Black Zetsu was showing its true colors again.
No matter what it said, the conversation always came back to the Tailed Beasts. Without them, the Ten-Tails could not be revived, and Kaguya Otsutsuki could not be fully resurrected.
Perhaps to lower Naruto's guard, Black Zetsu only requested the imprisonment or killing of the other eight Tailed Beasts. At first glance, this guy really seemed like someone working hard for peace in the ninja world.
"Fine."
Naruto Uzumaki's face twitched. He forced himself to look calm and nodded. "When it's time to collect the Tailed Beasts, I can help."
"That would be for the best."
A smile suddenly filled Zetsu's face. With the power of the Fifth Hokage, plus the Nine-Tails inside him, no single Tailed Beast could defeat Naruto. Of course, Black Zetsu would have to think carefully about how to deal with this Nine-Tails jinchuriki after collecting the other eight. For now, it was a fool's dream for Nagato and Obito to think they could defeat Naruto.
Zetsu's body descended, extending a hand toward Naruto. "Then, I wish for the early, peaceful unification of the ninja world..."
"..."
Naruto Uzumaki raised an eyebrow. Has this guy gotten addicted to acting?
However, he also extended his own hand in a "friendly" gesture and soon felt something extra attach to his body.
It was White Zetsu's Spore Technique.
Naruto's chakra instantly erupted. The spores on his body quickly absorbed the chakra and expanded. Four White Zetsus emerged from him.
Crack!
Before the four White Zetsus could say a word, and before Black Zetsu could even cry out for him to stop, a giant chakra hand snapped their necks.
"Those are... for communication," Black Zetsu said, its voice strained.
"That won't be necessary," Naruto replied coldly, shaking his head. "If they can be used for communication, they can also be used to steal Konoha's intelligence."
"..."
After a moment of silence, a smile reappeared on Black Zetsu's half-face. "In the future, when we have cooperated for a longer time, Lord Hokage will naturally trust us."
"Yeah, maybe," Naruto's reply was a bit dismissive.
Now that their cooperation was temporarily agreed upon, Black Zetsu didn't linger. It slowly sank into the ground, leaving Naruto standing alone. If one wanted to unify the ninja world, war was unavoidable.
However, a Hokage who was righteous, resisted aggression, and fought against evil organizations was much more easily accepted by the people than a warmonger.
-----
A short while later, Might Guy, Neji, and the others returned with Rock Lee. It was clear that the appearance of the mysterious masked man had been a diversion to lure them away.
Naruto didn't ask what had happened. Instead, he said in a low voice, "Rest for a bit. We're going directly to the Land of Rice Fields' daimyo's mansion."
The reason for visiting the daimyo was twofold: to solve the Orochimaru problem and to have the daimyo officially abolish the Sound Village. In its place, Konoha would provide protection to the Land of Rice Fields and accept mission requests from them.
On the outskirts of the Land of Rice Fields, the battle between Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki against Orochimaru had already ended.
Faced with the combination of Susanoo and the Totsuka Blade, Orochimaru was almost completely helpless. In the end, both he and Kabuto Yakushi were captured.
A crow stood on Itachi's shoulder, preening its feathers. As it did, it revealed a scarlet eye: a Kotoamatsukami Mangekyo Sharingan. Sealed within it was the ultimate genjutsu, programmed with the command to protect Konoha.
After the crow cast the jutsu on Orochimaru, Itachi released him, letting him go do what he was now supposed to do. However, Itachi didn't notice the playful smile that appeared on the corner of Orochimaru's mouth as he left.
"Mr. Itachi, why were you unwilling to kill Orochimaru?" Kisame Hoshigaki asked softly, holding Samehada and watching Orochimaru's retreating back. "That guy is a very dangerous person."
"It's fine." Itachi patted the crow's head. After dismissing the summoning jutsu, he shook his head and continued, "From now on, Orochimaru will no longer be a threat."
That guy should be on his way to Konoha to turn himself in, right?
Although no one had ever been placed under Kotoamatsukami before, Itachi believed in its power. It was the most perfect, ultimate genjutsu; no one should be able to break it. He just subconsciously forgot the words he once told Sasuke: there is no perfect jutsu in this world, and the Mangekyo Sharingan's dōjutsu is no exception.
Kabuto Yakushi followed closely behind Orochimaru. After they had walked some distance, he finally couldn't help but ask, "Lord Orochimaru, what happened just now?"
"I was hit by Shisui's Kotoamatsukami. The will to 'protect Konoha' was forcibly added to my brain," Orochimaru explained without hiding anything, a smile on his lips that he couldn't conceal. "I didn't expect Shisui's Kotoamatsukami Mangekyo Sharingan to be in Itachi's hands!"
"Then..." Kabuto's face immediately showed hesitation. If Orochimaru was now going to protect Konoha, what should he do? Since Danzo was dead, should he go back and inherit the director's orphanage? That seemed like a good choice.
"Don't worry." Orochimaru's voice broke Kabuto from his thoughts. He said in a low voice, "If it were one of those blockheads, their will might have been changed by Kotoamatsukami... But who knows what the true way to protect Konoha is?"
"...So..." Kabuto swallowed hard.
"If it were an ordinary genjutsu, I might have difficulty resisting it," Orochimaru chuckled and shook his head. "However, a genjutsu that exists in a paradox is very easy to break. For example, if Itachi Uchiha used Kotoamatsukami to command me to 'protect him forever,' what should I do?"
"...Stay by his side and protect him?"
"No. I would forbid him from eating and forbid him from breathing," Orochimaru said, slowly opening his palm with a confident smile. "Because food contains substances that can harm the body, and the air we breathe also has substances that can harm the human body. As long as your knowledge base is rich enough, you can find the answer to break it. It's a paradox!"
Orochimaru was a scholar. A pure scholar, and he was good at thinking.
"Protect Konoha" was a paradox in itself. Should one protect Konoha from the shadows? Or should one make Konoha an ordinary, reclusive village, far from the wars of ninjas? If it were Might Guy, he would probably stay in Konoha every day, never leave, and risk his life to kill all enemies.
Unfortunately for Itachi, Orochimaru had learned too much. After being cast with Kotoamatsukami, he began to analyze the problem of how to protect Konoha and found it to be a rather broad question.
Should he protect Konoha Village, or the villagers of Konoha, or the ninjas carrying out missions outside? If a village ninja destroyed Konoha's training grounds, would they then be defined as an enemy who destroyed Konoha?
Ultimately, the command contained a paradox. Even the will imposed by Kotoamatsukami could not find an answer and could only dissipate into nothingness.
"As expected of you, Lord Orochimaru," Kabuto said, full of awe. Even the so-called strongest genjutsu could not defeat a scientist who was skilled at thinking. It proved that science was the true path.
Itachi Uchiha definitely didn't expect that his Kotoamatsukami would be broken by Orochimaru in an instant, but he had no way of finding out. His time was very tight. Believing he had dealt with Orochimaru, he had to rush to the next stage: a performance to make Sasuke awaken his Mangekyo Sharingan.
-----
Bonus:
Orochimaru: Science is the true path!
Itachi: Go protect Konoha!
Orochimaru: I said, science is the true path to protecting Konoha!
Itachi: Protect Naruto!
Orochimaru: I said, science is the way to protect Naruto!
Itachi: Obey my command!
Orochimaru: ...This one, I can't think of a way to break.