If the Third Hokage, trapped inside the Four Violet Flames Formation, didn't count, then the mission should have been a complete success.
As for the Third Hokage? Come on. Even his good brother Danzo hadn't come to help, so who were you to get involved? Did you see anyone else from Konoha going to help?
At this point, our strongest Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was gradually running out of strength. After all, he was no longer the Shinobi Hero he had once been. Now, Hiruzen Sarutobi intended to do one last thing for Konoha before he died.
"Reaper Death Seal!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the disciple he had once admired most, only for things to come to this.
"It seems I've truly failed as a teacher," Hiruzen Sarutobi said.
He seized both of Orochimaru's hands, intending to take him, the First Hokage, and the Second Hokage into the Shinigami's stomach together.
But how could Orochimaru let him have his way? He couldn't bear to part with his precious life, and he struggled desperately.
But Hiruzen Sarutobi was now advanced in years. How could he hold all three of them at once? In the end, Orochimaru escaped the Reaper Death Seal at the cost of both arms.
Orochimaru looked at the blood covering his hands, then at the Third Hokage, who was about to collapse. A crazed smile appeared on his face.
It was unclear whether he was worried about his hands being sealed or happy that he had succeeded in killing his teacher with his own hands.
Little did he know that Orochimaru from the past had also seen what was happening before him, and he, too, was filled with emotion.
"I never imagined my future self would come to this," Orochimaru said regretfully.
The young Kakashi had also come to Orochimaru's side. By then, the barrier had dissipated, and Orochimaru had taken the opportunity to escape. Kakashi, meanwhile, had many questions he wanted answered.
"Why did your future self insist on killing the Third Hokage? He was the teacher you once respected most," Kakashi demanded.
What was it? Orochimaru, too, fell into thought. Had he changed? When had it started?
Was it when his teacher had scolded him for researching forbidden jutsu, or when he had worked with Danzo to conduct experiments in secret?
Kakashi had always thought it was because, when the Fourth Hokage was chosen, the Third Hokage had passed over Orochimaru and selected Minato Namikaze, who had made a name for himself during the Third Shinobi World War.
But Orochimaru was destined not to give him an answer. Perhaps Orochimaru had wanted to bring a wind to Konoha.
Looking back on the Konoha Crush, which had been like child's play, Orochimaru had killed the Kazekage, leaving the thousands of Sand shinobi who had invaded Konoha leaderless. He had then faced his own teacher in battle and killed him with his own hands.
However one looked at the battle, Sunagakure could no longer be Konoha's enemy. Sunagakure's Kazekage had died, and Konoha had eliminated most of the village's Jonin during the operation.
From now on, Sunagakure would probably have no choice but to follow Konoha's lead.
"We should go too," Orochimaru suddenly said.
Those still present were Obito, Kakashi, Yugito Nii, Samui, Cee, Rin, Kurenai Yuhi, Anko, Might Guy, Orochimaru, Mei Terumi, and Yahiko's trio from Amegakure.
Once again, before they had time to say goodbye to the young Kakashi, the Inventory System teleported them back to Konoha.
[ Ding! Orochimaru's mission succeeded. Mission completion: 81%. (Do you still remember that you left a lonely, helpless disciple in that world?) ]
[ Mission reward: research on the Cursed Seal Technique and an increased success rate for the Cursed Seal Technique. ]
Orochimaru now remembered that he still had a disciple there, but he wasn't worried in the slightest. He knew himself best, and he also knew Sasuke best.
Sasuke would definitely use the Cursed Seal again. He couldn't resist his desire for power.
In that case, he would definitely go looking for Orochimaru's future self. Come to think of it, did that mean Orochimaru had taken on a disciple for his future self?
Then again, Sasuke's personality was rather hard to describe. Orochimaru wondered whether his future self could put up with him.
[ Ding! Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato's mission is complete. Mission completion: 85%. (You did your best this round. Your Sealing Jutsu thoroughly crushed the opposition.) ]
[ Mission reward: five special Akatsuki uniforms. They have a strange effect when worn, but remember never to take them off. ]
[ Yahiko: Ah! What the heck? I spent so many coins buying Sealing Jutsu, and all we get as a reward is a few pieces of clothing? ]
[ Konan: We can't dismiss them completely. These clothes do have an advantage. ]
[ Yahiko: What advantage? How come I didn't notice one? ]
[ Konan: Didn't you notice? They look especially good when you wear them! ]
[ Rasa: Haha, I didn't expect the rewards to be any good either. Just a few pieces of clothing. Speaking of which, if your Amegakure was short on clothes, you should have said so earlier. I'd have sent you a few. ]
Rasa gave them a thorough mocking over their rewards. Right now, he couldn't stand the sight of anyone and wanted to ridicule everyone he saw.
There was nothing particularly special about the others' rewards. Obito received a Gunbai. Although he wasn't quite sure what it was for, he seemed to remember seeing his future self use one in the arena.
Kakashi received several times more Chakra. He wasn't quite sure why he had been rewarded with Chakra, since he wasn't all that short of it himself.
The others received little more than some coins, while Yugito gained the physical capabilities she had in her non-Tailed Beast state.
[ Orochimaru: How interesting. It's actually research on the Cursed Seal. ]
[ Hiruzen Sarutobi: Orochimaru, I won't allow you to conduct that kind of experiment. ]
[ Orochimaru: Got it, old man. I won't harm Konoha. ]
Good grief, Orochimaru, you weren't even trying to hide your double standards anymore, were you? If you weren't going to harm Konoha, did that mean you were going to harm the other shinobi villages?
[ Uchiha Fugaku: Since Mr. Orochimaru has said so, I hope he'll keep his word. ]
[ Orochimaru: Although I won't, there is someone who has his eye on the Uchiha Clan's eyes. ]
[ Fugaku: Is that so? Then how about I invite you over for a cup of tea, Mr. Orochimaru, and we can discuss it in detail? ]
[ Orochimaru: In that case, I'd be happy to accept. ]
Danzo was so angry with Orochimaru that he couldn't speak. Why, you, Orochimaru. Not only did you spend my research funds, but you also turned around and sold me out?
But because Orochimaru had interrupted his research, Danzo now had to suspend the upcoming experiments. No one in Root could take over Orochimaru's experiments.
Meanwhile, Obito was happily showing Rin his newly acquired weapon.
"Rin, don't underestimate this Gunbai. It's a weapon that can reflect other Ninjutsu as wind-attribute missions," Obito said, taking out the Uchiha Clan's Gunbai as he explained.
Obito didn't know that this was a Gunbai passed down through the Uchiha Clan. Madara Uchiha had taken it with him when he defected, so very few members of the Uchiha Clan knew about it now.
Obito didn't realize that he had grown a great deal without noticing it. Rin, meanwhile, looked at him happily.
Seeing Obito fulfill his wishes step by step, Rin was happy for him too.
Kakashi, on the other hand, was a little jealous of Obito's luck. Why had he only received an increase in Chakra, while Obito had gotten a powerful weapon?