Chapter 94: Chapter 94
The scene unfolded in a flash—before anyone could react, Orochimaru had already gouged out Danzo's right eye.
At the same time, Haku, who had been guarding the door with her back to Danzo, instantly swung her ice blade, slicing cleanly through Danzo's right arm.
This was no coincidence. Before Danzo had even arrived, Orochimaru had already gone over the battle plan with Haku. The only way to kill Danzo for good was to disable him first—cut off his arm. A direct decapitation might not work if Danzo sensed the danger in time. He might activate Izanagi.
Danzo's expression changed wildly. By the time he realized he needed to escape, his Sharingan-embedded arm was already gone, rendering Izanagi useless.
Worse yet, he couldn't move. His body refused to respond.
There was something in the tea Orochimaru had given him.
"Orochimaru, what are you doing? When have I ever done anything wrong to you?" Danzo shouted, eyes wide with horror as Orochimaru stepped down on his chest.
Blood was streaming from the empty socket where his eye used to be, splattering the floor. His severed arm, however, didn't bleed—it had been grafted with the First Hokage's cells, keeping it alive.
"Orochimaru, think back! Back when you were still in Konoha, I was the one who always supported your experiments. Even after you defected, I still supplied you with test subjects. I've never turned my back on you!"
Danzo spoke rapidly, his voice shaky, trying to buy time. He was like an ant thrown on a hot pan—flailing, desperate, and clueless as to why Orochimaru had turned on him so suddenly.
"You're right. You've never wronged me. But I've never wronged you either," Orochimaru said coldly. "And somehow, I always end up giving more than I receive."
He kicked Danzo across the room like he was a broken toy, sending him crashing into a corner.
"Back when you held real power in Konoha, I tolerated the unfairness in our relationship. But now?" Orochimaru scoffed, turning toward the wall. "You're just a stray dog Konoha tossed out. And you dare order me around like I still owe you favors? Who the hell do you think you are?"
Danzo's vision swam. His mind went blank for a moment before a hoarse, bitter laugh escaped his throat.
"Haha… Hahahaha!"
"Hiruzen… You've bested me again. Even in death, I still lose to you. I spent my whole life beneath your shadow."
"You're gone, and yet I'm still being cornered by your disciples. Maybe I should've joined you instead of fighting you…"
Regret filled his voice. As the ice blade in Haku's hand descended on his neck, Danzo's life flashed before his eyes like a lantern wheel spinning faster and faster.
Then his head rolled to the floor.
And as he hovered at death's edge, he saw his body from above for the first time.
It was grotesque.
If he hadn't accepted that transplant of the First Hokage's cells, he never would've taken in the Sharingan. He never would've been tempted to challenge Hiruzen.
And he wouldn't be dying here.
Orochimaru pressed a switch on the wall, and a trapdoor opened beneath Danzo's body, dropping it into the lab below.
"Burn that corpse. It's disgusting," Haku said, staring out the window with disinterest.
She had a thing for cleanliness, and Danzo's grotesque body was revolting—especially the severed arm lying in the office. Ten Sharingan were embedded in it like something out of a nightmare.
Orochimaru, however, was delighted. He picked up the arm, chuckling. "Burn it? Don't be ridiculous. Danzo's got the First Hokage's cells in him. This is a treasure trove of research material."
He carried the arm into the lab.
Haku sighed, held back her revulsion, and followed him.
Below, Hidan had finally stopped screaming. He must have tired himself out. Orochimaru casually tossed Danzo's arm on a counter, then retrieved a small glass vial and carefully placed Danzo's Mangekyō Sharingan inside.
The unique swirling pattern gleamed with a dark brilliance. For a moment, Orochimaru wondered if he could use this eye to break free of Naruto's control.
But the thought barely lasted a second.
In that second, he felt something—a soul-crushing pressure. A presence that hovered between life and death. As if the moment he dared act on the thought, he would be erased from existence.
He shivered.
Behind him, light footsteps echoed. Orochimaru picked up his pace, retrieving ten more vials and carefully storing each Sharingan.
"If I could get another Kotoamatsukami," he muttered, "I could create an unbeatable warrior for Lord Naruto."
"How would you do that?" Haku asked, stepping beside him and picking up the vial with Kotoamatsukami. Its pupil pattern was distinct—elegant and dangerous.
Orochimaru glanced at her. She was "Number One," he was "Number Three." Despite his power, Haku outranked him. More importantly, she had the closest communication line to Lord Naruto, speaking with him almost daily through curse seals. Sometimes Orochimaru even passed messages through her.
He didn't hide anything. "The Uchiha's Sharingan isn't just for illusion and perception. If you have both eyes from the same pair, you can summon something called Susanoo—an enormous spiritual warrior made of chakra. It's incredibly destructive, capable of matching the power of the Five Kage."
"Sadly, we only have one eye now. The other Kotoamatsukami is missing. Danzo didn't tell me who he stole it from, so I don't know where to find its pair."
Haku placed the vial down and studied Orochimaru calmly. "I know where the other Kotoamatsukami is."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. His tongue flicked out unconsciously. "Really?"
Haku turned away, unimpressed by his eagerness. "Lord Naruto told me about Akatsuki. He warned me specifically about Uchiha Itachi. According to him, Itachi has his own Mangekyō Sharingan… and also possesses Kotoamatsukami. I'm guessing it's the matching eye."
Orochimaru nearly choked on his breath.
If what she said was true… just how much did Lord Naruto know?
Even with all his contacts, Orochimaru had never found any trace of the second Kotoamatsukami. But Naruto—a kid raised in Konoha who'd only left the village twice—knew everything.
Could it be…?
Orochimaru shivered.
Was Lord Naruto omniscient?
He remembered that horrifying feeling from earlier—when he dared think of using Kotoamatsukami. Could that pressure have been Naruto's spiritual presence, watching and ready to erase him?
His hands grew clammy. He dared not think further.
With a calm, composed smile, he said, "If you know the location, then once my current experiments are complete, I'll submit my loyalty oath to Lord Naruto and request his help. Together, we'll retrieve the other eye."
Haku frowned. "Why not go now? I know exactly where Itachi is."
Orochimaru shrugged. "That guy's abilities are terrifying. I wouldn't stand a chance alone. You and Zabuza probably couldn't beat him either. We'd risk too much and gain too little. Better to wait for Lord Naruto's orders."
Haku nodded. If even Orochimaru, their strongest member, felt unsure, she wouldn't push it.
Just then, chakra surged from the ring on her finger—the signature signal of the Akatsuki.
She closed her eyes and activated the genjutsu transmission technique. Instantly, the ethereal forms of the remaining Akatsuki members appeared.
"The hell's going on with Kakuzu and Hidan?" one asked. "They've been silent for too long."
All eyes turned to Haku and Zabuza. The last time anyone had seen the missing duo was when they'd been sent to assist them.
Pain's voice cut through the silence. "Haku, I want a clear explanation. Or you know what will happen."
Haku met his glare with cold indifference. "And what does their disappearance have to do with me? Maybe they got tired of following orders and left."
"So you refuse to give up their location?" Pain asked, tone growing sharper.
"The first thing is, I don't know where they are," Haku snapped. "The second is… are you trying to threaten me?"
Before their conflict could escalate further…
Back in Konoha, Naruto once again arrived at the Sarutobi clan's courtyard.
"Still as luxurious as ever…"
No matter how many times he visited, Naruto couldn't help admiring the place. Though the Third Hokage had been manipulative, the man did have taste. Naruto found himself wishing he could just move in, kick everyone out, and keep the house for himself.
"Naruto-kun! Long time no see!"
A graceful figure appeared in the sunlight. Her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall. She wore a loose pink kimono that did nothing to hide her stunning curves.
Today, Sarutobi Hazuki had gone for a youthful, girlish look.
Naruto blinked, momentarily stunned. "Even my future wife was taken from me…"
Seeing him stare, Hazuki giggled and waved her hand. "Naruto-kun? Are you okay?"
Naruto suddenly grabbed her hand and looked up with sparkling sincerity. "Hazuki, marry me! You're my soulmate!"
"…What?"
Asuma, standing not far behind her, clenched his fists. "Hey! Watch your mouth, brat! That's my sister-in-law!"
Wait—Asuma's alive?
Naruto made a note: Uchiha Itachi clearly hadn't finished the job.
"Asuma, calm down," Hazuki said sweetly. "Naruto-kun is just a child. Children say all sorts of silly things."
She reached out and gently rubbed Naruto's head.
"We'll be teammates on the next mission, Naruto-kun. I'll be counting on you."