This resurrection was different. This time, Shirou had Tobirama's memories, including all the secrets of the Impure World Reincarnation jutsu. He'd sensed the moment Orochimaru began the ritual.
In the dim underground fortress, the shattered crystals on the floor gleamed faintly. Shirou looked at the mess, a look of weary resignation on his face, as if he'd completely accepted his fate of being eternally yanked back from the dead by some over-ambitious ninja.
"The second crystal coffin... destroyed after all," he sighed. "My fault, I suppose. I'm sorry for failing a friend's trust."
"Tsunade got this crystal coffin from Shikkotsu Forest," Orochimaru said, conveniently spinning a tale to soothe any potential anger. "She entrusted it to me before she left to travel the world. I'm afraid I had to betray her trust."
"Has Tsunade grown up, then?" Shirou mused, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "I never expected her to find Shikkotsu Forest."
"Tsunade is a very persistent person," Orochimaru smiled, a genuine fondness in his voice. "We're partners who would entrust our lives to each other. If she knew I'd destroyed the coffin... well, she might hunt me to the ends of the earth!"
He wasn't entirely lying. He still considered her a friend and would never want to harm her. Compared to that idiot Jiraiya, Tsunade was someone who truly valued friendship. If he were ever in real danger, he'd want Tsunade by his side, not Jiraiya.
Tsunade would never abandon a friend.
Of course, there was a small caveat. He was also keenly aware that if she ever found out he'd stolen the coffin she'd entrusted to him, shattered it, and used it to resurrect her childhood hero, she'd hunt him down with Jiraiya, and it wouldn't be a friendly visit.
"Let's... talk about that later," Orochimaru said, quickly steering the conversation away from his impending doom at Tsunade's hands. He became serious. "Right now, the ninja world is facing a crisis our era cannot solve. I had no choice but to place my last hope in you, Lord Emiya."
"What crisis?" Shirou frowned.
"One sufficient to destroy the ninja world," Orochimaru said, his face a mask of grave concern. He knew the key to using Shirou was to appeal to his legendary kindness.
It wasn't hard to find information on him; Hiruzen, Danzo, Tsunade, even Hanzo of the Salamander—they all painted the same picture of a man with a massive heart. For an existence like Shirou, Orochimaru had an extraordinary amount of respect... and patience.
"Although it may not matter to you, I feel I must explain why I had to disturb your soul's peace." A faint smile played on Orochimaru's lips, his snake-like eyes trying their best to look sincere. "This world is on the verge of destruction. It has been fifty-five years since Konoha was founded, and forty years since the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, passed away... and since you last left this world. The Second and Third Great Ninja Wars have come and gone."
He paused, satisfied to see Shirou listening intently. "The aftermath of the Third War only subsided a few years ago. There are still quite a few of your acquaintances left. My teacher, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, for example. And his assistant, Shimura Danzo."
"Forty years," a nostalgic look crossed Shirou's face, as if reminiscing about the two brats who'd tricked him out of the cursed seal's power. "Hiruzen and the others must be old men by now."
"Yes. Teacher Sarutobi had already retired," Orochimaru chuckled, a hint of mockery in his voice that he quickly concealed. "He appointed a man named Minato Namikaze as the Fourth Hokage. But about eight years ago, the Nine-Tails rampaged through Konoha. The Fourth died protecting the village, and Teacher Sarutobi had to take up the post again."
The old grudge about the Hokage position still stung him.
"The Nine-Tails rampaged?" Shirou's eyes flickered. He steered the conversation towards his true target. "Who is the jinchuriki now? I remember the Nine-Tails was quite docile when it was sealed inside Mito."
"A little brat named Naruto Uzumaki, I believe," Orochimaru said, his tongue habitually darting out. He'd only heard the rumors from the fearful villagers, but anyone high up in Konoha knew the truth.
"It seems a lot has really happened," Shirou let out a long sigh. But inside, a tension he'd held for a thousand years finally began to release.
Naruto Uzumaki exists. That means information about Sasuke Uchiha can't be far behind.
He felt more relaxed than he had at the moment of his own resurrection. He had finally reached the true era, the one he'd been aiming for all this time, the era that could finally set him free.
Kabuto, standing by, pushed up his glasses. He coughed pointedly. "Lord Orochimaru, we don't have much time."
They were not safe here.
"That guy!" Orochimaru's face turned ugly at the thought of his Akatsuki partner. "My apologies, Lord Emiya. The ninja world needs your power. During the Third War, an organization called the Akatsuki appeared. They've been recruiting S-rank rogue ninjas and causing trouble. Konoha suspects they're brewing some unknown conspiracy."
He paused dramatically. "I was ordered to defect from Konoha and become a rogue ninja to secretly infiltrate them."
It was a bold-faced lie, aimed at what he perceived to be an honest, noble soul. He was banking on Shirou's old loyalty to Konoha. Of course, he had a backup plan. Even if the lie was exposed, he had an ally in the village who could vouch for him: Shimura Danzo.
Shirou's expression was... subtle.
He glanced at Kabuto, who was studiously looking at the floor. He glanced at the red-clouded cloak Orochimaru was wearing. His expression became even more subtle.
When Orochimaru was truly lying, he became incredibly sincere. Ignoring the sinister smile that kept twitching at the corner of his mouth, his story was almost believable.
"I've gathered some information," Orochimaru continued, getting to the point. "Their leader is named Pain. He possesses a pair of Rinnegan and wants to use its power to rule the world. The only information I have ever found about the Rinnegan was on the crystal coffin you left behind. Only you know its secrets."
"Can you provide any information, so we can foil his conspiracy?"
Shirou fell into a thoughtful silence. Just as Orochimaru was starting to get tense, Shirou's Rinnegan flashed, and he spoke softly. "The power of the Rinnegan is not something ordinary people can imagine. Even if I gave you information, you wouldn't be able to defeat him. No conventional means will work against it."
"Then what should we do?" Orochimaru asked, his face a perfect mask of anxious regret.
"I am only a reanimated body. If the other party is a true Rinnegan user who wants to rule the world, I cannot help you fight him. That is the power of a god." Shirou's brow remained furrowed.
"Unless your First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, were alive. Only his Wood Style has any hope of countering the Rinnegan."
A thought sparked in Orochimaru's mind. He saw a new use for Shirou. "We have tried. But no one in Konoha has been able to awaken the Wood Style. To resolve the threat, someone proposed violating taboos and using the First Hokage's cells for human experiments. Konoha sacrificed too many people, and my teacher had to terminate the project."
He leaned in, his voice dropping. "With your research in human medicine, Lord Emiya... could you recreate the First's Wood Style?" A fervent heat appeared in his eyes. "If you can, I will immediately apply to the village."
"I can't guarantee it," Shirou frowned, not giving a definite answer. "I studied his cells when I was treating him. That kind of highly devouring cell is not something ordinary people can withstand. Rashly conducting human experiments is too reckless."
"There's no other way," Orochimaru lamented. "Lord First Hokage's..."
"Lord Orochimaru," Kabuto interjected, seeing them about to dive down a rabbit hole of scientific ethics. "Time. Being away too long will arouse Lord Sasori's suspicion."
"I will apply to the village first," Orochimaru said, terminating the exchange. "If it's you, Lord Emiya, you might be able to obtain the power to fight the Rinnegan user. This is a secret fortress. Please stay here for a while, to avoid being detected by the Akatsuki."
"Alright," Shirou agreed. He needed those Hashirama cells to restore his strength, to prepare for his true resurrection. The pieces were in place. He just needed to bide his time.
Orochimaru was a good candidate to help him. And Danzo, far away in Konoha, was another. If Danzo had cultivated his cursed seal properly, his body would be vital enough to serve as a vessel. But first, he needed someone to gather intelligence.
Outside, Orochimaru ordered Kabuto to keep Shirou busy. "Get the Hashirama cells from the other base. As long as he's immersed in research, it should tie him down. Unless it's absolutely necessary, I don't want to use the jutsu to control him. Besides," he added with a grimace, "I'm not even sure I could control him."
He straightened his cloak. "I'll go deal with Sasori." A cold, evil smile appeared on his face. "Hmph, sooner or later, I'll find a chance to kill him."
Kabuto quietly re-entered the bunker, planning to help Shirou set up a lab. He, too, had grown up admiring the stories of the legendary medical ninja.
What he didn't expect was that the other had also heard his story...
"Lord Emiya," Kabuto began, pushing up his glasses. "My name is Kabuto Yakushi, a medical ninja."
"Yakushi... hmm?" Shirou paused. "Nonō Yakushi. Have you heard that name?"
"Yes," Kabuto replied, his hand stiffening on his glasses. "She was my director at the orphanage." From a time perspective, it made no sense. Shirou had been gone for forty years. Nonō hadn't even been born then. Unless... they had met in the underworld.
"Oh, it seems it must be you," Shirou said nonchalantly, still examining the new equipment. "When Nonō Yakushi died, her soul was trapped in the space between life and death. She couldn't find release. She was always concerned about her orphanage, and a child named Kabuto Yakushi."