Chapter 41: A Discussion About Life With Orochimaru

Chapter 41: A Discussion About Life with Orochimaru
----
Toneri's short blade danced through the air, cutting through the giant snake's massive body with precision. Though the snake's sheer size gave it immense power, its bulk hindered its ability to keep up with Toneri's speed.

Blood splattered across the room with each strike, and with one final slash, the snake vanished in a puff of smoke, undone by Toneri's relentless attacks.

Sliding his blade back into its sheath, Toneri struck what he imagined was a strikingly cool pose. A swordsman's aura, or so he thought.

However, the chakra from Matatabi, the Two-Tails, withdrew almost immediately, and Toneri collapsed onto the ground, utterly exhausted.

"So much for staying cool for longer than three seconds," he lamented inwardly.

But regardless of his battered state, Toneri knew he had passed Orochimaru's test.

The only reason Toneri survived was his ability to collaborate with Matatabi, briefly unlocking a power that far exceeded his own limits. Without that, he would have been nothing more than a meal for the snake.

Toneri's current progress in taijutsu was impressive, given that he had been training as a ninja for just over two weeks. The massive snake he fought wasn't a simple beast either—it could easily overpower an average Chūnin.

Even Naruto, during the Chūnin Exams, struggled against Orochimaru's summoned snake without tapping into Kurama's chakra.

Suddenly, slow clapping echoed through the laboratory.

"Well done, Toneri-kun. You're quite impressive," Orochimaru praised, his raspy voice cutting through the silence.

Collapsed on the floor, Toneri felt like crying. "Sensei, save your praise for Sasuke in the future."

"At first, I thought the Third Hokage was just assigning me a random student to keep me busy," Orochimaru continued, licking his lips. "But you've given me quite a few surprises."

Toneri, propping himself up with a trembling arm, looked at Orochimaru with a mixture of awe and apprehension. He'd poured everything he had into defeating the summoned snake, but the difference in power between him and Orochimaru felt insurmountable.

Strangely, that realization didn't evoke fear. Instead, it brought clarity. True fear, Toneri realized, wasn't an option when resistance was futile. Orochimaru was like a force of nature—there was no point in being afraid of him.

Standing on unsteady legs, Toneri forced himself to bow respectfully. "Orochimaru-sensei," he said, addressing him formally.

Orochimaru glanced at Toneri with an unreadable expression before returning to tidying up the lab, which had been damaged during the fight.

Despite his fatigue, Toneri immediately began helping with the cleanup.

Initially, Orochimaru intended to stop him. After all, the lab contained sensitive materials that could cause unexpected reactions—or worse, explosions—if mishandled. But as Orochimaru observed Toneri's movements, his golden eyes lit up with intrigue.

Toneri's handling of the lab equipment wasn't just competent—it was skilled. Though not quite at Orochimaru's level, it was clear Toneri had spent considerable time in a laboratory setting.

As Toneri worked, he felt Orochimaru's gaze lingering on him. Pretending not to notice, Toneri silently counted down in his head.

One... two... three... turn.

"Orochimaru-sensei?" he asked, his tone calm and unassuming.

Orochimaru's piercing stare lingered for a moment longer before he returned to his work, leaving Toneri perplexed.

"What just happened? Did I mess up my timing, or is Orochimaru messing with me?"

The silence between them stretched on, broken only by the faint clinking of glass and metal as they cleaned.

Finally, Orochimaru spoke, his voice low and reflective. "Toneri-kun, if human life is so fragile, why do people charge forward, even knowing they'll lose?"

His raspy tone carried a peculiar magnetism.

Toneri froze.

He knew exactly why Orochimaru was asking this question. Few in the world understood Orochimaru better than Toneri, who had foreknowledge of his story.

Orochimaru, orphaned as a child and having lost his first disciple and dear friend's younger brother during the Second Shinobi War, despised the fragility of life.

After a long pause, Toneri replied cautiously, "Life is undeniably fragile. That's why humans have always sought ways to become stronger—be it through the samurai of the past or the shinobi of today. I think it's precisely because life is fragile that we strive to transcend our limits."

Orochimaru's gaze sharpened as he pondered Toneri's words.

"So, it's to overcome that fragility," he mused, his voice regaining its usual cold edge. Orochimaru was no longer the lost boy mourning his parents. He was one of the legendary Sannin, a man determined to defy the natural order.

If life was fragile, he would make it indomitable. Strong enough to break through the boundaries of humanity itself.

"Toneri-kun, you seem to know your way around a lab," Orochimaru remarked, his curiosity now unmistakable.

Toneri stiffened but nodded. "I've had some basic experience with experiments in the past."

Orochimaru's smile widened. "Then you'll be my assistant from now on. Help me with my research, and in return, I'll teach you ninjutsu."

Though his tone was casual, his words carried the weight of an irresistible offer.

"Deal!" Toneri agreed without hesitation.

It was a win-win situation. Toneri's primary goal was to learn from Orochimaru, and becoming his assistant provided an excellent opportunity to gain knowledge—and stay close enough to monitor Orochimaru's experiments.

Besides, Kabuto had spent years as Orochimaru's assistant and emerged as an incredibly powerful ninja. Toneri could only benefit from the arrangement.

"Have you tested your chakra nature?" Orochimaru asked.

"Yes," Toneri replied. "Fire, Earth, and Water."

Orochimaru pulled out three scrolls and tossed them to Toneri. "Three chakra natures—not bad. These scrolls contain C-rank ninjutsu: Fire Release: Flame Bullet, Water Release: Water Prison, and Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall. Study them and come to me if you have questions. I'll answer three questions per day."

Pausing for a moment, Orochimaru added, "You may leave now. Your duties start tomorrow."

Toneri glanced at the scrolls in his hands.

"Sensei... couldn't you be a little more generous? C-rank jutsu? Really?"

Fire Release: Flame Bullet
Water Release: Water Prison
Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall

These weren't terrible techniques, but they weren't particularly impressive either. Still, Toneri couldn't complain.

At least he'd survived the day—and gained a valuable mentor.
---