"Fire Release: Fireball Jutsu!"
"Water Release: Giant Vortex Jutsu!"
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
...
As the Coalition forces completely surrounded the Hidden Sound Village, a fierce assault commenced.
Holding an absolute advantage in both numbers and quality, the mobilized elites quickly demonstrated exquisite coordination, routing the brainwashed fools under Orochimaru's command.
Though the defenders managed to stabilize the final two defensive lines, partially aided by the Resistance fighters who had come to the village for advanced training, the defeat was clearly inevitable. It was now only a matter of time.
This was especially true given that the Coalition's Supreme Commander was Jiraiya. In terms of both power and experience, he was leagues ahead of Kimimaro.
Less than two minutes into the engagement, the latter was utterly overwhelmed by the former.
Watching this one-sided war from the shadows, Black Zetsu's face twisted into a cold, sinister smile. "Well?" he whispered. "The ending I've arranged for Orochimaru isn't bad, is it?"
"Not bad at all," Obito replied nonchalantly. "Though it's a shame he'll likely end up dying at Sasuke's hands rather than Jiraiya's. That would have been much more amusing."
There was no doubt that this war was entirely a result of Black Zetsu's manipulation.
It was he who had leaked the intelligence to the other Kage through specialized channels, even stoking the flames from the dark to ultimately orchestrate this joint operation against the Hidden Sound.
Compared to the seemingly easy-to-manipulate Kabuto, a man like Orochimaru was simply too difficult to control.
"You're as wicked as ever," Black Zetsu noted, instinctively scanning the surroundings. "By the way, where is Itachi?"
Without looking up, Obito answered, "Itachi has already entered the Sound Village's interior to protect his brother. If all goes smoothly, he won't show himself. Should an unexpected situation arise, he will eliminate Orochimaru personally to uproot that potential threat."
"Hehe. In that case, once the Coalition withdraws, believing they've eliminated the greatest threat, we can take the opportunity to seize control. We'll transform this place into a dedicated training base for the Resistance, using constant warfare to weaken the remaining four Great Nations," Black Zetsu said, his voice dripping with schadenfreude.
In his view, the more chaos in the ninja world, the better.
It would be ideal if the Resistance wiped out all the ninja villages, Daimyō, and nobles to begin restructuring the entire world. In such a scenario, no force would remain to stop him from completing his plan to rescue his mother.
…
Meanwhile, in a chamber within the labyrinthine underground tunnels of the Hidden Sound Village.
Orochimaru and Sasuke stood in a tense standoff.
Though they had yet to trade blows, the heavy scent of gunpowder between them could be felt from hundreds of meters away.
"You finally couldn't hold back anymore?" Sasuke questioned with a trace of contempt.
Orochimaru nodded slightly. "Indeed. You are the final piece of my Perfect Life Project, and the most vital one. If you don't mind, would you surrender your body to me? That way, I can complete my masterpiece before the Coalition breaches the final line of defense."
"Hmph! Keep dreaming. A snake that only knows how to crawl in the shadows just to survive is unworthy of the noble blood of the Uchiha clan," Sasuke sneered, drawing the longsword at his hip.
This was not the Kusanagi Sword of the original timeline. Instead, it was a weapon forged from a blend of Arcanite Bars, Dark Iron Bars, chakra metal, and a vast array of rare materials sourced from dungeon instances.
It was an experimental piece created by a Sound Village blacksmith under Allen's direction to verify material feasibility.
It was sturdier and sharper than the Kusanagi, possessed excellent chakra conductivity, and could even manifest two distinct properties, burning and lightning, once infused with Fire or Lightning-natured chakra.
Seeing the flicker of fire and electricity on the blade, the corners of Orochimaru's mouth curled slightly. "Did Allen-kun give that to you? What an exceptional weapon."
"Of course. And I will use it to take your head."
The moment the words left his lips, Sasuke closed the distance with a Body Flicker. He thrust the powerful blade, which was as formidable in design as it was in lethality, at a speed nearly invisible to the naked eye.
He preferred action over words to prove his worth.
Clang!
With the crisp sound of colliding metal, Orochimaru drew his own Kusanagi Sword.
To his surprise, however, the legendary Kusanagi suffered a significant notch after just a single exchange.
"Unbelievable durability! The materials in that sword must be far more complex than ordinary chakra metal," Orochimaru said, his eyes gleaming with greed.
"I wouldn't know," Sasuke replied. "In truth, this is just a piece of junk Allen discarded. Though I hate to admit it, that man's capacity far exceeds my own."
Sasuke offered a rare word of praise for Allen.
No matter how poorly Allen treated him, the fact that he had helped Sasuke grow stronger was indisputable. This sword in particular, from the moment he held it, Sasuke felt a surge of joy and excitement usually reserved for a lover. He even held it in his arms while he slept.
"I agree. Allen-kun's capacity is indeed beyond compare. But unfortunately, a mere weapon cannot help you escape your predestined fate. Come, do not resist. Join me, become part of my body. Only then can you attain eternal life, just as I have."
As he spoke, Orochimaru spread his arms and walked forward slowly. Behind him, that eerie Ouroboros Nen beast manifested once again.
Seeing his opponent wide open, Sasuke didn't hesitate. He lunged forward and drove his blade straight through Orochimaru's chest.
Puchi!
Instantly, blood splattered.
Under normal circumstances, a person whose heart was pierced by a blade would lose their strength and collapse. Yet Orochimaru acted as if nothing had happened. He grabbed Sasuke in a tight embrace as his entire body transformed from human to a Great White Scale Snake.
"Do not struggle," he whispered meaningfully. "Struggle is meaningless. Our flesh and blood shall eventually merge into one. No outside force can change that."
"No! You won't succeed! Because before these eyes, your filth and depravity are utterly beneath notice!"
At some point, Sasuke's eyes had shifted from the Three-Tomoe form into the shape of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
In the next second...
Terrifying black flames erupted from one of his eyes, spreading across the body of the Great White Scale Snake with incredible speed, causing staggering destruction in a matter of seconds.
The intense pain forced Orochimaru to retreat temporarily, his eyes wide with horror. "The Mangekyō Sharingan? Since when?!"
"Months ago. Now, feel the terror and despair beneath the supreme power of the Uchiha!"
Under Sasuke's control, the black flames quickly saturated every corner of the giant snake's body. As the burning grew more violent, the thick scent of charred flesh began to permeate the air...