Orochimaru's Gift
More than ten kilometers from the arena, Orochimaru finally came to a halt. He had fled Konoha, leaving chaos in his wake.
With a flick of his fingers, the reanimated First and Second Hokage returned to their coffins, their souls momentarily freed from his control. Standing atop a towering tree, Orochimaru gazed at the burning village in the distance, a contemplative expression on his face.
This invasion had served multiple purposes, and he had nearly accomplished all of them.
One goal was to implant the Cursed Seal of Heaven on Uchiha Sasuke, ensuring his slow descent into darkness. Another was to briefly visit Anko Mitarashi, the failed experiment who had borne his mark for years. And, most importantly, it was to execute the "Konoha Crush" plan—an orchestrated attack designed to shake the foundations of the village and bring an end to Hiruzen Sarutobi's reign.
Despite being labeled a traitor, Orochimaru harbored no personal hatred for Konoha. If anything, he wanted it to thrive—if only to produce better test subjects for his experiments. However, with Jiraiya now Hokage, things had taken an interesting turn.
Jiraiya was an idealist, a fool driven by emotion rather than logic. If he wanted to secure his position, he would need to eliminate all potential threats to his rule—an endeavor that might force him to embrace some of Orochimaru's philosophies.
A smirk played on Orochimaru's lips as he suddenly narrowed his eyes. A shadow was approaching from the horizon at incredible speed. He remained still, waiting.
Seconds later, Jiraiya landed in front of him, clad in the Hokage battle robe. In his grasp was the lifeless, reanimated body of the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa.
"The Fourth Kazekage… So you killed him," Jiraiya stated, dropping the sealed corpse onto the forest floor.
Rasa had not been an exceptionally powerful Kage—certainly no match for Jiraiya in a direct confrontation—but in his undead form, sustained by Edo Tensei, he had been nearly invincible. Even with the combined strength of Gamabunta, Gamahiro, and Gamaken, Jiraiya had struggled to subdue him. In the end, it had taken Fukasaku and Shima, as well as the full power of Sage Mode, to bring him down.
Jiraiya sighed, shaking his head. "We could have used him alive. I wanted to force Sunagakure into becoming Konoha's most important ally—not to break them apart and weaken them. Now Konoha will have to deal with both Iwagakure and Kumogakure alone."
Orochimaru chuckled. "And yet, if Sunagakure is reduced to nothing more than a vassal state of Konoha, the long-term benefits will be immeasurable." His golden eyes gleamed with amusement. "Isn't that what your dear Danzo would have wanted?"
Jiraiya scowled at the mention of Danzo, but he couldn't deny that the thought had crossed his mind. The invasion had, in a twisted way, solidified his position as Hokage. He needed a decisive victory to unify the village under his leadership.
Still, he couldn't understand why Orochimaru would help him. "What's your angle, Orochimaru?" Jiraiya asked suspiciously.
Orochimaru smirked. "Jiraiya, you've changed since becoming Hokage. You're starting to sound more like the Third Hokage in his old age."
Jiraiya's brow furrowed. "That's not a compliment."
Sarutobi Hiruzen had led Konoha to its peak, but in his later years, his indecision and sentimentality had nearly doomed it.
"If I were like the old man, then that would make you Danzo," Jiraiya retorted.
Orochimaru chuckled but didn't refute the comparison. Instead, he tilted his head. "Regardless, I didn't come here to argue with you. In fact, I brought you a gift."
Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "A gift?"
"Something to assist you in your new role as Hokage. A little present that should help keep you from growing complacent…" Orochimaru's smirk widened.
Jiraiya didn't like the sound of that. "What did you do this time, Orochimaru? If you harmed anyone in the village—"
"You'll find out soon enough," Orochimaru interrupted. "But tell me, Jiraiya… do you really have time to fight me right now? My Edo Tensei has more than just the Fourth Kazekage, and Konoha is still under attack. Are you willing to risk more lives just to satisfy your curiosity?"
Jiraiya clenched his fists. He could sense multiple powerful chakras in the vicinity. If he engaged Orochimaru here and now, he might win—but at what cost? Konoha was still recovering from the invasion, and he couldn't afford to take unnecessary risks.
With a glare, he finally said, "Orochimaru, if you ever threaten Konoha again, I will kill you."
Without another word, Jiraiya turned and vanished in a flicker of motion, rushing back toward the village.
As he disappeared into the distance, Orochimaru watched with a nostalgic glint in his eyes. "More and more like Sarutobi-sensei," he mused. "I just hope you enjoy my little gift… and that it keeps you very awake."
His tone darkened. "After all, a Hokage who grows complacent is only a step away from death."
From the nearby shadows, Kabuto Yakushi emerged. He had barely escaped from his earlier battle with Kakashi and the others, but he had arrived just in time to witness Orochimaru's exchange with Jiraiya.
"Master Orochimaru, I didn't expect you to cooperate with the Hokage," Kabuto noted. "Perhaps the Third Hokage's death was more justified than we thought."
Orochimaru glanced at his right-hand man and chuckled. "Cooperation? Hardly. I simply gave Jiraiya something to think about."
Kabuto adjusted his glasses. "What's our next move?"
Orochimaru gazed toward the horizon. "Danzo left behind quite a few valuable resources in Konoha. I plan to collect them before they fall into unworthy hands. But I have another task for you, Kabuto."
Kabuto straightened. "I am at your service, Lord Orochimaru."
"Find Sasori of the Red Sand," Orochimaru instructed. "Infiltrate the Akatsuki and gather intelligence on them for me."
Kabuto hesitated. The Akatsuki was no ordinary mercenary group. It was an organization composed of S-rank rogue ninja, and Orochimaru himself had once been a member. To join them meant stepping into a den of monsters.
Still, Kabuto was unfazed. "Understood."
---
Back in Konoha
After minutes of sprinting, Jiraiya finally arrived at the devastated remains of the village. He was met with the sight of Tsunade directing the wounded, her face pale and weary.
Nearby, Naruto and Shisui sat on a pile of rubble, observing the scene in silence.
Jiraiya approached, his voice tense. "Tsunade… I just saw Orochimaru. What happened here? Did Sensei stop him?"
Tsunade turned to him, her expression unreadable. "The Third Hokage is dead," she said flatly. "Orochimaru summoned the First and Second Hokage with Edo Tensei… and together, they killed Sarutobi-sensei."
Jiraiya felt his stomach drop.
It hit him then—Orochimaru's "gift" wasn't some tangible object.
It was Sarutobi's death.
The old man's corpse was Orochimaru's present to him—a twisted, final lesson for the new Hokage.
Jiraiya's hands trembled in anger as he recalled Orochimaru's smirking face.
That bastard…
He should have killed him when he had the chance.
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