Chapter 11: New Planning
Naruto wasn't seeking Orochimaru's submission for the sake of power. What he truly cared about... was Sasuke's safety.
Across from him, Orochimaru's mind was far from settled.
He had just witnessed the Rinnegan—an eye greater than the Eternal Mangekyō—developed to such a degree in such a short time. Uzumaki Naruto… a distant offshoot of the Senju. Could this boy truly become someone who could even contain the Uchiha?
For the first time in his life, Orochimaru found himself curious not just about power—but about the person.
He let out a sigh, then spoke with rare sincerity. "The loser has no right to speak. I'll let go of Sasuke... But to surrender to you outright? That would be… premature."
Naturally. Someone like Orochimaru wouldn't bend just because of power. Submission had to be earned, not forced.
But Naruto wasn't disappointed. On the contrary—his expression softened. Orochimaru hadn't said he wouldn't surrender, just that he wouldn't do it yet.
Good enough.
He released the black receiver rods from Orochimaru's pressure points.
As Orochimaru slowly got to his feet, he asked curiously, "Aren't you afraid I'll just walk away now?"
Naruto smiled.
He wasn't that reckless boy from a year ago. He'd spent years in the Hokage's seat. He understood how to deal with people like Orochimaru—what leash to use, when to tighten it, and when to let it hang.
"If you want to leave, you're free to go," Naruto said. "But one day, you'll come back to me. Willingly."
That quiet confidence struck a chord deep in Orochimaru's core.
The last time they'd met in battle was only six months ago. Back then, Naruto had been impulsive, unpolished—nothing but brute chakra and the unstable power of the Nine-Tails.
Now, not even half a year later, this boy stood before him with power, calm, and cunning that made him nearly unreadable.
"…Alright then," Orochimaru said, his eyes gleaming with interest. "Let me see what your next move is. That'll determine mine."
Naruto turned his back and muttered, "First, we go retrieve your hands—from the Shinigami who sealed them away."
Orochimaru's pupils contracted. "What…?"
Naruto smiled faintly. "I chose a location close to the Uzumaki clan's Namiantang shrine. Very convenient for you."
Suddenly, he stretched out his hand.
—Banshō Ten'in!
From the trees nearby, a rustle—and then a cry of surprise.
A figure flew through the air—yanked by force—and landed in Naruto's grip.
Naruto's fingers clamped tightly around the figure's throat.
"White Zetsu," he said coldly. "Sent by Obito, right? You got here faster than I expected."
"Uzumaki Naruto—you—!"
"I won't let you report back."
His Rinnegan pulsed.
Zetsu's expression went blank, pupils dull.
Naruto turned back to Orochimaru. "Let's go, shall we? I'm giving you the opportunity to reclaim the jutsu you've dreamed of getting back."
Orochimaru's eyes lingered on Naruto's back, and his mind stirred.
This boy… This storm of a man… He's already surpassed Sasuke in raw strength. But what's more terrifying is the direction that wind is blowing. What will he become?
—
At the Namian Shrine, deep within the Uzumaki Clan's ancestral grounds, they entered the chamber where dozens of ceremonial masks lined the walls.
Orochimaru's eyes scanned them.
"There," he said, lifting a dusty white mask. "The Prajna Mask. Said to summon the Shinigami—the key to the Dead Demon Consuming Seal."
He looked over at Naruto. "I had to dig through countless scrolls to find this. How did you know about it?"
Konan narrowed her eyes slightly. She was the only one who knew the full truth. Would Naruto reveal it?
But Naruto simply replied, "The Dead Demon Seal is a jutsu created by the Uzumaki clan. I'm Uzumaki. It's not surprising I know how it works."
Konan looked away, her doubts eased. Good. You still know when to keep secrets. Especially with someone like Orochimaru.
Naruto's tone became firm. "Begin the ritual. Here."
Orochimaru hesitated. "To think, I always pictured this moment happening at the Uchiha Shrine. It was a sort of… ceremony in my mind. An offering to the power I sought."
He glanced around the Namian Shrine's red lacquered beams and swirling seal marks. "And yet, this is fitting in its own way. A different kind of ceremony."
He placed the mask on his face.
Boom!
A surge of chakra erupted. The air twisted. Orochimaru's arms stretched out involuntarily, trembling violently. His chakra flared—and from behind him, the eerie silhouette of the Shinigami materialized.
"I must warn you," Orochimaru rasped. "It's not just my arms being released. Four other souls will come out as well, including…"
"I know," Naruto interrupted. "Leave them to me."
Orochimaru smiled. "Then let it begin."
—Dead Demon Consuming Seal: Release!
The Shinigami's blade lifted.
SLASH!
A gaping wound split its own belly open.
"AAAAARGHHHH!!"
Orochimaru screamed as blood spilled. His body crumpled. The price of the ritual—a fatal offering.
But from the Shinigami's gory gash, five souls floated out: the lost arms of Orochimaru… and the souls of the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Hokage.
Naruto moved quickly.
He forced open White Zetsu's mouth, and from Orochimaru's mouth slithered a white-scaled snake—the real Orochimaru, his soul searching for a new body.
He dove into Zetsu.
No Corpse Reincarnation.
The forbidden jutsu.
A snake takes the nest of a crow.
Orochimaru's soul entered and seized the new body, driving out the original consciousness.
At the same time, the arms—two ghostly hands—floated down, merging into his shoulders. Orochimaru flexed his fingers for the first time in years.
Floating above, the souls of the four Hokage hung like will-o'-the-wisps.
Naruto looked up at the fourth one, his father. His expression wavered slightly.
"...Sorry, Dad. But not yet."
He opened his Rinnegan.
—Naraka Path!
FWOOOSH!
Purple flames burst to life, coalescing into a massive statue of King Enma, the Judge of the Underworld.
The Yama statue opened its mouth wide.
The four souls were swallowed whole.
Naruto said quietly, We'll meet again. I promise.
Beside him, Orochimaru clenched and unclenched his restored fingers.
Konan stepped forward. "What's next? Do we return to the Hidden Rain?"
Naruto closed his eyes, thoughts racing.
The Five Kage Summit was imminent.
Raikage had called the meeting to discuss Akatsuki—and specifically, the threat of Sasuke Uchiha.
Danzo had stolen the title of Hokage and would be attending. Sasuke, goaded by Obito, would launch an assault during the summit and attempt to assassinate Danzo.
Naruto's memories returned—of that day he'd begged Raikage on his knees to spare Sasuke… of the moment he and Sasuke met eyes across a battlefield, both exhausted and broken.
Time moves like an arrow. The feast of this era... has only just begun.
But now wasn't the time to get sentimental.
One thing still bothered him.
Genjutsu.
Even in his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, Naruto had always been weak to illusions. Standard illusions were fine—he could break those—but powerful ocular techniques like Tsukuyomi...?
That was a problem.
And in the Ōtsutsuki clan… there were many more eye techniques that could shatter minds and distort time.
He needed a counter.
He needed a powerful genjutsu-type eye to match.
Danzo's right eye… Shisui's Mangekyō.
Perfect.
Naruto opened his eyes again, a new resolve shining in the Rinnegan.
Orochimaru and Konan both turned as he stepped forward, slowly removing a ceremonial mask from the wall.
He placed it over his face.
"…We're going to the Land of Iron. The Five Kage Summit."
His voice was steady.
"We're going to take Danzo down—before Obito or Sasuke get to him."
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