With his soul torn away at its very foundation, even someone as monstrously gifted as Orochimaru had no path left but death.
There was no last escape, no hidden backup, no forbidden technique left to trigger.
All he could do was fall backward, his body collapsing as despair finally swallowed him whole.
And just like that, the legend came to an end.
After decades of wandering through the Ninja World, after countless experiments, betrayals, and forbidden pursuits, one of Konoha's famed Three Legendary Sannin—the cold-blooded, terrifying Orochimaru—was truly and completely dead.
This time, there would be no return.
Without the perfected Living Corpse Reincarnation Technique, without a completed Cursed Seal of Heaven and Cursed Seal of Earth, he had no vessel waiting for him, no hidden rebirth prepared in advance.
Death had finally claimed him in full.
Sensing the disappearance of their summoner, the giant serpents Orochimaru had called forth immediately dispersed.
The Summoning Jutsu unraveled on its own, and the massive snakes retreated back to Ryūchi Cave without hesitation.
The contractor was gone. There was no reason for them to remain.
Ignoring their retreat, Aoshi shifted his gaze to the Ultimate Summoning Beast hovering nearby.
A trace of satisfaction crossed his eyes.
The performance it had displayed in battle had exceeded expectations.
While it lacked the refined Sage Arts of the Three Great Sage Regions, its adaptability, overwhelming versatility, and—most importantly—its ability to fly made it invaluable.
No matter the terrain, no matter the battlefield, it could respond accordingly.
An all-round summon, without question.
Aoshi lifted Orochimaru's lifeless body and placed it atop the Ultimate Summoning Beast.
With a powerful beat of its wings, the two rose into the night sky, heading toward a Secret Base hidden not far away.
Strike while the iron is hot.
He had no intention of delaying. Orochimaru would be turned into one of the Rinne Paths immediately.
During the flight, Aoshi calmly reviewed his next steps.
From Orochimaru's memories, he had confirmed that the ambush was part of a joint scheme with Danzō.
A pity. The Zero-Tails was still incomplete.
Originally, Aoshi had planned to use the darkness festering within the Ninja World itself as nourishment for the Zero-Tails.
That was precisely why Danzō had been allowed to live.
Unfortunately, the original scroll containing the formula had been nothing more than a rough framework—not even a flawed version, merely an outline.
For over two years, Animal Path– Hiruko had been refining it. Yet Hiruko could not devote himself to it fully.
Other research, other responsibilities, and Aoshi's own insistence on strengthening the Zero-Tails beyond its original form had all slowed progress.
The creature described in the original records simply did not meet Aoshi's standards.
As a result, even after two years, the formula remained unfinished.
Now, however, things would change.
With Orochimaru remaining at the base to assist, the Zero-Tails Formula could finally be completed in short order.
And since Danzō refused to remain quiet… Aoshi would return the favor in full.
Once the formula was perfected, Danzō's countdown would begin.
---
Night fell.
After completing the transformation of Rinne Path– Orochimaru, Aoshi returned to Hōzuki Castle. The Shadow Clone he had left behind ensured no one noticed his absence.
Everything appeared unchanged.
He planned to bathe and rest.
Unlike his home in Konoha, Hōzuki Castle had no private bathing facilities—only a large communal bath.
Unfortunately, the men's side had been damaged during the earlier fighting.
Left with no alternative, Aoshi entered the women's bath.
At this hour, everyone should have been asleep. The area was quiet and empty.
"Tch… dinner really left me filthy," he muttered, stepping into the warm water.
As steam filled the room, soft footsteps echoed behind him.
Yakushi Nono entered.
She had bathed earlier and gone to sleep, but hunger had woken her.
After grabbing a late snack from the canteen—and promptly ruining her clothes with sauce—she'd returned for another wash.
Hearing the sound of running water, she followed it instinctively.
And then she froze. The sight of Aoshi's well-defined, powerful figure caught her completely off guard.
"B-Brother Aoshi?!"
She squealed, cheeks instantly burning red, yet her eyes betrayed her—lingering far longer than they should have.
Her hands rose to cover her face… but her fingers were spread far too wide to hide anything.
"Nono?" Aoshi turned, recognized her, and couldn't help laughing softly.
"That's not blocking much," he teased.
Her blush deepened all the way to her ears. She tried to flee, but he caught her wrist gently.
"Running away?" he asked lightly. "Do you think I'm going to eat you?"
He drew her into his arms.
An opportunity like this was rare. And since she had walked straight into it, he had no intention of being distant.
Soon, hesitation melted away.
Nono, exposed and flustered, flushed crimson from head to toe.
"Brother Aoshi…"
He silenced her with a kiss.
After a moment's hesitation, she answered it willingly.
When their lips finally parted, he brushed close to her ear and whispered softly.
Shy, but determined, she nodded.
"Good girl, Nono," he praised gently. "Talented indeed."
The words made her smile brightly. As long as he was pleased, she was happy.
When she rose again, he asked quietly, "Nono… may I?"
"Yes…" she replied softly. "I've waited a long time."
He kissed her once more and took her without hesitation.
Soon, she could only cling to his neck, completely trusting him.
To keep her steady, he lifted her, her legs instinctively wrapping around him. She leaned against him entirely.
Afterward, he carried her back to his room. There was no question of leaving her alone after that.
He lay her on the bed and lay beside her.
Like a small kitten, she curled against his chest, arms wrapped around him as if afraid he might disappear.
He kissed her forehead, smiled faintly, and pulled her close.
They slept together like that.
Dawn arrived quietly.
Feigning sleep, Nono couldn't keep up the act once Aoshi began teasing her.
"Morning's the best time for training," he said with a grin. "Can't waste it."
He pulled her into a vigorous, unmistakably ninja-style workout.
Two days later.
"Lord Aoshi, please forgive us. Those fools from Kusagakure acted entirely on their own!"
The leader of the Kusagakure personally rushed to Hōzuki Castle to apologize. "We have punished every single person involved!"
Aoshi remained silent. The leader quickly offered compensation, sweat pouring down his face.
"There will never be a third time. We will strictly control our subordinates."
"Next time," Aoshi said calmly, "I won't be so lenient."
Only then did the leader bow repeatedly, relief flooding his expression.
"Our mission here is complete," Aoshi concluded. "We return to Konoha."
Every poisoned and injured individual in Hōzuki Castle had been fully healed.
The S-rank mission had been completed—perfectly.