The Situation in the Ninja World Will Have Major Changes
"Don't hide, Orochimaru."
Naruto's voice carried a sharp edge as he spoke. He extended his right hand, and with a whirl of chakra, the Rasengan took shape, spinning with a contained yet devastating force.
The moment the compressed chakra manifested, a massive white-scaled serpent slithered out from a crevice in the rocky terrain, its forked tongue flickering. With a sickening squelch, it unhinged its jaw and regurgitated a pale, half-naked figure. The man who emerged, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement, was none other than Orochimaru.
Naruto grimaced internally. Orochimaru's regenerative ninjutsu is still as grotesque as ever…
Narrowing his cerulean eyes, he smirked slightly. "Orochimaru, you must be disappointed that Pain and I didn't annihilate each other. You almost got your hands on the legendary Rinnegan."
Orochimaru chuckled, his voice carrying an eerie undertone. He had long been aware of the enigmatic leader of Uzushio Village—a man with strength rivaling the Five Kage, yet choosing to operate outside their system.
Feigning innocence, he waved a pale hand dismissively. "No, no, I was merely observing. Nothing more."
Naruto's smile turned icy. "Just like how your attack on Uzumaki Village was mere 'observation'? Judging by Pain's assault on you, I assume you've severed ties with the Akatsuki. Another defection, Orochimaru?"
Orochimaru sighed theatrically. "There were… misunderstandings. I attempted to claim Uchiha Itachi's body, but let's just say it didn't end in my favor."
A flicker of something unreadable passed through Naruto's gaze. Orochimaru hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Rest assured, I have no interest in waging war against the Land of Waves this time."
Seeing Naruto remain impassive, he decided to reveal the details of his failed ambush on Itachi. After all, Akatsuki and Uzushio Village were already enemies—perhaps this information would earn him some goodwill.
Naruto studied him for a long moment before speaking again. "Come with me to the village. There's much I need to ask you—about Konoha, Akatsuki, and everything in between."
Orochimaru's snake-like pupils dilated slightly, but he nodded. His sharp senses had picked up remnants of bijuu chakra earlier—Naruto's ties to Konoha might be deeper than he thought. With an amused smirk, he followed the young Uzumaki.
The Watchful Eye of Zetsu
As the two disappeared, a shadowed figure rose from the earth. It was none other than Zetsu, his yin-yang form emerging seamlessly from the rocky terrain. His gaze flickered toward Naruto and Orochimaru before shifting to the vast ocean.
Having monitored Nagato's movements for years, Zetsu had witnessed the battle unfold from deep underground. Only now, with the battlefield silent, did he dare surface to gather intel.
Examining the residual chakra, he murmured to himself. So, the leader of Uzushio Village… a Jinchūriki.
That Nagato—wielding the full might of the Rinnegan—failed to defeat him was troubling. Then again, the Nine-Tails was the most potent of all bijuu, closest to the Ten-Tails in power. Perhaps this outcome wasn't surprising.
But something else nagged at him.
Aside from being a Jinchūriki, this Uzumaki felt eerily reminiscent of both Asura and Indra—as if the two reincarnated souls had merged into one. That was impossible, wasn't it?
Zetsu scowled. If Asura and Indra are no longer opposing forces, how can I manipulate Indra's successor into reviving the Infinite Tsukuyomi?
With Madara Uchiha long dead, was he truly supposed to rely on Obito and Nagato? Neither was an ideal pawn—both were unpredictable, dangerously unstable.
Zetsu sank back into the earth, contemplating his next move.
The Tension Among the Ninja Villages
Inside a fortified meeting hall, the air was thick with tension. The moment the chakra shockwaves from the distant battle subsided, ninjas from various nations, who had been forced to remain indoors, shifted uneasily.
Whether it was Uzumaki Naruto or the Akatsuki leader who emerged victorious, the result spelled disaster for them. A ninja powerful enough to stand on par with the Demi-Gods of the Past had just surfaced in the Land of Waves.
A moment later, the door creaked open.
Uchiha Shisui stepped inside, his Sharingan dull but his expression unreadable. "The earthquake is over," he stated coolly. "You may leave, but remember—Uzushio Village has its own laws."
His gaze swept across the room, sharp as a blade. "Break them, and it won't matter which village you hail from. We will hold you accountable."
Some of the gathered ninja clenched their fists, but none dared to retort. They had entered this building under the pretense of 'seeking shelter'—in reality, they were spies. Still, they couldn't overstay their welcome.
As they exited under Shisui's watchful eyes, they wasted no time rushing toward the battlefield.
What they found left them speechless.
The once-crescent bay was unrecognizable—craters marred the landscape, forests lay flattened, and a portion of the shoreline had been turned to blackened cinders.
Stepping into the largest impact site, several ninjas felt their breath hitch. The lingering chakra in the air was overwhelming.
Even elite Jōnin felt the oppressive weight of the residual energy, some weaker shinobi nearly collapsing under its presence.
One of the ninja from a minor village turned to a Yōnin from Kumogakure. "Tell me… does Killer Bee have this level of destructive power?"
The Kumogakure shinobi furrowed his brow. "Lord Kirābī is a Jinchūriki. Naturally, he can reshape the landscape."
Another shinobi hesitated. "And what about the Fourth Raikage? Could he cause this level of destruction?"
The Kumogakure Jōnin fell silent. He had never seen the Raikage fight at full power, but even so…
A shinobi from Iwagakure chuckled. "You're underestimating the Third Tsuchikage. With the Dust Release, he could annihilate a mountain in an instant. But even in battle, there's rarely a need to go this far."
A smaller nation's shinobi hesitated before voicing his thoughts. "If that's the case… then the two who fought here weren't just Kage-level. Their combined power surpasses the Five Kage themselves."
"That's absurd!" the Kumogakure and Iwagakure shinobi protested in unison—before falling into a grim silence.
Because deep down, they knew the truth.
The devastation before them wasn't the work of an ordinary battle. Two ninja capable of challenging the combined might of the Five Kage had just clashed.
And there wasn't just one of them—there were two.
A horrifying realization settled over the group.
This situation was far worse than when Hanzo the Salamander terrorized the world. His poison gas was a tool that required strategy. But this… this was raw, unrestrained, overwhelming power.
Two shinobi, strong enough to topple entire nations, had emerged.
Silently, each village's operatives summoned their carrier birds. Urgent messages were dispatched to their respective Kage, warning them:
The Third Great Ninja War had barely ended—yet another seismic shift in the ninja world was already underway.
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