Orochimaru was supposed to be "offline" after the battle between Sasuke and Itachi—silent, hiding, and without any notable movement.
But now… something has changed.
There are signs of activity again, and not small ones.
Shigure could no longer ignore Orochimaru.
After all, Orochimaru was undeniably powerful. If left unchecked, he could cause a commotion that would shake the entire shinobi world.
"Hidden Rain… I have to go to Amegakure next," Shigure murmured as his body rose slowly into the air, preparing to depart.
"Be careful," Terumi called out.
Shigure glanced toward the One-Tail nearby, then toward the Two-Tail, and finally rested a hand on the sealed Eight-Tails within him.
"The three tailed beasts are completely sealed. Guard them carefully. Move them to a secret location. I'll deal with them once I return."
He gave his final instruction to Terumi Mei, and the next moment his figure vanished—streaking across the sky like a flash of light.
Terumi smiled faintly.
The more she thought about it, the more she believed that trading for Shigure back then had been the wisest decision Kirigakure ever made.
Had Konoha kept him, the entire shinobi world would be trembling before the Leaf by now.
But Shigure was their Mizukage.
And now, it was the world that feared Kirigakure.
Meanwhile, in Amegakure…
Obito, despite his weakened state, forcibly activated Kamui again.
His target: Orochimaru.
He found the Sannin deep within a cavern, coiled like a serpent, hiding in the shadows.
Orochimaru didn't seem surprised to see him.
"So… that man terrified you too?" he asked with an unsettling smile.
Obito stiffened. "You knew Shigure would defeat us… during the night raid at moonlight?"
Orochimaru chuckled. "Not 'knew.' Only guessed. No matter who won, the result would've been the same for me."
Obito frowned. "Shigure won. Nagato is dead. The Rinnegan is in his hands now…"
"Oh my… sounds like you suffered a complete defeat," Orochimaru said with amusement.
Obito's expression darkened.
Previously, he had sent Orochimaru's substitute—Kabuto—into Kirigakure. But Kabuto had vanished after the battle.
Obito had dismissed it at the time.
But now, looking at Orochimaru hiding like a snake in this cave…
"Where is that 'substitute' of yours?"
Orochimaru laughed softly. Of course Kabuto had fled—the Mist was far too dangerous. He would never keep Kabuto there long-term.
"Stop dodging."
Obito's tone hardened. "Orochimaru, what exactly are you planning?"
Orochimaru knew about the Eye of the Moon Plan. He knew too many of their secrets. And Obito refused to believe Orochimaru would simply sit still after learning all that.
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed.
"There's only one thing I desire. True immortality."
"And now, I'm closer to it than ever. But I can evolve further."
His goal wasn't just living forever. It was the pursuit—the excavation—of the deepest layers of chakra itself.
The Moon's Eye Plan had revealed a truth to him:
The answer to everything lay within the Ten-Tails.
If he could obtain the Ten-Tails, he could unravel every mystery of the shinobi world.
Obito spoke coldly.
"Whatever you're after… our enemies are the same."
"So—"
Orochimaru's golden eyes drifted toward him.
"You need helpers," Obito said. "A lot of them."
Orochimaru gave a thin smile. "I'm aware. And I can handle that myself. I don't need your assistance."
"But the moment you chose to come here," Obito replied, "you showed that you still need my strength."
To that, Orochimaru did not deny it.
Meeting in person was already an admission.
"I just want to know… now that you've lost everything, do you still think you can claw your way back?" Orochimaru asked.
Obito's eyes flashed coldly. "Of course."
"Hmph. Against that man? I'm afraid you don't have any hope. He even resurrected the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, on the spot."
"What?"
Obito froze.
"What did you just say?"
Orochimaru smirked.
"Surprised? I was the same. I don't know what kind of power he used, but he resurrected Hashirama instantly—right before my eyes."
"And I completely lost control of him."
Resurrected… Hashirama Senju.
"Then you're saying the First Hokage is walking the shinobi world again?"
Orochimaru nodded.
"More or less."
The former God of Shinobi… reborn.
If Hashirama could be resurrected, then logically—Uchiha Madara could be as well.
But the Rinnegan no longer existed. That meant it would be impossible to revive Madara through conventional means.
Unless—
Unless another Uchiha awakened the Rinnegan.
If Obito could force evolution…
If he could elevate another Uchiha's eyes…
Then he could regain the Rinnegan.
And through it—revive Madara.
Obito exhaled deeply.
"Hashirama's resurrection… whatever his reason, it complicates everything for both of us."
"So we need to work together."
Orochimaru lowered his gaze in thought.
"And how exactly do you propose we cooperate?"
Obito smiled faintly.
"With Hashirama alive again, he won't ignore anything we do. We'll need someone capable of holding him back."
The First Hokage… the man who quelled an age of chaos.
A force almost no one in history could restrain.
Suddenly Orochimaru understood.
"You want me to use Impure World Reincarnation to revive Uchiha Madara, don't you?"
In the entire history of the shinobi world, only Madara could truly rival Hashirama.
Well—aside from Shigure now.
Shigure had suppressed Hashirama completely… his power overwhelming and unreasonable.
But a confrontation between Madara and Hashirama once more—
That was a spectacle even Orochimaru found fascinating.
"Recreating Uchiha and Senju… yes, that is quite interesting," Orochimaru murmured, smiling.
Seeing Orochimaru agree, Obito's expression relaxed slightly.
"What about your subordinates? That weird black-and-white man?" Orochimaru asked suddenly.
Obito's face hardened.
"He's gone."
Gone?
It seemed Obito's failure was even more severe than expected.
Even his last reliable ally had disappeared.
Orochimaru observed Obito silently.
Right now, Obito was completely alone.
If he still intended to carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan, it would be impossible by himself.
But if Obito helped capture the remaining tailed beasts, then Orochimaru would avoid unnecessary trouble.
It wasn't a bad trade.
Obito's expression shifted.
Orochimaru's question had reminded him of something.
Zetsu… where did he go?
Elsewhere…
Zetsu was currently controlling the body of an unknown shinobi.
Carved across the ground before him was a strange, ancient pattern.
"The only hope of defeating Shigure now lies on the moon," Zetsu whispered.
"Only there… only there can Mother be resurrected…"