Extra Chapter 34: The Path Sasuke left for Orochimaru

Shimura Danzo is about to die.

The old man is in pain.

This elder has lost sight in one eye, has a severed arm, and his chakra is nearly depleted, leaving him powerless to resist the drug injected into his body by Yakushi Kabuto.

"This drug is used on Root ninjas."

With an expressionless face, Yakushi Kabuto held a thick syringe and directly plunged it into the back of Shimura Danzo's neck. A glint flashed in his eyes behind his glasses as he said, "This drug can cause mental collapse. Let Danzo-sama experience a bit of the pain his subordinates have gone through..."

"Bastard…"

"How dare you treat me like this…"

Danzo's remaining eye involuntarily widened, and a surge of anger welled up from within him, causing his eye to look bloodshot. "I spared you back then because of Orochimaru…"

"!!!"

Orochimaru's eyes flickered as he noticed the situation.

This sinister and eerie man watched Kabuto poison Danzo, but suddenly felt that something was off.

Kabuto…

How dare he have the nerve to poison Danzo?

Is this truly a case of a tiger fallen to a lowland, being bullied by a dog?

Orochimaru sighed regretfully in his heart, then saw Danzo, who was lying on the ground, suddenly tear open his clothes. Realizing something, Orochimaru warned Kabuto in a deep voice, "Kabuto, be careful. Stay away from Danzo!"

"Die here with me!"

Danzo gritted his teeth as he glared at Kabuto. A pitch-black curse mark appeared on his chest, and as the mark began to consume his life force, black blood spurted out!

"..."

Kabuto's expression remained calm.

If he could perish here together with Danzo, taking the man who destroyed both his and Dean Yakushi Nono's life to hell, he would have no regrets left.

"Reverse Four Symbols Seal…"

Orochimaru's face subtly changed, and his body instinctively retreated. He didn't want to take the risk of saving Kabuto: "Once activated, the blood will spray out, forming a curse mark that destroys and seals everything around it…"

Even Orochimaru…

Did not dare to get close to the range of the Reverse Four Symbols Seal!

"Is that all you've got?"

Uchiha Sasuke's voice accompanied his sudden appearance beside Danzo and Kabuto, seemingly unwilling to let Kabuto die here!

Sasuke held a ninja sword in his hand!

The sword swiftly slashed across Danzo's chest!

However, such a wound did nothing to stop the Reverse Four Symbols Seal; instead, it made Danzo's blood spurt out even faster!

"Useless…"

"It's better that you're here…"

Danzo ignored his pain, his face twisted with a single eye glaring at Sasuke: "I'll take you to hell with me!"

At this moment…

Danzo remembered Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had sacrificed for Konoha!

He too…

Has finally reached the moment of sacrifice!

He will eliminate this dangerous Uchiha kid here!

As long as he takes Sasuke with him, the Uchiha threat to Konoha will be completely erased, and this sinister kid will no longer endanger the village!

"Hmph…"

"You old fool…"

Sasuke mocked Danzo with contempt, his hands rapidly forming hand seals as he sneered: "Do you think you can accomplish anything?"

Sasuke's hand slammed onto Danzo, instantly sealing the Reverse Four Symbols Seal with another Four Symbols Seal!

The black blood stopped spraying…

Sealing incantations appeared all over Danzo's chest.

This was something Sasuke had seen recorded before. In the real world, Akihara Kagura had once used this move to counter Danzo's Reverse Four Symbols Seal, so Sasuke was just imitating it. He even preemptively struck, just like Akihara Kagura had.

Sure enough.

With the Reverse Four Symbols Seal neutralized, Danzo's black blood quickly turned crimson. A long, deep wound slashed across his chest, making him look even more miserable and terrifying…

"How could this be…"

Danzo desperately pounded on his chest!

Even in his dying moments, this elder clung to the hope of his final trump card. He pounded his chest, only worsening his injury, causing more red blood to flow out…

"Sasuke-kun."

Kabuto glanced at the black-haired boy standing beside him and slightly lowered his head: "There was no need to take such a risk to save me…"

"A trivial matter."

Sasuke nonchalantly waved his hand, showing no concern for the danger he had just faced: "Your future is long. There's no need to waste your life on a piece of trash who's done nothing but evil…"

"I'll fight you…"

Danzo barely had time to rush forward before his body collapsed to the ground, convulsing uncontrollably, his face twisted in pain as his brain was assaulted by the drug!

The drug…

Had taken effect.

Yet, this elder's willpower was extraordinarily strong in his final moments, still struggling to maintain his rationality, his one remaining eye glaring viciously at Kabuto and Sasuke.

"Kabuto-senpai."

"Your killing technique is still lacking…"

Sasuke glanced at Kabuto beside him, speaking softly: "Leaving behind a corpse would be too troublesome. We can't let his body be discovered by Konoha…"

"I'll take care of it."

Kabuto pulled out a sealing scroll.

"There's a better way…"

Sasuke grabbed Kabuto's arm, a wicked smile tugging at the corners of his mouth: "Why not use him as a sacrifice for Edo Tensei?"

"..."

A glint of realization flashed in Kabuto's eyes.

"!!!"

A flash of fear appeared in Danzo's eyes.

"Sasuke-kun is indeed frugal…"

Orochimaru's voice came from beside them. Realizing that Danzo's Reverse Four Symbols Seal had failed, he leisurely walked over. His gaze subtly swept over the approaching Uchiha Itachi as he chuckled and asked, "Are we gathered here today to discuss Danzo's death?"

Of course…

Orochimaru's vigilance did not drop.

At this moment, his guard was at its highest!

He had vaguely sensed that Kabuto and Sasuke were a little too close, as if two familiar friends were chatting!

"Of course not."

"Danzo isn't worth such an elaborate effort…"

Sasuke shook his head, his eyes falling on Orochimaru. A smile suddenly spread across his face: "Today's main character isn't Danzo, or me, or even Itachi…"

"..."

Orochimaru's heart sank.

Sasuke spread his arms, smiling as he said, "Orochimaru-sama, you're the main character today…"

"!!!"

Orochimaru's heart tightened.

"..."

Kabuto produced a grotesque and terrifying death god mask, his expression slightly reverent as he handed it to Sasuke.

"Orochimaru-sama…"

Sasuke casually played with the death god mask, speaking indifferently: "You've been troubled by the method to undo the Reaper Death Seal recently, haven't you?"

"..."

Orochimaru's mind sharpened, and he stared intently at the Death God mask in Uchiha Sasuke's hand. A glint of greed and hope appeared in his eyes as he asked, "Sasuke-kun, are you trying to tell me that the way to undo the Reaper Death Seal is on this mask?"

It's very possible!

Because this mask looks a lot like the Death God!

However, Orochimaru also felt a bit uneasy. This mask did not originate from Uchiha Sasuke; it seemed to have always been in Kabuto Yakushi's possession!

"Kabuto-senpai found it."

Uchiha Sasuke casually credited and blamed Kabuto in the same breath, smiling as he said, "Kabuto-senpai discovered the method to undo the Reaper Death Seal. All that's needed is a mask left behind by the Uzumaki clan to summon the Death God for one's use..."

"..."

Orochimaru's gaze shifted to Kabuto.

His subordinate...

Has he always been carrying this Death God mask? Kabuto, this subordinate, had long prepared a way to undo the Reaper Death Seal but had never informed his superior, instead handing it over to Uchiha Sasuke!

"Kabuto..."

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, glaring at the seemingly loyal subordinate. "When did you pledge allegiance to Sasuke-kun?"

"During the Chunin Exams."

Kabuto slightly lowered his head to show his respect for Orochimaru, seemingly not wanting to displease him by revealing his collaboration with Uchiha Sasuke. "Because I saw Sasuke-kun's power, and after a few simple exchanges with him, I realized Sasuke-kun is someone worth following..."

"Especially..."

Kabuto adjusted his glasses and calmly continued, "When Sasuke-kun learned that Orochimaru-sama intended to use the Edo Tensei during the Chunin Exams to assassinate the Third Hokage, he predicted that the Third Hokage would counter it with the Reaper Death Seal. After all, years ago, the Fourth Hokage used this technique to seal the Nine-Tails, so he had me find a way to undo the Reaper Death Seal in advance..."

"..."

Orochimaru's face suddenly darkened.

What does this mean? Could it be...

Did this kid Uchiha Sasuke foresee everything I would go through?

No...

It's not surprising! This kid has always had exceptional logical thinking!

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to create an illusionary world!

Orochimaru recalled being caught in a genjutsu during the Chunin Exams. In that genjutsu, he had glimpses of strange future events, as if they were the result of Uchiha Sasuke's logical reasoning, such as the notion that Uchiha Sasuke was the reincarnation of Indra, the eldest son of the Sage of Six Paths...

Perhaps only the reincarnation of Indra, the Sage's eldest son, could explain everything, explaining why Uchiha Sasuke had grown so powerful in such a short time...

Unfortunately...

The information was not abundant...

And much of it was filled with Sasuke's fantasies about Akihara Kagura.

Yet, the fact that Sasuke himself was caught in that genjutsu allowed him to quickly gain great power. The kid still believes he's been redeemed by Akihara Kagura.

"Wearing this mask..."

"You can summon the Death God..."

"And release the souls devoured by the Death God..."

Uchiha Sasuke presented the mask to Orochimaru and continued softly, "This way, your soul will be restored..."

"However."

"Your soul will also be hunted by the Death God..."

"But with your Living Corpse Reincarnation and Snake(Orochimaru) Substitution techniques, you can easily escape the Death God's pursuit, avoiding any mishaps..."

"..."

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, assessing everyone present before suddenly speaking, "I just used the Living Corpse Reincarnation technique recently, and there's no suitable vessel around for me to use, right? Or perhaps..."

Orochimaru's lips suddenly curled into a wicked smile, "Is Sasuke-kun willing to let either you or Itachi-kun become my new vessel?"

"No..."

"There is another way to create a new vessel..."

Uchiha Sasuke shrugged, raising his wrist, "I can bear your Heaven's Curse Mark. By leaving a Heaven's Curse Mark on me in advance, I can use the Evil Sealing Method to resurrect you. The escaped soul will fuse with your newly reborn self..."

It's an unavoidable measure.

Because Sasuke didn't have any White Zetsu at hand, nor could he create a White Zetsu like Akihara Kagura to serve as Orochimaru's new vessel.

But...

Sasuke had once pursued Orochimaru for two or three years to assassinate him, so he knew Orochimaru's ways inside out. A small problem like this was no issue for him.

"Sasuke-kun really understands me..."

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes and proposed a possibility, "But if Sasuke-kun chooses not to use the Evil Sealing Method to resurrect me and instead kills my soul after it escapes the Death God..."

"Anko-senpai is still alive."

"I heard she also bears a curse mark."

Sasuke casually mentioned another of Orochimaru's resurrection failsafes, slowly threatening, "If I wanted to kill you here, I would certainly deal with the curse mark on her first. But since I haven't done so, it proves my sincerity..."

"And the price?"

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed.

"You."

Uchiha Sasuke pointed at Orochimaru, a slight smile on his lips, "In terms of both power and ability, Orochimaru-sama is an extremely valuable partner. I need your help, just as you once cooperated with Danzo..."

"We'll collaborate..."

"You create a threat to Konoha..."

"And I'll handle the threat you create..."

Uchiha Sasuke spread his hands, adopting the demeanor of a Konoha high-ranking official, displaying his intent to work sincerely together, "As long as we join forces, we can control Konoha's power from the shadows..."

"Of course."

"I must remind you."

Uchiha Sasuke's gaze turned cold, a flash of crimson in his eyes, and his figure suddenly appeared beside Orochimaru!

"!!!"

Orochimaru's heart jolted.

What speed!

Did this kid leave a Flying Thunder God mark on me?

The black-haired young man slowly lifted his head, looking up at the nearby Orochimaru, his crimson eyes locking onto Orochimaru's.

"Orochimaru-sama..."

"I'm giving you a path..."

"This path is not for you to choose..."

"It's just to let you know how you should walk in the future..."

Uchiha Sasuke extended his hand, slowly clenching it into a fist, ruthlessly threatening Orochimaru, "Orochimaru-sama, from the moment you appeared here, you should have understood your fate..."

"!!!"

Orochimaru gritted his teeth.

This kid...

Is he threatening me?

And this threat is even quite effective!

Because Uchiha Sasuke's actions clearly show he already controls my life and death, even planting Kabuto by my side to lure me here, all for this moment of confrontation!

"Believe me..."

"The path I'm giving you is definitely the best one..."

After the threat, Uchiha Sasuke imitated Akihara Kagura's way of offering a sweet reward, "Even if this path is full of thorns and may lead you off a cliff, with my support, you'll surely reach the end..."

"At the end..."

"There will surely be blooming flowers."