Naruto: Reborn as Orochimaru-Chapter 349

Whether or not all Akatsuki members were present was irrelevant.

What mattered was that Orochimaru needed an organization like this to shake the ninja world.

That was why, despite having the power to stop it, he had instead played a role in its formation.

He had no qualms about sharing much of this information with Tsunade, because with his current strength, he was confident he could control everything.

The two of them talked from early evening into the late hours of the night, and by the end of it, Tsunade had a solid grasp of the situation.

"So, according to you, Kushina…"

"She'll be fine," Orochimaru assured her, explaining his plan with the Nine-Tails.

Splitting the beast in two and leaving half of it within her was enough to sustain her life. And beyond that, he had other methods to support her survival.

"…Right." Tsunade nodded thoughtfully at his words. "But, husband, if you truly want to minimize casualties, you should also consider the lives of the other Jinchūriki."

"Of course, I already know that. No need to remind me," Orochimaru replied matter-of-factly. "I have my own way of handling things."

Some Jinchūriki were relatives of the Kage.

Killing them would provoke relentless retaliation from their villages, one that wouldn't stop unless every last one of them was eradicated.

To avoid such trouble, it was in his best interest to ensure the Jinchūriki survived the extraction process.

"As long as you understand," Tsunade said with a small sigh of relief. "I was worried you might change."

Ever since Orochimaru had defected from Konoha and she had become Hokage, their meetings had grown infrequent.

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She had feared that, in that time, he might have turned into the kind of man she dreaded most.

Orochimaru smirked and playfully lifted her chin.

"Whether I've changed or not… you could always test it yourself."

"Hm? Test it?" Tsunade blinked, then let out a laugh. "Hah! You're just looking for an excuse to mess with me every time you come back to Konoha, aren't you?"

"What do you take me for? Some tool to relieve your stress? If that's the case, why not go to one of them?"

"I already have." Orochimaru's eyes flicked downward, his gaze drifting to her collar. "But after all my travels, I've realized, I still prefer yours the most."

"Yeah, right. Who'd believe that?" Tsunade scoffed, wrapping an arm around his neck. "Now carry me inside."

"…You seem more eager than I am."

"Of course I am. You have plenty of options, but I only have you. Now shut up and lie down."

And so, Tsunade took the lead in claiming the battlefield.

It was a long, exhausting night.

---

Early the next morning, Orochimaru quietly left Konoha and resumed his mission to capture the Tailed Beasts.

Catching one was no easy task.

But for members of Akatsuki, all they needed was to locate the Jinchūriki.

Finding the right moment to act was simply a matter of patience.

After all, no one made it into Akatsuki without exceptional means.

This time, they once again operated in pairs.

A lone operative might be overwhelmed, but two were enough to handle any emergency.

However, even with multiple teams working at once, the sealing process dictated the pace.

The Gedo Statue could only absorb one Tailed Beast at a time.

Sealing two simultaneously wouldn't shorten the process, it would just make it more complicated.

Thus, the missions were staggered.

In the blink of an eye, two months passed.

By then, two more Tailed Beasts had been sealed into the Gedo Statue.

One was the Six-Tails, Saiken, captured by Pain.

Its Jinchūriki, Utakata, was only slightly older than Kabuto.

The other was the Four-Tails, Son Gokū, captured by Kisame.

Its Jinchūriki, Rōshi, had put up a decent fight, but the outcome was inevitable.

Investigation. Strategy. Extraction.

All in all, the process had taken two months.

---

Konoha Year 53, January.

In a secluded canyon within the Land of Lightning, a lone kunoichi was training.

She had long, straight brown hair with a single braid draped down her back.

Her movements were swift, precise, refined by years of discipline.

Boom!

A series of massive fireballs erupted from her hands, scorching the earth beneath them.

The ground beneath her feet smoked from the lingering heat.

Then, two figures appeared in the distance.

Both were clad in black cloaks, adorned with red clouds.

She ceased her training, her sharp eyes narrowing as she studied them.

The two approached slowly.

One was a pale-skinned man with long, dark hair.

The other was a masked, middle-aged man with a grim expression.

They stopped a few feet away.

She observed them carefully, her posture proud, her aura commanding.

Then, a low, raspy voice spoke.

"Two-Tails Jinchūriki… Nii Yugito?"

Yugito frowned, her stance shifting slightly.

"And who are you?"

The two had appeared so suddenly, their intentions all too obvious.

She knew they weren't here for anything good.

The pale man's lips curled into an unsettling smile.

"My name… is Orochimaru."

Yugito's heart skipped a beat.

Orochimaru?!

Her expression darkened.

As a Jinchūriki, she had never been directly involved in war.

But she still knew the names of the world's strongest shinobi.

And Orochimaru's name was one of the most feared.

He was a man spoken of in hushed whispers.

A monster cloaked in human skin.

What the hell is he doing here?

Her grip on her kunai tightened.

"I don't know what your business is, but if you've come for my Tailed Beast—"

"Relax," Orochimaru interrupted. His smile never wavered. "We're here to save you."

"…Save me?"

"That's right. I could explain, but it'll make more sense once you release the Two-Tails."

"Hmph… So you are after the Tailed Beasts."

Yugito scoffed, brandishing her kunai.

"I don't care who you are, even if you're Orochimaru, I won't just surrender without a fight!"

She lowered herself into a ready stance.

Her sharp, cold gaze locked onto him.

Seeing this, Kakuzu muttered under his breath.

"Orochimaru… want me to handle this, or do you want to do it yourself?"

"I'll take care of it."

"Hmph. Fine. I'd actually like to see the so-called 'legendary Sannin' in action."

Kakuzu took a step back, giving Orochimaru room.

Within Akatsuki, everyone wanted a chance to team up with Orochimaru.

His reputation was too well known.

Everyone was curious to witness his fighting style firsthand.

But within the organization, Pain's word was law.

This time, Kakuzu was the only one with the opportunity.

Orochimaru paid him no mind.

He stepped forward, his ever-present smirk deepening.

"Give up. You won't win."

As he spoke, nine dark orbs manifested behind him.

And yet—his golden, slit-pupil eyes remained unchanged.

***

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