Naruto : Cruel Rebirth

Naruto helped Orochimaru set up the recovered experimental equipment.

"Although it's a bit simple, now I have my own experimental base in Amegakure."

In front of the lab, Orochimaru, dressed in a pristine white robe, stood shoulder to shoulder with Naruto.

"Naruto-kun, while I've been away, Light Akatsuki has already made a name for itself in the ninja world..." 

"As for the first battle, it was nothing special," Naruto said casually, but his gaze caught Orochimaru's left pinky finger, where a dark red ring with the character '空' (empty) was worn.

The 'empty' ring. Orochimaru's old codename in Akatsuki.

After leaving Akatsuki, he had preserved his left hand, which Itachi had cut off, along with that ring in some laboratory.

This time, he had retrieved both, signifying his decision to officially join Light Akatsuki.

In the meeting room of the high tower, after sitting down, Naruto asked directly, "Orochimaru, do you have any of Itachi's biological material?" 

Orochimaru answered with interest, "I do. I've been keeping an eye on Itachi's growth since his youth. I also managed to collect a little of his material when he wasn't paying attention. Why, Naruto-kun, what are you planning?"

Naruto's gaze darkened beneath his mask, "I want to try bringing him back with Edo Tensei"

Orochimaru said, "That's not difficult, but I'll need a 'living sacrifice'..."

"Wait here."

Naruto stood up, vanished, and returned shortly after, bringing with him a man with hollow eyes. 

No matter the past, present, or future, Naruto would never harm an innocent person. This man was one of the 'Hanzo remnants' who tried to infiltrate the village during Naruto's training in Lightning Release. Naruto didn't kill him, and this was exactly the moment he had prepared for.

"Heh heh... this is really satisfying!"

Orochimaru smiled as he stood up, quickly drawing the ritual formation. He took out Itachi's life essence and placed it along with the living sacrifice inside the formation. As he formed hand seals, his long, beautiful hair flowed without wind.

—Forbidden Jutsu: Edo Tensei! But... the Edo Tensei didn't activate! Orochimaru frowned, slowly lowering his hands from the seals, and said seriously, "There are two possibilities: either Itachi is still alive, or he has already been reincarnated in the Impure World…"

Naruto wasn't surprised. "As expected, Kabuto has already started moving..." 

Orochimaru murmured, "Kabuto, I see."

Naruto supported his chin with the back of his hand, his gaze deep as he looked out at the rain outside the tower, his thoughts turning.

Itachi had set up crows inside me, and those crows had the 'left eye' of Shisui's Kotoamatsukami.

Itachi wrote a Genjutsu called 'Protecting Konohagakure' into that left eye.

The trigger condition was seeing Itachi's eyes. 

This jutsu was prepared for Sasuke. Itachi expected that Sasuke would want to take revenge on Konohagakure, and that he would transplant Itachi's eyes to gain eternal light. To stop Sasuke, I would inevitably have to fight him.

In my past life... I didn't know this. When Itachi, reincarnated in the Impure World, unknowingly triggered this jutsu, he accidentally freed himself from Kabuto's control.

Unlike the time I met Sasuke in the Land of Iron, this time, Sasuke should have already transplanted Itachi's eyes.

So, the next time I meet Sasuke and we make eye contact, the crow inside me will respond, and Kotoamatsukami will activate on Sasuke.

Naruto's palm tightened into a fist.

But 'Sasuke' is someone I definitely don't want to control with Genjutsu. 

So, I want to eliminate this obstacle as soon as possible.

But as expected, it's still full of obstacles? Well, the Akatsuki is preparing such a big operation, so it can't be done quickly. When the time comes, I'll find another way.

Orochimaru watched Naruto, deep in thought, and thought to himself: Naruto-kun's thoughts are really hard to read, but it's clear that Sasuke is involved in whatever is troubling him. I'm quite interested in this entanglement between these two winds...

"Let's put Itachi's situation aside for now." Naruto's words snapped Orochimaru out of his thoughts.

The rustling sound of paper filled the air as Konan wrapped the living sacrifice and took it away. 

Orochimaru also carefully stored away Itachi's life essence.

Naruto pushed a wooden box in front of Orochimaru...

Thud, thud, thud...!!

The box made a constant noise.

Orochimaru opened it to find Hidan's head, eyes wide open, glaring at the face in front of him as if he wanted to bite it off. 

Naruto said, "Orochimaru, can you make him a new body? And the body should retain his original abilities."

Hidan: "I'll bite you to death!!"

Orochimaru smiled. "This is easy. Although he only has a head left, his soul is intact. I've already studied the 'Dead Spirit Control through Blood' technique. That curse involves the soul domain, and the body is just the medium for casting the technique..."

Hidan: "I hate the soil and darkness, let me out!!" 

Naruto said, "Then I'll leave it to you. How long will it take?"

Hidan: "Kakuzu! Kakuzu, where are you!!"

Orochimaru thought for a moment and replied, "About half a month."

Hidan: "This is terrible, I can't feel my body!"

Naruto said, "Hmm, it will be a strong card in our hands..." 

Hidan: "Don't make me stand up again, or I'll turn all of you into offerings for Lord Evil God..."

Naruto frowned. "You're so noisy..."

Orochimaru laughed. "I agree."

Konan coldly said, "It's been more than half a month since we last used that technique, right..."

"Oh, right. If you hadn't mentioned it, I almost forgot..." 

Naruto took off his mask.

Zzz—his right eye's Three Tomoe changed into Mangekyou! He lifted Hidan's head out of the box.

Hidan growled, "What are you staring at, you blond porcupine?!"

Zzz—Naruto's right eye focused.

—Kotoamatsukami! 

"Hidan, you can still believe in your Jashin God, but first, you need to listen to me. Understand?"

Hidan's expression immediately showed zeal. "For Naruto-sama, I would even offer up the head of Jashin God myself!!!"

Zzz—The Mangekyou returned to Three Tomoe, and Naruto put his mask back on. "Cooperate with Orochimaru, and don't cause trouble for him..."

Orochimaru took Hidan's now quiet and obedient head and smiled. "Then I'll go handle my business, Naruto-kun..."

Naruto nodded. "Go ahead." 

Orochimaru led the way and left.

Konan said, "During your training, I also finished setting up the intelligence department. Do you want to review it?"

Naruto perked up. "Oh? Then what are we waiting for? Let's go take a look."

In the cold, solemn plaza, more than a hundred Amegakure Ninjas, dressed in armor with their faces hidden behind masks, knelt on one knee in the rain. 

Konan said, "There are 108 of them. They are all elites who survived in the harshest environments..."

Naruto's Rinnegan scanned the scene. These people were both men and women, young and old, all of them at the level of Jonin.

Naruto was deeply moved.

As a small country, Amegakure's strength was nearly all of its foundation. Konan had truly given him her full trust.

Because of that, he felt even more responsible for their lives! "Let me see what you're capable of..." 

Whoosh! The cloak flew up as Naruto stepped forward, his Lightning Release forming a purple lightning armor around him!

"Everyone, come at me together!" 

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