Chapter 212: The Death of Orochimaru
"Indeed."
This man is incredibly dangerous. Orochimaru's smile never faltered, but his internal alarm was screaming. "I apologize for bringing you back in this manner. I imagine this wasn't quite what you had in mind."
Madara looked genuinely surprised. "So, my plan was discovered? Even Tekka was defeated. Was it that Kinoshita Genichi?"
"It was," Orochimaru confirmed. "In fact, wouldn't you say you were defeated by Genichi-kun as well?"
Madara chuckled, neither confirming nor denying. "And Konoha doesn't know you've resurrected me like this, do they?"
"That is not important," Orochimaru said, steering the conversation. "What's important is that you are back. Now, would you be so kind as to show me your Rinnegan?"
Madara's gaze sharpened. "So, the intelligence was leaked."
"No," Orochimaru countered smoothly. "This was a deduction based on my own research into Hashirama's cells and the Sharingan. The next stage after the Mangekyō Sharingan is the Rinnegan, isn't it? That was your true purpose for the battle at the Valley of the End—to obtain the First Hokage's cells."
Madara stared at him, his expression unreadable, but Orochimaru felt a sudden, terrifying chill. I can't control this man. I have to be prepared…
"Impressive research," Madara said, his three-tomoe Sharingan flaring to life. "But if you wish to see the power of the Rinnegan, you'll have to prove you're worthy."
Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique!
The genjutsu was instantaneous. Orochimaru's body froze, pinned in place. But in less than the blink of an eye, he was moving again.
"Oh?" Madara seemed mildly surprised. "You broke my illusion instantly. Interesting."
"Genichi-kun is hailed as a genjutsu prodigy who has surpassed the Uchiha," Orochimaru said with a confident smile, masking his growing dread. "I've learned a great deal from him." He had learned his lesson from his past encounters with Genichi. He had prepared for this very moment. But still… His power is too immense. The strengthened binding on the reanimation has no effect on him. I must prepare for the worst.
At his silent command, his four puppets sprang into action.
The Third Raikage was cloaked in a searing aura of lightning. Tekka manifested a half-body Susanoo, armored and wielding a spear and a greatsword. The Second Tsuchikage floated into the air and turned invisible.
Madara watched them, an amused smirk playing on his lips. "Quite the welcoming party. The Second Tsuchikage… if I recall, he uses the Dust Release Kekkei Tōta, doesn't he? And that would be… the Fourth Kazekage?"
"Precisely!" Orochimaru confirmed.
Gold dust erupted from the ground, ensnaring Madara's legs as a volley of spears rained down from the heavens—Tekka's Yachihoko no Kami.
When the dust settled, Madara stood within the shattered ribcage of a rudimentary Susanoo. "Not bad," he commented, regenerating the construct, this time with a full lower body. As Tekka's Susanoo charged forward, Madara's own manifested two greatswords, parrying both the blade and the spear.
At that moment, the Third Raikage appeared behind him, his fingers cloaked in lightning. Hell Stab: One-Finger Nukite! The attack pierced the Susanoo, sending cracks spiderwebbing across its surface.
As Madara staggered, the invisible Tsuchikage reappeared above, his hands forming a cube of pure destructive energy. Madara stabilized his Susanoo just in time to block another of Tekka's attacks, but the Dust Release cube was already descending.
"Nice teamwork," Madara drawled, dismissing his Susanoo. As he fell, his Mangekyō Sharingan morphed into the rippled pattern of the Rinnegan. He absorbed most of the Dust Release attack, but not all of it. He landed on the ground, half of his body disintegrated, but it was already regenerating.
He then unleashed his own Susanoo, a massive, armored colossus that dwarfed Tekka's.
Orochimaru and Kabuto stared in awe at the Rinnegan. Their theory was correct! Mangekyō Sharingan + Hashirama cells = Rinnegan!
"An astounding discovery!" Orochimaru hissed, his excitement palpable. "Genichi-kun, you would be shocked if you knew this! Who would have thought Nagato's eyes originally belonged to Madara Uchiha?"
The two Susanoo clashed, the impact sending a shockwave that blew Kabuto off his feet. Madara's construct was a true perfect Susanoo, larger and more powerful than Tekka's. With a single, contemptuous slash of its sword, it cleaved through Tekka's own, decapitating his Susanoo in the process.
"Is this the power of the Ghost of the Uchiha?" Orochimaru whispered, a part of him glad he hadn't reanimated Hashirama.
Madara then effortlessly dispatched the other reanimated Kage.
"We're on a completely different level," Kabuto stammered, scrambling to his feet. He had a very bad feeling about this.
As Orochimaru retreated, Madara formed a hand sign. Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique! Massive wooden dragons erupted from the earth, ensnaring the four reanimated shinobi and draining their chakra.
"To have mastered Wood Release to this extent…" Orochimaru's eye twitched.
Impure World Reincarnation: Release!
He had no choice. It was impossible to seal Madara now. The white glow of the release jutsu enveloped the four puppets.
"Madara Uchiha!" the Third Raikage roared as his soul began to ascend. "That bastard Orochimaru resurrected him too!"
"Lord Madara!" Tekka, however, was overjoyed.
But Madara's soul, instead of departing, shot back into his reanimated body. He flashed through a series of hand signs. Impure World Reincarnation: Release!
He had broken the contract. Tekka, seeing this, did the same. Their crumbling bodies reformed, now free from Orochimaru's control.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Orochimaru shrieked, his composure finally shattering.
Kabuto didn't hesitate. He turned and fled, knowing he had to get help.
"Some jutsu should not be trifled with," Madara said, his voice laced with menace.
As Tekka prepared to attack, Orochimaru was forced to use his Orochimaru-Style Body Replacement Technique, shedding his skin to escape the Amaterasu flames. He was then pinned to the ground by a volley of spears, only to have a giant snake emerge from his mouth, from which a new, slime-covered Orochimaru crawled out.
"He's completely turned himself into a monster," Tekka muttered in disgust.
With no other options, Orochimaru unleashed his ultimate technique: the Eight-Branched Giant Snake. A colossal, eight-headed hydra, a culmination of all his research, erupted from his body.
"Oh?" Madara said, finally showing a flicker of interest. "You still wish to dance?"
The hydra lunged at Tekka, who met it with his own perfect Susanoo. The two behemoths clashed, the snake heads wrapping around the Susanoo, their combined strength causing the chakra construct to groan and crack. Tekka was forced to use his Mangekyō again, piercing the hydra with spears of Amaterasu.
As the giant snake was consumed by black flames, one of its heads opened its mouth, and a small white snake slithered out, disappearing into the rubble. But in the next instant, a giant foot stomped down, crushing it to dust. It was Madara.
"Foolish. No movement escapes the Sharingan," Tekka said, dismissing his Susanoo and landing beside his master.
As Orochimaru's monstrous form was reduced to ash, a familiar, swirling figure emerged from the ground. It was Tobi, the Spiral Zetsu.
"Lord Madara! Tekka! Long time no see!" he chirped. Black Zetsu and another Zetsu followed. They quickly brought Madara up to speed on the current situation: Nagato's defeat, Genichi's new status as the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki, and his apparent plan to use the Akatsuki to unify the world under Konoha's rule.
"Interesting," Madara said with a smile. "So, even Hashirama's descendant has abandoned his path."
"Lord Madara, should we attack Konoha now?" Tekka asked eagerly. "With your Rinnegan, we can surely defeat the jinchuriki."
"Hold on, hold on!" Tobi interjected. "Another piece of bad news. During his fight with Nagato, Genichi figured out all the basic abilities of the Rinnegan. And we still don't know the true extent of his power. It would be best to recruit Nagato first."
Black Zetsu agreed. "Lord Madara, it is the safest course of action. In your current state, you cannot use your full power." He was worried Madara would get reckless and end up sealed again.
Madara considered this, then smiled. "Very well. Let's pay a visit to Nagato."
As they prepared to leave, Tobi asked, "What about the little one who ran away?"
"Let him go," Madara said. "Let him carry the news back to Konoha. Let them know that Madara Uchiha has returned."
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