Konoha Village.
Two figures who had traveled a long distance walked into the village.
It was Jiraiya and Naruto Uzumaki, returning after years of training.
Naruto Uzumaki tossed his bag aside, climbed up a utility pole, and stood on top, overlooking the scenery of Konoha.
"So nostalgic..."
Naruto Uzumaki spread his arms wide, a fondness in his face: "Nothing much has changed in the village!"
"Tsk..."
Jiraiya touched his chin.
"Naruto!"
The now elegant Haruno Sakura came running over with the three little kids of Konohamaru's squad, who were once Naruto Uzumaki's little followers in the village, and had now all become Genin of the village.
"Sakura!"
Naruto Uzumaki leaped off the pole, the joy of seeing old friends immediately filling his face: "It's been a while, Sakura..."
"..."
Haruno Sakura observed Naruto Uzumaki, who had grown up.
The young man with blonde hair looked calm, nothing like his jumpy childhood self, and in two to three years, he seemed like a different person entirely.
"Naruto bro, Sexy Jutsu!"
Konohamaru proudly performed Sexy Jutsu taught by Naruto Uzumaki, transforming into a scantily clad woman with black hair, and blew a kiss to everyone!
"How was that?"
Konohamaru boasted smugly: "How was it? How was it, Naruto bro, was it sexy and enchanting enough?"
"Konohamaru, I'm not a kid anymore..."
Naruto Uzumaki, like an adult, chuckled softly and gently advised: "You shouldn't be playing with such ninjutsu anymore, it's way too low-level..."
Konohamaru looked down dispiritedly, and a heavy atmosphere surrounded them; they all felt the melancholy of time passing.
Indeed...
All kids have to grow up...
However, in the next second, the steady aura around Naruto Uzumaki vanished without a trace, as he suddenly clenched his fist: "Your Sexy Jutsu isn't well-practiced enough, let me show you my newly developed Sexy Jutsu!"
After saying that, Naruto Uzumaki intended to demonstrate the new Sexy Jutsu he developed during his training to Konohamaru!
Bang!
Sakura punched him angrily, sending him flying!
While it was lively here, it was extremely quiet on the other side.
Two figures in hooded cloaks walked past them, seemingly uninterested in the ongoing commotion, and focused their attention elsewhere as they walked by.
"Hmm?"
Blood dripped from Naruto Uzumaki's nose because of the punch, yet he curiously looked back, as if he saw a familiar face fleeting by: "Hey, wait..."
"Shh!"
Haruno Sakura raised a finger, quickly stopping Naruto Uzumaki from provoking those two guys: "Don't speak, those two wearing hooded cloaks, with the Root symbol on their backs, they're Root ninjas, don't provoke them!"
"Root?"
Naruto Uzumaki recalled Root and Akihara Kagura, asking in surprise: "I remember those were Kagura's subordinates..."
"Yes."
Haruno Sakura's expression turned serious, speaking in a low voice: "The current Root is the most powerful department in the village, even taking over the power of the former police force, overseeing all the ninjas in the village, and can arrest people directly without restraint at any time..."
"..."
Jiraiya frowned slightly.
"Let's go see Lady Tsunade first."
Haruno Sakura's eyes showed some worry.
On the other side.
The two figures in hooded cloaks were still whispering to each other.
One of them took off his hood and chuckled as he asked: "Sasuke, how did it feel to see old friends?"
"Hmph..."
The other figure refused to remove his hood, his mouth curved into a slight smirk as he snorted disdainfully: "That guy... still an idiot as always..."
"Let's go, back to Root."
Kabuto smiled and led Uchiha Sasuke back to Root.
Originally, they didn't need to pass by here, but it just so happened that they saw Naruto Uzumaki and Jiraiya returning to the village, so they decided to take a walk here too.
However...
Inside the Root Base.
When Akihara Kagura saw Uchiha Sasuke, he gestured for him to remove his cloak, revealing the curse seal on the back of his neck: "Alright, you've passed your trial, now let me take a look at the curse seal Lord Orochimaru left on you..."
"Hmm?"
Uchiha Sasuke looked at Akihara Kagura with some curiosity.
The curse seal had always been of great help to him, significantly enhancing the power of his jutsu, and Uchiha Sasuke hadn't sensed the lurking danger within the curse seal.
"Exorcism Seal."
Akihara Kagura extended his palm, infusing his chakra into the curse seal, and the chakra inside instantly transformed into a long snake emerging from it.
The long snake suddenly opened its mouth wide!
Orochimaru's body crawled out of the snake, and upon seeing Akihara Kagura in front of him, his gaze froze, and his heart faintly harbored an uneasy suspicion.
"What's happening?"
Uchiha Sasuke was shocked!
Because he had personally killed Orochimaru and absorbed Orochimaru's chakra, how could Orochimaru be resurrected in such a way!
"This battle was also Lord Orochimaru's trap."
Akihara Kagura glanced at Orochimaru standing beside him, actively explaining to Uchiha Sasuke nearby: "Because you have a curse seal on you, Lord Orochimaru was never truly killed by you, he lurked inside you, and Immortal Rebirth requires the technique user's consent to perfectly resurrect, he can always hide inside you, waiting to seize the opportunity to devour your body..."