It was a clear and direct threat—simple, but effective.
Kimimaro's expression turned cold, the shift in his mood clearly visible. Orochimaru had struck a nerve.
That alone was proof he'd hit the mark.
And Orochimaru knew it. His smile widened.
"So… someone among your clan really does know."
Though the Land of Iron wasn't far from Amegakure, he had no intention of making the trip now. Not when the answers he needed were already standing in front of him.
Kimimaro's eyes narrowed, his brow deeply furrowed. "You were testing me?"
Being toyed with—especially so casually—was infuriating.
"Not exactly," Orochimaru replied. "But if you keep your silence, then the threat I just made will become reality."
He smiled wider, but his tone remained smooth and calm.
"I'm far stronger than you—both in power and in methods. What makes you think you can keep secrets from me? Even if you die, I can drag your soul back from the Pure Land… and ask it myself."
The words were grim, but the tone remained disturbingly gentle.
"In your place," he continued, "rather than trying to hide the truth, I'd consider lying. Fabricating something hard to verify might buy you time."
He glanced at Kimimaro with a knowing smile.
"You're not the kind of person who lies easily, are you? That's what would make it so effective."
Kimimaro said nothing, his icy gaze fixed forward.
"...So, is it that you can't lie—or that you don't think it's worth buying time?"
Orochimaru rested his chin on one hand, golden eyes gleaming.
"I suspect it's the latter. With your strength—and your clan's—the only thing deception would gain you now is my anger."
He looked Kimimaro over again, slowly, then smirked.
"I see. So your relationship with that mysterious six paths-level figure isn't strong enough for him to save you."
"Or…" Orochimaru added thoughtfully, "You're holding back because you fear retaliation. You're afraid that if I learn the truth, he might destroy your clan."
"Interesting."
He started counting on his fingers, piecing it together aloud.
"Somehow, you encountered a six paths-level figure. He tampered with your body—why, you're not sure. You don't trust him, and you don't expect his protection. Yet, even now, when your life is on the line, you refuse to speak… because you're scared of what he might do."
He shook his head.
"Strange logic. If you really cared about your clan, you'd tell me everything right now. After all, I'm the greater immediate threat."
He turned a piercing look toward Junmaro.
"Either way, your clan risks destruction. But you're still clinging to silence… which tells me one thing: whatever the Iron Country knows, it's not enough. The real secret is with you."
"You're betting that once I go there and learn the surface details, I'll lose interest. And maybe that other man won't act, because nothing truly dangerous was revealed."
Orochimaru laughed quietly.
"You're trying to rely on the mercy of both of us."
But that so-called mercy came at a heavy cost. For Kimimaro, it meant hoping that Orochimaru would stop after interrogating his clan—and that the mysterious figure wouldn't take revenge once he learned the truth had been leaked.
Kimimaro himself? He'd have to commit suicide the moment Orochimaru left for the Land of Iron… before leaving behind any clues that might help the man track his target.
Cruel mercy, indeed.
His face darkened.
He hasn't said a word, Orochimaru noted. But I've already guessed so much from his silence.
No genjutsu. No torture. Just deduction.
It was terrifying.
"You're clever and decisive," Orochimaru admitted. "Thinking of all this in such a short time… impressive."
He leaned forward slightly.
"But now that I've guessed your plan, it's useless. Don't you agree?"
"You'd have better odds surviving if you cooperated with me—fully. Maybe then I'd protect your clan."
Orochimaru tilted his head.
"Or are you still hoping he'll come save you?"
Kimimaro didn't answer. He still didn't understand—why was Orochimaru so fixated on this unknown man? Surely, a direct confrontation could only end in chaos.
"I'll answer that," Orochimaru said, reading his thoughts. "But first, tell me everything."
He remained calm, even gentle. There was no hostility in his voice, even though he held all the leverage.
Kimimaro finally gave in. Remaining stubborn would only force Orochimaru to harsher methods. This time, he spoke—laying out everything he remembered.
Orochimaru listened quietly, eyes gleaming.
"The Yuki boy… Kai… so he was the host."
It made sense now.
Humans weren't on the same level as the Ōtsutsuki. But some were naturally compatible. The Sage of Six Paths and his brother had only inherited a fraction of Kaguya's chakra, and yet they'd fought her to a standstill using the power of nature.
A perfect host, however, would've taken years to locate—especially if the Ōtsutsuki in question had been gravely injured and forced to recover in hiding. Only now had he found someone suitable.
"I don't know what made Kai so special," Orochimaru mused, narrowing his eyes. "But if he's marked with a 'Kāma' seal, he's no longer alive in the traditional sense."
"The Kāma is more than a brand—it's a full overwrite. Soul, body, everything."
He paused.
"That makes things more urgent."
Djinn appeared behind him, arms crossed, smiling.
"Is it really so bad? At your current pace, you'll surpass him before long. Even the old records show Kaguya beat him, and that was before she had the chakra fruit."
"Maybe," Orochimaru replied. "But that depends on how long he takes to recover. If he needs years, fine. If it's months… or weeks… then every second I hesitate gives him an opening."
He wasn't about to let a threat of that magnitude linger.
"You'll never find him," Djinn pointed out. "It's been too long. There won't be any trail left."
Orochimaru just smiled.
"I don't need to go looking."
He turned to Kimimaro.
"You're the bait. I'll need your help."
Kimimaro narrowed his eyes. "You still haven't answered my question. Why do you want to find him?"
Orochimaru smiled faintly. "I'll explain. It's in your interest, too."
He leaned closer.
"If we're too late… your friend Kai may be lost forever."
He explained what the Kāma seal truly was. How it devoured not just the body—but the soul.
Kimimaro's face paled.
"...How can I help?"
Orochimaru's smile widened.
"It's simple."
---
Thirty miles from Amegakure, over a vast swamp…
Orochimaru stood beside Nagato, speaking casually.
"This one's mine. You don't need to interfere."
He meant it… sort of.
He knew Nagato wouldn't stay on the sidelines. How could he? A new Ōtsutsuki on the board couldn't be ignored—not even by someone like him.
Sure enough, Nagato's voice was cold.
"I'll decide that for myself."
He had spent too many years being misled. He would see this supposed godlike threat with his own eyes.
"Suit yourself," Orochimaru said, smiling. He turned to Kimimaro, now lying on a stone platform.
"Are you ready? This may hurt."
Kimimaro gave a silent nod. For a Kaguya, pain was nothing new. Their clan's gift—Shikotsumyaku—was agony by definition. Bone-deep pain was no metaphor.
"Good."
Orochimaru's fingers shifted into four bone-piercing spikes, sliding past skin and flesh to touch the seal embedded in Kimimaro's skeleton.
"Don't release your chakra. It'll be dangerous if you do."
---
Elsewhere… in a hidden underground hall…
A tall man in a white haori sat on a stone throne.
Before him stood a bespectacled subordinate, giving a report.
"The new subject you brought back is of exceptional quality. All clone tests succeeded… I believe we're ready to attempt full reincarnation."
"...Not yet," the man—Jigen, known also as Isshiki Ōtsutsuki—replied. "We must finish preparations."
Then he smiled faintly.
"But soon. Once I've reincarnated… your daughter will return from the Pure Land, fully revived."
"If you're impatient, you can begin preparing a host body for her now—"
Before he could finish the sentence, a violent pull seized him, and he vanished.
The subordinate's eyes widened.
"What…? Who could do that?!"
---
Back on the swamp...
With a sudden flash, a tall black-haired man in a white kimono materialized above the murky waters. He floated there, silent and still, before his eyes slowly scanned the area.
When they landed on Kimimaro, his voice turned cold.
"So… it's you."
No hand seals. No scrolls. Orochimaru had summoned him using chakra remnants left in Kimimaro's body—twisting summoning jutsu into something far more dangerous.
"Impressive," Orochimaru said softly. "Just as expected from the last surviving Ōtsutsuki."
He smiled.
"You're not easy to invite."
Isshiki narrowed his eyes at him.
"You… know me?"
He stared for a long moment, confused and cautious.
"You're no descendant of Kaguya. But you resemble her. How could someone born on this planet… possess Ōtsutsuki blood?"
_____________________
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