Chapter 144: The Legend Returns

The Shinobi World,

Otogakure (Hidden Sound Village),

Deep beneath the village center,

In a cold and eerie underground laboratory—

"Orochimaru-sama, the Edo Tensei (Impure World Reincarnation) technique is nearly fully optimized," said Yakushi Kabuto, cautiously holding an experimental log scroll. "The current reincarnation purity has been improved to nearly eighty percent."

"Very well," Orochimaru replied with a sinister smile. He glanced coldly at the white humanoid corpse in front of him. "Now that Edo Tensei is nearly optimized, let's proceed with dissecting this body."

"Understood!"

A glint of excitement flashed in Kabuto's eyes behind his glasses. Carrying a few scalpels, he stepped forward toward White Zetsu's corpse.

"I never expected even the White Snake Sage of Ryūchi Cave to submit to the Fifth Hokage," Orochimaru muttered, a look of awe flashing through his eyes. "Even Manda has been slain… we'll need to find a new summoning beast."

Just thinking about it made Orochimaru's scalp tingle.

He knew the strength of the holy lands—especially the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku—but in the end, the White Snake Sage, whom he had revered as invincible, was subdued and tamed.

It could only mean one thing:

The Fifth Hokage—Uchiha Yuta—was a monster.

"Even Ryūchi Cave has surrendered?"

Kabuto froze slightly upon hearing this. He had spent the past days buried in research and wasn't fully up to date on the events shaking the shinobi world.

But now… the truth was clear.

Even one of the Three Great Sage Regions had bowed down.

The situation was more dire than he had imagined.

Whoosh!!

Just then, with a sudden surge of spatial distortion—

Two figures emerged:

A man in a swirling mask—Uchiha Obito,

And another… the legendary Uchiha Madara.

"You…!"

Orochimaru's smirk froze on his face. The moment he locked eyes on the second figure, his expression twisted in horror.

Buzz!!

A wave of fear pulsed from Orochimaru's body as his chakra flared uncontrollably.

"Orochimaru-sama?" Kabuto frowned, sensing the fluctuation in his master's chakra.

BOOM!!

As soon as Kabuto looked over and caught sight of the tall man in black shinobi armor layered with red plate armor, his mind went completely blank.

"Uchiha Madara!!"

Orochimaru inhaled sharply, trying to steady his breathing. His voice trembled with fear.

"How… How are you alive?"

The fear was real.

Extreme.

Overwhelming.

To Orochimaru, the name Uchiha Madara was a living myth. He'd seen the legendary statue at the Valley of the End, but now… the legend stood before him in the flesh.

"You're Orochimaru?" Madara asked, his tone calm but carrying an overpowering dominance.

"Yes…" Orochimaru responded stiffly.

"How's the development of Edo Tensei going?" Madara asked, his Rinnegan gazing directly at Orochimaru.

"It's… nearly complete," Orochimaru answered, suppressing his inner irritation. "The technique can currently restore up to eighty percent of the original strength of the deceased."

"Not good enough," Madara replied flatly. "Optimize it further. I want at least ninety-five percent efficiency."

This visit had one goal:

To harness Edo Tensei for his own ends.

The recent submission of the White Snake Sage to Uchiha Yuta had deeply unsettled Madara's pride.

"What? Ninety-five percent?" Orochimaru frowned, dissatisfied. "Edo Tensei isn't something that can be so easily enhanced. Reaching eighty percent was already my limit!"

"If that's what you want, then perhaps we shouldn't cooperate."

Orochimaru's tone grew colder. He was one of the Three Legendary Sannin—he had his pride.

But—

Whoosh!!

Madara's Rinnegan flared.

BOOM!!

Without warning, an overwhelming force of chakra and ocular power descended upon Orochimaru like a crushing tsunami.

"This…!"

Orochimaru's body turned pale, his soul trembling. It felt like his very existence was being suppressed.

He couldn't resist.

He couldn't move.

He couldn't breathe.

"…Fine. I'll do it," Orochimaru gasped out, sweat dripping from his chin.

"Too weak," Madara said bluntly. "Your soul is far too fragile. If you face any true genjutsu master, they could erase you instantly."

"Madara-sama," Obito interjected, "Orochimaru's soul is fragile because of the Living Corpse Reincarnation technique he uses to achieve pseudo-immortality."

"…Do your work," Madara said calmly. "Serve me well, and I will grant you true immortality."

With that—

Whoosh!

A spiral vortex opened, and Uchiha Obito and Madara Uchiha vanished from the lab.

Bang!!

The moment they left, Kabuto collapsed to the floor, gasping for air.

Orochimaru remained standing, but his body was rigid, and cold sweat soaked his entire robe. He looked like someone who had been pulled straight out of icy water.

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