The deal.

Tsunade-san's brows burrowed deep in thought, while Orochimaru was standing patiently, waiting for her reply.

Shizune seemed to neglect even thinking of the deal, after deciding that it must have a twist and Orochimaru does everything for his own needs.

She tried to persuade Tsunade to refuse, but Tsunade was in an other world, blank on the outside, thinking about her blissful future if what Orochimaru told her was true. But he is smart, and would most likely deceive her.

Orochimaru said, " Don't worry, i'll give you an entire week to think. Get back to me after a week in this same place if you are willing to accept to the deal. I'll be off now, giving a woman her space…" and both he and Kabuto sprinted in the opposite direction, over the rubble of the broken Tanzaku Castle and into the wild green forest in the background landscape.

( Now written from the perspective of Kabuto Yakushi, in italics) Master and I both left quickly after those brave words were uttered, afraid that Tsunade-sama might refuse to the deal and attack us instead for the reason of Orochimaru-sama killing their sensei, the Third Hokage. Only he thought that the old geezer was incapable of taking the right decisions for Konoha, and thought he was irresponsible. But Tsunade-sama and the other member of the Sannin, Jiraiya, were quite fond of the late Hokage.

Orochimaru-sama seemed satisfied with how our conversation went, though only the devil knows what really goes on in his wild mind. But still, he is my master, the person who I most admire, who I aspire to be one day.

We both now started jumping from tree to tree, gradually turning to the right side to where our warehouse was located. It was in the outskirts, and nobody payed any attention to it, and was abandoned covered with dust.

We occupied that places and I modified it to suit our needs, and we made it our temporary hideout till our goal was accomplished.

Orochimaru-sama did not speak all the way, but that was no surprise. He had become very much less interactive from the time his hands were injured. His face was beady with sweat, but his legs showed no signs of restraint and he moved as gracefully as ever.

We reached the godown after a while. It was just like the way when I left it. It was fairly huge, with high-end ceilings made entirely of metal.

Orochimaru-sama opened the doors, each towering 10 feet high made of solid steel. It creaked open slowly, and we stepped inside, smelling the damp air after a while. The warehouse itself had a bed, and two sofa's made of ancient wood, ready to decompose. It also had about 5 big tables, supposedly used by the accountants who managed this place when it was still running.

Orochimaru-sama straight away went and sat on the sofa, his face devoid of expressions. He told me to close the doors and have a seat. I did what he told and sat down when…

There came a sharp amplified sound vibrating across the warehouse, a sound signifying the cutting of the hard metal doors. The high doors were cut apart like butter, sliced in a 'x' like shape, and thudded down. Dust filled the warehouse from outside due to the force of the fall.

In walked a man, dauntless as he was, sheathing his swords at his side. He wore pants of the darkest green, with a bright green haramaki. He was clothed in an long open red shirt, flowing at his sides like robes. He emitted an aura, invincible at that. He walked in bravely, not in the slightest concern about the two dangerous men who could prove a threat to his attitude. I realised that he was the dude who was with Tsunade-sama, along with her lieutenant, Shizune. I had not heard of him, and that was the first time that I saw him. Perhaps a new bodyguard or something? Not that she needed one, with all her ferocious strength. No, he didn't look like a man who would do such things. He was free, emancipated. Orochimaru-sama straightened up to see who would dare to enter the place where he dwelled. When he saw the strange man, his eyes narrowed, "Well well, what have we here? May I know who you are, boy? You seem weird… With all my experience, I have not yet seen someone emitting a type of energy other than chakra. Until today, if i'm not wrong. From where did you attain this power, may I know?" He answered, arrogance tinting his voice, " I have no obligation to answer your questions, whoever you maybe. But even if I wanted to, I can't. I did not understand anything that you told right now. Now, onto matters, can you bring the dead back to life?" " Well, not exactly, but in practical terms, yes I can do it. Why do you ask? Surely wanting to bring back someone you loved, if i'm not wrong…" " Ah, you seem to have got it already. I have a girl, a girl who died long ago when she was young, going by the name Kuina. Can you bring her back?" " Of course I can, if I get the enough amount of her DNA. If you have that, then I can do it without fail." " I can take care of that… How much do you want?" " Not much, only a few cells. But never mind that. What made you think that I would agree to your sudden terms on resurrecting some girl? And even if I agreed, what would you give to me in return?" "Now now, don't get smart. If I wanted I could just slice you up and take you hostage to do my work. That would probably be faster too. Be grateful I didn't go with that plan. As for your payment, I have something special. Something that would be of great value if you possessed it." Orochimaru ignored the arrogant man's empty threats and continued , intrigued by his settlement manner, " And what would that be? I know for sure that you know nothing about my interests or businesses, save for my status as a Sannin and few other general knowledge. You seem so much of an outsider that I guess that you do not know that also. I ask you again, what do you offer me that I would desire so much?"

Zoro replied, emphasising on his words and announcing clearly, " A Rinnegan… One of the three great dojutsu, as people of your folk call. Now, what say you about the deal? Surely you cannot resist the temptation, yes?"

~~ Zoro grimaced, as he thought of his courses of conversation with Shizune, the Sannin's apprentice.

Discussions have a way of their own, one which twists and turns in the most bizarre way. And thus did Zoro know in his days of recuperation, that the unique purple eye of his was one of the three great Dojutsu. ~~

Orochimaru-sama stared at him… This opportunity was beyond his wildest dreams. The Rinnegan, huh… The only known one was in the possession of Nagato, which was impossible to get at the moment. Of course he agreed to the deal. Only the most foolish of all idiots would refuse to this once in a lifetime opportunity. He replied ,excitement getting on his nerves," Ok."