-1 week later.
We're all in our apartment having a strategy meeting. We need to actually make a plan for how we're going to kill Orochimaru. I tap my finger on the table once. "We need to box him in somehow. We don't know for sure whether we're fast enough to catch up to him even if we are at one hundred percent. It's a pretty safe assumption that he's got some sensory jutsu mastered, maybe not as ridiculously as Itachi but still enough for it to be uncertain whether he can dodge arrows."
Sakura nods. "He definitely has either sensory jutsu or some form of danger sense. I tried to get the drop on him in his lab but he just dodged as if he already knew I was there."
Hinata nods. "Our best option when fighting him is to have as many shadow clones already formed as possible. If he enters the range of my byakugan our following steps will change based on whether I can catch up to him. If I can then all that remains is to continuously harass him with arrows until his death. If I cannot then we rely on Sasuke to carry me and as many shadow clones as possible with his susanoo. If neither can catch up to Orochimaru then we'd have lost our opportunity."
Sakura nods in acknowledgement. "That's a pretty good plan, hopefully there's no surprises this time."
I shake my head. "There won't be. Hinata's shadow clones can cover a large enough area that anyone will be visible, unless they are either deep underground or high up in the sky."
Sakura pokes my shoulder. "We'll need to figure out a failsafe for that plan then. Speaking of plans, how do you plan to lure Orochimaru?"
I smile. "I thought you'd never ask!"
-6 weeks later
Sakura sighs. "This is your great plan? Implant a jonin with the sharingan and send him on a suicide mission against sound? If this doesn't work, what are you gonna do next? A carriage that gives free sharingan to snakes?"
Sakura managed to perfect the edo tensei jutsu about three days ago, having then immediately released me and then resummoned me, with me then proceeding to do the same for the two of them afterwards. We're currently hiding beneath a rock outcropping somewhere inside of Orochimaru's territory. Hinata is focusing, prepared to alert us as soon as a shadow clone pops and warns her that Orochimaru took the bait. Sakura is just bullying me.
I pout. "Orochimaru is nothing if not greedy. My and Itachi's bodies are no go's for him anymore, what with being dead and all. This is literally the last chance he has of taking over a body with a usable sharingan. He'll either have to take the bait or give up on the sharingan forever."
Sakura sighs. "Hopefully he is as greedy as you thi-"
Hinata shouts. "He took the bait! Follow me!"
Neither Sakura nor I continue that conversation, we immediately dash and begin following Hinata. It does not take long for the sounds of Hinata's arrows to start being heard, with it slowly becoming louder and louder the closer we get. As soon as we begin hearing it I activate my susanoo, with Sakura and Hinata jumping on it's shoulders. Multiple of Hinata's shadow clones jump on it on our way as well, all of them currently unleashing hell on the escaping snake.
I continue to follow the guidance of Hinata, hopefully getting closer and closer to Orochimaru. Hinata taps the shoulder of the susanoo twice, signalling that we're soon to encounter him. Hinata's clones continue to fire in his direction. Soon he enters my line of sight.
He only has a single injury on him. His left arm is missing. Otherwise he appears entirely unharmed. He is desperately dodging the barrage of arrows that Hinata is pressuring him with, taking certain minor hits to prevent getting disabled. I immediately use amaterasu on him, landing a clean hit on his head. He sheds his body like a skin, exiting completely healed. Kagutsuchi makes sure the flames keep burning him even after he emerges from the mouth of his old body.
Landing more amaterasu would do nothing, since he is entirely engulfed by the flames but somehow not fucking dying, and jumping in to throw hands with him would just help him dodge the barrage of arrows. With his arm healed he begins doing handsigns while desperately dodging the arrow barrage. Tiger into Snake in- He's using the fucking edo tensei. Thankfully Sakura also recognizes his plan immediately and begins doing the hand signs for it as well.
Sakura summoned Danzo. Orochimaru then somehow summoned fucking Nagato after her summoning. Thankfully Sakura has a small lead in time, allowing her to have Danzo use kotoamatsukami on Nagato. Orochimaru realises something is wrong when Nagato does not immediately follow his instructions. He tries to flee but gets himself pulled by the mind controlled Nagato. Hinata's arrows begin landing the instant Nagato uses the universal pull on Orochimaru, turning him into a burning pin cushion. Once Orochimaru reaches Nagato's outstretched hand his soul gets pulled out and eaten by the edo tensei.
The scattered remains of Orochimaru do not remain burning for long, the black flames quickly consuming them now that whatever the snake was doing to not die is gone.
We all stare at each other for some time after that, occasionally we glance back at the elephant in the room. Mind-whammied Nagato is still there somehow, standing.
Sakura sighs. "We got so lucky… if he'd have had Nagato summoned before the ambush began we'd all be dead twice over."
I nod. "I… Yeah, it didn't even cross my mind that he'd have Nagato's DNA… The funny part is that if he hadn't summoned Nagato then he would be in a much better position than he is now, since he has to get himself revived from a cursed seal by someone now."
Hinata shakes her head. "We should have thought of that beforehand. He interacted with him before he was named a sannin. It is not unreasonable to assume he would take DNA samples, presumably more than enough to summon an edo tensei"
I give the elephant in the… room? I give Nagato another stare. "Well Hinata, I guess we've got our bodies back prematurely, since we can have Nagato bring us back now. Do you guys wanna do it now or over in Sakuragakure?"
Sakura shakes her head. "It doesn't matter. With Orochimaru dead the only way to deal with him is to either get him to make peace with himself or seal him away somehow. We don't know how to do either of those things."
Hinata takes a deep breath before nodding. "I propose we wait. The edo tensei form is too much of an advantage to give up so easily. After everything is dealt with then we can get our fleshly bodies back."
I nod. "Alright then. Let's head back to Sakuragakure then. After we get Nagato somewhat properly stored we can get to visiting Konoha."
-four days later.
Tsunade is pinching her nose. "Let me get this straight. You tried to seal Shukaku, then got your asses ambushed and two of you died. Then the only survivor raided Orochimaru's lab, learnt the edo tensei and brought back dumbass number one, who escaped the aforementioned lab and brought back dumbasses number two and three. Afterwards all three of you decided to get revenge against Orochimaru for having the audacity to dare to kill you when you attacked him unprovoked inside of his lair, leading to you coming here and asking me to let you inspect Anko's seal?"
I nod my head. "Pretty much. We want to make sure he's dead."
Tsunade sighs, fingers still pinching her nose. "I'll see what I can do. Anko is away on a mission right now, when she gets back I'll have a talk with her. If she agrees I'll send her over. Is there anything else?"
I rub my chin. "I don't think so? If there is, we'll let you know."
Tsunade glares at me. "You're doing this on purpose aren't you you damn brat?"
I shake my head. "I don't think I'd manage to annoy you as much even if I was actually trying."
Tsunade's fingers leave her nose. "Just go back to your village. I'll send you a messenger if Anko refuses. If she accepts she'll come in person."
I nod. "Thank you very much for your understanding and co-"
She shoos me away with her hand. "Please just go before you get me drinking."
I follow her request. We leave for our hotel afterwards. Tomorrow we're meeting up with our former classmates and my students.