Chapter 237: The Desire for Eternity
Night fell over the hidden basin in the forest.
The rain outside continued to fall softly, tapping against the wooden roof.
Inside the small house, warm light from oil lamps filled the room.
In the kitchen, Tsunade and Konan were busy preparing dinner.
Nagato stood beside them, quietly helping.
Konan handled most of the cooking effortlessly. Tsunade tried to assist, though her enthusiasm was somewhat greater than her skill.
The process of making dinner became a slightly chaotic adventure.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Ragnar sat at a small wooden table with Yahiko and Orochimaru.
Yahiko sat upright in front of Ragnar, his posture respectful like a student before a teacher.
"Teacher," he said excitedly, unable to sit still, "these days I keep hearing stories about you everywhere."
"Everyone says you became a legend during the war!"
His eyes shone brightly.
"When can I become someone like you?"
"You told us before that you were only a little stronger than normal people… but now it sounds like you're the strongest shinobi in the world!"
"You're the person I admire the most!"
Ragnar took a calm sip of tea.
"That's correct," he said casually.
"I was only about a hundred million points stronger."
Yahiko blinked in confusion.
Orochimaru chuckled quietly.
"Ye-kun enjoys teasing people."
Yahiko turned toward Orochimaru with an embarrassed look.
"Lord Orochimaru… I'm really sorry about earlier."
He hesitated.
Because the earlier misunderstanding was still humiliating.
Being unable to finish the sentence only made him more embarrassed.
Orochimaru waved a hand casually.
"Child, I don't care about such things."
"I also don't care about the opinions of the world."
His golden snake-like eyes locked onto Yahiko.
"Do you understand what that means?"
Yahiko suddenly felt something strange.
Orochimaru's gaze seemed to pierce directly into his mind.
For a moment, his thoughts felt exposed, as if there were no secrets left to hide.
Yet strangely…
The feeling wasn't unpleasant.
It felt almost like meeting someone who completely understood him.
This was Orochimaru's unique charm.
A strange resonance that could appear between people in only a few words.
Throughout the shinobi world, many who followed Orochimaru were drawn not by force—but by the powerful charisma he possessed.
Even strangers could feel it.
Ragnar coughed lightly.
"If someone truly ignores the eyes of the world," he said calmly, "that also means they can easily ignore moral limits."
He looked at Yahiko.
"Such people are the most dangerous."
"Because they can cross the line at any moment."
"Yahiko."
"Do you want to become someone like that?"
The words struck like a bell ringing in Yahiko's mind.
His thoughts instantly cleared.
Cold sweat covered his back.
In just a brief moment earlier, his will had almost been pulled toward Orochimaru's worldview.
The realization frightened him.
He looked at Orochimaru with newfound caution.
The legendary Sannin were truly terrifying.
And yet…
His teacher was someone who stood above even them.
"I don't want that," Yahiko said nervously.
Orochimaru smiled faintly.
"Interesting child."
He calmly lifted a cup and took a sip of water.
Then his attention shifted toward Ragnar.
"Ye-kun," he said thoughtfully, "do you still care about the opinions of the world?"
"With your strength, you shouldn't need to."
"The eyes of others only create limitations."
"In this era… you are already a unique existence among shinobi."
Ragnar met his gaze calmly.
"I don't care about the world's opinions."
"But I have my own measure for how I judge things."
"There is a line in my heart."
"And I won't cross it easily."
He paused.
"Orochimaru."
"We may not know each other deeply yet."
"But I understand something about you."
"If a strong enough temptation appears…"
"You would cross that line without hesitation."
The room fell quiet.
Orochimaru stared at him curiously.
"What kind of temptation," he asked softly, "could make me cross that line?"
His voice carried genuine interest.
Ragnar looked at him for a long moment.
Then he spoke two simple words.
"Eternal life."
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Orochimaru's expression froze.
The sinister smile vanished from his face.
His hands clenched slightly.
For him, those two words carried a strange and powerful meaning.
Human life was fragile.
Too fragile.
People aged.
People died.
Since childhood, Orochimaru had been obsessed with this truth.
When he practiced the secret techniques of the White Snake, it was partly because he dreamed of shedding the limits of the human body—like a snake shedding its skin.
To be reborn.
To become something greater.
To live forever.
But the more he studied ninjutsu and the secrets of life…
The more he realized how impossible immortality seemed.
And yet the desire had never disappeared.
It had remained buried deep inside him.
An obsession.
To truly achieve eternal life…
One must first understand the human body completely.
That meant experimentation.
Human experimentation.
A forbidden path.
Until now, Orochimaru had never crossed that line.
But the temptation remained.
And now Ragnar had spoken the forbidden words aloud.
"How do you know…" Orochimaru murmured quietly.
Even Tsunade and Jiraiya—his closest companions—did not fully understand the true reason he pursued the White Snake techniques.
Yet Ragnar had seen through him completely.
Yahiko scratched his head in confusion.
"Teacher… what are you talking about?"
"What does eternal life even mean?"
Orochimaru forced a faint smile.
"Ye-kun truly is remarkable."
"Yes… I have pursued immortality."
"But unfortunately…"
He shook his head slowly.
"It remains impossible."
Ragnar said nothing.
Judging Orochimaru was not easy.
In another life, perhaps Ragnar himself might have walked a similar path.
Instead, he simply looked at Yahiko.
"You'll understand when you grow older."
"For now, you don't need to think about such things."
Yahiko nodded obediently.
"Okay."
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Tsunade and Konan were still working together.
Konan handled most of the cooking skillfully.
Tsunade tried her best to help—though the results were occasionally chaotic.
Nagato stood quietly nearby.
He spoke very little.
But his thoughts were far from calm.
The quiet house was filled with warmth.
Yet deep inside Nagato's heart…
Old wounds were slowly stirring again.
End of Chapter
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