Naruto kept his tone calm, his gaze locked on Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru… I know you were once part of Akatsuki." He let the words sink in before adding, "And I also know you're very interested in the Rinnegan."
He stopped there deliberately.
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, a flicker of amusement mixed with sharp curiosity passing across his snake-like features. "My, my… Naruto-kun. It seems you've done your homework." His voice was smooth, almost mocking, but there was a shift in how he addressed Naruto—no longer "brat," but "Naruto-kun."
Naruto could tell he had the sannin's attention. He pressed forward. "So… interested in hearing more?"
A low chuckle escaped Orochimaru's lips. "You've piqued my interest. The fact that you even know these things means you're far from simple. Tell me."
Naruto took a step closer, raising one finger. "First—Pain, the supposed leader of Akatsuki, is nothing but a puppet. The real wielder of the Rinnegan hides in the shadows, controlling the bodies from afar. That's the true ability of the Rinnegan… what's called the Six Paths of Pain. Six bodies, each with its unique ability. And the main body—" He paused, eyes narrowing. "—can use all six."
Orochimaru said nothing, but his slit-pupiled eyes gleamed. Naruto could almost hear the gears turning in his head.
That was enough. Naruto wasn't stupid enough to hand over every detail without getting something in return. The point was to stir Orochimaru's greed, and judging by his expression, it was working.
Naruto pulled a scroll from his pouch. "Everything I've gathered on Akatsuki is in here."
Orochimaru's gaze fixed on the scroll, a faint smirk curling his lips. "Cautious, aren't you? Good. Caution is… a survival trait."
From deep in his throat, Orochimaru let out a chuckle before opening his mouth unnaturally wide. A scroll slid wetly from between his teeth into his hand. He didn't bother explaining; both of them already knew what this was.
Without breaking eye contact, they tossed their scrolls to one another at the same time. Paper slapped into palm.
Naruto unfurled his first, scanning for authenticity. It wasn't the perfected version of Edo Tensei—he could tell right away—but it was enough. Enough to summon the dead, enough to learn.
Orochimaru's tongue flickered briefly over his lips as he skimmed Naruto's scroll, his eyes widening at certain points. "Now I'm curious, Naruto-kun… just how did you acquire this?"
"There's no need to ask," Naruto replied evenly. "The deal is done."
Orochimaru's smirk widened. He could already guess Naruto wouldn't be satisfied with just information. "One thing, though… Sasuke-kun. I won't be giving him back to you."
Naruto shook his head. "Don't worry. I'm not here to drag Sasuke away. Whatever happens to him… is between you and him."
He turned without another word and sprinted off toward the others.
Behind him, Orochimaru's laugh echoed, deep and amused. "Heh… hahahaha! The wind in the shinobi world carries your scent now, Naruto-kun. I wonder… does Tsunade know anything about your little schemes?"
It didn't matter that Naruto was already far out of earshot. Orochimaru was talking to himself by then, before dissolving into smoke and vanishing.
Naruto, on the move, unrolled Orochimaru's scroll fully. His eyes scanned every line of the reanimation technique. Old version—full of flaws—but workable. That was enough. For now.
He rolled it back up and slipped it away.
Golden light flared from his body—the Nine-Tails' chakra cloak washing over him—stacked atop Sage Mode's heightened awareness. His senses expanded outward in all directions, sharp enough to read the world's faintest shifts.
Then, without warning, he changed course, veering away from where Sakura and the others were. They could handle themselves; Orochimaru wouldn't kill them here. What Naruto needed most was time—time to grow, time to move in absolute safety.
Far away, back at the base, Orochimaru appeared before Sasuke, who sat silently in meditation.
"Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru said casually, "your friends from Konoha… they're here for you."
He smiled faintly. "Whether you meet them or not… I'll leave that decision to you."
And with that, he stepped back into the shadows.