Zabuza gave Orochimaru a nod, then both turned their attention to the mound where Rasa had been buried beneath the golden sand. Orochimaru flexed a finger, and the sand shifted aside, slowly revealing the Kazekage's broken form.
A faint smile lingered on Rasa's lips. He had clearly believed his ultimate technique would take Orochimaru and the others down with him. Who could have expected one of them to be capable of flight?
If Ōnoki had been caught in that technique, even his ability to fly would not have saved him—his speed was far too slow compared to Zabuza's. At best, the Tsuchikage could only rely on Dust Release to carve out a desperate path to survival.
Rasa was not the strongest of the Five Kage, but calling him weak would be a grave mistake. Even Mei Terumī would have struggled to put him down.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, might not have possessed a kekkei genkai, but he held countless trump cards. He inherited nearly all of the forbidden jutsu created by the Second Hokage.
Just one example—the Reaper Death Seal.
Even the Nine-Tails would tremble before it.
None of the Five Kage could stand against that technique. In the original history, had Orochimaru not stabbed the Third so quickly, Hiruzen might have dragged Orochimaru's soul into the Shinigami's grasp.
With that one technique, Hiruzen sealed away Orochimaru's arms as well as the souls of the First and Second Hokage. Even as weakened reanimations, they were still Kage-level fighters. That he could accomplish such a feat spoke volumes about the power of forbidden jutsu.
In the shinobi world, knowledge was power. Even someone as dangerous as Obito, with the nearly untouchable Kamui, could be defeated if his secrets were laid bare.
That was the true essence of Ninjutsu—diverse, unpredictable, and deadly when used with cunning.
Rasa's body was now little more than a bloody ruin. Orochimaru's lips stretched into a twisted smile as he collected a fragment of Rasa's flesh and blood.
Without another word, he turned and departed with Zabuza and the others.
Later that night.
"Mission accomplished?"
Shisui poured Zabuza a cup of sake. Zabuza raised it, downed it in one gulp, then set the cup down with a satisfied grunt.
"Sake's better. Tea? That's for nobles. Too damn bitter."
He let out a short laugh before his expression hardened.
"Rasa's strength was no joke. Without flight, I might've been trapped with him. Could've ended in mutual destruction."
He recounted the battle in brief.
Shisui sipped his sake calmly. "Not necessarily. You may not have escaped, but Orochimaru… he wouldn't have died. A man like him has survived this long for a reason. His trump cards, his survival tricks—they're beyond imagination."
He set down the cup, thoughtful. "My knowledge of Orochimaru only goes so far. After all, I still remember the man before he plunged fully into forbidden arts. By now, his methods must be far more terrifying."
"Then Naruto must know a lot about him," Zabuza muttered.
Shisui's lips curved into a small smile. "Naruto… he seems to know everything. I used to think no one could be born with such knowledge, but now I believe it. He's destined to be the savior of this world. And even if destiny hadn't chosen him, I would still use every ounce of strength I have to make him that person."
"As long as Naruto lives, there's hope. There's a future."
The words carried a depth Zabuza didn't fully grasp, but after working with Shisui so long, he understood enough.
He raised his cup with a laugh. "Then cheers to tomorrow."
"Cheers," Shisui replied, clinking his cup.
The two drank deep into the night, unaware of the growing undercurrents in the shinobi world. The Chūnin Exams drew ever closer.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru grew restless.
Kimimaro's condition worsened after the battle, and no treatment Kabuto attempted could cure his illness. Orochimaru regretted it deeply—Kimimaro's potential was comparable to a wielder of the Mangekyō Sharingan. In Orochimaru's eyes, Kimimaro had been the perfect vessel for his reincarnation.
But after what Naruto had warned him, Orochimaru dared not attempt the Living Corpse Reincarnation so recklessly.
Then, as if struck by a thought, he pulled out the strange device Shisui had given him. A "phone," they called it.
He dialed Shisui's number. After a few rings, the Uchiha's voice came through.
"Hello, Orochimaru-kun. Have you decided to join us?"
"Sorry, Shisui-kun," Orochimaru replied, his tone as smooth as ever.
"For now, I have no interest in joining any organization."
"That's a shame," Shisui said lightly. "But should you change your mind… our doors will always be open."
Shisui glanced at the phone in his hand before speaking again.
"So, Orochimaru… why are you calling this time?"
From the other end came Orochimaru's calm, sibilant voice.
"Zabuza must have told you already. Kimimaro, the boy with me, is of the Kaguya Clan. He suffers from their cursed Bloodline Illness. His condition is worsening, and I want to know if you have a solution."
Shisui's eyes widened slightly. He hadn't expected Orochimaru to show concern for anyone else.
He had, of course, heard of Kimimaro from Zabuza. During the Third Great Ninja War, Shisui had fought members of the Kaguya Clan more than once.
He was well aware of their kekkei genkai, Shikotsumyaku, and the bloodline disease that plagued them. It struck at different times for each member, but sooner or later, it claimed them all.
Perhaps that was why the Kaguya Clan had been so unhinged—knowing their lives would be short.
Kimimaro's case, however, was rarer still. For the illness to awaken in someone so young was almost unheard of.
"Wait a moment. I'll ask the leader for you."
With that, Shisui switched lines, contacting Umbrella's network in Konoha.
"Pass the message to the leader."
Umbrella personnel in the village always relayed such requests directly to Naruto.
A short while later, Shisui returned to the call.
"Orochimaru-kun, I've informed the leader. You'll have an answer tomorrow."
"No problem. Thank you for your organization's assistance," Orochimaru replied before ending the call.
Truthfully, he didn't expect much. But the mystery surrounding Umbrella made him willing to try.
On Naruto's end, the report came through the chakra-linked chat system—an ethereal voice sounding directly in his mind.
Receiving the message, Naruto slipped out of the busy market and made his way to the quiet grove where he often trained.
After laying down a few discreet safeguards, he reached out to Shisui.
Shisui relayed Orochimaru's request, leaving Naruto mildly surprised. Like Shisui, he hadn't imagined Orochimaru caring for Kimimaro's survival.
Kimimaro… yes, Naruto remembered him clearly. A rare talent. To lose him to illness would indeed be a waste.
Naruto's medical ninjutsu was already unmatched in Konoha, yet he had never pursued it to its absolute limits. Even so, he paused, thinking.
Then it struck him—wasn't Tsunade one of their own in the organization? If she took charge, there just might be hope for Kimimaro's recovery.
...
TN:
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