Chapter 553: Returning to Konoha and Removing the Rinnegan

"See for yourself," Tsunade said, tossing the scroll to Nara Shikaku after finally regaining her composure.

Shikaku caught it quickly, carefully placing the other documents aside before opening the scroll. As he read, his eyes widened in shock, and his mouth hung open in disbelief.

Tsunade was seriously considering Orochimaru's proposal.

She believed the plan was a good one—it would shift some of Konoha's burden onto the other villages.

The team sent to the Land of Rain wouldn't need to take such significant risks.

Even though Nagato held the Rinnegan, there was no telling what other terrifying tricks an ancient monster like Madara might have hidden up his sleeve.

After two long hours of internal debate, well into the middle of the night, Tsunade finally made up her mind.

The Five Kage Summit would be convened, and they would remove the Rinnegan from Nagato.

During the summit, they would decide how to deal with it. Meanwhile, Nagato and his companions would be sent to a safe location to avoid Madara finding him.

As for the Rinnegan, Tsunade wasn't sure what to do with it.

Could it be destroyed using conventional methods? And if they did destroy it, would that provoke Madara's insane retaliation?

Handling it alone was too risky for Konoha. It was better to convene the Five Kage and deal with it together.

Sharing the responsibility made far more sense than shouldering it all on Konoha's own.

Once Tsunade made her decision, Takuya informed Nagato of the plan, shrugging as he said, "Honestly, I'm not great at dealing with this kind of thing. This is more Orochimaru's field. At least the plan change will indirectly force Madara out into the open."

Publicly revealing everything might not convince the other villages immediately, but Orochimaru stepping forward was a different matter.

Since he had been under Madara's control and knew many of his secrets, Orochimaru's testimony would have enough weight to persuade the other villages to stand with Konoha against their hidden enemy.

"Once the Rinnegan is removed, I'll have Orochimaru and Tsunade help you transplant a pair of normal eyes," Takuya promised Nagato.

Ordinary eyes couldn't compare to the Rinnegan, but that was exactly what Nagato needed—a simple pair of eyes that would allow him to see the light again.

Nagato no longer cared for power. Having seen enough darkness, all he wanted was a quiet life with Konan and Yahiko.

With Tsunade's approval, Takuya left the details to Orochimaru and prepared to return to Konoha with Nagato, Minato, and Orochimaru. Jiraiya stayed behind with two Anbu squads to cover their retreat.

Orochimaru, still weak, needed medical attention. He was also essential for removing the Rinnegan and transplanting new eyes.

Unlike Madara, Takuya wouldn't crudely gouge out and replace eyes. Even if he could, he wouldn't be that harsh with Nagato.

As for the new eyes, Takuya had already prepared them.

Once the Rinnegan was removed, the transplant could happen immediately.

"Phew..."

Back in Konoha, Orochimaru exhaled in relief. The mission had been far more intense than he had anticipated, and he had no desire to repeat it.

No one would believe how easily an ancient, nearly-dead Madara had controlled him. Even Orochimaru himself found it hard to comprehend.

It was only now that he realized how weak his resistance to genjutsu truly was.

While Minato took Nagato to reunite with Konan and Yahiko, Takuya and Orochimaru headed to the Hokage's office.

Tsunade frowned at the sight of Orochimaru, who looked like he'd just gone through an organ transplant.

"What happened to you?"

"Thanks to that brat Obito going berserk and attacking me, I managed to escape," Orochimaru explained.

Recalling the scene, Orochimaru couldn't help but feel like his years of research had been for nothing.

Look at Madara—he effortlessly turned Obito into a Mangekyō Sharingan wielder.

And what about Orochimaru?

After all that effort, he had barely made any progress. His experiments with Hashirama's cells were inconsistent at best.

His Edo Tensei was incomplete, and his research on souls had barely begun. It was a complete mess.

Tsunade sighed at the mention of Obito.

"The village has been searching for him for years. Who could've known he'd been taken by Madara? White Zetsu and Black Zetsu's ability to stay hidden is terrifying."

"I've sent out letters. The Five Kage Summit should happen soon. You should rest for now. Tomorrow, we'll work together to remove Nagato's Rinnegan and transplant his new eyes. I'll need your help for that."

While Tsunade was a skilled healer, when it came to eye transplants, Orochimaru's experience with unconventional surgeries made him more reliable.

After sending Orochimaru off, Tsunade's expression turned serious.

"I want you to stay with Nagato the entire time. I can't be sure Orochimaru has truly broken free from Madara's control."

Ever since Orochimaru fell under Madara's influence, a cloud of suspicion had hung over him.

Given his personality, Tsunade couldn't fully trust him.

"Don't worry. That snake wouldn't dare try anything reckless, even if he hadn't fully escaped."

Orochimaru valued his life too much to risk being controlled again.

That said, he wasn't trustworthy. No one could predict his next move.

There was even a chance he might take the Rinnegan and run.

Never underestimate Orochimaru's ambition. If he ever thought he could handle it, he would absolutely try to implant the Rinnegan into himself.

The other four villages were still digging around the Land of Rain, searching for Nagato's hideout, unaware that he had already returned to Konoha.

Meanwhile, invitations to the Five Kage Summit had already been sent out.

Though one night wasn't enough for Orochimaru to fully recover, it was sufficient for him to assist Tsunade with the surgery.

In the operating room, Nagato lay calmly on the table, while Konan and Yahiko stood tensely by his side.

Takuya and Minato were also present—Minato stood ready to assist, while Takuya kept a close eye on Orochimaru.

Perched on Takuya's shoulder, Snowy yawned lazily. Her large, bright eyes locked onto Orochimaru, silently warning him not to try anything sneaky.

Orochimaru didn't seem bothered by Takuya's vigilance and focused on his task.

He sterilized the equipment and put on his protective gear.

Tsunade carefully cleaned the area around Nagato's eyes and administered anesthesia. Once Nagato's breathing stabilized, Orochimaru approached the operating table—only to find Tsunade already standing in his spot, staring him down.

"..."

After a brief pause, Orochimaru shrugged and stepped back, giving up his position to Tsunade.

Tsunade's distrust of Orochimaru was clear. While Takuya and Snowy were there just in case, she had no intention of letting Orochimaru touch the Rinnegan.

In the short term, it would be hard for Orochimaru to clear himself of suspicion.

Before Takuya could even get a good look, one of the Rinnegan eyes had already been removed and placed in a prepared container filled with solution.

The surgery was a success, taking less than thirty minutes. Tsunade handled the removal of the Rinnegan, while Orochimaru assisted with transplanting the new eyes.

After a thorough check and treatment, Tsunade bandaged Nagato's eyes, signaling the end of the operation.

"Snowy, it's yours."

Takuya had no interest in the Rinnegan—he already had one of his own. Holding the jar with two floating eyes in solution made him feel oddly uncomfortable.

Tsunade, unwilling to entrust the Rinnegan to anyone else, handed it directly to Takuya, who promptly passed it to Snowy.

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(P)(S): If you're interested, you can read the rest of the Chapter at Patreon com/ Emik01. 

DO NOT FORGET POWER STONE AND CHATTING