The Land of Rain, shrouded year-round in curtains of rainfall.
In a dim underground chamber, a pitcher plant emerged from the earth.
Inside the pitcher plant was a half-black, half-white body.
"Obito, the five White Zetsu you sent to investigate the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki were all wiped out at nearly the same time." It stared at the man wearing a spiral-patterned mask, speaking in a low, gravelly voice.
Beneath the mask, Obito's lone visible Sharingan narrowed slightly as he spoke, annoyed.
"Zetsu, how many times do I have to tell you? Call me Madara."
Black Zetsu's eyes darkened, a hint of disdain flashing in his gaze.
'Just a pawn, and he really thinks he's someone important.'
Though his face remained neutral, he reminded him coldly.
"The Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki is turning out to be quite unexpected. If we leave him unchecked, he might interfere with our plans."
Obito let out a snort, full of disdain.
"A mere Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails—what can he possibly do under this eye? Just stick to the plan!"
Having once controlled the Nine-Tails to devastate the Hidden Leaf, Obito didn't consider the beast a threat at all.
Seeing Obito's arrogant attitude, Black Zetsu cursed inwardly. 'Uchiha really are idiots!'
Though he felt uneasy about the recent developments, there wasn't much he could do.
Even sending White Zetsu to monitor had failed—they were all discovered with ease.
Still, he had to admit, Obito wasn't entirely wrong.
The Nine-Tails might be strong, but under Obito's Kamui Mangekyō Sharingan, and Nagato's Rinnegan, he probably couldn't stir up any real trouble.
===
The next day, Naruto arrived at his destination:
The Land of Fields.
More specifically, a small shinobi village within it—the Village of Sound.
A village founded by Orochimaru himself.
As he stepped into the Village of Sound, Naruto originally planned to storm in head-on.
But recalling Orochimaru's endless array of escape techniques—like some kind of immortal snake—he paused.
He stood still and activated Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.
Poof! Poof! Poof!
Thirty clones appeared in an instant, surrounding him.
"Scatter."
With a single thought, the clones vanished and spread to the edges of the Village of Sound.
Thirty Narutos now surrounded the entire village.
At the same time, they began laying down barrier after barrier of sealing techniques.
A massive number of powerful seals, stacked layer upon layer, were cast as if chakra were free.
The Village of Sound wasn't large, but covering an entire village in sealing techniques like this—only chakra monsters like Naruto or Hashirama could pull it off.
And Naruto's sealing arts were already at their peak.
Once the formation was complete, he recalled all his clones.
Meanwhile, within an underground lab filled with instruments and machines—
Orochimaru, pale-faced and adorned with his signature purple eye shadow, was holding a test tube mid-experiment.
But something made him stop suddenly.
Standing beside him was a bespectacled man with a scholarly demeanor—Kabuto Yakushi.
Kabuto noticed Orochimaru's expression and asked curiously,"Orochimaru-sama, is something wrong?"
Orochimaru extended his serpent-like tongue and licked his lips, a mad glint flashing in his eyes.
"It seems… we've received a rather extraordinary guest."
Kabuto was startled. For someone to be called "extraordinary" by Orochimaru—it had to be someone dangerous.
"Kabuto, go greet our guest."
Kabuto nodded and turned to leave—
Only for a voice to suddenly echo through the laboratory.
"No need for that."
In the next instant, Naruto's golden-haired figure materialized in the room.
Kabuto froze in disbelief.
'How?! There wasn't any sound of fighting outside. How did he get in unnoticed?!'
As Orochimaru's right-hand man, Kabuto knew very well—the Village of Sound wasn't big, but it had many elites.
Especially Orochimaru's backup bodies—each one was terrifying in its own right.
There was no way they'd all be taken down silently!
Orochimaru, however, remained composed. His slitted pupils locked onto Naruto.
The boy's face immediately reminded him of one man—
Minato Namikaze.
The clever Snake "Lady" made the connection quickly.
"So you're the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki of the Leaf. So the rumors were true. Hehehe… fascinating… truly fascinating."
Orochimaru began to speculate on Naruto's motive.
But no matter how he thought, he couldn't find an answer.
They had never met before and had no prior grudge.
If anything, they had once competed for the title of Fourth Hokage—and Orochimaru lost to Minato.
That unknown factor only made Orochimaru more excited.
"Tell me, what's your business here? Don't tell me you came to 'punish' an S-rank rogue like me on behalf of the Leaf? Hehehe."
Naruto didn't respond immediately.
Instead, he activated Transparent World, observing Orochimaru carefully.
The man's chakra was vast, but chaotic.
And his body structure—it wasn't human anymore.
He resembled a snake walking upright.
Sensing Naruto's probing gaze, Orochimaru frowned.
This invasive feeling reminded him of being instantly trapped in Itachi's Genjutsu—deeply unpleasant.
"You little brat, hasn't anyone told you that staring like that is rude?"
Having seen everything he needed to, Naruto raised an eyebrow.
Just then, a nearby door creaked open from one of the underground corridors.
Out walked a boy with white hair and green eyes.
Handsome in appearance, but his expression was cold and mechanical—like a machine.
The moment he saw Naruto, killing intent flared in his eyes.
"How dare you disrespect Orochimaru-sama. Die!"
His tone was as icy as his expression.
'Kimimaro, huh? Looks like this blond kid is about to get wrecked.' Kabuto thought to himself.
Kimimaro raised both hands, all ten fingers aimed at Naruto.
A crackling sound followed as bony spikes pierced through his fingertips.
"Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets!"
Ten bullets of hardened bone shot forth like missiles, tearing through the air.
Orochimaru didn't stop him. He too wanted to see what this uninvited guest was capable of.
Naruto remained calm.
He coated his palm with Wind Release Chakra, then casually swatted at the incoming projectiles.
Clack-clack-clack—
All ten bullets were slapped away with ease.
The clean, controlled display stunned all three spectators.
To deflect Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets so casually—Kimimaro's eyes finally narrowed in seriousness.
He was about to follow up with another attack—
When Naruto vanished.
In the very next moment, pain exploded across Kimimaro's entire body.
First Form – Dust Whirlwind Slash!
Naruto now stood where Kimimaro once had.
Kimimaro himself was embedded deep in the wall behind him, like a missile strike.
He tried to move, but froze in shock.
His prized Kekkei Genkai—the Shikotsumyaku—his entire skeleton had been shattered.
He couldn't move a muscle.
"No way… that Kimimaro—the merciless killer—just got one-shot?!"
Cold sweat dripped down Kabuto's forehead. His gaze on Naruto changed completely.
Orochimaru was just as stunned.
He knew Kimimaro's strength better than anyone.
If not for the incurable Bloodline Disease, Kimimaro—with his Shikotsumyaku—would have been his number one vessel candidate.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Orochimaru began applauding, eyes gleaming with unmasked greed as he stared at Naruto.
"To shatter the Shikotsumyaku with a single blow…"
"What a perfect body you have!"
The sheer explosive power and chakra control Naruto had just shown completely captivated Orochimaru.
In all his years of searching for a vessel—
This was the first time he had seen such a perfect body.
This—this was a container made just for him!