Toneri unfolded the letter. After giving it a cursory "look," he raised his hand, summoning several puppets whose attire clearly set them apart from the ordinary ones.
The most striking detail was the emblem engraved upon their foreheads—headbands bearing the mark of the moon.
Their identity could not be clearer.
"You will descend to the surface. Assist our allies."
The moment Toneri's voice fell, the puppets vanished in a blur.
Toneri himself remained seated, motioning for another attendant puppet to refill his teacup. He took a delicate sip.
Elegance—this word permeated his every movement.
Not far from his chair stood a massive spherical container. Upon closer inspection, one could see that the container was filled—stuffed—with eyes. A rough glance would put the number at no less than a thousand pairs, if not more.
And these were no ordinary eyes. They were Byakugan—the kekkei genkai unique to the Hyūga clan.
Orochimaru's Northern Base.
"Karin, I'll leave today's experiment to you alone."
Under Orochimaru's guidance, Karin was conducting research. During her time with him, she had absorbed a great deal of knowledge.
By now, she had reached the point where she could independently carry out research and experiments.
Orochimaru might not have been a good man—but as a teacher, he was qualified. Especially with those who had talent, he not only granted special privileges and resources, but even personally taught them.
In other words, he had the capacity to nurture.
Most of his subordinates were fiercely loyal. Though their skills and talents varied, Orochimaru had raised them all from nothing. With his hand alone, Otogakure had grown to rival even some of the medium-sized villages. Proof enough of his capabilities.
Leadership, research, forbidden jutsu, secret arts, pedagogy—he excelled in all.
He was, in every sense, a compelling villain.
If not for his entanglement with Danzō, and the discovery of his human experimentation, Orochimaru would have been the most suitable candidate for Fifth Hokage after the Fourth's death.
Had the original story not inflated combat power to such extremes—making bloodlines all but absolute—it wouldn't have been unthinkable for Orochimaru to have appeared as the final boss.
Unfortunately, after the Konoha Crush arc, his role diminished. Apart from raising Sasuke and Kabuto, he had few notable accomplishments. By the later arcs, friend and foe alike trampled on him.
The grandeur of his early days had all but crumbled.
"Orochimaru-sama, here is the report. Please review it."
Karin handed him a thick sheaf of densely written data. Standing at his side, her face was outwardly calm, but her eyes betrayed nervous anticipation—just like a student awaiting her teacher's approval.
"Excellent… excellent. Very well done."
Orochimaru read carefully, even pointing out certain errors, word by word, before showering Karin with unreserved praise.
By now, Karin had nearly replaced Kabuto as Orochimaru's most valued right hand.
In the original timeline, after the Konoha Crush, Karin was picked up by Orochimaru. In just three years, she grew from a helpless little girl into the warden of his southern base prison. That alone testified to her abilities.
Though she lacked power in combat, she still managed to keep pace with Sasuke's "Taka" squad later on. Clearly, her talent was not shallow.
And here—having been raised from childhood under the tutelage of Fugaku and Mikoto, trained in taijutsu with Naruto, and now studying Orochimaru's research—her growth was even more astounding.
Perhaps, given enough time, she might even surpass Orochimaru himself.
Knock, knock, knock.
Just as Orochimaru was about to assign her further tasks, the base's alarms blared. Red warning lights flashed across the facility.
An intruder?!
Orochimaru frowned. Since the failure of the Konoha Crush, he had abandoned Otogakure in the Land of Rice Fields, moving restlessly between hidden bases scattered across the shinobi world.
Exactly how many secret bases did Orochimaru possess?
A fox is said to have three dens. Orochimaru had no less than a hundred.
Could it be Danzō? Or perhaps Jiraiya? Those were the only two names that came to mind.
Orochimaru had many enemies, but few grudges ran deep enough to drive someone to his doorstep. Those who did had already been disposed of. Aside from those two, he could think of no one.
Well—except for Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, whom Orochimaru had ambushed during the Konoha Crush, flaying the man's face from him. That poor fool's hatred was surely bottomless.
But Orochimaru doubted Rasa would ever track him here.
"O-Orochimaru-sama, terrible news!"
A base overseer stumbled in, gasping with panic. Upon seeing Orochimaru, he cried out like a drowning man spotting land:
"An intruder has breached the base!"
"No… no, they're not people. They don't bleed, they don't feel pain—they're puppet monsters!"
"Puppets?" Orochimaru's eyes narrowed.
There was only one true puppet master of renown that he knew.
Sasori of the Red Sand.
Akatsuki? They've come here?
But the rings had already been returned. What more could they want?
"You. Notify Kidōmaru immediately. Tell him to take the Sound Four."
Unlike the original timeline, Sasuke had not defected, so the Sound Four were still alive. In fact, they were stronger than before, having matured further.
In their Level Two Cursed Seal states, they could easily overwhelm even jōnin.
The Sound Four, combined with Orochimaru's veteran retainers and the base's myriad traps, should at least hold the intruders for a while.
And this was no ordinary base—it was his northern facility, dedicated to Cursed Seal research. Within it lurked countless failed experiments, grotesque monsters. If necessary, he could unleash them all.
As for himself, Orochimaru planned to observe from the shadows.
If it was only Sasori, then Orochimaru would finish him today.
But if more than one member of Akatsuki had come, he would simply abandon the base and flee.
"Orochimaru-sama, behind you!"
Karin's warning rang out. A sudden gust of wind whistled by.
The "overseer" who had delivered the news now held a short blade—appearing as if from nowhere—driving it toward Orochimaru with startling speed, far beyond what a mere subordinate should have been capable of.
In the dim light of the base, the glint of the blade gleamed with chilling menace.
But Orochimaru, a veteran of countless battles and three great ninja wars, reacted instantly. Thanks to Karin's cry, the blade only grazed his skin.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
At that very moment, Orochimaru unleashed his technique. Venomous serpents burst forth from his sleeves, fangs bared, striking the imposter.
Even from several meters away, the stench of their poison filled the room.
A faint tang of blood began to permeate the air.
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