Uzumaki Mito threw her arms around Orochimaru with a rare burst of emotion. Her usually composed expression softened as relief filled her heart.
"Orochimaru, thank you… If it weren't for you, the people of the Whirlpool Hidden Village might not have survived this disaster."
Orochimaru shook his head slightly, pressing a finger to his lips. "It's nothing, Grandma Mito. Just something I had to do. But… please remember the promise you made to me. Don't tell anyone about this, and don't interfere too much with the choices the people of the Whirlpool make."
Mito's gentle smile returned as she stroked his head affectionately. For a brief moment, she was reminded of her own youth. But as she looked down, she blinked in surprise.
"Wait a moment… Orochimaru, you've shrunk!"
She pinched her arm, then her cheek, thinking it was some kind of Transformation Technique—but no, her body had truly become smaller.
Orochimaru smiled faintly. "It might be because of Sage Mode. When I enter Sage Mode, I appear slightly more mature. After I release it, my body returns to my real age—around sixteen."
As he withdrew from Sage Mode, his appearance stabilized, though he was still noticeably different—slimmer, younger, his features sharpened by the lingering power of nature energy.
Mito composed herself. "Orochimaru, you already know about the existence of the Tailed Beasts. What do you plan to do with the Zero-Tail you sealed?"
Her tone carried both curiosity and concern. The memory of Orochimaru sealing the creature was still vivid—how he'd used the Two Extremes Sealing Technique, also known as Yin-Yang Sealing.
In the Whirlpool Clan, the Two Extremes Sealing required two sealers: one channeling Yang Release chakra to form the positive half of the formula, and the other using Yin Release chakra to form the negative. When both parts were fused, the seal's power would never decay over time, though its strength was slightly weaker than the more advanced Four Symbols Seal. Only a handful of shinobi in the entire village could perform it successfully.
Yet somehow, Orochimaru had mastered it alone. Even Mito had been impressed.
Before Orochimaru could answer, a small voice echoed through the hall.
"Grandma! I'm hungry!"
A two-year-old Nawaki came running in, his chubby legs wobbling like a little radish as he stumbled toward Orochimaru.
"Big Sis Orochimaru!" he called cheerfully before nearly tripping. Orochimaru caught him effortlessly, chuckling as he poked the boy's cheek.
"Nawaki, how many times have I told you? Don't run in the house."
"Haha!" Nawaki grinned, revealing baby teeth that made him look just like a miniature Tsunade. Orochimaru noticed the resemblance instantly—and something in his heart softened.
"Big Sis Orochimaru, what happened to you? You look different!"
"I just grew up a little," Orochimaru replied with a cryptic smile.
Nawaki tilted his head, confused by the grown-up words. Mito chuckled, her earlier tension easing.
"Don't worry, Grandma," Orochimaru said, turning serious again. "I'm not interested in the Zero-Tail's destructive power. What intrigues me is its vitality—its immense regenerative force. That man, Shinno, had a technique that could restore life itself."
He left the rest unsaid.
While the ANBU and Root operatives were still searching the wreckage of the Sky Fortress, Orochimaru quietly summoned a horde of snakes to scour the ruins for forbidden research notes. He wanted to understand how Shinno had created the Zero-Tail from a fragment of the Nine-Tails' flesh—and how he might use its energy to fill the missing life force of Uzumaki Nano, or perhaps to further his own experiments in biotechnology.
To him, the Zero-Tail was not a monster. It was a treasure.
---
In the Hokage's Office
The atmosphere was heavy. Hiruzen Sarutobi sat silently as Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu brought up the same topic yet again.
"The Zero-Tail sealed by Orochimaru—shouldn't we… make use of it?" Homura began cautiously.
"The destruction of the Whirlpool Hidden Village is a warning to us," he continued. "We can't afford to remain complacent. Peace is fragile. Konoha must grow stronger before it's too late."
Koharu nodded. "I agree. The Second Hokage once faced an alliance of enemy nations. We can't guarantee that something similar won't happen again. The other great villages may already be preparing for the next war."
Hiruzen exhaled slowly, rubbing his temples. "I understand your fears. But Orochimaru has already done Konoha a great service—destroying the Sky Fortress, eliminating the greatest threat, and sealing the Zero-Tail. Many lives were spared thanks to the Rebirth Pill he developed. Forcing him to hand over the Zero-Tail would be… foolish."
He looked out the window at the Hokage Monument. "Even as Hokage, I can't compel him to surrender it. All I can do is hope that Orochimaru understands Konoha's situation—and that he chooses to help willingly."
Koharu frowned. "You don't trust him?"
"It's not about trust," Hiruzen said softly. "It's about control."
Homura sighed. "Still, it's worth trying. If nothing else, perhaps he'll listen."
---
Orochimaru's Choice
Moments later, Orochimaru stepped out of the Hokage Building, his face expressionless but his mood dark. He could easily guess what the elders were plotting. They had witnessed Shinno's power firsthand—the overwhelming energy of the Zero-Tail—and now they coveted it.
But the Zero-Tail was his.
If they tried to take it by force, he was ready to disappear. The Flying Thunder God Technique was already prepared; one flicker and he could vanish from Konoha entirely. He had even considered leaving his forehead protector on the Hokage's desk as a final gesture.
If he left the village, who could dare call him a rogue ninja?
He would no longer be a ninja at all—merely a man pursuing knowledge beyond the limits of the shinobi world.
---
The Aftermath Across the Nations
Hidden Mist Village, Land of Water
In his dimly lit office, the Third Mizukage stared at the scrolls retrieved from the Whirlpool ruins. Not a single one contained a complete sealing technique—only scattered theories.
Without the full formulas, developing a seal capable of containing a Tailed Beast was impossible. Even so, he didn't consider the mission a total failure. What puzzled him was the massive loss of life.
Elite Mist ninja had been dispatched, including members of the Kaguya Clan and Hozuki Clan, both possessing powerful kekkei genkai. Yet all had perished.
Could it be sabotage from other villages? The Third Mizukage frowned. The Mist hadn't participated in the original alliance that attacked the Whirlpool, but the possibility of betrayal was high. The same doubts lingered in the Hidden Cloud and Hidden Stone—none of them had obtained anything worthwhile, and all had suffered heavy casualties.
Perhaps the real battle had been between the invaders themselves.
---
Hidden Sand Village, Land of Wind
In the Kazekage's office, the Third Kazekage scowled at the reports. None of his puppeteers or wind-style specialists had returned alive.
He slammed his hand on the desk. "I sent them for worthless scraps! Why did I ever join that foolish operation?"
The Sand Village was already small; every death weighed heavily. Worse, their current Jinchuriki was useless, sealed away due to instability.
The Kazekage clenched his fists in frustration. He suspected treachery. Perhaps the Stone or Cloud ninja had killed his men to eliminate competition and claim the spoils for themselves.
"Collaboration, they said," he muttered bitterly. "What they meant was slaughter."
His jaw tightened. "Next time, I'll trust no one."
---
In the Shadows of Konoha
Deep beneath the village, in the underground base of the Root organization, Danzo Shimura listened calmly as Homura and Koharu voiced their frustrations after Orochimaru's refusal.
"Danzo, we're doing this for Konoha!" Koharu snapped, slamming her palms on the table. "Didn't you feel the Zero-Tail's power during the battle with Shinno? With that strength, we could protect the village from any threat!"
Danzo's expression was cold. "The Zero-Tail is not the Nine-Tails, Koharu. Even if it was created from a fragment of that beast, its nature is unstable. Can you guarantee that its Jinchuriki wouldn't go berserk? Do you remember how many times other villages have suffered disasters because of rampaging Tailed Beasts?"
He looked between them. "If a Zero-Tail Jinchuriki loses control within Konoha, who will bear the responsibility?"
The two elders fell silent.
Danzo continued, his tone sharp as a blade. "The Second Hokage never viewed the Nine-Tails as a weapon. Mito sealed it not for power—but to prevent others from using it. Yet you want to create a Jinchuriki yourselves? That's not strength. That's fear. You're afraid of war before it's even begun."
Koharu's face turned crimson with anger. "You dare call me a coward, Danzo?!" She grabbed him by the collar.
"Koharu, enough!" Homura quickly pulled her back. "Danzo's right. We may have been too hasty."
He sighed. "Konoha isn't weak. We don't need a dangerous creature to prove our strength."
Koharu released Danzo, breathing hard. "You think it's that simple? The Whirlpool Village was destroyed, and we don't even know what secrets their enemies uncovered. If another war comes and we face multiple Jinchuriki on the battlefield, what then? Have you forgotten the Gold and Silver Brothers?"
The mention silenced the room. Those brothers—men who had once swallowed the flesh of the Nine-Tails and survived—had nearly plunged the world into chaos.
"If even a fragment of the Nine-Tails' power caused that much devastation," Koharu whispered, "how much worse will it be with the full power of other Tailed Beasts?"
Danzo crossed his arms. "Then we'll rely on our own strength. Konoha's new generation is already rising—Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Tsunade. They're proof that our village doesn't need to rely on monsters."
Homura nodded slowly. "Hiruzen must have known Orochimaru would refuse us. Maybe he wanted us to learn this lesson ourselves."
Koharu sighed, lowering her gaze. "If only Tsunade had inherited the First Hokage's Wood Release… perhaps we'd have nothing to fear."
The three elders sat in silence, the weight of what was to come pressing heavily over them.
---
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)