Land of Fire, as soon as Orochimaru arrived at Konoha Village's underground laboratory, he received intelligence from Kabuto.
It described what happened in the Hidden Rain Village. While there weren't specific details, the general course of events and the final outcome were written very clearly.
Reading the information in the file, Orochimaru casually lit it on fire, and in the light of the flames, a strange look appeared in his eyes.
"Attacked Nagato, forcefully took the Rinnegan... Obito, that guy, actually did something like this..."
This was something Orochimaru hadn't expected. His trip to warn Nagato this time also had a bit of an intention to pressure Obito and Black Zetsu. He never thought it would have some adverse effect.
If he had known it would be like this... he should have drained a bit more of Nagato's spirit and physical strength.
Orochimaru licked his lips and said with some regret, "To have destroyed one Rinnegan, that's truly a shame."
The Rinnegan was a rare treasure. The appearance of each pair was a mix of various coincidences. Even though Orochimaru knew all the processes involved, he wasn't entirely confident he could create one.
Rather than destroying it, Orochimaru had hoped Obito would succeed.
And whether it was one or two, the power displayed by Obito would clearly not match Nagato's.
"But, it's good now. Having lost an eye, Nagato should be quiet for a while."
Thinking of this, Orochimaru became a little confused again. "But how exactly did Obito manage it..."
Just like Nagato and Konan, even in a weakened state, he didn't think Obito could threaten Nagato.
"Perhaps Uchiha Madara left some method within Nagato's body."
Genie Lamp poked its head out and guessed, "He wouldn't have given Nagato a pair of Rinnegan for no reason. With Black Zetsu's cooperation, there might have been a chance."
He remembered that in the original timeline, Uchiha Madara had also used a black substance made from Yin-Yang Release to deal with Obito.
Although he missed the first time, the second time with Black Zetsu's cooperation, he succeeded. And being in a weakened state, Nagato might not have been comparable to a Six Paths-transformed Obito.
"It's not that simple. Even with Madara's methods, Black Zetsu wouldn't have had a chance to touch Nagato's body. Nagato would have had that much vigilance. At most, it could have been remotely activated."
A thoughtful glint flashed in Orochimaru's eyes. "Besides, in Nagato's current state, he's almost like Uchiha Madara reborn, even stronger. There's no reason he'd be tricked by Obito..."
After much thought, Orochimaru and Genie Lamp came up with several other deductions, but rejected them all. In the end, they could only return to the most basic guess – Nagato was careless.
It seemed like the most absurd, yet the most reasonable guess.
"Nagato has grown quite a bit in the last few years, but still too slowly to handle the troubles around him."
Genie Lamp sighed with some emotion. "After all, these gifts from fate come with a price, and when they are collected, they are often brutal. Nagato clearly lacks a sense of crisis in this regard."
Frankly speaking, without the Rinnegan, Nagato should have died during that mistaken killing by Konoha Ninja. Jiraiya might not have meticulously taught the trio, and if even Hanzō and Danzō had attacked, he might not have been able to erupt and escape.
In a ninja world plagued by constant warfare, ninjas who would kill out of suspicion, and those who would fight each other over differing ideals and power struggles... the latter wouldn't even need Obito to deliberately guide them. The Akatsuki organization, whose goal was 'world peace,' would inevitably clash with people like Hanzō, it was only a matter of time.
Compared to this malice, Jiraiya's goodwill stemming from the 'Child of Prophecy' was much rarer.
Who knows how many ordinary people had already drowned in layers of malice. Nagato had benefited greatly from those Rinnegan to survive until now. It was only fitting that he would be calculated by Obito and Black Zetsu working together.
It's just that Nagato was strong enough. After paying a certain price, he drove away the collectors and refused to pay the other half of the price.
"Your expression seems complicated."
Orochimaru glanced at Genie Lamp and grinned. "Are you feeling a sense of empathy, seeing Uchiha Madara's investment go down the drain, and regretting it?"
"A little... but after thinking about it, I still can't empathize." Genie Lamp raised its eyebrows and smiled. "Uchiha Madara was at the end of his life, so he went all in, betting everything. Thus, he had to bear great risks. But I've always been making steady profits."
"And let me tell you, the fact that I haven't completely consumed you and squeezed out all your utility value yet, already shows I have a strong sense of contract."
"Actually, I'm quite curious, why haven't you done that?"
A faint glow flickered in Orochimaru's eyes. "Now that I've reached the pinnacle of the ninja world, even the Sage of Six Paths might not be able to do anything to me. Wouldn't it be fitting to harvest some leeks now?"
Currently, all his abilities have basically been copied by Genie Lamp. The remaining bits and pieces are of no consequence.
And even if Genie Lamp were to do whatever it wanted with his body, truthfully, he wouldn't be able to resist. Even afterwards, he would continue to do what he was supposed to do.
In Orochimaru's mind, this could even be considered the price for Genie Lamp's assistance all along.
But strangely, Genie Lamp remained completely unharmed and its attitude was as usual. It hadn't even made any attempts.
This left Orochimaru very curious. Was this guy's realm really that high?
Clearly, its demeanor was no different from ordinary people. When it saw Tsunade, it would glance at her chest a few extra times.
"Tsk... what do you think I am?"
Sensing what Orochimaru was thinking, Genie Lamp twitched its mouth a few times. "That's normal reaction, isn't it? Becoming Genie Lamp doesn't mean I lose my humanity."
"But you don't seem to have fully unleashed your humanity either." Orochimaru pressed on, continuing to inquire.
He not only harbored some apprehension towards Genie Lamp's power but also a sense of seeking knowledge and curiosity.
His goal of eternal life was getting closer and closer. But after reaching it, what kind of problems would he face? He had been pondering this.
If nothing else, in a few years or decades, the old man would pass away. And after experiencing a long enough period of time, all his friends and family would likely be gone.
Establishing new relationships wasn't impossible, but at his current level, he would likely be like the White Snake Sage, only having superior-subordinate relationships. Over time, he would probably get tired of it.
Orochimaru didn't actually reject loneliness. He even enjoyed it when studying Ninjutsu. But he was afraid of losing his vitality.
A monotonous life would only erode sensibility and destroy creativity. Orochimaru didn't want to be a 'god'; instead, he wanted to remain human and explore his never-ending potential.
"You think this way only because you have no companions. But I'm not like you."
Genie Lamp shrugged helplessly. "In the future, I will have various hosts, and I can form all sorts of relationships, and witness endless worlds..."
"Besides, instead of looking for answers from me, why not look outwards. The universe is vast... like the Ōtsutsuki clan."
He knew why Orochimaru asked. If 'eternal life' was the goal, Orochimaru had already completed much of it. The rest was just a matter of collecting enough energy to fuel his growth. This might make Orochimaru, who was used to a fast-paced life, feel a bit empty.
His previous host, Tanjiro, after defeating Muzan, turned his energy to the great cause of having children. With Kanao, he had baby after baby, making outstanding contributions to the population growth of a world without 'demons.'
But Tanjiro had no interest in things like the 'Blue Spider Lily' containing the secret of eternal life, or the god who cursed the Ubuyashiki clan and ordered them to kill Muzan. He was content to live his life as an ordinary person.
He got what he wished for, and it could be considered a good life. But this was clearly not Orochimaru's choice.
"The Ōtsutsuki clan..." A sharp glint flashed in Orochimaru's eyes.
He had learned a lot about this clan from Genie Lamp, but he had never actually interacted with them. Whether the various good and bad impressions were true or not, he couldn't say for sure. But their ability to travel through space was a reality.
He needed to find a way to find a living Ōtsutsuki.
"You don't need to worry about that. Although these guys have problems with their sense of time, with Ōtsutsuki Kaguya's betrayal for so long, these guys will eventually come looking."
Genie Lamp stroked its chin. "What you should really worry about is whether you'll have the ability to fight and win when that happens."
Actually, in Genie Lamp's impression, there seemed to be a half-crippled pure-blooded Ōtsutsuki in the ninja world. But due to personal reasons, he hadn't looked into the details and was unsure at the moment.
However, Genie Lamp wasn't worried. As long as that guy existed in the ninja world, he would eventually reveal himself. For now, Orochimaru should focus on his own growth.
...
Time passed, and a week went by in the blink of an eye.
Orochimaru moved back into the laboratory, monitoring the progress of the shrine maiden Shion purifying the Box of Paradise, while also processing what he gained from Ryūchi Cave and the Hidden Rain Village.
Meanwhile, besides the internal strife within the Akatsuki organization, the great battle outside the Hidden Rain Village gradually spread across the ninja world.
Dragons and snakes soaring, and thunder giants fighting in the sky... almost everyone's first reaction upon hearing about this celestial-level battle was, 'Stop the BS. How much money did Konoha and the Akatsuki organization pay you?'
But there were many people who witnessed the battle that day, and the traces left inside and outside the Hidden Rain Village were undeniable. If nothing else, the giant meteorite that had almost become a lake island couldn't have been a coincidence, right? Moreover, there were even more details.
Except for Konoha, almost all ninja villages sent scouts to the Hidden Rain Village to investigate and try to reconstruct the battle. Even Kumogakure was no exception.
After all, they had just followed a new boss; they needed to check their boss's background before he got taken down in a few days.
Of course, the reason for the chaos and the proliferation of all sorts of rumors was also due to the Akatsuki organization's inaction.
The Akatsuki organization, which was once closed off like the Land of Iron and vigorously cracked down on spies, was surprisingly ineffective this time, basically not interfering. As a result, the news fanned the flames and spread more and more intensely.
There were still many extraordinary individuals among the ninjas who, from eyewitness accounts and the widespread destruction, managed to piece together the general course of the battle.
But this unfiltered information, when it reached ordinary people, developed into increasingly absurd myths.
Both ordinary people and ordinary ninjas instinctively feared this celestial-level power. Sharing their fear and seeing neighbors and comrades who were equally unable to eat because of the news could provide a bit of comfort.
At this point, the usually silent Konoha stepped forward, releasing a relatively 'official' account of the battle, and stating that it was merely a sparring session and not intended to provoke a world war.
And when the Akatsuki organization also announced this news, ordinary people's hearts finally settled. But at the same time, the higher-ups of the various ninja villages were cursing.
They knew it was time to pick a side.
Sunagakure Village and the Hidden Rain Village, having already boarded the train, naturally had nothing to worry about. But the remaining villages had to think carefully.
Thus, on the surface, the ninja world was calm, but underneath, a turbulent undercurrent was brewing.
...
The former Land of Iron, now Winter Ninja Village.
Since the samurai village perished, and rogue ninja from Kirigakure re-established a ninja settlement here, it had been four or five years.
These few years were not enough for the original inhabitants to completely forget the glory of the samurai. But the newcomers, with the support of Kusagakure Ninja, had firmly established themselves, especially today when the Akatsuki organization had shown its might.
Unlike other regions, the people here were well aware that the ninjas currently managing and ruling Winter Ninja Village belonged to the Akatsuki organization.
And the stronger the leader of the Akatsuki organization, the more security they could obviously provide. They even looked upon these outsiders with more favor.
Before, they deliberately kept their distance. Even if they weren't cold-shouldered, they wouldn't be overly enthusiastic. Now, they had adopted a friendly attitude.
Whether it was ninjas on regular patrols or trainees still in the ninja academy, they would intentionally strike up conversations and chat.
The Yuki clan and the Taketori clan, though proud, would not adopt an aloof attitude at this time. On the contrary, due to the elders' instructions, they were told to respond to the villagers' goodwill.
The leaders of both clans understood that, regardless of the reason, this was an opportunity to get closer and integrate with each other.
However, even so, for those who were not good at socializing, it was more tiring than fighting for their lives.
"..."
In a corner of the street, a handsome young boy leaned against a wall, panting lightly. In the cold temperature of freezing ice and snow, a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead.
"These people are too enthusiastic."
Haku wiped the sweat from his forehead. As he spoke, puffs of white mist escaped his mouth.
"If you don't like it, just refuse them directly."
Beside him, a similarly handsome boy whose eyes were intensely cold spoke, "Don't make things difficult for yourself."
"No way, Kimimaro. These are the Clan Leader's orders."
Haku shook his head, and a smile suddenly appeared on his face. "Besides, I want to get along with them."
"You guy..."
Kimimaro looked at the radiant smile and didn't know what to say.
Both of them were not good with words. If they both put on a cold front to the villagers, they would inevitably be reprimanded when they returned to their clans.
Genius Clan Leaders like them should set an example.
The reason Haku was forcing himself was to take care of him, who was a little older.