He remained Orochimaru—the powerful Legendary Sannin.
No blessing descended.
No gift came from the so-called Lord of Demons.
For a long moment, nothing changed.
Orochimaru's expression darkened completely.
He felt like a fool—calling out into empty air and receiving nothing in return.
He had even cast aside his pride and embarrassment.
And yet… nothing.
His golden snake eyes fixed sharply on Karin and the experimental subjects whose strength had surged so dramatically.
The issue wasn't the act of calling out.
The key—
Was Karin herself.
The "Demon Child" was the core variable.
Orochimaru realized he might have drastically underestimated the level of power involved.
Meanwhile, Karin watched with satisfaction as the once-frantic subjects, now burning with fanatic devotion and newfound strength, calmly returned to their respective cells.
They even locked themselves in.
It was more efficient than any curse mark or threat Orochimaru had ever used.
Unable to suppress the turmoil in his heart, Orochimaru stepped forward quickly, eyes locked onto Karin.
"Tell me," he demanded, voice tight with rare urgency. "How did you do that? What exactly is this power?"
Karin turned her head slightly and glanced at him through her red-framed glasses.
Her chin lifted with faint arrogance.
"Orochimaru, that won't work."
"What?" He blinked.
She curled her lip in open disdain, as if scolding someone slow-witted.
"You were shouting too, weren't you? 'Lord of Demons, Lord of Demons,' like that."
She even mimicked his awkward tone without a shred of mercy.
"Your heart wasn't sincere at all. You were doubting the Lord's power."
"Of course nothing happened. No matter how loud you shout, without faith, you'll never receive the Lord's blessing."
For a brief instant, Orochimaru's expression became unusually colorful.
He had not expected his private hesitation—and that humiliating attempt—to be seen through so easily.
A faint, rare flush crept across his pale face.
He coughed lightly to cover it.
"Ahem…"
Composing himself, he returned to the demeanor of a researcher, though disbelief lingered in his voice.
"So… only devotion? Pure faith grants power?"
To someone who believed in science, forbidden techniques, exchange and cost—
It sounded absurd.
Karin seemed offended by the question. Her eyes widened.
"Of course! Doubt is the greatest blasphemy against the Lord!"
"Only by devoting yourself completely—body, soul, even your life—can you feel the Lord's supreme power! Only then can you receive His blessing!"
She looked at Orochimaru as if he were hopelessly dull.
Then she huffed, clenching her small fist in irritation.
Orochimaru watched her carefully.
Something was off.
Faith might require sincerity—but transforming a group of disparate, broken individuals into zealots in mere minutes?
That could not be achieved by empty rhetoric alone.
Especially not by that speech.
It had been incoherent. Illogical. Full of gaps.
He suppressed his thoughts and asked slowly,
"Even if the Lord is real, faith does not change so easily. Karin… how did they become so devout from just a few words?"
His gaze sharpened.
Karin blinked.
Her confusion appeared genuine.
"What was wrong with what I said? The Lord really is that great."
She sounded as if she were stating something as obvious as "the sun is hot."
Orochimaru fell silent.
Logic would not work here.
Either she truly believed her words held inherent power—
Or she had subconsciously activated an ability she herself did not fully understand.
Or—
She was deliberately withholding the crucial part.
Knowing her temperament, Orochimaru leaned toward the last possibility.
This brat was hiding something.
Just then, Karin's eyes suddenly lit up, as if struck by inspiration.
The earlier arrogance vanished, replaced by eager curiosity—and a dangerous excitement.
She leaned closer, staring directly at him.
"Since you noticed… Orochimaru, do you want to try it yourself?"
Alarm bells exploded in his mind.
Try?
Try what?
Considering what she had done in Kusagakure—and her complete lack of restraint—
He did not doubt that her idea of "trying" might carry severe consequences.
He had no intention of becoming like those subjects—reduced to chanting "Lord of Demons" without thought.
That would be worse than death.
"Try what?" he asked carefully, subtly shifting backward.
"What happens afterward?"
He chose directness.
With Karin, ambiguity could be fatal.
He was beginning to question whether bringing her here had been a catastrophic miscalculation.
"Demonic Whisper," Karin said with a grin far too sly for her age. "It's a gift from the Lord."
Orochimaru's caution spiked instantly.
The name alone suggested deep psychological manipulation.
So that was it.
Not mere persuasion—
But an ability.
"What does it do?" he asked, voice low, body poised for retreat or defense.
Karin didn't seem inclined to hide it. If anything, she seemed proud.
"It draws out the darkest part of a person's heart," she said cheerfully.
"And amplifies it."
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