Orochimaru crawled out from the snake's mouth, his entire body covered in slime.
Disgusting…
He stood on the ground and took deep breaths of fresh air. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, a wicked, charming smile appearing on his face.
"Being alive… is truly intoxicating!"
With Orochimaru revived, the ashen, lifeless heart of Kabuto bloomed with light once more. The emptiness on his face was swept away.
Once upon a time, Nonō Yakushi was his light — proof that he existed in this world. But after she died, he lost himself. He became adrift and confused, no longer knowing why he was alive.
Later, Orochimaru found him, and only then did Kabuto rediscover himself. Orochimaru became the new light that illuminated his life.
But during the Chūnin Exams, Orochimaru died, and Kabuto lost that light again. Life lost its meaning once more.
Now, Orochimaru had revived. Kabuto's world brightened immediately.
"Kabuto, you've worked hard." Orochimaru said, his voice as hoarse as ever.
"Lord Orochimaru… I thought you…"
Kabuto had once believed his master was completely dead.
Orochimaru laughed, "I pursue immortality. I won't die so easily."
"Was it the Cursed Seal?" Kabuto asked.
Orochimaru nodded, but didn't explain further.
Everyone who bore a cursed seal was one of his backup vessels. Even if he was killed, he wouldn't truly die — his will remained within the cursed seal, and with the right chance, he could resurrect.
And so, with Kimimaro just dead, Orochimaru immediately seized the opportunity to revive from the cursed seal.
As for how many people he had planted cursed seals on — no one knew. Not even Kabuto.
The Eight-Headed Serpent dispersed.
Orochimaru turned to look at Kimimaro on the hospital bed, where all signs of life had faded.
"Life… is truly fragile. One moment it's vivid and living; the next, it returns to silence."
His pursuit of immortality grew even firmer.
Kabuto said, "Lord Orochimaru, why not revive Kimimaro with Edo Tensei? That would also be a kind of immortality, wouldn't it?"
Orochimaru shook his head, "An immortality without flesh and blood has no meaning. Bury Kimimaro. Also, from now on you will manage the Otogakure. I will return to Konoha and assume the position of Fifth Hokage."
Kabuto frowned, not understanding.
Wasn't the plan to destroy Konoha? Why return and inherit the Hokage seat?
What he didn't know was that Orochimaru's will had already been altered by Kotoamatsukami.
"Confused?" Orochimaru asked with a smile.
Kabuto nodded.
Orochimaru explained, "In truth, my defection from Konoha was nothing more than an act I performed with that old man, the Third."
"An act?" Kabuto understood even less.
Orochimaru nodded, "That's right. Long ago, the old man noticed the Akatsuki, and he also learned that their leader possessed the Rinnegan. In order to uncover the Akatsuki's secrets, he and I devised a defection plan.
"After I defected, I successfully joined the Akatsuki and went undercover to investigate their intelligence. Later, the Akatsuki leader, Pain, noticed my undercover behavior, so I had no choice but to leave.
"After leaving Akatsuki, I should have returned to Konoha. But the old man had me establish the Otogakure — on the surface opposing Konoha, but in truth preparing to cooperate with it in secret."
Kabuto's eyes widened. He was stunned.
The Third Hokage… played that kind of game?
"Then… this Konoha Crush Plan?" He swallowed.
Orochimaru nodded, "In recent years, the Sunagakure has developed rapidly. So the old man and I discussed using the Chūnin Exams to suppress them. The Konoha Crush Plan was originally designed to kill the Fourth Kazekage.
"Later, Mizuki appeared, and we gained an additional target. I never expected Mizuki's strength to be that terrifying — forcing the Fourth Kazekage to join hands with us, and yet we still couldn't defeat him."
This explanation sounded reasonable.
It had to be said: Kotoamatsukami was too powerful. Orochimaru's will and thinking had been completely reshaped. He was thoroughly brainwashed. The reasons he gave sounded as though they were the truth.
But Kabuto still felt something was off. The contrast was simply too great.
"Mizuki told me that Itachi Uchiha joined the Akatsuki as an undercover agent as well. One organization — and the Third sent two Kage-level powerhouses to infiltrate it. Isn't that… a bit careless?"
How many Kage-level powerhouses did Konoha have in total? Sending two into the same organization was far too unreasonable.
Kabuto didn't say it out loud, but suspicion had already taken root.
He felt that during the Chūnin Exams, something must have happened inside the Four Violet Flames Formation that he didn't know about. Unfortunately, he wasn't on the rooftop at the time. The Sound Four were all dead. Konoha kept its mouth shut. He had no way of knowing what truly happened up there.
"Don't overthink it. The truth is exactly as I said." Orochimaru said.
Kabuto nodded, then asked, "Then why return to become the Fifth Hokage? Wouldn't it be fine to continue like before — having Otogakure cooperate with Konoha in secret? After all… Konoha's villagers' view of you… If you go back, they definitely won't agree."
Orochimaru said, "Relax. The Third already arranged everything. Right now, Konoha has no one suitable to serve as Hokage.
"Jiraiya is an idiot — he's not good at management. Tsunade travels the world and suffers from hemophobia. She can't fight, and she can't be Hokage. And the jōnin in the village aren't strong enough.
"So I have to go back and shoulder the burden. Otherwise, Konoha truly will collapse."
Kabuto said, "Then I'll return to Konoha with you."
Orochimaru shook his head, "No. I want you to stay in Otogakure. Danzō is dead. I need Otogakure to take over Root's tasks. Some things that can't be brought into the light… I need you to do them."
Kabuto: "…"
Only after watching Orochimaru leave did his doubts refuse to fade.
"Lord Orochimaru… why does he feel like a completely different person? Could he have been hit by genjutsu? But what kind of genjutsu could completely change a person's…"
At that thought, Kabuto's eyes flashed.
"Shisui Uchiha… the strongest genjutsu — Kotoamatsukami!"
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Land of Birds. Fushigakure. Fushikage Tower.
"Naruto, do you want to go back to Konoha?" Mizuki asked.
Naruto shook his head, "No. The people in Konoha all hate me. If I went back, I'd just be looked at with contempt.
"On the other hand, the people of the Land of Birds really like me. The uncles and big brothers building the village all like chatting with me. Even when we go to the casino, everyone likes me. Every time I go, they welcome me really enthusiastically."
Mizuki nodded with a smile.
He was relieved. Naruto had already found a sense of belonging here.
"You don't miss Konoha at all?" Mizuki asked.
Naruto said, "It's not like I don't miss anything. I really miss Ichiraku Ramen. And I also kind of miss Kakashi-sensei and Sakura."
Mizuki smiled. At times like this, Naruto really was adorable.
He took out ten buckets of delicious instant ramen from his storage ring.
"Here. For you. Ichiraku Ramen — special edition. Handmade, pure hand-crafted process. Add hot water and it'll be ready in five minutes."
"Wow!" Naruto's eyes lit up, "Master Mizuki, you're the best!"
Mizuki smiled, "When there's a chance, I'll bring Teuchi to Fushigakure too. Then you'll have endless ramen to eat."
"Mm-hm! I agree! It'd be so great if Ichiraku opened in Fushigakure!"
Watching Naruto's happy face, Mizuki felt deeply satisfied.
At the beginning, when he took disciples, he treated them purely as tools to "farm" the system.
But now, his mindset had long since changed. Since he'd become a teacher, he should fulfill a teacher's responsibility.
Sasuke, Naruto, Daisuke… they were all orphans. What they needed wasn't only ninjutsu — they also needed love from an elder.
Then let me be their teacher… and be their parent.
When he first transmigrated, he had been all alone.
But now, he wasn't. He had his own bonds.
"Naruto, all your past pain came from the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed inside you. Actually, I can help you extract the Nine-Tails and free you from the jinchūriki identity. Then no one will hate you anymore."
After hearing Mizuki, Naruto fell silent. After a long time, he looked up.
"Master… I heard what you said to that Jiraiya. I know you were doing it for my sake. I'm really happy.
"But after the Nine-Tails is extracted from me and sent back to Konoha, there must be someone else who becomes the container to seal it — a new Nine-Tails jinchūriki. And that new Nine-Tails jinchūriki would replace me and bear all the villagers' hatred and hostility."
As he said this, a bright smile spread across his face — like sunlight itself.
"I'll never forget those cold stares. I don't want anyone else to end up like me — suffering the same pain and loneliness I did. So… let the Nine-Tails stay inside me."
Naruto's words made Mizuki's heart tremble.
So this was Naruto.
Why… why was he so kind? What kind of noble character was this?
At this moment, it was as if Naruto was shining. That light made even Mizuki feel ashamed of himself.
Compared to this boy, Nagato was garbage. Nagato suffered pain — and then chose to spread that pain across the entire world.
But Naruto suffered pain, endured it silently, and then thought of others — wanting to prevent them from suffering the same pain.
This… was the true savior.
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T/N: Comment, give me Power Stones, like and favorite, it all supports me and makes me go foward with this. Appreciate my other stories as well, I guarantee the good work!
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