Chapter 253: Captured...

"Orochimaru."

A voice, both familiar and strange, echoed through the air.

Seated in his chair, Orochimaru glanced sideways, intending to say something—but the moment he instinctively slipped into Sage Mode, and sensed who accompanied that voice, his expression froze.

[All three of them cast no shadows… must be Link…]

He looked at the First Hokage, now in Sage Mode, the Fourth Hokage gripping a Flying Thunder God kunai, and his once "elderly" teacher—now in his prime—holding the Monkey King Enma. A weight lifted from Orochimaru's chest.

Based on what he knew about Link, that brat was indeed a vengeful one. He'd already seized two of Orochimaru's bases in quick succession and even sent Jiraiya and the others searching for him.

Having dealt with Uchiha Madara, they were bound to eventually come for him with overwhelming force. He'd always suspected it might happen, and though he was set to flee as soon as he reclaimed his "original body," he never expected them to act this fast.

"I surrender."

Orochimaru stood up with a resigned look, raising his hands. Resist? Impossible.

Don't be ridiculous—did they think he was Uchiha Madara? This lineup, with Link surely watching outside, meant he wouldn't have time to attempt any Reverse Summoning before the "Yellow Flash" completely ruined him.

Besides, he felt neither bitterness nor fear. After all, he'd seen the reincarnated Senju Tobirama firsthand.

He knew Link could summon and reincarnate the dead. There was no reason to be afraid. Sooner or later, they would need his skills. He understood the Pure Land enough to know that once you slumber there, you have no consciousness of time – eventually, someone would require his talents.

So maybe dying this one time and settling his conflict with them wasn't so bad.

That said, not dying if he could avoid it would be best.

Sarutobi Hiruzen slammed Enma, in staff form, onto the ground. The laboratory shook as he spoke with a grim face: "Come back to Konoha with us."

"You won't kill me?" Orochimaru saw that his teacher's tone and expression carried no murderous intent.

Now that was interesting.

His biggest worry had been Link simply causing trouble out of personal spite, making death a waste. But apparently there was something else going on.

"Pardon me," Namikaze Minato said. He appeared in a flicker beside Orochimaru, leaving a Flying Thunder God mark on him before continuing.

Because this concerned the disappearance of the Second Hokage, they couldn't afford to let Orochimaru slip away.

Orochimaru didn't intend to flee anyway. He hesitated briefly, but chose not to dodge the Flying Thunder God mark. He'd risk seeing what exactly had happened.

Just as the four of them—well, "four persons"—were about to leave, Hashirama clapped his hands and vanished for a second, only to reappear from a corner carrying the unconscious Hōzuki Suigetsu. The man's chakra had been drained by Wood Release and he lay limp, unable to resist.

However impressive the Hydrification Technique was for dealing with physical attacks, it did no good against the First Hokage's jutsu.

Hence, yet another individual joined the departure from the base—or rather, one actual person, three "undead," and one unknown lifeform.

[That was quick…]

Link watched in amazement as the entire operation took no more than twenty or thirty seconds—and now they emerged with two prisoners. He couldn't help but admire:

I really am amazing, huh.

After all, Summoning Jutsu is part of his own combat power, right? Of course it is!

"Orochimaru…" Jiraiya locked eyes with his old teammate, his expression complicated—only to receive a look of complete disregard in return.

Everything in Jiraiya's life felt off: unrequited love, watching old companions drift further away… It was as if he alone remained in place.

And only two days ago at Mount Myōboku, the Great Toad Sage had proclaimed, "The future vision is… completely unclear…"

Would that old prophecy ever be fulfilled?

After a lifetime chasing peace, where was he now supposed to go?

Standing behind Link like two guardians, Uchiha Sasuke and Bubbles watched silently.

Shimura Danzō, clad in armor at the forefront, scowled. "The village needs you for something."

He and Orochimaru had had many dealings. In the manga, he was forever worried that Yakushi Kabuto's capture would expose them; in reality, thanks to Link's meddling, they'd collaborated even more closely.

So letting him be the one to say it made perfect sense.

Dealing with a rogue ninja was inherently odd. Then again, Root's history was already so black that adding more black wouldn't make a difference.

"Well then," Orochimaru said with a faint laugh in his voice, "since I'm apparently useful, may I at least know what's happened?"

When he spoke, he had indeed changed a fair bit—partly thanks to remnants of Kabuto's mind, partly due to his own disinclination to lie. Narrowing his eyes, he continued with a certain frankness.

Hashirama stopped Danzō, who was about to step forward and say something harsh. Wearing a serious expression, the First Hokage explained, "My younger brother vanished while experimenting with a space–time jutsu."

"Sarutobi says you might be able to learn that jutsu… track Tobirama down." He didn't want any junior taking on more "dark deeds" for his sake.

"So, please—we need your help."

With that, the First Hokage bowed deeply.

If open dialogue, peace, and sincerity could solve the problem, all the better. Only if Orochimaru refused outright would Hashirama resort to I really don't want to kill you territory.

"Well…" Orochimaru, after all, had been altered by his leftover host's mind and had always disliked lying. He narrowed his eyes. "I'm rather curious myself about what new jutsu Lord Tobirama created."

At this moment, it might have been easy to address his conflict with Link, using the rescue of the Second Hokage as leverage to force forgiveness.

But he knew that brat never caved under pressure. He was no Uchiha Itachi who'd sacrifice himself for some lofty ideal.

Put simply, Link was a kid raised by shinobi who somehow had zero respect for the ninja code. He was extremely unpredictable.

He'd realized that the first time they met, when Link, without hesitation, abandoned the Fire Country merchant he was supposedly protecting.

From that moment on, Orochimaru grasped that this was a wild card who cared nothing for the normal "ninja rules."

No wonder he got along so well with that jaded Hatake Kakashi.

"I'll be keeping an eye on you," Link interjected, a direct threat, waggling his hand that glowed with a Five Elements Unseal sign. "Don't try anything silly."

[So you've figured that out, too…?]

Orochimaru smiled without replying, obediently boarding the Earth Dragon with the group and flying off toward Konoha.

Perhaps, he mused, this is the chance to capture Link. After all, only two others could perform Edo Tensei—Senju Tobirama, now missing, and the old man Sarutobi, who'd died.

If Link died…

Orochimaru was lost in thought until he caught sight of Uchiha Sasuke's Sharingan stare, warning and frosty.

He chuckled inwardly. That brat Link was unbelievably cautious, nothing like a mere eleven-year-old boy.

Actually—twelve by now, right?

[Another year about done. Time really flies…] He watched the scenery zip by beneath them, then gazed upward at the unchanging blue sky.

[Old man's gone, too. This breeze feels awfully interesting…]

~~~

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