"If Madara, Obito… or even Black Zetsu learns of the existence of this Otsutsuki…"
Djinn's voice was low, serious. "Then trouble is inevitable."
Despite being at a disadvantage against Orochimaru now, both Madara and Obito were not opponents to underestimate. Especially Uchiha Madara—compared to Orochimaru, he only fell short in terms of initiative and long-term vision. And if they leveraged the existence of Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, even the heretic golem under Nagato's control could be lost. Precautions were necessary.
"What matters now is…" Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. "How much did Nagato tell Konan?"
What was done was done—regret would solve nothing. No amount of planning could've predicted Madara would target Konan at this specific time. All that could be done now was damage control.
"A shame. I wanted to observe the little white snake a bit longer."
Orochimaru glanced toward the sea, where an 'island' about two to three hundred meters wide floated.
As he had predicted, the white snake's adaptability was terrifying. After entering the sea, it had undergone another transformation. Unlike its rigid dual-phase behavior in the desert—alternating between day and night modes—it now resembled a rootless lotus, blooming atop the ocean. The deeper its roots sank into the dark seabed, the more self-aware it became.
Guided by its growing consciousness, it no longer blindly chased the setting sun. Instead, it avoided storms and followed sources of light.
Orochimaru had been studying its behavior—collecting microbial samples from various depths—and had even made progress in developing a method to summon the snake back to land. But further tests were needed.
"There's never enough time for perfection."
Djinn glanced toward the White Snake Sage, who was manipulating mist and wind to help steer the snake's course. "Leave it to her for now. She'll ensure it stays near the coast."
"…Very well."
Orochimaru nodded, took to the skies, gave brief instructions to the White Snake Sage, and disappeared.
---
Forty to fifty miles from Amegakure—
Beneath the ground, Madara's group had fled here using White Zetsu's possession ability. Although still technically within Nagato's surveillance range, no one seemed concerned.
The deep layers of earth acted as perfect insulation. Nagato, unlike Orochimaru, didn't possess extraordinary sensory abilities. More importantly, Obito and Madara were eager to confirm something.
After storing Shennong and the others away, Obito looked toward Madara.
"Genjutsu—shall I do it, or will you?"
"…She's not that strong. You handle it." Madara's Sharingan faded to black. "Besides, I've exhausted myself. I need rest."
Normally, summoning three to five meteorites was nothing to him—he only worried about running out of low-orbit asteroids. But now, continuing would force him to undo the bacteria-seal placed on his body to restore his ocular power. He wouldn't risk it until new body was ready for transfer.
"Very well," Obito said.
He turned to Konan—still partially possessed by Black Zetsu—and his eyes flickered ominously. Despite her weakened state, Konan was still stronger than most elite shinobi. The fact that she had been so easily restrained said much about Black Zetsu's effectiveness.
Obito wasn't naive—he understood that Zetsu had always been Madara's safeguard against betrayal. Still, he hadn't expected such overwhelming efficiency.
For now, though, there was no time to dwell. Obito's glowing eyes bore into Konan's dazed gaze.
"Speak. What are Nagato and Orochimaru doing?"
Konan's face was expressionless, her eyes reflecting the red of Obito's genjutsu. She murmured,
"…An enemy. They're preparing for a terrifying enemy."
Obito and Madara exchanged glances. Their expressions darkened.
So it was true—there was an unknown enemy powerful enough to frighten both Nagato and Orochimaru.
Madara's eyes narrowed. "Who is this enemy? When did they appear? Where are they now?"
"I… don't know," Konan murmured.
"You don't know?!" Obito frowned. "Nagato kept it from you?"
Konan's face twisted with discomfort, her will resisting the genjutsu. Obito immediately intensified his ocular power.
"…Nagato said… knowing would only make me a target. He… was trying to protect me."
Konan accepted it on the surface, but deep down, it still hurt. What use was being a partner if you couldn't share each other's burdens?
"…Tch."
Obito fell silent. He understood her feelings.
He turned toward Madara. "So what now?"
"At the very least," Madara said calmly, "we confirm the enemy's existence."
He took a slow breath, his expression returning to calm. "And having a threat like this… may not be a bad thing."
If the Ōtsutsuki was truly that powerful, it would pit Orochimaru and Nagato against them. Madara could lie in wait—when predator and prey exhausted each other, he'd seize his moment.
He was realistic—he knew that even at full strength, he wasn't a match for Orochimaru right now. So a different approach was necessary.
They had originally hoped to gain power by becoming the Ten Tails' Jinchūriki. But now—another opportunity had arisen.
"Black Zetsu," Madara said, turning to the figure still half-merged with Konan, "Find traces of this Ōtsutsuki."
"If Orochimaru really encountered him," he continued, "then there must be a trail."
"…Understood."
Black Zetsu's hoarse voice responded. A faint red glint shone in his eyes.
He wasn't nearly as optimistic. If the enemy was an Ōtsutsuki from the Hamura bloodline—one who descended from the moon—that was manageable. But if they had come through space from another world… then not just the ninja world, but even his mother's life would be at risk.
"And as for her…"
A glint of killing intent flashed in Madara's eyes. A kunai appeared in his hand.
"She's a liability. We kill her now. Who knows what failsafes Orochimaru planted in her body?"
"I get your point," Obito said, blocking Madara's strike. "But it's not that simple."
"Even if we destroy her body, her spirit might still reach Orochimaru through the Pure Land. We can't afford to give him a backdoor."
Obito's reasoning made sense. Between them and Orochimaru, there was still an information gap. Orochimaru might not yet realize that Konan had been targeted because of Isshiki. That gap in understanding was their only advantage.
"…Fair enough."
Madara nodded and knocked Konan unconscious instead.
Black Zetsu detached from her body and prepared to leave for his mission.
But at that exact moment, Konan's body turned into smoke and vanished.
"A clone?! No… Summoning?!?"
Madara's expression darkened.
Human summoning jutsu—especially on a living person—was incredibly rare and complex. Orochimaru's level of mastery… was unsettling.
"…Clever bastard."
Obito stared in silence, expression unreadable. "All that planning—undone in an instant."
"Heh. You can't win with tricks alone," Madara said coldly. "Power still decides everything. Prepare for the next step."
Obito nodded, though a smirk flickered across his face.
"Now that Orochimaru's infiltrated the Akatsuki ruins, he'll find the bait we left behind soon. Let's see what he makes of it."
"…He might've been more useful if we left him in Konoha," Madara muttered. "But no matter. Black Zetsu—tell him not to let Orochimaru devour the bait."
"Yes."
Black Zetsu vanished underground.
---
Back in Amegakure—
The skies cleared. Reconstruction efforts had begun, but the chaos lingered. With their leader missing, things were disorganized.
Reluctantly, Kakuzu—normally responsible only for the organization's finances—took charge.
He didn't complain.
He hadn't joined the battle. When things went south, he'd prioritized survival—typical bounty hunter instinct. But now that Nagato had returned alive, his inaction put him in a delicate position.
He glanced toward the newly constructed black tower and continued barking orders to the shinobi of Amegakure.
---
Inside the tower—
Konan reappeared in front of Orochimaru.
He tossed a lump of flesh to the floor and smiled. "Thankfully, they slipped."
Using Konan's cells, Orochimaru had created a decoy laced with chakra. It was an easy matter to summon her back—so long as her body wasn't bound by a sealing technique.
There had been no response at first, and Orochimaru nearly gave up—until Nagato's persistent pleas persuaded him to try again.
Unexpectedly, it worked.
"…Thank goodness…"
Nagato rushed forward. Confirming Konan was only unconscious, he dropped to his knees in relief.
He'd already lost Yahiko. If Konan had been taken too… he wouldn't have been able to bear it.
Nearby, Kabuto administered treatment. Konan groaned, slowly regaining consciousness.
When she opened her eyes and saw Nagato, her icy expression softened. "Nagato… I—"
Nagato gently covered her mouth, shaking his head. "Don't speak. You're safe now. That's all that matters."
"Actually," Orochimaru interjected, smiling but unsympathetic, "some things do need to be said."
He stepped forward.
"Why did they take you, Konan? What did they want?"
Konan hesitated, then answered quietly, "They asked about the enemy… the one you and Nagato are facing. The one called 'Ōtsutsuki'…"
Her voice trailed off. "Don't tell me it's real…"
She'd heard the name from Orochimaru before but had dismissed it as myth. Even with the others' grave expressions, she hadn't believed it.
"…So it's true."
Orochimaru's expression darkened. "How much did you tell them?"
"They already suspected. I only confirmed it."
She bit her lip. "I didn't reveal everything… but it wasn't nothing."
Orochimaru frowned, but said nothing. The damage was done.
Now that Madara knew the truth, it was only a matter of time before he came into contact with Isshiki.
And if Isshiki learned there was a way to obtain the Ten Tails without Orochimaru's help—he wouldn't hesitate.
"…So much for perfection," Orochimaru whispered, licking his lips. "Looks like I won't be able to squeeze Isshiki dry after all."
_____________________
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