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  Deep within the winding tunnels of his secret underground base in the Land of Earth, Orochimaru paced bad forth. The dim light from flickering torches cast long shadows on the damp stone walls, giving the p even eerier feel. He stopped abruptly, sensing a shift in the chakra he'd been monit.

  "So, Hashirama's Soul has been released, huh" he muttered to himself, annoyance evident in his tone. "And Fukai has been sealed by Jiraiya." He clicked his tongue, frustration creeping in. 'Losing two valuable reanimations this early wasn't part of my pn.'

  Orochimaru focused on the sealed Reanimation ninja. 'Tobirama Senju was the one who created the reanimation jutsu. If he figures out a way to ter or destroy my trol, he could turn Fukai against me. It seems his purpose has e to an end.'

  With a swift hand sign, he decided to cut his losses. "There's no point in keeping you around if you're only going to bee a liability for me." he said, releasing the reanimation jutsu on Fukai, the fht-Tails jinchūriki. The e severed, and he felt the soul depart.

  Orochimaru took a deep breath, trying to calm the irritation bubbling inside. "No matter," he whispered, a sly grin f on his face. "What I gain from this will far outweigh abacks."

  In the belly of a rge toad in Mount Myoboku, two small toads were guarding a sealed ninja. Suddenly they saw the soul of a man ing out from the sealed coffin and they were immediately on guard.

  Fukai looked at his spirit form and then at the toads and uood that he was defeated and was released. "Tell Jiraiya that Orochimaru has released his forbidden jutsu. I'm finally free." With those words Blue B's soul vanished.

  The two toads witnessing the departure of the man, quickly left to inform their summoner.

  Ba the secret hideout in the Land of Earth, Orochimaru ehe b where Tsunade was bei. He began arranging various vials and instruments on a nearby table. "Everything is almost ready," he mused aloud.

  Shizuched him warily. "What are you pnning on doing to her now?" she asked, dread creeping into her voice.

  He gnced over his shoulder, a glint of excitement in his eyes. "Oh, just another little experiment. Tsunade possesses something very special, and I io make the most of it."

  "You're insane if you think you'll get away with this," Shizune said, g her fists. "They'll e for us."

  The Snake Sannin smiled slyly. "Oh, I'm ting on it my dear. But it'll be a little too te by then."

  He held up a syringe filled with a swirling, iridest liquid. "With this, the boundaries of what's possible will be pushed even further," he whispered, almost to himself.

  Shizune prepared to defend her unsaster but multiple snakes u her from the shadows arained her limbs. She gritted her teeth in anger as tears flowed down her cheek. "You bastard. You won't succeed," she said firmly. "Lady Tsunade is strohan you think."

  He chuckled. "We'll see about that." Despite the setbacks of losing Hashirama and Blue B, a twisted sense of satisfa settled over Orochimaru as he proceeded with his experiments.

  'Let them think they've gaihe upper hand,' he thought. 'In the end, the knowledge and power I acquire from this endeavor will reheir efforts meaningless.'

  He looked at Tsunade, gazing down at her unscious pained face. "Soon, everything will ge," he murmured.

  Shizune gred at him. There was desperation mixed with her anger. "You won't get away with this."

  Orochimaru met her gaze, his eyes cold and unblinking. "Who's going to stop me? Jiraiya? Sarutobi Sensei?" He smirked. "By the time they find us—if they ever do—it will be too te."

  The Snake Sanni a thrill at the thought of what was to e. "Let them chase shadows," he mused. "I'm always oep ahead."

  —-

  About 10 mier

  Otlefield where the two legendary Hokage's fought a figure appeared. Zetsu emerged from the shadows of the dense forest, his bd white halves trasting sharply against the green backdrop. He moved silently, his eyes sing the devastated ndscape ahead. The ground was torn up, trees splintered and uprooted, and the air was thick with the lingering traces of powerful jutsu.

  "Looks like we just missed a big party," White Zetsu ented, his voice light.

  "Indeed," Bck Zetsu replied, more seriously. "There are traces of tailed beast chakra here."

  They approached one of the rge craters, its edges still sm. The remnants of tailed beast energy hung in the air, faint but unmistakable. Nearby, scorched marks and deep gashes indicated intetles. He moved closer, kneeling down to touch the scorched earth.

  "That's defihe Eight-Tails' chakra," White Zetsu observed. "But that doesn't make any ses jinchūriki should be in the Hidden Cloud Vilge right now, isn't it?"

  Bck Zetsu nodded. "He is. Killer Bee is the Raikage's younger brother. His every movement is under close scrutiny. I doubt this was him."

  "And over there," Bck Zetsu then poio an area where the ground was covered in wooden spikes and vines. "That's remnants of wood style jutsu. Only one person could've dohat."

  "Hashirama Senju," they said in unison.

  "But he's been dead fes," White Zetsu added, fusion creeping into his voice. "How could his chakra be here?"

  Bck Zetsu's eyes narrowed. "And this water residue... It's sistent with Tobirama's teiques." He looked around and saw several rge pools of water all around. 'Multiple powerful water style jutsus were used here. His familiar chakra is still lingering in the air.'

  White Zetsu looked around, scratg his head. "So you're tellih the First and Sed Hokages were here, fighting? That doesn't make any sense."

  "Who could've defeated such powerful shinobis and even subdued a tailed beast's chakra so quickly?" White Zetsu wondered aloud.

  Bck Zetsu didn't answer and moved to another crater, smaller but just as devastating. The signs of explosive tags were evident, shards of paper still fluttering in the breeze.

  The spy of the Akatsuki moved a little further, ing across another area scarred by battle. The ground was charred, with traces of oil slicked across the surface. Small fmes flickered here and there, struggling to stay alive.

  "Fire and oil... and this residue," Bck Zetsu noted, closing his eyes briefly. "Natural energy. Someone was using Sage Mode."

  White Zetsu's face lit up with realization. "Jiraiya. The Toad Sage was here too."

  "So," Bck Zetsu pieced it together. "Jiraiya was fighting here, likely against the reanimated jinchūriki of the Eight-Tails. And over there, the marks on those woods indicate that Tobirama faced off against Hashirama."

  Bck Zetsu was silent for a moment. "There's only one expnation that fits," he finally said. "Someone is using the Reanimation Jutsu."

  "Reanimation jutsu? Isn't that the ohat brings the dead back to life?" White Zetsu asked his terpart as if to firm.

  "Yes."

  "But who could have used that?" White Zetsu asked.

  "You already know who."

  "Orochimaru," White Zetsu guessed after several seds. "I guess he's the only one crazy enough and with enough knowledge to pull that off."

  "Yes. He is the most likely culprit. He's been delving into forbidden teiques for the st decade after all." Bck Zetsu cluded.

  White Zetsu nodded his head and agreed. "Makes sense. But if the Leaf ninjas were able to defeat reanimated versions of Hashirama and the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki, they've gotten stronger."

  "Or the reanimations weren't at full power. There are certain limitations for that jutsu." Bck Zetsu tered. "Either way, this is a problem."

  White Zetsu agreed. "It seems he's been busy. He didn't just abduct Tsunade and Shizune. He's also using the reanimation jutsu to fight the Leaf ninjas."

  "This could plicate our pns."

  "But who did they fight? And did they win or did those reanimated ninjas kill them?" White Zetau asked his bck self.

  "All good questions."

  "We should inform Obito," White Zetsu suggested. "He'll want to know about this."

  "Agreed," Bck Zetsu replied. "The involvement of Orochimaru and the possibility of reanimated Hokages and a Jinchuriki 't be ignored. We o adjust accly."

  But a question formed in Bck Zetsu's mind. 'There is still a problem. All signs in the surroundings point to a fight between the First and Sed Hokages… Why would Hashirama fight Tobirama?... Uhose two were on opposite sides. Does that mean… Did Orochimaru lose trol of his jutsu or is it possible that the Leaf vilge has used reanimation jutsu on one of the first two Hokages? If so then who?' He kept his thoughts to himself and prepared to leave.

  They began to sink bato the ground, melding with the earth. "I wonder what Orochimaru's endgame is," White Zetsu mused as they disappeared.

  "Whatever it is, we o be ready for anything," Bck Zetsu responded. With that, they vanished pletely, leaving the ravaged battlefield behind. – 8:40 am

  —-

  Hidden Leaf Vilge - Daichi Hekima

  In a quiet room filled with stacks of dots and scrolls, Daichi sat alo a wooden desk.

  He leaned ba his chair, rubbing his temples. 'Why was the interrogatio with Mizuki sidered a success?' he thought to himself. 'I barely got any useful information, and the trail went cold so quickly.'

  The lead he'd followed had taken him on a wild goose chase, ending in a dead end far from any signifit findings.

  "Yet, the quest reward says increased ces of resg them" he mused, tapping his fingers on the desk. "It doesn't make sense."

  He gazed around the cluttered room, his eyes nding on a scroll detailing his enter with Guren. The ambush he Fire Capital repyed in his mind. Guren aeam had been formidable oppos, but he'd mao defeat them and bring Guren back as a prisoner.

  'Wait a minute, could Gurehe key? Mizuki's interrogation might not have given us much, but entering Guren couldn't have been a ce. She's one of Orochimaru's top subordinates. It was Mizuki's interrogation that ultimately led me to that enter with her. So she must have some intel with her that could help us. Too bad she's dead. I hope Inoichi and Ibiki got every useful intel out of her.'

  Daichi was suddenly taken back by his own thoughts. 'Jeez. Has my value for human life gotten so low. I didn't even feel a tinge of remorse or sadness for her… Stay strong Daichi. Now is not the time for you to lose it.'

  'The finance minister of the Land of Earth's royal court is involved with Orochimaru,' he pondered. 'Half an ho, Kakashi-sensei and I finally ected the dots.'

  He recalled the discussion with Kakashi earlier. They had sifted through tless reports, pieg together the subtle clues.

  'Shipments from the Land of Snow, diverted patrol routes, unated cargo... it all points to the minister.' he mused. 'But we need crete evidence.'

  Daichi had created a shadow e and updated it with this crucial information before dispelling it.

  'My Shadow e should reach the minister's residen about six hours,' he calcuted. 'With my disguise, it'll be easier to move ued.'

  He leaned back, gazing at the ceiling.

  'Interrogating the minister of a great nation is extremely risky.' he thought. 'But it's my best ce to find out where Orochimaru is hiding Tsunade-sensei and Shizune.'

  A flicker of crossed his mind.

  'What if my e enters unforeseen obstacles?' he wondered. 'No, I have to trust in my abilities. My shadow e is just as capable.'

  The room was silent except for the faint rustling of papers as a breeze drifted through the open window.

  'Every moment ts.' he reminded himself. 'Orochimaru's pns are advang, and we 't afford any deys.'

  He stood up and began pag slowly. 'I 't wait 6 hours and do nothing. I'll have the e iigate from his side. But I have to move forward with my own pns.'

  He ched his fist with determination.

  'I will find them,' he resolved. 'I won't let anything happen to you two. I promise.' Daichi took a deep breath, tering himself.

  He returo his seat, pulling a notebook towards him.

  'Might as well use this time tize,' he decided. 'Anticipate Orochimaru's moves.'

  As he began jotting down ideas, a quiet fidetled over him.

  'We're getting closer,' he assured himself. 'I feel it.'

  Author's Note:

  This is sort of a filler chapter. But I wao write it down and give some depth anyway.

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