**Chapter 24: This Isn't the Immortality I Want**

The black-haired, golden-eyed snake represented the manifestation of Orochimaru's soul, carrying all of his knowledge and spiritual power.

The broken body in front of him had now become an empty shell.

The moment the snake appeared, the temperature in the room dropped by several degrees.

"What the…"

Kimimaro was stunned.

This scene was truly shocking.

Seeing it in person and watching it on a screen were entirely different experiences.

At that moment, Sound Clothes, who had been prepared for a while, pried open the mouth of the woman lying on the bed.

The black-haired, golden-eyed snake immediately slithered inside!

In an instant, the snake disappeared, and the woman, who had been unconscious, suddenly opened her eyes!

Her eyes, once black and white, slowly turned golden.

Those were the signature snake-like eyes of Orochimaru.

The transfer had succeeded!

At this point, Orochimaru's **Living Corpse Reincarnation** technique was still incomplete. He could only assimilate the vessel's eyes to look like his, but not the entire appearance. He needed something like a human skin mask to make the vessel resemble his own face.

By the time of the **Shippuden** series, Orochimaru's Living Corpse Reincarnation had been perfected, allowing him to instantly transform White Zetsu into his own appearance.

From this, it was clear that Orochimaru was quite satisfied with his appearance.

Even when switching bodies, he kept the same face.

Orochimaru sat up, looked at his pale hands, and smiled contently.

The right to use this unfamiliar body now belonged to him.

"Orochimaru-sama, how do you feel?" Sound Clothes asked.

"This body is quite good. The rejection response is minimal, allowing me to exert 100% of my strength. In three years, I shouldn't need to switch bodies again."

Otoha smiled at his response.

"That's great! Congratulations, Orochimaru-sama!"

Orochimaru then turned his gaze to Kimimaro and asked with a smile, "What do you think of this technique?"

Kimimaro remained silent for a moment before slowly responding, "If you keep changing bodies frequently, will you even remember who you are?"

"Hmm?"

"Orochimaru-san, this technique is impressive, and if perfected, it would be even more so. But this isn't the immortality I seek. At the very least, it's not the ideal form of immortality in my eyes.

"The body obtained through this method will still age and die. Based on the current situation, to keep the body in peak condition, assuming it's not injured, it can only be used for a maximum of twenty years.

"Not to mention, if there's a strong rejection response, then in three years, you'll have to switch bodies again.

"And judging by Orochimaru-san's situation, this isn't your first time using this technique. This means that within just a few short years, you've already switched bodies at least twice.

"Orochimaru-san may accept this, but I can't. Constantly changing my body, looking at unfamiliar hands and faces, and accepting memories that aren't mine—if it happens too often, I fear I'll completely forget who I am."

Kimimaro spoke sincerely.

And this was truly how he felt.

The idea of body-snatching didn't sit well with him.

It was similar to how he felt now, having taken over Kimimaro's body some time ago. While he had adapted to fighting and learning with this body, he still couldn't fully get used to its subtle details, or the handsome face that, while just as good-looking as his previous life's, still wasn't his.

Last time, he had no choice. But if given the option, Kimimaro wouldn't want to go through body-snatching again.

It might sound overly sentimental, but that's just how he felt.

Orochimaru licked his lips. He wasn't angry—quite the opposite, he appreciated Kimimaro even more.

As someone with plenty of experience, Orochimaru knew that everyone had their own limits, and that wasn't a bad thing.

Only those who held onto their limits while pursuing their dreams could be truly strong.

From this perspective, Kimimaro had earned Orochimaru's admiration.

"Of course, if there really is no other way and it's a matter of life and death, or if it's for the dream of immortality, I might still choose this method. But until that time comes, I want to explore an immortality technique more aligned with my ideals."

Many people have given up their principles for their dreams.

He just wanted to hold onto them until the very last moment.

When faced with life or death, maybe he would eventually let go of these principles.

After all, Kimimaro was only human.

"Eternal youth, eternal life, eternal indestructibility—that's the kind of immortality I want to pursue."

"Hehe, Kimimaro, you continue to surprise me. I'm more and more eager to see if you can truly walk the path of immortality on your own."

Orochimaru was a bit excited.

"Otoha."

"I'm here, Orochimaru-sama."

"From now on, whatever medical information or equipment Kimimaro needs, you provide. Also, work with him on researching his Kekkei Genkai disease. Try to find a cure."

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama."

Otoha was astonished. Orochimaru's attention to Kimimaro had reached such a level?

"Thank you, Orochimaru-sama."

"No need for thanks. Just show me the results of my investment. Haha, I'm a bit tired. You may leave. Otoha, stay."

"I'll leave you now, Orochimaru-san."

Kimimaro left.

Otoha, curious, asked, "Orochimaru-sama, why do you value Kimimaro so much?"

She had never seen Orochimaru care so much for a young person.

"He's not an ordinary boy. In him, I see a reflection of my younger self. He's neither my subordinate nor my disciple. I look forward to the day he becomes my peer."

At this, Orochimaru's eyes were filled with anticipation.

It was an expression Otoha had never seen in Orochimaru's eyes before.

Leaving the secret chamber, Kimimaro returned to his room.

The shocking scene he had just witnessed remained fresh in his mind.

"Living Corpse Reincarnation is truly a fascinating technique. It's just not what I'm looking for."

Kimimaro shook his head slightly, temporarily setting aside these thoughts.

Living Corpse Reincarnation was his last resort. Unless absolutely necessary, he wouldn't use this forbidden technique.

For now, his focus was on learning medical ninjutsu.

Kimimaro picked up the medical book beside him, calmed himself down, and began studying again.

Orochimaru had entered a period of weakness after using Living Corpse Reincarnation.

During this time, he was recuperating in the Sound Village.

This was convenient for Kimimaro, as he could consult Orochimaru whenever he had training questions.

As one of the ninjas who knew the most ninjutsu in the world, Orochimaru could provide answers that satisfied Kimimaro, regardless of the problem.

This was where having a good teacher really mattered.

With Otoha' full support, Kimimaro also began researching his Kekkei Genkai disease.

After a comprehensive medical examination, he received his report.

As expected, the initial symptoms of the Kekkei Genkai disease had appeared.

"This Kekkei Genkai disease is no joke, Kimimaro. This will be a long battle," Otoha said seriously.

Kimimaro, however, smiled lightly.

"I've been prepared for this for a long time, Otoha-senpai."

(End of Chapter)