleventh Seat, Wu, possesses a Zanpakuto capable of annihilating everything. As long as his Spiritual Pressure is sufficient, he can theoretically obliterate any enemy weaker than him in Spiritual Pressure...
The Tenth Seat, A, wields a Thunder-type Zanpakuto. However, what A is more adept at is not the Shinigami’s ability, but a physique capable of clashing head-on with Arrancar Hollows!
Speaking of the Ninth Seat, Orochimaru’s expression suddenly turned somewhat unpleasant, gritting his teeth as he said: "The Ninth Seat... Uchiha Itachi... that bastard..."
"Sounds like there’s a story there..."
Aizen Sousuke glanced at Orochimaru, whose face had turned unsightly, and calmly said: "I have interacted with this Ninth Seat member named Uchiha Itachi. To be honest, his ability is precisely the kind I wish to obtain..."
Uchiha Itachi’s Amaterasu Black Flame capable of burning fire itself!
Aizen Sousuke was very eager to know whose flame was stronger between Uchiha Itachi’s Amaterasu Black Flame and Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni’s Ryujin Jakka...
Orochimaru quickly supplied Aizen Sousuke with that answer.
"Don’t yearn for it..."
Orochimaru gritted his teeth and continued solemnly: "That is an inherent ability akin to an Arrancar Hollow... A type of Amaterasu Black Flame capable of burning even Ryujin Jakka..."
"Is that so..."
Aizen Sousuke lowered his head in thought.
Compared to Uchiha Itachi’s innate ability to counter Ryujin Jakka, Aizen Sousuke was more intrigued by Orochimaru’s attitude towards Uchiha Itachi...
This legendary senior...
Did he suffer a significant setback at the Ninth Seat’s hands?
It’s just a bit regrettable that they’ve only just started cooperating. Aizen Sousuke didn’t feel it was a suitable moment to ask.
Perhaps...
In the future, there may be time to investigate.
"The Eighth Seat, Uchiha Obito, doesn’t have any particularly special abilities, just an elusive presence... The Seventh Seat, Namikaze Minato, besides speed, lacks noteworthy skills... The Sixth Seat, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was once my teacher..."
"..."
Aizen Sousuke’s expression gradually became more intricate.
Aizen Sousuke always thought Orochimaru, this senior, was capable of standing toe-to-toe with the top four Seats’ characters. Now it seems his assumption was somewhat biased...
