Having reached their destination, the group was in no rush.
Orochimaru spoke slowly. "Back then, the Fourth Hokage used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal to seal the Nine-Tails, a forbidden technique developed by the Uzumaki clan. The caster pays with their soul to summon the Death God, sealing both themselves and their enemy within its belly."
Kabuto adjusted his glasses. "As expected of the Uzumaki clan, renowned for their sealing techniques!"
Orochimaru smirked. "Indeed. With their unique constitution and mastery of sealing techniques, the Uzumaki clan were the ideal candidates for Jinchuriki. All of Hidden Leaf's Jinchuriki came from the Uzumaki clan, including that kid now!"
Karin remained silent.
She already knew this. Back in Hidden Grass Village, the 'Grass Seed' faction had exploited this fact, plotting to kill Naruto so Hidden Leaf would reseal the Nine-Tails into Karin, an Uzumaki, to steal it and open the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
Glancing at Karin and seeing her lack of response, Orochimaru continued, "The Uzumaki clan's Dead Demon Consuming Seal is incredibly intricate. Even I haven't fully deciphered it, so I'll need some time to hand over the Nine-Tails to you."
Unlike in the original timeline, where the Third Hokage used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal to seal Orochimaru's arms, in this timeline, Orochimaru hadn't faced that fate. Thus, his research into the technique was less advanced, and even he wasn't entirely confident, only willing to try.
Karin asked, "How long will it take?"
Orochimaru shook his head. "Hard to say. Maybe a day, maybe months."
Karin's expression darkened. "Are you playing us?"
The atmosphere grew tense, and Kabuto's heart tightened, quietly preparing for a fight.
Orochimaru, however, remained calm. "I'm not playing you. I'm just stating the truth. Unless you can revive the Uzumaki clan, you'll have to rely on me."
Through Jikibi, Shinji monitored the exchange between Karin and Orochimaru in real-time.
Perhaps because he'd known from the start that Orochimaru wouldn't cooperate easily, Shinji wasn't angered by this complication.
Following Shinji's instructions, Karin said, "Our patience is limited. If you can't complete the deal before we lose it, you won't like the consequences."
Orochimaru smiled. "I'll do my best."
Kabuto let out a breath of relief.
Orochimaru whispered a few instructions to Kabuto, then led Karin to search the ruins of Hidden Whirlpool Village.
After a while, they arrived at a chaotic graveyard.
Karin scanned the area. "What are we doing here?"
Orochimaru chuckled. "Please wait a moment."
Soon, Kabuto returned with two terrified men, dressed like ordinary locals from nearby.
Kabuto then directed the men to start digging in the graveyard.
Karin frowned. "What are you doing?"
Orochimaru explained with a smile, "The Uzumaki clan is unique, possessing a powerful life force unmatched by other clans. Their sealing techniques are extremely difficult to master, and some even require Uzumaki blood to practice."
Karin said flatly, "I know that."
Orochimaru's smile turned sinister. "So, the best way to break their seals is to ask them directly."
"Impure World Reincarnation!?"
Karin froze, realizing Orochimaru's plan.
Orochimaru nodded. "This area is likely where the allied forces buried bodies after the war. There should be Uzumaki clan remains here."
Kabuto interjected, "Unfortunately, there probably aren't any significant Uzumaki figures' bodies."
A shinobi's body is a source of intelligence, so after the war, the bodies of important Uzumaki clan members were likely taken by the victors. Those buried here were probably ordinary clan members.
The thought of Orochimaru digging up her clan's graves made Karin uneasy, but since it was indeed a way to break the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, she suppressed her discomfort and watched coldly from the side.
After a long time, the two men unearthed several badly damaged skeletons.
Kabuto inspected them, selecting two skeletons with clear battle wounds, confirming they died in the war, and placed them before Orochimaru.
Without hesitation, Orochimaru used the two men Kabuto had brought as sacrifices, performing Impure World Reincarnation to summon the owners of the two skeletons.
"Ah!"
Amid their screams, the two men were gradually enveloped by countless paper tags, transforming into different forms.
"This!?"
Despite her mental preparation, Karin was still shaken witnessing the scene!
Orochimaru examined the two reincarnated bodies he had summoned, then formed a seal to dispel the black-haired one, leaving only the red-haired reincarnated body.
Next, Orochimaru inserted a paper-tagged kunai into the red-haired reincarnated body's head. As steam rose from its body, regaining some vitality, he began his questioning.
After the interrogation, Orochimaru obtained the information he sought.
Turning to Karin, he said, "I didn't expect the Uzumaki clan's storage hall for the Death God's mask to be near Hidden Leaf Village. Looks like we'll need to head back there."
Karin gave Orochimaru a deep look.
At that moment, she finally understood why the Leader chose to work with Orochimaru. From his disregard for human life, his willingness to use any means to achieve his goals, and the eerie Impure World Reincarnation, it was clear that if Orochimaru set his mind to it, no secret or forbidden technique was beyond his reach.
With a low enough moral threshold, he could dig up graves, summon the dead from the underworld, and extract any answers he wanted.
The only challenge was finding the right bodies.
For Orochimaru, even that wasn't much of an obstacle. With his strength, he could infiltrate anywhere except the core areas of the five great shinobi villages. Finding the right bodies was merely a matter of time and effort.
Just like now!
"He's too dangerous. Someone like him should stay locked in a prison forever, rotting away!"
Karin resolved that, after completing this deal, she would convince the Leader to send Orochimaru back to Hidden Leaf's prison, ensuring this menace faced justice.
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