Under the watchful gaze of the White Zetsu clone, Orochimaru first restrained its body, then formed a series of hand seals.
"Four Symbols Seal—Activate."
A dense array of black sealing symbols formed a magic circle in the air, enveloping both the White Zetsu clone and the creature known as Satori.
Under the seal's power, Satori 's grotesque form began to twist and collapse, transforming into a murky black-brown cluster of chakra that quickly merged into the body of the clone.
"Hahahaha… Thank you, Orochimaru. Truly—thank you!"
The voice of Satori echoed eerily—not in anger, but in unhinged joy.
Though it had lost its freedom by being sealed inside the White Zetsu vessel, it considered this far better than returning to the Box of Bliss.
That place, its birthplace, was also its eternal prison—a hell of constant torment and agony.
"As a token of gratitude, next time I'm set free, I promise I won't hold back. When I destroy Konoha, I'll make your death quick!"
The laughter faded into the forest, but its twisted glee left every shinobi on edge.
Although they'd won today, the battle had been too close—relying on chance, favorable matchups, and a string of unpredictable events. If Satori returned, they couldn't be sure they'd survive again.
"Orochimaru-sama…"
Hyūga Hizashi hesitated before stepping forward. "Is this… really the best way to handle it?"
He wasn't wrong. Sealing Satori into a White Zetsu clone—two unstable, dangerous entities—felt like a disaster waiting to happen. Most Konoha shinobi, especially those who lived through the Nine-Tails' rampage, found the idea terrifying.
"I have my own plans," Orochimaru replied coldly, glancing at the now-limp clone. A smirk tugged at his lips. "Thank me? Hmph."
With that, he lifted the clone and walked toward the Box of Bliss. Orochimaru knew full well that Satori couldn't be fully suppressed by ordinary sealing techniques.
Even regular Tailed Beast chakra would erode a seal over time. Satori —corrupted, toxic, and chaotic—would burn through seals much faster.
Boom!
He threw the inert clone onto the box's surface.
"Here, your sacrifice."
In an instant, the four demonic faces on the box lit up with black energy. Slimy, pulsating tendrils erupted from their mouths, spearing into the clone's body.
In a flash, the White Zetsu dried up—drained—and with it, Satori's chakra was forcefully pulled back into the box.
"AHHHHHH—!"
Satori's screams tore through the air, laced with hate and filth. But no matter how loud or vile the cries, Orochimaru remained unmoved.
He turned to observe a strange creature—the Lamp God—which had inserted its tendrils into the Box of Bliss to investigate. When it finally pulled back, now reduced to a stubby, plant-like form, Orochimaru asked:
"What did you find?"
"Some of the matter inside the box resembles the residue found at the bottom of the Pure Land," the Lamp God said, tilting its head.
"If the Sage of Six Paths created this box to contain spiritual waste from the Pure Land… then your theory may not be far off."
It continued, the Pure Land had layers. As spiritual beings rose higher, they shed human characteristics that settled at the bottom—dangerous, volatile fragments of human nature.
Given the Uchiha clan's affinity for "pupils that reflect the spirit," and the Sage's role in shaping the afterlife, the Lamp God suspected that the waste at the Pure Land's bottom wasn't alien of the Otsutsuki... but rather deeply human.
"And the Sage," the Lamp God added with amusement, "wasn't the noble hero we thought. More like a perfectionist with a god complex... still playing pretend even in old age."
If that were true, it was entirely possible the Sage created the Box of Bliss just to imprison all the unpleasant parts of humanity. But even if not, Satori was too dangerous to be left roaming free.
"Tch... this thing's a time bomb," the Lamp God muttered. "You can't control it like Kusagakure tried to. It could blow up any time—and not metaphorically."
Returning it to Kusagakure was out of the question. Even Obito might try to steal it again.
"It's fine," Orochimaru said. "I already have a plan for the Box of Bliss."
He stared at the ominous artifact. It was far too valuable to waste on simply sealing trash. Its sealing capabilities and durability rivaled or surpassed even the Six Paths' amber purification jar in Kumogakure.
Turning to the Konoha shinobi, Orochimaru commanded: "Bring the box back to the village. I'll reinforce the seal myself."
"Yes, sir!"
Ninjas rushed to construct a stretcher for transport.
"Orochimaru-sama, what about Shisui and the others?" Hizashi asked. "They're still pursuing Sasori and Kakuzu. Should we send support?"
"No," Orochimaru shook his head. "Send word to Shisui to return. I'll have Jiraiya intercept them at the border."
Even with Sasori's new bloodline-limit puppets, Jiraiya in Sage Mode—with the backing of Mount Myōboku—would overwhelm them.
---
Konoha – Former Hokage Tower, Temporary Council Room
All major clan leaders had assembled for an emergency meeting. The topic: Konoha's reconstruction—and vengeance against the Akatsuki.
This time, the attack had been humiliating. Unlike the previous wars or the Nine-Tails' assault, this was a direct invasion.
Fury simmered in the room. Many demanded immediate retaliation.
Orochimaru surveyed them all—many wounded by Obito in the last battle—and smiled coldly.
"Tell me," he said quietly, "which of you believes you can defeat the Akatsuki's leader? Or even the masked man?"
Silence. The room froze.
Many had assumed the loss was due to bad luck, poor terrain, or ambush tactics. They believed that if Konoha attacked first, the results would be different.
Orochimaru's next words shattered that illusion.
"We won... by luck. Had the leader of the Akatsuki not been weakened after casting his super-large jutsu three times, I wouldn't have stood a chance."
"Even then, I nearly lost—sealed in a giant stone sphere."
He leaned forward. "I can block one of his large-scale techniques. Who among you will take the other three?"
Not a word was spoken.
Orochimaru sipped his tea. "Unless their power suddenly increases again, they won't strike for a while. But we shouldn't provoke them either."
The village's morale and reputation had suffered. Konoha couldn't afford another loss, nor to appear weak for long.
"For now, we hold," the Third Hokage announced, tapping his pipe. "But once our ninja forces recover, we will strike back."
Those words lit a fire in the room. The recent advances in combat physiology had proven effective, and now every clan wanted a chance to strengthen their fighters.
Orochimaru grinned. "Once medical supplies are ready, I'll begin enhancements in bulk."
Some of these would include illegal experiments—perhaps even First Hokage cell grafts. But after a war, no one would refuse power, even at risk.
"Let's move on to the village's reconstruction," the Third said, signaling the next phase of the meeting.
---
Meanwhile—Underground, Konoha
Danzo sat silently, reviewing the battle report.
"So... Orochimaru actually pushed back Pain," he muttered, astonished.
He had expected massive losses—at least half the village's elite. Instead, Konoha emerged with relatively minor casualties.
Danzo hadn't participated at all. Officially, he'd been overseeing civilian evacuation.
"It seems I'll have to wait a little longer."
He smirked.
Orochimaru had shown strength, but Akatsuki would return. And next time, with both sides weakened, Danzo would be ready to strike.
---
Amegakure – Hidden Rain Village
After a long journey, Nagato and Konan returned home. After resting, Nagato summoned the medic: Yakushi Kabuto.
Facing the young man, whose demeanor eerily resembled Orochimaru's, Pain asked:
"If I undergo a physical enhancement procedure... what's the success rate?"
Kabuto blinked. "You?" Then he smiled. "Ten out of ten. The stronger the subject, the better the odds."
"Ten out of ten?"
A frail voice echoed from behind—the original Nagato, still confined to a mechanical chair.
"What if I undergo the procedure?"
Kabuto paused, eyes widening in surprise. After a thoughtful silence, he nodded.
"The success rate remains the same. This technique doesn't rely on physical fitness."
_____________________
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