Rumors of Hiruzen Sarutobi's death and Konoha's destruction had reached him a few days ago, but he'd dismissed them as just another tall tale. Only after verifying the information through several channels did Orochimaru reluctantly admit: his former home was indeed in ruins. They said the village had nearly been wiped off the face of the earth.
The news was alarming, but he'd been preoccupied with his own research for the past few days, and now, when he had time to investigate, Nagato had dragged him here to listen to this apocalyptic nonsense. What a shame. His precious time was being wasted on pompous speeches about the end of the world.
"I'm not joking," Nagato's voice was even, but there was an unfamiliar, almost alarming note in it. He nodded to Black Zetsu, who stood next to him.
Black Zetsu stepped forward silently, like a shadow detaching from the wall. A map with a pattern reminiscent of tree rings appeared in his hands.
"I assume everyone has heard of the recent events in Konoha?" Black Zetsu asked, pinning a map to the board.
Silent nods responded. It was impossible to conceal a catastrophe of such magnitude.
"Then let's get to the point. You also know the name of the culprit—the monster that destroyed the village. Look here..."
Black Zetsu began to explain. At first, Orochimaru listened with half an ear, watching the others' reactions with languid interest. He even interjected, mentioning the name of Uchiha Yue—the culprit everyone already knew about. But the longer Zetsu spoke, the less detachment remained in his voice. The faces of those present hardened.
Orochimaru, casting aside his pretense of indifference, approached the board. His snake-like eyes pierced the map.
"Is this map genuine?" he demanded.
Having received an affirmative answer, Orochimaru's expression darkened. Then Nagato intervened. His tale of Yue's power was the final nail in the coffin of their peace. When everyone heard that Uchiha Yue, possessing only a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan, had fought on equal terms with the wielder of the divine Rinnegan and even managed to defeat him, a deathly silence fell over the hall.
Nagato, of course, kept silent about the humiliating truth: he had been defeated with a single blow. That would have been too damaging to his authority as a leader.
"Every ability must have a limit!" Orochimaru's voice became harsh, almost breaking. "In this world, there is no such thing as unlimited power! If such a thing were possible, we would be talking about a god, not a man. Sooner or later, his energy absorption will cease."
His words sounded like a desperate attempt to cling to common sense. But this world had long ago proven that common sense was an illusion. Orochimaru knew this better than anyone, and that's why his voice was unsure.
"Are you willing to risk it, Orochimaru?" Black Zetsu hissed ingratiatingly. "What if that limit is half the planet? Or a third? Once the world becomes uninhabitable, it will be too late to test your hypothesis. Don't forget, Yue isn't a static point on the map. It's alive. It can move. A walking disaster, its destruction only growing. Do you see signs of exhaustion in it?"
Orochimaru fell silent. Risk it? No. Relying on luck was for the weak. Instead of hoping for a miracle, he needed to figure out how to kill Yue. But how to defeat a monster that had surpassed Nagato?
The thought of such an opponent filled him with despair. No, if he were simply strong, Orochimaru would find a solution. The problem wasn't his strength—it was his very nature. A vast chakra-devouring field—a deadly trap for any ninja. How much strength would he have left to fight if he had to traverse kilometers of scorched earth, where the very life drained from his body?
Yue would probably swat them like annoying flies.
If Uchiha Yue truly could evolve infinitely, then this was the end. A veritable end of the world, in which even he, Orochimaru, would find no escape route.
"Damn it!" — the thought burned inside him. "My immortality technique… years of research… eternity in my hands! I've almost mastered the mysteries of life and death! And all of this is supposed to turn to dust right now?!"
Orochimaru's heart was frozen with icy horror.
"Shimura Danzo, you bastard!" Kakuzu croaked, sinking to the floor. His face turned ashen. "Why did you bother the Uchiha?! Why?! You died, and then you dragged us, innocent people, into the grave with you!"
He felt as if one of his hearts would burst with rage. Because of the ambitions of one insignificant person… because of his thirst for power… they're all doomed!
"My money…" He clutched his chest. "So much money I haven't earned yet!"
Uchiha Obito, hidden behind his mask, remained silent. He wasn't going to mention his role or Itachi's involvement. Let Danzo remain the scapegoat. The truth would not only make him, Obito, public enemy number one, but would also put an end to his own plan. Fortunately, the dead don't talk.
"Method... method..." Orochimaru frantically considered his options, but his mind kept returning to the same nightmarish conclusion.
Only two paths remained, and both seemed dead ends. Killing Yue was impossible. Praying that his power had a limit was suicidal.
His immortal reincarnation technique, the crowning glory of his genius, was useless. He could hide soul vessels all over the world, but what good would it do? When Yue's field covered the planet, all his spare lives would burn out simultaneously.
He would die. Completely.