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[Konoha] Chapter 252: Orochimaru vs. Pain!
🕑 Added 2024-12-05 07:00:05 +0000 UTCLand of Fields.
In a clearing within a forest, Orochimaru stood, his eyes narrowing as he observed the figure emerging from the trees. His gaze fixated on the ring-patterned eyes of his opponent.
"So, it really is the Rinnegan."
"However..."
Orochimaru's eyes drifted to Yahiko’s face, studying it carefully. A sly smile appeared on his lips.
"You’re one of those three kids from back then. But according to the intel, you were supposed to have died in Hanzo and Danzo's conspiracy. So... a puppet, huh?"
Yahiko’s voice was indifferent as he replied, "As expected of one of the Legendary Sannin."
Orochimaru licked his lips as he continued to stare at the Rinnegan.
"So, you’ve come to invite me to join the Akatsuki. But doing it this way is rather... impolite."
Beside Tendo Pain, White Zetsu chuckled, "This is just a precaution. I hope you don’t take it personally. After all, it’s surprising enough that you managed to defect from Konoha."
Orochimaru let out a soft laugh. "It seems I’ve been underestimated by you all."
White Zetsu maintained his grin. "Not at all. We acknowledge your strength. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have extended the invitation to you."
"But," Zetsu added, "Konoha now has a new God of Shinobi. In his presence, no one dares claim assured victory."
Orochimaru nodded in agreement. "That’s true."
"However, I have a very good working relationship with Shūichi-kun. Leaving Konoha was something I’d long discussed with him. Naturally, he wouldn’t intervene."
"Frankly, your actions are a bit redundant."
White Zetsu quickly apologized with a smile, "Our apologies. We weren’t aware of this information. Consider it... insurance."
Orochimaru wasn’t bothered by the apology. He understood the deeper implications behind their actions.
But at this moment, only the Rinnegan intrigued him.
A puppet?
The real body must be nearby!
Tendo Pain sensed the sinister intentions emanating from Orochimaru but remained unfazed.
"If you can earn our approval, you’ll naturally have the opportunity to meet the God of Akatsuki."
"The God of Akatsuki?"
Orochimaru chuckled. "To be honest, I’m more interested in the Rinnegan than Akatsuki itself."
As soon as his words fell, a thunderous roar erupted. Two enormous serpents burst from the ground on either side of Tendo Pain and White Zetsu, their massive jaws snapping toward them.
"What a wicked man!"
White Zetsu sighed helplessly, his body sinking into the earth and merging with it.
Tendo Pain snorted coldly, slamming a fist to the ground. With a rumble, two massive water jets erupted from below, striking the descending snakes and immobilizing them.
Black rods extended from Tendo Pain’s sleeves. With a casual flick, he impaled both serpents.
Boom! Boom!
The two snakes vanished in a puff of smoke.
Taking advantage of the moment, Orochimaru flicked his right hand forward, sending two venomous snakes hissing toward Tendo Pain. The snakes coiled around him and sank their fangs into his neck.
"Got you!"
Orochimaru’s tongue darted out. "Even if it’s just a puppet, capturing this will quickly lead me to the real body."
He stepped forward, but his expression abruptly changed.
The two venomous snakes biting Tendo Pain exploded into a mist of blood.
Shinra Tensei!
Tendo Pain casually raised a hand, releasing an invisible force that sent Orochimaru flying backward. Trees toppled and dust billowed in his wake.
"What’s this?"
"Such power..."
Orochimaru was initially shocked, but then excitement filled his face.
"This is the power of the Rinnegan?"
"As expected of the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths!"
Boom!
Orochimaru’s body crashed into the ground, but he burst out laughing.
Tendo Pain appeared not far away, and White Zetsu emerged from the earth.
"Is he finished?"
"It’s not over yet," Tendo Pain replied, his gaze fixed ahead.
From within the crater, Orochimaru’s head lifted. His mouth opened impossibly wide, and another Orochimaru emerged, his upper body humanoid and his lower half a snake’s tail. He slithered at astonishing speed, kicking up a storm of dust and debris.
"So fast!"
White Zetsu couldn’t help but exclaim as Orochimaru zipped past him.
Behind them.
White Zetsu turned his head just in time to see Orochimaru extend his mouth, from which a sword shot out, hurtling straight toward Tendo Pain’s back.
But just as the blade was about to pierce Tendo Pain’s back, it stopped less than a centimeter away. The invisible force erupted again, sending both the blade and Orochimaru flying backward.
Boom!
They exploded into a puff of smoke.
"It’s a clone!"
White Zetsu looked up to see countless shuriken raining down from above.
Multiple Shadow Shuriken Clone Jutsu!
Orochimaru’s real body had been hiding in the treetops all along.
Tendo Pain flickered backward, evading the rain of countless shuriken that struck the ground.
"It seems this ability consumes a considerable amount of chakra..."
Orochimaru stretched out his tongue, preparing to launch another probing attack. However, Tendo Pain extended his right hand once more.
Banshō Ten'in!
Orochimaru’s expression shifted drastically as his body was caught by a powerful gravitational pull, dragging him uncontrollably toward Tendo Pain.
"Repulsion and attraction..."
"What a formidable power!"
Orochimaru quickly raised his hand, unleashing a flurry of venomous snakes that shot toward Tendo Pain.
But Tendo Pain simply flicked his arm upward, causing Orochimaru to be lifted into the air as well. Then, with a downward motion of his hand, Orochimaru was slammed into the ground with a deafening boom.
The Hidden Shadow Snake Hands technique was neutralized effortlessly.
Rising from the ground, Orochimaru shifted his tail back into legs and stood, gazing at Tendo Pain with a grin.
"No wonder even Shūichi-kun couldn’t deal with you."
If this is just the puppet, the real body must be even more terrifying.
Orochimaru felt a twinge of caution. After a brief moment of contemplation, he decided to abandon further probing and suppressed his ambitions.
Sensing the change in Orochimaru, Tendo Pain said, "Now, will you join the Akatsuki?"
Orochimaru replied, "I will. However, what benefits do I gain from joining?"
White Zetsu chuckled. "Is the protection we offer not enough?"
Orochimaru smiled faintly. "Of course."
"I have no need for anyone’s protection."
Tendo Pain asked, "Then what do you want?"
Orochimaru licked his lips. "I’m not interested in war. What fascinates me is the research of various ninjutsu, including... the Tailed Beasts."
"So, when it comes to capturing Tailed Beasts, I’ll need a portion of their chakra for my research."
Tendo Pain agreed without hesitation. "Fine."
Orochimaru then turned to White Zetsu.
"A clone created from Hashirama’s cells, is it? Truly astonishing technology."
White Zetsu shivered under Orochimaru’s piercing gaze.
Orochimaru addressed Tendo Pain again.
"If you hand him over to me for research, I can promise you a truly monumental surprise."
Tendo Pain remained calm and expressionless. "Oh?"
"Are you referring to the transplantation of Hashirama’s cells?"
Orochimaru’s eyes gleamed, and he smiled. "So, you’ve already transplanted them."
"I see now. You’re from the Uzumaki clan—a distant relative of the Senju. And with those eyes..."
"But, no. That’s not what I was referring to."
White Zetsu interjected hastily, "Hey! I’m not for sale!"
Orochimaru, however, dismissed its protests, treating White Zetsu as if it were merely a product created by Nagato. With a smile, he formed a series of hand seals.
The next moment, two coffins emerged from the ground in front of Orochimaru.
First Hokage!
Second Hokage!
Seeing the words on the coffins, White Zetsu was startled. "Could it be that jutsu..."
Bang! Bang!
The coffin lids fell to the ground, and White Zetsu exclaimed, "So it really is that."
"Orochimaru, it's no wonder Konoha has you on their wanted list!"
"If Shūichi knew you were toying with the souls of the First and Second Hokage, he’d probably take action against you too!"
Tendo Pain looked at the two figures emerging from the coffins, equally shocked. "The First and Second Hokage?"
White Zetsu, standing nearby, explained, "This is a forbidden technique developed by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. It’s called Edo Tensei. The jutsu summons the souls of the dead from the Pure Land, binds them to the bodies of living sacrifices, and covers them with a layer of earth, allowing them to regain the abilities they had in life."
"I must admit, it’s a truly astonishing jutsu."
Orochimaru, listening to White Zetsu’s explanation, immediately caught an intriguing detail—the wielder of the Rinnegan was not the creator of this thing.
"So... could it be Uchiha Madara?"
"Interesting."
Orochimaru smirked inwardly and said aloud, "That's right. This is indeed the Edo Tensei technique."
"However, this is merely a rudimentary version. With a suitable sacrifice, the resurrected would wield power nearly identical to what they had in life."
Hearing this, Tendo Pain responded, "If you prove yourself useful, I can fulfill your request."
White Zetsu threw up its hands in mock helplessness. "You guys really don’t respect anyone, do you?"
But he knew Tendo Pain wasn’t referring to it.
Orochimaru smiled slyly. "Then, it’s a deal."
Tendo Pain nodded slightly and turned around. "Follow me. From today onward, you’ll be working with me as a team."
Since Konan had become the leader of Amegakure, Tendo Pain had been operating solo.
As for White Zetsu, its role was limited to intelligence support.
With Orochimaru joining, it was a perfect opportunity to form a team.
Of course, this decision was a recent change.
It was because of Edo Tensei!
Shortly afterward, Orochimaru met Nagato, as well as Hanzō, who had also been turned into a puppet standing by Nagato’s side.
Orochimaru’s pupils contracted. "So you killed Hanzō and turned him into a puppet as well."
Moments later, with a ring on his finger and the Akatsuki’s signature black cloak adorned with red clouds on his back, Orochimaru officially became a member of the Akatsuki.
---
In Konoha, within the Forest of Death, Shūichi sat cross-legged atop a towering tree canopy. His eyes opened slowly.
On a treetop opposite him, White Zetsu’s clone, Tobi, emerged.
"Lord Shūichi, sorry to disturb your training, but I have news from the Akatsuki. Orochimaru has officially joined the organization."
"Moreover, you won’t believe it—Orochimaru is hiding an astonishing trump card."
Shūichi chuckled. "A trump card?"
Edo Tensei, is it?"
Tobi’s face revealed shock. "As expected of you, Lord Shūichi!"
"That’s right. Orochimaru has managed to control the First and Second Hokage."
Shūichi wasn’t surprised, but his thoughts raced. If Orochimaru is showing his hand, it must mean he intends to use White Zetsu as a sacrifice.
Nagato will guard against him, but Black Zetsu will undoubtedly assist him.
Which means Edo Tensei Madara will likely appear sooner than expected.
The thought filled Shūichi with anticipation.
Being invincible is so lonely!
"Tobi, what’s the situation in Kirigakure?" Shūichi asked.
Tobi quickly replied, "As you predicted, Lord Shūichi, the Kaguya clan is growing restless. It seems they’ll act soon!"
Shūichi nodded, immediately creating a clone and sending it to Kirigakure.
He had to bring back Kimimaro!
While Kimimaro’s Kekkei Genkai disease might be incurable, Shūichi could still learn and research the Shikotsumyaku from him.
(End of Chapter)
