The Raikage's office in Kumogakure thrummed with barely contained fury, its stone walls echoing the clank of iron as Raikage Ai hefted a massive barbell in his left hand, muscles bulging with each furious lift. Before him, a shinobi knelt beneath the desk, voice trembling as he delivered the grim report. "Yes, Raikage-sama—Killer Bee's been taken. Uchiha Sasuke of Konoha was among the attackers. Our trackers are on their trail."
Mabui, the Raikage's poised secretary, stepped forward, her calm demeanor a stark contrast to the storm brewing in the room. "What's our move, Raikage-sama?"
Ai's right fist clenched, veins pulsing as he roared, "Akatsuki—I'll crush them!" His fist slammed down, splintering the oak desk into jagged halves with a resounding crack. He rose, eyes blazing with fraternal devotion. "Hold on, little brother—I'm coming for you."
Miles away, beneath a shadowed cavern, Obito stood before the Gedo Statue, its hollow eyes staring blankly as he prepared to seal the prize Sasuke had delivered. Killer Bee lay bound at his feet, Eight Tails' Jinchuriki, his form still against the damp stone. Kisame loomed nearby, Samehada slung across his back, his shark-like grin widening. "Gotta hand it to Sasuke—he actually bagged Eight Tails."
Obito's masked face tilted, a rare smirk audible in his voice. "Told you he'd manage."
Black Zetsu's voice slithered from the shadows. "Then we've got days of work ahead."
White Zetsu groaned, his aloe-like form drooping. "Seven, eight days stuck underground—no sun, no fun."
Akatsuki's ranks had thinned—Nagato's defection left only Obito, Kisame, and the Zetsus to perform the sealing, stretching the ritual's toll. Obito's hands flashed through seals, voice steady. "Let's get to it." The trio followed suit, chakra weaving into the Phantom Dragon Seal, a spectral shroud enveloping Killer Bee. Tailed Beast chakra bled from him, a keening wail rising as his body arched—standard for a Jinchuriki's extraction.
Then, with a bang, Killer Bee vanished mid-air, replaced by a wriggling mass that thudded to the ground—an octopus tentacle, slick and twitching. Kisame's grin faltered, eyes narrowing. "Sasuke… got played?"
White Zetsu gaped, then erupted into laughter, clutching his sides. "Hahaha—an octopus leg! Priceless!" His cackle bounced off the cavern walls, grating against the silence.
Obito's fists clenched, his mask hiding a grimace that felt like a punch to the gut. Black Zetsu snapped, "Shut it!" White Zetsu choked back his mirth, but the damage was done. Obito's pride stung—moments ago, he'd lauded Sasuke's prowess; now, this mockery lay at his feet. Eight Tails had slipped through, a tail-severed decoy fooling even Sasuke's Mangekyō. "Underestimated him," Obito muttered, voice tight.
"Kisame," he barked, turning to the Mist ninja. Kisame met his gaze, nodding curtly. "On it. Should've known I'd have to clean this up." He hefted Samehada, muttering as he stalked toward the exit, "Itachi, you'd have seen through this… now it's just me." His silhouette faded into the dark, a lone hunter on the prowl.
In the Fire Country, beyond Konoha's borders, the Uzumaki Clan's Namen Hall stood weathered and silent, its wooden beams sagging under decades of neglect. Naruto materialized with a buzz of Flying Thunder God, Orochimaru and Konan at his side, the air crisp with the scent of pine and decay. Nagato remained in Amegakure, guarding against Obito's return, a shadow clone left as Naruto's failsafe—ready to whisk him away if the Rinnegan came under threat.
Orochimaru's golden eyes swept the hall, a flicker of surprise in his rasp. "Here, Naruto-kun?"
Naruto's grin was sly, knowing. "Where else? We're grabbing the Uzumaki Shinigami mask, Uncle Snake."
Orochimaru's tongue flicked, intrigue glinting. "To see your father?"
"Nah," Naruto said, shaking his head. "Not yet. This is for you—getting your hands back. You'll work better, research deeper with me."
Orochimaru paused, a rare warmth softening his serpentine gaze. "You'd do that for me? No fear I'll bolt once I'm whole?"
Naruto's smile held steady, unshaken. "I know you, Uncle Snake. Truth's your master—no village, no leash holds you. We're partners. If you walk, I won't chase."
He strode into the hall, dust swirling around his boots. Orochimaru licked his lips, glancing at Konan. "I see it now—why you and Nagato follow him. That charm… it outshines Madara's shadow." Konan's lips curved faintly, a silent agreement as she trailed Naruto, Orochimaru falling in step, nostalgia threading his voice. "Still a dump—hasn't changed. You marked this place, didn't you?"
"After dropping Jiraiya back in the village," Naruto confirmed, eyes scanning the rows of masks lining the walls—grinning, grimacing faces of faded paint. Orochimaru's approval gleamed; Naruto's foresight was no fluke. This wasn't a whim—building a new ninja world was a plan, deliberate and vast, dwarfing Sasuke's vengeance-driven path. He's on Madara's level now, Orochimaru mused, impressed.
Naruto stepped aside, gesturing to the wall. "Go ahead, Uncle Snake." Orochimaru smirked, a snake slithering from his sleeve, its forked tongue tasting the air as it probed each mask. Konan's brow furrowed, curiosity breaking her silence. "Why this mask?"
Naruto's voice dipped, grave. "The Third sealed Uncle Snake's hands with Ghoul Sealing—locked them in Shinigami's gut. This Uzumaki mask? Wear it, and you host Shinigami—slice its belly, free what's trapped."
Orochimaru's snake hissed, coiling around a mask with hollow eyes and a jagged grin. He lifted it, turning to Naruto with a wry smile. "You've done your homework, Naruto-kun."
"Learned it, sure," Naruto said, waving off the praise, "but I'd never risk it. Only you'd tango with Shinigami, Uncle Snake."
Orochimaru chuckled, a low rasp of amusement. Naruto's candor hinted at deeper knowledge—his immortality, perhaps—but the serpent didn't press. "Reincarnation needs a living sacrifice," he said instead. "If I cut myself open, I'll need a vessel."
Naruto grinned, unfazed. "Got it covered. Wait here." He vanished in a buzz, leaving the hall still. Seven minutes later, he reappeared, dragging a sealed White Zetsu, its plant-like form wriggling faintly. "Plenty of these around Konoha—nabbed one easy."
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed, the mask in hand a key to his rebirth, White Zetsu a perfect pawn. The hall's shadows deepened, Naruto's resolve casting a long reach—Heaven's architect, binding allies to a vision vast enough to reshape the world.
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