Only I can destroy Konoha! Edo Tensei!

emm...

Beneath the shadow of the curtain bearing the sign for "Ichiraku Ramen," a figure exuding an eerie aura was frowning and deep in thought.

a long time……

Slurp~~ Swoosh~~~ Slurp~~~ Swoosh~~~~ Uh~~~~~~

His long black hair tilted slightly upwards with a hint of satisfaction, revealing long, golden pupils hidden beneath purple eyeshadow. Against the backdrop of his blue tomoe-shaped earrings, his usually sinister face now showed a rare expression of satisfaction.

Snapped!

As a grayish-white thousand-tael silver note was slapped on the table, Otsutsuki Ichiraku calmly accepted it and skillfully stuffed it into the overflowing money box.

Uh...it's common knowledge.

Aside from Naruto, the child of prophecy, no one could get credit from Ichiraku Otsutsuki, even though the person before him was one of the legendary Sannin of Konohagakure in the Land of Fire...

Orochimaru!

emm...

Now that the customers have finished their meals and he, as the owner, has received payment, it's time to heed the village guards' call and head to the designated refuge location as soon as possible. He might also want to see if he can collect the reward for reporting an S-rank rogue ninja...

"Arigato, wrap him up and curse him to death!"

Ok?

Orochimaru's wandering thoughts were pulled back to reality by Ichiraku's words, and a barely perceptible hint of nostalgia flashed in his eyes.

It really is exactly the same as before...

Even though so many years have passed, the taste of this Ichiraku Ramen restaurant has not changed at all, just like the Konoha in front of me that exudes a rotten smell!

As Orochimaru thought of this, his eyes gradually returned to their coldness, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips. Clearly, he was filled with a violent joy at everything he had experienced upon returning to Konoha today.

He had wanted to do this for a long time!

From the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi's malicious manipulation of the Fourth Hokage election results to his cooperation with Danzo in developing and researching various dark ninjutsu, Konoha-zo before him had become so corrupt that even he found it disgusting.

to this end!

Orochimaru, wanting to put a perfect end to his past, even meticulously prepared a grand "Konoha Crush Plan" for his former teacher...

However, before the plan was even drafted, some unexpected changes occurred in Konoha Village, which led Orochimaru to witness the burning of Konoha!

It's exhilarating, but not quite exhilarating enough!

Orochimaru was naturally aware of the Uchiha clan's affairs, and had even personally fought against Itachi Uchiha. How could he not figure out what was going on behind the scenes?

and so!

Although the Uchiha's revenge was perfectly reasonable, Orochimaru still felt a little uneasy!

"Life is so fragile!"

Orochimaru slowly stood up, instinctively preparing to cast a genjutsu to erase Ichiraku's memory of his whereabouts...

Rumble!

With a loud roar, Orochimaru, suddenly sensing a deadly crisis, abruptly retreated several steps, stepping back from behind the Ichiraku Ramen signboard and warily watching his right front.

No movement? Impossible!

Looking at the empty wasteland in front of him, Orochimaru's vigilance reached its limit. He knew that the feeling he had just experienced could not have been so simple.

The last time I had this feeling was before... I underestimated the power of the Mangekyou Sharingan before!

"But just now..." Orochimaru's eyes grew increasingly cold.

With Orochimaru's powerful senses, he could clearly tell that the loud roar came from the two intense battles in the distance, but the sense of crisis he felt just now was unusually different.

Otsutsuki Ichiraku?

Orochimaru had this absurd thought flash through his mind, but he immediately dismissed it and vanished from the spot in an instant.

next moment!

Orochimaru's figure appeared on the rooftop dozens of meters away, and dozens of giant pythons suddenly emerged from his sleeves, devouring the empty tiles.

Hiss!

Accompanied by a piercing snake hiss, the tile shattered completely in an instant, and at that very moment, several white, twisted figures gradually appeared in mid-air.

Ninja Art: Cursed Snake Binding Technique!

The moment the figures were revealed, Orochimaru realized their unusual nature and decisively formed hand seals to unleash this special technique developed by combining snake binding and curse power.

Long white snakes with black flame patterns were tightly coiled around the several strange white figures, and the dark cursed power sealed the targets' bodies and chakra like chains.

"So weak!"

Orochimaru showed no satisfaction at his successful attack; instead, his brows furrowed even more deeply.

This kind of thing obviously couldn't give him that strong sense of crisis, but the speed at which such powerful vitality and chakra aura were sealed by the cursed seal technique was a bit too fast!

Was it due to the fluctuations of battle in the distance?

Or is there still a hidden hand secretly pulling everything together?

It couldn't possibly be that extremely kind-looking Ōtsutsuki Ichiraku from Ichiraku Ramen, the one known for his "hand-made" ramen...

Many doubts lingered in Orochimaru's mind, but he quickly suppressed them all.

"interesting!"

Orochimaru, a seasoned ninjutsu expert, had not had such an experience in a long time. Although everything in front of him was somewhat novel, it was not enough to frighten this ambitious man who was extremely confident in his own survival abilities.

No matter what it is, you can see it as long as you step out!

No longer pondering those unverifiable speculations, Orochimaru's gaze returned once more to the four White Zetsu before him.

"A terrifying vitality!"

Orochimaru slowly stepped forward to observe the White Zetsu, clicking his tongue in amazement. At the same time, he stretched out his hands and began to examine everything in front of him. The information it provided was so extraordinary that even for someone as knowledgeable in ninja biochemistry as him, it was enough to overturn the history of the ninja world.

brush!

Ninja Art: Reincarnation of the Undead!

Without the slightest hesitation, Orochimaru, with his human head and snake body, emerged from his mouth and swiftly darted into the mouth of a White Zetsu, like a swimming dragon.

"Just as I expected, it truly is a near-perfect shell!"

The White Zetsu, which Orochimaru had swallowed, began to change rapidly. In no time, it had transformed into Orochimaru's appearance, its hands slightly clenched in front of it, as if it were feeling the surging life force within its body.

Orochimaru's eyes were full of satisfaction. This body had not yet undergone careful exfoliation and adjustment, yet it already allowed him to unleash all his full power, far surpassing the previous temporary body. Moreover, this powerful vitality greatly enhanced his combat endurance.

but……

"It would be even more perfect if it were paired with those eyes..."

Orochimaru glanced sideways at the distance, a hint of greed flashing in his eyes. The nature of this body seemed to be exceptionally compatible with the Sharingan.

It's important to understand that Orochimaru's so-called Konoha Crush plan was originally just because he failed to seize the position of Fourth Hokage due to the previous "darkness," and then deeply experienced the true "darkness" of Konoha. He wanted to use a grand ceremony to put an end to his past and then wholeheartedly pursue his great goal of "immortality."

"What do you mean by saying I wasn't chosen because of my twisted thinking? Teacher, do you really believe such a thing yourself...?"

Orochimaru originally thought that having the Uchiha do it for him would save him some trouble, but now, after switching bodies and feeling the powerful energy within him, he had a bold idea.

spread!

Orochimaru glanced at the several White Zetsu that were sealed and unable to move on the ground, and a dangerous smile appeared on his lips.

"Only I can destroy Konoha!"

Forbidden Technique: Impure World Reincarnation!

...(End of this chapter)