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"There is not a single person here."
Anko walked ahead, scanning their surroundings.
The land was nothing but ruins. Some areas had been scorched by fire. Others had been obliterated by various ninjutsu. Broken buildings and collapsed structures littered the ground.
There were no living people. Not a single intact structure remained.
"Sensei."
"How exactly did the Uzumaki clan perish, Was it really a joint assault by shinobi from many nations?"
Anko asked curiously.
From the fragments of rubble, it was still possible to imagine what kind of village this place once had been.
It could not compare to Konoha, but it had clearly been a powerful hidden village in its own right.
Yet such a place had been almost completely erased.
How much of the Uzumaki sealing arts still existed in this world was anyone's guess.
"Who knows?"
"Only the shinobi who came here back then would know the truth."
"Perhaps it was a coalition of multiple nations Or perhaps Konoha itself sent people."
Orochimaru replied calmly.
As they spoke, the first living person finally appeared ahead of them.
He looked like a vagrant, Filthy, disheveled, and clearly unwashed for days.
"Hey!"
"Can you hear me?"
"Do you know where the Uzumaki clan's Mask Storage Hall is?"
Orochimaru asked experimentally.
The vagrant only stared blankly at the sky, drool hanging from the corner of his mouth. It was clear he heard nothing.
Just as the boatman had said, those who came to this island now were people with nowhere else to go.
Perhaps he was drowning in debt or fleeing from pursuit.
Whatever the reason, one thing was certain.
He was already insane.
"It seems ninjutsu is the only option."
"If we search slowly by hand, it will take far too long."
Orochimaru muttered.
These people had come here long after the clan's destruction. Even if they were sane, they would not know what the Mask Storage Hall was.
"Summoning Technique."
At Orochimaru's call, countless snakes emerged.
Thousands of dark shapes slithered outward in all directions, searching the island for any structure that remained intact.
...
"Sensei."
"What exactly are we looking for here?"
Anko asked again.
Something that required Orochimaru himself to travel this far could not possibly be ordinary.
"A tool that can undo the Reaper Death Seal."
Orochimaru answered simply.
The Reaper Death Seal was the most powerful sealing technique of the Uzumaki clan. It summoned the god of death and dragged the target's soul into its stomach, sealing it forever.
Once the technique was completed, the caster would also be devoured as a sacrifice.
Both souls would remain trapped inside the Reaper's belly, never to reincarnate.
One year ago, when Uchiha Obito unleashed the Nine Tails upon Konoha, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had used the Reaper Death Seal during that battle.
He sealed the Yang half of the Nine-Tails inside his son, Naruto Uzumaki, while the Yin half was dragged into the Reaper along with Minato himself.
However.
This technique could be undone.
Within the Uzumaki clan's Mask Storage Hall existed a special Reaper mask.
By wearing the mask, the user could summon the Reaper again, use themselves as the sacrifice, cut open the Reaper's belly, and release everything sealed inside.
The new caster would then be devoured in place of the original victims.
If he obtained that mask, it would mean access to the Fourth Hokage's body for Impure World Reincarnation, as well as half of the Nine Tails' chakra.
...
Half a day later.
Orochimaru and Anko stopped on the island as one of the snakes finally returned with information.
Deep within the western forest of the island, there was a building that remained completely intact.
If nothing unexpected had occurred, that would be the Uzumaki clan's Mask Storage Hall.
"Let's go, Anko."
"The sooner we get what we came for, the sooner we can head back."
Orochimaru gently patted Anko on the head.
"Yes, Sensei."
The girl answered respectfully.
They had already stocked dry rations and water in advance, so hunger was not an issue.
Before long, the two of them headed toward the location reported by the snakes.
Deep within the forest stood a massive wooden structure.
One of the pillars supporting the entrance had collapsed, leaving the door tilted at an angle. The Uzumaki clan's spiral crest was carved into the wood.
Dust covered the ground. It was clear no one had set foot here for many years.
Anko and Orochimaru stepped inside. What greeted them were walls covered in masks of all kinds.
Among them was one capable of summoning the Reaper.
"Hiss~"
A white snake extended from Orochimaru's right hand, its tongue flicking as it carefully sampled the aura of each mask.
In the end, it singled out one from among dozens. Compared to the rest, this mask carried a distinct presence, as if a powerful technique had once been cast upon it.
"Found it."
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes.
At last, this treasure was in his grasp. With this mask, he could free the Fourth Hokage and the Yin half of the Nine Tails whenever he wished.
As for the sacrifice required to activate the technique, brainwashing, genjutsu, it did not matter. Anyone could be made to take that role.
To put it bluntly, as long as the price was high enough, there were plenty of people in this world willing to sell their lives.
"Let's go."
Orochimaru suppressed the excitement rising within him.
Anko took a closer look at the mask but said nothing.
Together, they made their way back toward the beach.
Dusk was approaching, The boatman was still waiting exactly where he had been left, not daring to break the agreement.
"Let's head back."
"If we leave now, we should reach land in time for a late-night meal."
"What do you want to eat?"
Orochimaru stored the mask away. One glance at his expression made it clear he was in an excellent mood.
"Late-night meal."
"Um... Sensei, I want grilled meat."
Anko thought for a moment, then answered with a smile.
She clung to Orochimaru's arm affectionately, His body was always cold.
Yet the girl clearly loved staying close to him, With him, she felt safe, and at ease.
"Grilled meat, that works."
Orochimaru smiled faintly.
What they ate did not matter, as long as Anko was happy, that was enough.
His mood was good, so he was willing to spend the evening indulging her, watching her smile, feeling a rare warmth stir within himself.
The silent boatman rowed steadily while the man and the girl chatted softly.
Night gradually fell. Countless stars shimmered faintly as a pale moon peeked out from behind the clouds.
The waves never ceased their motion. Sitting in the gently rocking boat, the sea breeze carried a faint, salty dampness.
A girl with her hair tied in a bun nestled in his arms, looking up at him with wide, innocent eyes.
Orochimaru felt that tonight was truly wonderful.
Since coming to this world, this was the first time he had found life genuinely interesting.
Beyond experiments. Beyond the pursuit of power, there were other things in life worth savoring.
"Um... Sensei."
Anko lowered her head shyly.
Orochimaru lightly kissed her forehead, then brushed a soft kiss against her cheek. His lips were cold.
She felt like helpless prey cradled within a nest of serpents.
Yet all she felt was happiness.
Orochimaru chuckled softly, cupping her face and admiring those beautiful eyes. In the end, he did not kiss her lips.
"Next time."
As if seeing through her thoughts, he murmured quietly.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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Thank you so much for your support and for reading! Cr