On the coast of the Land of Rivers border.
Upon receiving the news from a White Zetsu clone, Black Zetsu emerged from underground and reported,
"Konoha has already dispatched over four elite squads to pursue Danzo, and even Jiraiya, Uchiha Shisui, and others are among them."
"Additionally, the Akatsuki organization has sent several Jonin squads to intercept Danzo…"
"However, so far, Orochimaru's location remains unconfirmed."
Uchiha Madara nodded slightly upon hearing this. "It seems Orochimaru doesn't intend to handle this personally, but is leaving it to Konoha…"
He then frowned. "Then what is he doing now?"
Attacking the Village Hidden in Rain and kidnapping Konan for information… he wouldn't believe Orochimaru wouldn't react to such a major incident.
For the upcoming plan, how strong this reaction would be needed to be confirmed, and Danzo would be the best litmus test.
The village's elder advisors, especially the former head of Root… his defection was by no means a small matter, especially since Orochimaru had a grudge against Danzo. It was possible he might take this chance to kill Danzo.
Or, he might use Danzo as bait to track their movements…
"Obito is currently in an area forty miles away from Danzo. If he detects Orochimaru's presence, he will flee immediately," Black Zetsu said. "After confirming Orochimaru is not there, he will try to rescue Danzo."
"Tell Obito to be more cautious. Danzo's life is not that important…" Uchiha Madara instructed, a glint in his eyes. "Taking this opportunity, it's time to proceed with the next stage of the plan."
After the battle at the Village Hidden in Rain, he didn't cross the Land of Fire or travel through various small countries to return to the Village Hidden in Mist. Instead, he headed south, to the Land of Rivers, a small country sandwiched between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire.
Danzo is heading towards the Land of Hot Water, located northeast of the Land of Fire. The Land of Rivers is southwest of the Land of Fire, placing them in opposite directions.
Danzo's desire for refuge is truly going in the opposite direction.
"Lord Madara, everything is ready," Hiruko said, arriving at the coast with a grimacing mask in his hand.
While others were causing trouble in the Village Hidden in Rain, he wasn't idle. With the help of White Zetsu, he found the abandoned ruins of the Uzumaki Clan and retrieved the key component for unlocking the 'Dead Demon Consuming Seal' – the Death God mask.
"Next, please follow the ritual steps to release the seal."
"…" Uchiha Madara nodded slightly, took the Death God mask from Hiruko, put it on, and quickly formed complex hand signs.
Suddenly, a fierce wind howled, and a chilling atmosphere descended upon the beach.
Uchiha Madara's body trembled, and intense pain spread from the depths of his soul. Simultaneously, several wisps of ghostly blue flames scattered, and a massive, shadowy figure with two horns on its head and red skin appeared behind him, its mouth holding a gleaming dagger.
"Is that the Death God?" Hiruko observed the shadowy figure, his expression grave.
Even without a physical body, the imposing aura the spectral figure exuded made him feel incapable of victory.
Such a being clearly didn't appear out of nowhere. What kind of world did the Death God inhabit? He then turned his gaze to Uchiha Madara, who was wearing the mask, and said solemnly, "Lord Madara, are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Uchiha Madara straightened his body slightly. Although he had once possessed the Rinnegan and his spiritual body had been greatly strengthened, he still felt a significant burden. He had previously thought he might be able to forcefully suppress the Death God with the power of the Rinnegan, but that idea was now discarded. Uchiha Madara could feel that the opponent was at least superior to him in terms of spiritual strength.
"I need to finish this quickly." With this thought, Uchiha Madara used the Death God mask as a medium, controlled the Death God to remove the dagger from its mouth, and then plunged it into its own abdomen, slashing forcefully to the side.
*Shlzzz…*
Almost at the same moment the Death God cut its own abdomen, a gruesome wound appeared on Uchiha Madara's body. Even with the regenerative power of the spore-like body, it couldn't heal immediately.
In the air, a humanoid Chakra drifted out from the wound on the Death God's abdomen.
"It's here, the other half of the Fourth Hokage and the Nine-Tails…" Hiruko sensed the massive Chakra within and, without hesitation, took out a mass of cultivated flesh from a scroll and summoned a White Zetsu from underground. He quickly formed hand seals, "Edo Tensei!"
The White Zetsu used as a sacrifice let out a shrill cry, but this did nothing to stop the talismans and dirt from spreading beneath it, transforming it into another person. Glancing at the Hokage robe it was wearing, Hiruko's eyes flashed with disgust, and he then turned to Uchiha Madara and said, "Now, it's up to you."
Uchiha Madara removed the Death God mask from his face. The chilling atmosphere dissipated as the Death God's spectral form vanished, and sunlight and warmth returned to the beach. However, the wound on the abdomen of his spore-like body remained unhealed. Fortunately, it didn't impede his actions.
Uchiha Madara walked up to the Fourth Hokage, who stood there blankly without consciousness, and placed a hand on his abdomen. Layers of black script began to swirl like Uzumaki, then gradually faded. Scarlet Chakra overflowed, forming a layer of armor on the Fourth Hokage's body.
"Hmph, just like a domesticated animal, it even knows how to protect its master," Uchiha Madara sneered. "Come out!"
His eyes glowed scarlet, piercing directly through the Fourth Hokage's body, making eye contact with the behemoth within.
"These eyes… Uchiha Madara?" The Nine-Tails' half exclaimed in shock. "How can you still be alive?" Although it had been sealed within the Death God's abdomen for several years, before that, when Kushina was the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki, it had heard that Uchiha Madara had died during the attack on Konoha years ago. Uchiha Madara clearly had no intention of answering the Nine-Tails. He poured his massive chakra into the Nine-Tails' eyes, gaining control almost instantly.
"…"
In a deafening silence, scarlet Chakra spread from the Fourth Hokage's body, coalescing into the form of the Nine-Tails' demonic fox. However, compared to its ferocious and menacing presence, this demonic fox's eyes were vacant, and it uttered no sound, just like the Fourth Hokage's reanimated body at this moment.
"Hiruko…" Uchiha Madara called out. Hiruko quickly retrieved a long-necked container from a scroll and placed it on the beach.
*Whoosh whoosh whoosh…*
A strong wind suddenly whipped up, and intricate seals covered the Nine-Tails' demonic fox, transforming into a flow of Chakra that poured madly into the mouth of the container. Before long, it was all in. Hiruko quickly plugged the container with a cork, and looking at the bottle, which faintly glowed orange-red, he let out a sigh of relief.
This was a tool used by the Village Hidden in Mist to seal Tailed Beasts. Although it couldn't compare to Kumogakure's Pure Land, it had its own unique effects. At least, it was suitable for temporarily storing the Nine-Tails, which was under a genjutsu.
"With this immense Chakra, the upcoming plan is bound to succeed," Hiruko said, holding the long-necked container, a flicker of joy in his eyes.
"Foolish fellow, don't get too pleased," Uchiha Madara glanced at him coldly. "Nine-Tails Chakra is inherently violent. Whether it can be absorbed smoothly is still unknown." If he were alive, and with his Rinnegan intact, this would be no problem. However, how to proceed now required careful consideration.
"I understand. I will handle it cautiously," Hiruko said, his expression turning thoughtful. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "Now that the Nine-Tails is successfully sealed, what do you plan to do about Danzo?"
"Leave him be," Uchiha Madara decided coldly. "Let Obito and the others return to serve as escorts during my revival."
Hiruko nodded slightly and, as if struck by an idea, chuckled. "Since that's the case, why not let him serve a bit more value and continue to attract Konoha's attention? As long as a few White Zetsu clones are sacrificed… help him hold on a little longer."
"Very well." Uchiha Madara naturally didn't mind using such a method to maximize Danzo's value.
*Swish… swish…*
After deciding on their next course of action, the two disappeared from the beach with a sound of breaking wind. The reanimated Fourth Hokage left behind in the original spot, his dust and talismans peeling off, piling up into a small mound half-buried with the corpse of a White Zetsu.
…
Konoha Village, Ninja Academy.
Naruto, who was in a ninja combat training session with Sasuke, suddenly froze and was then kicked away.
*Thump!*
Naruto hit a tree and then snapped back to reality, but his face held not pain, but rather confusion and surprise.
"You idiot, we're in the middle of a fight! Can you take it seriously?" Sasuke flashed in front of Naruto. Although he had won, his face was unhappy, feeling that he had been underestimated. Even so, he still extended his hand and pulled Naruto up.
"…"
Naruto stood up, looked at Sasuke in front of him, and scratched his head. "Sorry, I had some physical issues. I'll win next time we fight."
"What kind of problem? And don't brag, you can't beat me." Sasuke crossed his arms, his face dismissive. "Anyway, I'm leaving. Please tell Iruka-sensei for me."
In the past, Naruto would have argued about winning or losing with Sasuke, but now he couldn't spare the time. Seeing Naruto about to leave, Sasuke quickly grabbed him and held up his hand. "Reconciliation Seal!"
Before a ninja battle, one forms the 'Confrontation Seal,' and after the battle, the 'Reconciliation Seal' is formed, symbolizing that no matter how great the rift between villagers, reconciliation is possible. This is a tradition, a habit.
"Oh, right." Naruto hooked his finger, completed the seal, and then ran off into the distance, leaving Sasuke standing there, muttering, "What is it that's so mysterious?"
He arrived at a secluded corner and called out to his surroundings, "Uncle Yamato, Uncle Yamato… are you there?"
*Thud!*
Yamato appeared and lightly tapped Naruto's head, saying with annoyance, "How many times have I told you? I'm not old enough to be an uncle yet."
"You're so much older than me…" Naruto rubbed his head. "By the way, Kurama… the fox inside me spoke."
"The fox… the Nine-Tails!" Yamato's expression instantly became serious. "What did it say?"
Naruto scratched his head, carefully choosing his words. "Another Kurama… the Nine-Tails, has returned to the ninja world."
"How is that possible?" Yamato, as the guardian of the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki and an subordinate of Orochimaru, knew some inside information about the Nine-Tails. He immediately understood Naruto's meaning. His expression turned serious, and Yamato grabbed Naruto's shoulders. "You're coming with me to see the Hokage."
"Ah…" Before Naruto could say anything, with a sound of breaking wind, the two vanished from their spot.
In the Hokage's office, after listening to Naruto's account, the Third Hokage fell silent. After a long while, he said, "Naruto, this is very important. Don't tell anyone, understand?"
"Okay, okay…" Naruto nodded quickly. The Third Hokage instructed, "You should go back and rest for now… Yamato, you go with him too."
"Yes! Hokage-sama." Yamato bowed and was about to leave with Naruto.
"Wait!" a voice called from behind. "Also, tell Orochimaru about this. You should have a way to contact him."
"Yes!"
…
On a small hill in a desolate wasteland, Orochimaru, who was meditating in a cross-legged position, suddenly had a viper appear before him. It slowly slithered to Orochimaru's feet, respectfully spat out a scroll, and then vanished into white smoke.
"Tsk… Who would send information at this time?" Genie Lamp tilted its head and controlled Orochimaru's body to unfold it. "Nine-Tails… the half sealed by the Fourth? Interesting. The 'Dead Demon Consuming Seal' has actually been broken. Madara and his associates have done quite well."
Without a doubt, he had identified the perpetrators. "This way, aside from the Four-Tails in Ryuuchi Cave, they have a chance to gather all eight Tailed Beasts." Genie Lamp stroked its chin. "Without the Rinnegan, there's no way to revive the Divine Tree. But at this juncture, forcibly bringing out the Nine-Tails… it feels a bit off."
Since there was a method to break the 'Dead Demon Consuming Seal,' something that could be done at any time, there was no need to do it immediately. Otherwise, if any suspicion was aroused, it would only make people more cautious. Unless… Uchiha Madara and his group had a compelling reason to do so.
As he was thinking, Orochimaru's body, which had been dormant, suddenly trembled. Before long, he opened his eyes.
He looked at the document spread out on his leg, his eyes refocused, and after quickly scanning it, a smile appeared on his lips. "Interesting." He shared the same view as Genie Lamp, also believing Uchiha Madara was up to something. However, he already had the advantage and had now taken another step forward. No matter how much they struggled, the threat they posed to him would be limited.
"Seeing you like this, did you have a great harvest? Are you confident?" Genie Lamp said with a smile. "How about it, have you learned the ability of spatial teleportation yet?"
"I've only grasped some minor aspects of it, but compared to this…" Orochimaru's eyes flashed with golden light, and a black spherical substance materialized beside him. "This is my greatest gain."