The two years he had spent observing from the sidelines, accumulating strength, were the reward for the desperate choice he had made to leave Konoha.
Reflecting on the recent battle, Shisui knew that if his main body had intervened—coordinating the swarms, the toxins, the pheromone-induced illusions, and the hidden predatory insects—there was a seventy percent chance he could have kept Orochimaru there forever.
It was a pity he lacked a powerful Sealing Technique.
The major hidden villages all maintained specialized sealing teams. When facing an elite of that caliber, they would employ barriers specifically to prevent the target from escaping via Reverse Summoning.
"What a sha. It felt so close to a total success," Shisui mused, closing his eyes to reconstruct every detail of the skirmish. "But... today also exposed critical flaws."
He began his ntal debrief.
The insect swarms were a lethal threat to ordinary ninjas and even Jonin, but their effectiveness plumted against colossal summoning beasts like Manda.
Their hides were too thick, their scales too resilient to be breached instantly. Furthermore, the natural energy inherent in such ancient creatures made them resistant to the standard biological interference of ordinary insects.
The invisible scorpion's venom could wound Orochimaru, but unless it was a sneak attack, hitting a master of his level was nearly impossible.
The pheromone illusions were less effective against high-alert targets with extensive biological knowledge.
Shisui had anticipated this, which is why he had opted for a slow, atmospheric infiltration rather than an instant cast.
He wanted the influence to be subconscious. However, it had still fallen just short.
Moreover, this tactic was a "one-trick pony"; against top-tier experts, once they were aware of the chanism, it wouldn't work a second ti.
"I need armor-piercing species," Shisui noted, tapping his finger on the desk as he recorded his findings in his experintal log. "Carapace penetrators? Acidic corrosives? Or perhaps chakra-drill types..."
He paced the room, his mind already churning with genetic possibilities.
The Takigakure nest was now compromised. While relatively safe for now, there was no guarantee it wouldn't face a collective siege in the future.
"One shouldn't put all their eggs in one basket. I should establish several more nests. If danger arrives, I can relocate instantly. A wily hare has three burrows."
There was another factor: Takigakure was approaching its developntal limit. Deepening and expanding the underground palace further would only be a play for more space; it already stretched miles from the surface, nearing the structural limit of the cavern systems.
As for Orochimaru... he would return, but not today.
"Before his next visit, I must be ready. Even if I cannot kill him, I must force him to sit down and negotiate with as an equal."
"I need more. I need stronger insects."
Shisui closed his eyes, beginning the blueprint for a new breed while slowly replenishing his chakra reserves.
As night fell, the destroyed streets and battle scars were ticulously repaired by the Earth-Construction Insects. The elders and the few Jonin who knew the truth worked tirelessly to paint the new bricks, ensuring the village looked exactly as it had that morning.
Before long, Takigakure returned to its nocturnal silence. The lights of the comrcial district flickered out, the shift change for the guards was completed, and the villagers drifted into sleep.
Beneath the placid surface, the invisible swarms continued their flight, as if the day's events had never happened.
On the border between the Land of Grass and the Land of Waterfalls, Orochimaru erged from the forest, crawling out of the mouth of a smaller snake.
He looked down at the wound on his left waist. It had turned a bruised black, and he could feel the toxins slowly migrating through his system.
His hands wove a sequence of signs. "Ninja Art: Delicate Illness Extraction."
A thin stream of purple venom was drawn out through his fingertips. Gradually, the blood around the wound returned to a healthy crimson.
He took a fine surgical needle and thread, stitching the gash with practiced precision. He used a minor Healing Jutsu to staunch the blood, followed by Mystical Palm to knit the flesh together slowly, minimizing the number of cell divisions required for recovery.
Once finished, Orochimaru felt a lingering weakness. He sighed at his current state. "The human body is truly fragile, isn't it?"
In this mont, his desire to modify his own form and transcend his limitations burned brighter than ever. If the human body had a ceiling, he would simply tear the roof off.
"I was too arrogant this ti," he admitted, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. His eyes shimred with a predatory excitent.
"Shisui Abura... you are becoming a very interesting person. Under different circumstances, we might have been friends. But now, we are destined to be enemies."
He closed his eyes, his mind replaying the battle. The fusion of illusion and pharmacology, the omnipresent surveillance, the cold, clinical combat style...
"Next ti, I will be better prepared. But before that, I will change this weak vessel."
He vanished into the dense woods, heading toward the horizon.
With the war drawing to a close, the Five Great Nations were signing non-aggression pacts.
Konoha was even providing "compensation" to so defeated nations—a move intended to project the magnanimity of a superpower, even if it ant straining its own coffers.
It was a political compromise; by using resources to buy a withdrawal, Konoha could reduce its own attrition and focus on recovery.
Konoha had to be the "winner." The prestige of being the strongest was its greatest defense. If they showed even a hint of vulnerability, the other villages would swarm like sharks.
It was a facade, a hollow strength they were forced to maintain because they lacked the power to truly crush their enemies in a single blow.
Outside the Konoha encampnt in the Land of Rain.
Most of the shinobi had already departed for the village, leaving only a small garrison. Danzo Shimura stood outside a barracks, waiting.
He looked at the pale, weakened Orochimaru with genuine surprise. "The scent of blood... I didn't think anyone in Takigakure could wound you. Did they deploy the Jinchuriki?"
"My injuries are none of your concern," Orochimaru shot back.
"What exactly is hidden in that place?" Danzo asked, cutting straight to the point.
Orochimaru let out a cold laugh. "I won't say. Just know that it is sothing even your 'Root' cannot afford to provoke. I suggest you suppress your curiosity."
Danzo stared into his eyes, silent for a long mont. "Fine. But I need your answer now."
"I agree to your proposal," Orochimaru said. "But I'm going to need more leverage."
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