Leaving the cold underground hideout filled with the mixed smell of blood and formaldehyde, they returned to the surface. The scorching afternoon sunlight pierced through the overlapping tree branches, casting patches of light and shadow across the forest clearing.
The sudden warmth and brightness instead made Uchiha Shisui feel slightly dizzy, as if he had fallen from one nightmare into another world where reality and illusion intertwined.
Without slowing his pace, Chiya slightly turned his head, the corner of his eye accurately sweeping over the young man beside him.
Shisui's breathing was slightly uneven, and under the sunlight, his face looked unusually pale from overexertion.
Even so, his back remained perfectly straight. His Sharingan had already been deactivated, but a trace of exhaustion still lingered in his deep black eyes.
"How are your eyes?"
Chiya's calm, low voice broke the silence of the forest and reached Shisui's ears.
There was no unnecessary small talk. He went straight to the point.
Forcing Kotoamatsukami upon the terrifyingly powerful Orochimaru had undoubtedly consumed an enormous amount of ocular power.
After all, Orochimaru had not yet gone through reincarnation.
Shisui took a deep breath, quickly suppressing his discomfort before forcing out a reassuring smile.
"Thank you for your concern, Sensei. I've simply exhausted too much ocular power, so I'm feeling rather weak."
He paused, his tone becoming solemn, carrying a trace of disbelief.
"The consumption of Kotoamatsukami... far exceeded my expectations."
"It feels as though its core ocular power has been completely drained and fallen into a dormant state."
"I'm afraid... I won't be able to use it again for several years."
Hearing this, Chiya's expression remained unchanged as he gave an almost imperceptible nod.
The result was both unexpected and completely reasonable.
A forbidden power capable of permanently rewriting a person's thoughts while completely ignoring their own will was already touching the very rules of the world itself. If such a power did not carry severe restrictions and an enormous price, that would have been far more unsettling.
A cooldown of several years was like a sturdy gate, barely balancing this horrifying ability that could overturn everything.
His gaze casually swept behind him.
Orochimaru quietly followed a few steps behind them. His expression was peaceful, even carrying an odd tranquility, as though he had finally found a new purpose in life.
The madness, greed, obsession, and cynical amusement that had once filled his signature snake eyes had completely vanished.
In their place remained only calm focus and a faint...
Sense of belonging?
Such a complete yet perfectly natural transformation was as though an extremely sophisticated program had been overwritten and rewritten. Even Chiya, whose will had long been tempered into something as solid as stone, could not help but feel an almost imperceptible yet bone chilling sense of cold.
'What if...'
'The target of this technique had been me?'
The thought struck like a venomous snake lurking in the darkness, causing Chiya's heart to tighten as a cold shiver silently crept up his spine.
However, it lasted for only an instant.
His extraordinary spiritual strength and absolute confidence in his own power immediately crushed that ripple of doubt.
The foundation of every Mangekyō ability was ocular power. At its core, it was still merely a higher application of ocular power.
Shisui's ocular power stood among the finest of the Uchiha Clan, but compared to his own Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, which had fused with Indra's chakra, there was still a fundamental difference.
Furthermore, the Tsukuyomi and other Mangekyō abilities he had obtained afterward had continued strengthening his own ocular power.
No matter how powerful Kotoamatsukami was, it was still ultimately just a technique.
And every technique had a way to be broken.
It could be resisted through overwhelming ocular power, blocked by an unshakable spirit and will, or perhaps even... reflected back at the caster.
Chiya's mind worked like a precision instrument, calmly analyzing every possibility.
Most likely, the success rate and effectiveness of this Genjutsu that directly rewrote a person's will were closely tied to the difference in ocular power between the user and the target.
Against someone far weaker, it was practically impossible to counter.
But against someone of equal or greater strength, its effectiveness would inevitably drop drastically and might even backfire upon its caster.
Once he understood the key point, Chiya's mind became completely calm once again, and the lingering chill disappeared without a trace.
At the pinnacle of power, there had never been an absolutely invincible technique.
Only absolute mastery over one's own strength and constant self improvement remained the eternal truth.
The three of them continued moving in silence at incredible speed as the scenery of the forest rapidly passed behind them.
Before long, Konoha's towering gates and familiar watchtowers gradually came into view.
However, just as they stepped out of the forest and onto the road leading to the village entrance, something unexpected happened.
"It's the Clan Head and Shisui!"
A patrol squad from the Uchiha Police Force spotted them first.
They had just been about to greet them as usual when their eyes suddenly froze upon the figure walking behind the two.
Pale skin.
Long black hair.
Golden snake eyes.
The unmistakable features were enough to make anyone stop breathing.
"Orochimaru?!"
"S Rank rogue ninja Orochimaru!!"
"Alert! Highest alert!"
"..."
Shouts of alarm and stern warnings erupted almost simultaneously.
The well trained Uchiha members reacted like lightning, instantly entering combat formation.
Their crimson Sharingan opened together, tomoe spinning rapidly.
Kunai and shuriken were drawn in an instant, reflecting cold light beneath the sun.
In the blink of an eye, they had formed a perfect defensive formation.
They boldly placed themselves between Chiya and Shisui while locking every weapon and every Sharingan upon the expressionless Orochimaru.
The chakra in the air instantly tightened to its limit, and killing intent spread like something tangible.
The sudden commotion and overwhelming tension were like cold water poured into boiling oil, instantly exploding throughout the village entrance.
Nearby villagers, merchants, and passersby all turned toward the disturbance.
"What's going on? Why did the Police Force suddenly..."
"That man... That appearance! It's that damned rogue ninja Orochimaru!"
"Why is he here?! Why is he with the Uchiha Clan Head?!"
"Lord Chiya must have captured him! Lord Chiya personally brought him back!"
"My goodness! He even managed to capture a legendary rogue ninja like that?!"
"As expected of Lord Chiya! He ended the war and eliminated another massive threat to the village!"
"He's incredible! With Lord Chiya here, what do we have to fear?"
"..."
Shock, fear, and disbelief were quickly swallowed by overwhelming admiration that erupted like a volcanic explosion.
People flooded toward the area from every direction, though none dared approach too closely.
They simply watched from afar with awe and excitement written across their faces.
Without anyone explaining, they naturally assumed this was another tale of a hero capturing a villain. Cheers and praise swept across the area like a tidal wave.
"Lord Chiya!"
"Konoha's hero!"
"The Uchiha Clan truly is Konoha's cornerstone!"
"With Lord Chiya here, Konoha will enjoy eternal peace!"
"..."
The cheers grew louder and louder, forming an overwhelming wave of almost blind faith that washed away the tense atmosphere.
This grand and unexpected welcoming ceremony was even more enthusiastic than the celebration following the end of the war.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Even sharper sounds of rushing wind rang out one after another.
Several figures rapidly arrived from different directions within the village.
Elite ANBU wearing various animal masks, members of the Hokage's personal guard dressed in formal armor, and even two Jonin currently assigned to duty all reached the scene.
Clearly, the enormous chakra disturbance and chaos at the village entrance had triggered Konoha's highest level alarm system.
The moment they landed and saw Orochimaru standing at the center of the encirclement, surrounded by vigilant Uchiha elites, every one of them inhaled sharply and instinctively assumed combat stances.
An ANBU squad captain stepped forward, his gaze repeatedly shifting between Chiya and Orochimaru. His voice sounded dry from overwhelming shock.
"Lord Chiya! This... This is... Orochimaru...?"
At that moment, with everyone's attention focused upon him and the atmosphere so tense it seemed ready to explode, Chiya nodded.
Inside his mind, the cold and precise mechanical notification suddenly sounded as though it had been waiting for this exact moment.
[ Ding! ]
[ System Notification: Mission, Make Orochimaru Willingly Return to Konoha, Completed. ]
[ Reward Distribution: Random Mangekyō Sharingan Ability Drawing... ]
[ Congratulations, Host. You have obtained the Mangekyō Sharingan ability, Kotoamatsukami! (Note: This ability has an extremely long cooldown after use. Please use it with caution.) ]
Boom!
It was as though thunder exploded deep within his mind.
Even Chiya nearly lost control of his expression.
The ultimate Genjutsu he had just been analyzing and even wary of...
In the blink of an eye, every mystery, every aspect of its power, and even its severe cooldown restriction had become engraved into his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan as though they had always belonged to him.
A surge of ocular power flowed into his consciousness.
It contained everything about Kotoamatsukami.
At the same time, the way he viewed Orochimaru completely changed.
He could now clearly sense the mark of absolute loyalty to Konoha and loyalty to Chiya that Kotoamatsukami had planted deep within Orochimaru's spiritual core.
He could even faintly detect the unique ocular power left behind by Shisui.
And now...
He himself possessed his own Kotoamatsukami.
A key that belonged to him alone.
A key completely under his control.
Suppressing the storm raging within his heart, Chiya stepped forward to face the ANBU captain, the elite shinobi, and the countless gazes filled with shock, fear, confusion, and admiration.
Just one step was enough to draw everyone's complete attention.
His calm gaze swept across the vigilant ANBU and Hokage's guards before moving across the nervous Uchiha members.
Finally, his eyes settled upon the ANBU captain.
His voice was not loud, yet it carried immense authority, reaching every person present while suppressing even the distant noise.
"Put away your weapons."
Just a few simple words.
Yet they carried unquestionable authority.
The ANBU captain and the guard captain froze, instinctively looking between Orochimaru and Chiya, their faces filled with hesitation and confusion.
Without giving them time to think, Chiya calmly continued, his voice spreading throughout the completely silent village entrance.
"Orochimaru has deeply reflected upon his past crimes and has willingly returned to Konoha to accept judgment. He has also chosen to dedicate all of his knowledge and strength to the future development of the village."
He paused before sweeping his gaze across everyone present, announcing his final decision.
"From today onward, Orochimaru will conduct limited research under the village's direct supervision within a designated restricted area, and atone for his sins against Konoha."
The moment those words fell, complete silence descended.
It felt as though everyone had been struck in the head by an invisible hammer, their minds going completely blank.
Willingly returned to accept punishment?
Dedicate everything to the village's future?
Atone for Konoha?
Every phrase exploded like a bomb inside their minds.
It was completely beyond their understanding.
There was a world of difference between capturing a rogue ninja and having that rogue ninja sincerely repent and voluntarily return.
More importantly...
The one supervising him was none other than the hero who had just saved Konoha.
Uchiha Chiya.
After a brief silence, an even greater wave of whispers and disbelieving looks spread through the crowd.
Yet strangely enough, because of their almost godlike trust and reverence toward Chiya, the doubts and unrest that were about to erupt were forcibly suppressed.
The expressions in everyone's eyes gradually changed from overwhelming shock into something much deeper.
Confusion mixed with absolute trust.
"Since this is Lord Chiya's decision, then he must have his reasons!"
"Everything Lord Chiya does is for Konoha!"
No one knew who shouted those words first, but soon they were echoed by waves of agreement.
The muscles on the ANBU captain's face twitched several times.
He opened his mouth as though wanting to object.
But when he met Chiya's calm yet unfathomably deep eyes, every word was swallowed back down.
He looked deeply at the obedient and peaceful Orochimaru, who showed no reaction whatsoever toward the hostility surrounding him.
Finally, he lowered his head and answered firmly.
"Yes, Lord Chiya! Understood!"
"We will immediately report everything to the Third Hokage in full detail!"
Chiya gave a slight nod.
Without another word, he signaled Shisui and Orochimaru behind him.
Surrounded by respectful yet conflicted members of the Uchiha guard, he ignored the sea of admiration and curiosity around him and calmly walked toward the Uchiha Clan district.
Wherever he passed, the crowd automatically parted like the sea before Moses, leaving behind a wide path.
All the discussions and cheers turned into suppressed but excited gazes.
Soft whispers of "Lord Chiya..." spread through the crowd behind him like rolling waves.
This return had not only brought back a dangerous genius.
In an unprecedented way, it had once again declared to all of Konoha his absolute authority and unshakable influence.
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