A nearly identical pursuit.
Only a few differences had occurred in the unfolding of the process.
The Sound Four had taken turns staying behind to cover the retreat, and Naruto, Shikamaru, and the others had engaged them in battles with different personnel configurations. Whether this would lead to a different outcome depended entirely on themselves.
For Menma...
Just as he had no interest when Orochimaru invited him to meet Tsunade, he didn't particularly care about the final outcome of this mission either.
Menma knew very well what he needed right now and what he should be doing.
Running off with Orochimaru to face Tsunade—what benefit would that bring Menma?
The answer was none.
Moreover, knowing that Jiraiya would definitely go looking for Tsunade in the original story, for Menma to actively throw himself into their path would be sheer stupidity. Did he want to give them a chance to find him and try to capture him again?
The period of irrational thinking had long passed after that night in the Land of Waves.
The current Menma was a complete realist.
Everything was judged solely on whether it was beneficial to him.
Agreeing to Orochimaru's request to provide support for the Sound Four was done purely with the mindset of "doing as much work as I'm paid for."
Therefore, upon crossing the border and arriving at the location known throughout the Land of Fire—and indeed, the entire ninja world—as the Valley of the End...
Menma stopped in his tracks.
This was a very delicate area.
It was one of the weakest points in the Hidden Leaf's defenses.
If he went any deeper, he would have to shoulder significantly more risk. Menma naturally wouldn't take another step forward. This was also the agreement he had reached with Orochimaru from the start.
However, the person accompanying Menma was clearly dissatisfied.
"Menma-kun, why stop here!?"
As those extremely cold words fell...
Menma turned his head to look at the figure walking beside him.
White hair, green pupils, the conspicuous red dots between the eyebrows unique to that clan, the parted lapels of his clothing, and a special aura emanating from him.
This was the last survivor of the Kaguya Clan. [Note: The source text says "Taketori Clan" (竹取一族) and "Kaguya Kimimaro" (辉夜君麻吕). "Taketori" references "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter" (Taketori Monogatari), which is the legend of Kaguya-hime. In the Naruto context, the clan is the Kaguya Clan. I will use the standard "Kaguya Clan" for clarity, or if strict adherence to the source's potentially distinct term is required, "Taketori/Kaguya". Given the context of Naruto, "Kaguya Clan" is the standard English translation for Kimimaro's clan. I will use "Kaguya Clan" for better readability in the Naruto context, while acknowledging the source uses "Taketori".]
Or, as he could also be called, the boy named Kimimaro Kaguya.
"Heh, my agreement with Orochimaru-san was to receive the arrivals here. The area ahead is not somewhere I will venture into; that would exceed the terms of our agreement."
Menma looked at the boy on his left—who was obviously nearing the end of his life—with an inscrutable expression and spoke in a flat tone.
Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse).
This was absolutely one of the strongest Kekkei Genkai passed down in the ninja world.
To put it bluntly, it was a simplified version of the Rabbit Goddess's ultimate killing technique—All-Killing Ash Bones. From this, one could see that the Kaguya Clan must have inherited a portion of Kaguya's bloodline.
Unfortunately, even the strongest members of the Kaguya Clan throughout history had failed to display even a tenth of the power of the All-Killing Ash Bones.
Although the original story didn't dedicate much ink to it...
From the fact that the Kaguya Clan attacked the Hidden Mist Village and was completely wiped out without inflicting any truly significant damage on the Mist, one could see that the Kaguya Clan's power was that of a "noble clan," but limited to the Jonin tier.
Kimimaro undoubtedly inherited the Kaguya bloodline perfectly. The power of the Shikotsumyaku he displayed in the original story—where Gaara and Rock Lee in their base states teamed up but were still no match for him—was solid proof that Kimimaro's strength had reached at least the Elite Jonin level.
He was originally one of the bodies Orochimaru desired most.
Regrettably, his illness meant this genius boy of the Kaguya Clan had very little lifespan left. With his body constantly ravaged by the disease, Orochimaru couldn't possibly use Kimimaro as his reincarnation vessel.
Coming out this time was Kimimaro's own request. He didn't want his life to end struggling on a sickbed. He wanted to dedicate his final strength to Lord Orochimaru in his last moments.
"You!"
Therefore, seeing Menma's completely indifferent attitude...
Kimimaro, feeling that this was a provocation against Lord Orochimaru's dignity, revealed a grim look in his pupils.
Buzz!
Almost instinctively...
A sharp bone spur, white as jade, shot out directly from his palm.
As he aimed that gleaming, deadly edge...
"Kimimaro-kun, I advise you to be a little more rational. It would be better for you."
Menma turned his gaze, looking at Kimimaro expressionlessly. The faint shadow of fox pupils appeared, and an extremely powerful and chilling aura permeated from his body.
Kimimaro's breath hitched involuntarily.
This blatantly superior chakra fluctuation...
It made Kimimaro realize that the boy in front of him was the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, an existence capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with his Lord Orochimaru.
Of course, Kimimaro, who didn't even fear death for Orochimaru's sake, couldn't possibly be afraid of Menma. He simply knew very clearly why they were out here.
Getting into a dispute with Menma here was meaningless.
Kimimaro gave Menma a cold glare.
Then, he retracted his bone spur.
Whoosh!
With a leap...
He sped off toward the front alone.
Watching Kimimaro depart...
Menma smiled lightly and shook his head slightly. A complex look of pity and envy surfaced in his pupils—pity for Kimimaro's fate, and envy that Orochimaru had so many loyal subordinates.
From this perspective, it was proof enough that Orochimaru's charisma was in no way inferior to those so-called excellent leaders. Regardless of the circumstances under which Orochimaru cultivated these people or the methods he used...
The result was that without Orochimaru forcing them, all of these people were willing to give their lives for him—and there was far more than just one.
'It really makes one envious, Orochimaru-san.'
Menma muttered to himself internally.
Looking at it this way, Orochimaru was actually quite suitable to be Hokage. At least his leadership ability was definitely stronger than Jiraiya's or Tsunade's.
And he could have chosen to stay in the Leaf.
Forbidden experiments?
Human research?
Please, the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, was the true grandmaster in that field, okay? Almost all the forbidden jutsu in the Hidden Leaf were related to Lord Second. Even the Impure World Reincarnation was developed by Tobirama himself. In the process of researching that jutsu, how many living and dead people did Tobirama use as materials? Wasn't that more extreme than Orochimaru? Yet who dared to criticize that Hokage!?
Orochimaru could have become the second Tobirama Senju, or perhaps even surpassed the Second Hokage.
As long as he followed the Second's example and refrained from using living people from his own village for research.
That was the final, and only, line that needed to be held.
Of course, perhaps Orochimaru didn't misunderstand this, but simply wasn't willing to do it. In his view, the Leaf was a cage restricting him, and he didn't want to stay there.
'So, I suppose this is a case of different paths not crossing.'
After Menma looked up at the massive stone statues of Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju...
He didn't hesitate in the slightest. With a leap, he landed directly on top of Madara Uchiha's statue. Then, sitting cross-legged, he closed his eyes to rest, waiting for the reunion he "anticipated."