'Someone's here?'
Sensing the faint signal deliberately emitted by Black Zetsu, Orochimaru jolted awake. Hearing Anko's calm, even breathing, he gave a faint, amused smile.
'This foolish disciple... even if something happened to me, she probably wouldn't wake up.'
Thinking that, Orochimaru silently sank into the ground. Before long, he emerged near the training grounds beside the Forest of Death.
"Zetsu, showing up at this hour—aren't you afraid I'll call Tsunade over?" Orochimaru asked with a sly smile as he gazed at the half-black, half-white creature before him. The scientist in him stirred with excitement. He really wanted to dissect and study this being.
Such an extraordinary lifeform—ignoring it would be a crime against science itself.
"You're free to call her," Black Zetsu said indifferently, unfazed by Orochimaru's threat. "But if you do, you'll lose your chance to coexist peacefully with the Akatsuki."
"Peaceful coexistence?" Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "You want the Three-Tails' chakra inside me, and you call that 'peaceful coexistence'? Don't joke with me."
He was no altruist—far from it. The sins he had committed could easily earn him a spot in the deepest level of hell.
As a pure egoist, Orochimaru would never put his life in someone else's hands.
"You're right," Black Zetsu admitted. "Akatsuki does need the Three-Tails' chakra in your body. I came to negotiate. As long as you cooperate, we can overlook your betrayal. We could even work together again in the future."
"Work together? Once the chakra's been extracted, you'll just abandon me. Do you think I'm a fool?" Orochimaru sneered.
To him, Black Zetsu's words were nothing but empty bait. Once he handed over the Three-Tails' chakra, Akatsuki would simply walk away and leave him for dead.
He'd used the same trick on others countless times—trying to use it on him was laughable.
"With your abilities, I doubt losing the Three-Tails' chakra would kill you," Black Zetsu persuaded. "But as long as that chakra remains in your body, Akatsuki will continue hunting you. Do you really want that?"
"What, are you threatening me now?" Orochimaru asked mockingly. "Don't forget, Tsunade drove your people off not long ago. And with Kamizuki Hikari returning soon... do you really think you can come here again?"
Not to mention Konoha still had Kurama Yakumo, whose genjutsu was truly terrifying.
Just thinking of the time he'd been caught in Yakumo's illusion—completely unaware of what had happened—made Orochimaru's heart tighten in unease.
A truly fearsome genjutsu...
"To think someone like you would rely on others for protection," Black Zetsu said with faint derision. "Do you know why I came here myself?"
"I know Konoha can't protect you forever. So I came to discuss a possible arrangement. If we can't reach an understanding today, the next one to visit you won't be me."
Orochimaru immediately sensed something off in those words.
"What do you mean? What information are you hiding from me?"
Faced with Orochimaru's sharp question, Black Zetsu didn't deny it. "Kamizuki Hikari and our leader have reached an agreement. For now, Akatsuki won't target the Three-Tails' jinchūriki. As for you—you'll no longer be under Kamizuki Hikari's or Konoha's protection. Under those circumstances, what choice will you make?"
"Orochimaru, you're a clever man. Don't make this trip a waste of my time."
Orochimaru didn't doubt the truth of Black Zetsu's words.
By his estimation, Kamizuki Hikari should be returning soon. If Hikari refused to let Konoha continue sheltering him, then his only option would be to flee.
This wasn't the kind of lie Black Zetsu would risk using—it was too easily exposed.
"What if Hikari simply tricked Pain into retreating?" he tested.
Though he spoke casually, inwardly Orochimaru already believed Black Zetsu. His mind had already begun calculating where he could run next.
During his time in Akatsuki, Orochimaru had learned well how formidable Black Zetsu's intelligence network was.
If Black Zetsu had come all the way into Konoha to find him, then once Orochimaru left the village, Akatsuki would surely set a perfect trap—one he could never escape.
Last time, his escape had already humiliated the organization. This time, they wouldn't show mercy.
Sneaking through the cracks was no longer an option.
"If that's the case," Black Zetsu said lazily, "we'll just have to deal with the Three-Tails' jinchūriki directly."
Even though Orochimaru's expression didn't waver, Black Zetsu could easily guess what was going through his mind.
"With your talents, the Three-Tails' chakra is only an ornament. Yet because of it, you're being hunted by Akatsuki. Is it really worth it?"
"Someone like you could study and recreate the chakra of the Three-Tails—and surely of the other tailed beasts as well. We of Akatsuki are not shortsighted. With Kamizuki Hikari's interference, we might need your research expertise for other tailed beasts in the future. Under those circumstances, do you really think we'd want to kill you?"
To gain Orochimaru's trust, Black Zetsu even spoke some of his genuine thoughts.
Yes—those were his real thoughts.
With a powerhouse like Kamizuki Hikari around, Black Zetsu had nearly given up on reviving Kaguya before his death.
But Orochimaru's existence offered him a new path.
If Orochimaru could study the Three-Tails and even reproduce its chakra, perhaps he could do the same for other tailed beasts. Even if Kamizuki Hikari destroyed the originals, Orochimaru could recreate substitutes.
In Black Zetsu's mind, as long as Kaguya was resurrected, Orochimaru would inevitably fall under the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
No matter how powerful Kamizuki Hikari or Tsunade might be, they couldn't stop Kaguya from reclaiming the shinobi world.
Hearing Black Zetsu's words, Orochimaru felt more assured.
If Akatsuki still needed him, then things were manageable.
The Three-Tails' chakra was precious—Orochimaru liked it—but that didn't mean he couldn't part with it.
For someone who could abandon even his own body, giving up a mere tailed beast's chakra wasn't such a big deal.
"In that case, you can leave for now," Orochimaru said at last.
"Kamizuki Hikari will return in the next couple of days. Once I confirm the situation, I'll decide whether to leave Konoha. Surely you can wait that long?"
He was stalling, but even he didn't know why he had said it.
He had already almost fully accepted that Black Zetsu was telling the truth, so why linger?
Having lived for a thousand years, Black Zetsu saw through Orochimaru's hesitation instantly—but chose not to press further.
"Of course. Once you leave Konoha, I'll be waiting—with all of Akatsuki—to welcome you properly."
With those parting words, Black Zetsu sank into the earth and vanished from sight.
Only Orochimaru remained in the training ground, staring at the dim night sky, unmoving for a long, long time.
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