In the damp hideout, Orochimaru hunched over a worn, leather-bound book.

The flickering candlelight cast shadows on his pale face as he poured over the ancient text.

The Necronomicon, a tome that had consumed him, lay open before him.

At first glance, it seemed like he was deeply engrossed in study, his eyes scanning the cramped script with an intensity that bordered on obsession.

But the truth was, he had long since memorized every word, every syllable.

For him, reading the Necronomicon had become a ritual, a reaffirmation of the path he had chosen.

He'd read it over a dozen times, yet each time, he discovered new insights, new connections, and a deeper understanding of the forbidden knowledge within.

A large black cloth bag sat beside the book, its contents known only to Orochimaru. He ignored it, his focus fixed on the secrets laid out before him.

As he delved deeper into the Necronomicon, he realized that the book in his possession was only a fragment of a much larger whole.

The gaps in the story hinted at the existence of other volumes, scattered across the world.

Even incomplete, the Necronomicon was a treasure trove of knowledge.

Its pages revealed tales of beings beyond human understanding - ancient gods and monsters from the farthest reaches of space and time.

Alongside these cosmic horrors, the book detailed the rituals to summon them.

The so-called spells were unlike anything Orochimaru had learned in his ninja training.

They were divided into elemental magic - fire, wind, water, and earth - each corresponding to one of the Old Ones.

But unlike the precise hand signs and chakra manipulation of ninjutsu, these magics relied on ancient incantations, chanting words in long-forgotten tongues.

The prospect was incredibly enticing. A new path to power, one that could potentially surpass the limits of chakra.

His blood raced with excitement at the thought of unlocking this secret.

But what really got his heart racing was the promise of summoning.

The Necronomicon revealed ways to call forth creatures from beyond, bringing them into the world of flesh and blood.

There were two types of summoning jutsu in the ninja world.

One involved signing a blood contract with a summoning beast, allowing the beast to be summoned when needed.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

The other was a non-blood contract summoning, which only summoned inanimate objects, merely transporting items from elsewhere.

However, this magic was different. It didn't rely on pre-existing contracts and blood pacts like the summoning jutsu.

Instead, it could reach into the unknown, pulling beings from their cosmic realms without their consent.

Orochimaru knew the risks. The creatures that could be summoned were not tame or loyal servants.

They were ancient, unknowable beings with motives beyond human understanding.

Summoning such a being was to invite madness, risking one's own mind and soul being consumed by the very power one sought to control.

His mind drifts to Manda, his own unruly summon. Despite their blood contract, the giant snake dares to speak to him with disrespect.

But with the magic of the Necronomicon, he could summon beings far more powerful and far more obedient.

The methods of summoning vary greatly. Some require complex magic circles inscribed with runes, while others demand sacrifices to appease the summoned beings.

But there are also magical tools that can facilitate the summoning process.

The Necronomicon mentions the Byakhee, a servant of Hastur.

This hybrid creature, resembling a raven, vulture, ant, and decayed human corpse, can be summoned by blowing a special whistle made of meteoric iron under an open night sky.

Orochimaru was drawn to this master-servant summoning method.

With the right magical tool, he could summon powerful beings without the need for complex incantations or alien deity relationships.

And he had an edge. The Silver Key and the Necronomicon were in his possession.

According to the book, the Silver Key could unlock the Gate of Truth, revealing the avatar of Yog-Sothoth himself, the deity who held all knowledge within his grasp.

With such a being as his ally, his guide... what secrets could he uncover? What power could he achieve?

His mind raced with the possibilities, with visions of a future where he attained immortality.

But even as Orochimaru indulged in these fantasies, his mind drifted back to that fateful night, when his grand ambitions had nearly been ruined.

He remembered the forest, the strange atmosphere, and the mysterious box that had been thrown at his feet by an unseen hand.

And then, there was the creature that had emerged from it.

The spider-like being, with a form that was both solid and ghostly, like something that didn't quite belong in this world.

That creature had been incredibly powerful, in a way that defied reason and spat in the face of every law of nature and chakra that Orochimaru had ever known.

He, one of the legendary Sannin, the greatest of his generation, had been nearly brought low by a mere moment in its presence.

He was convinced: the box was a tool, a means of summoning, just like those described in the Necronomicon.

And it had been in the hands of someone in Konoha, someone who'd been in those woods that night.

A cold, terrible smile spread across Orochimaru's face.

"I remember that place," he mused to himself. "The Inuzuka clan's training ground."

"Konoha..." he whispered. "I'll be back."

Someone in Konoha held the key to unimaginable power, and Orochimaru would stop at nothing to claim it.

No matter the cost.

----------

"Orochimaru-sama."

Just then, a muffled voice echoed through the cavern, breaking into his thoughts. It was Guren, his loyal subordinate.

"I've brought the test subjects you requested, Orochimaru-sama," she called out, her voice respectful. "A diverse group, just as you specified - men, women, children..."

Orochimaru's smile grew wider. Guren had done her job well, as always. With these new subjects, he could finally delve deeper into the Necronomicon's secrets.

"Excellent work, Guren," he purred, his voice smooth as silk. "Bring them in. We have much to do."

He rose from his seat, his movements smooth and snake-like.

The flickering candlelight highlighted his sharp features - the angular cheekbones, the slitted golden eyes, and the cruel curve of his mouth.

At that moment, he looked every inch the monster he had become. A creature of darkness and shadow, driven by insatiable hunger and ambition.

As he strode out to greet his new test subjects, the screams that echoed through the cavern were music to his ears.

A promise of the horrors to come.