Chapter Summaries

Orochimaru placed the Earth Curse Mark on Anko and monitored her recovery and its effects. Anko awakened with increased Chakra, but when she released the mark’s power, she transformed and collapsed from exhaustion, leaving Orochimaru to encourage her to train until she could control it.

• After Anko passed out from receiving the Curse Mark, Orochimaru checked her condition, treated her fever, and monitored her heightened cellular activity.
• Anko woke the next morning, and Orochimaru explained the Curse Mark; she accepted his reasons and trusted him.
• After three days of recovery, Anko told Orochimaru she felt healthy and had gained a great deal of Chakra.
• At Orochimaru’s request, Anko released the Curse Mark, transforming as her Chakra surged to a level comparable to most jonin.
• Anko collapsed when she could not control the mark’s violent power, and Orochimaru reassured her and urged her to keep training.

After giving Anko an Earth Curse Mark, Orochimaru received the Mask of Azakana, which concealed his identity and provided a storage space. He tested its powers and showed Anko how objects could vanish and reappear.

• Orochimaru gave Anko an Earth Curse Mark made with Uzumaki Clan cells because she lacked the talent to wield the Heaven's Curse Mark.
• The system rewarded Orochimaru with the Mask of Azakana after he triggered Anko's Earth Curse Mark plot.
• Orochimaru put on the mask and found that it changed his appearance and temperament while hiding his true face.
• Orochimaru discovered he could store objects in the mask's space by touching them, and he retrieved a kunai and a cigarette.
• Orochimaru used the cigarette trick to impress Anko, then offered to teach her how he did it.

Orochimaru trained Anko in medical ninjutsu and chakra control while giving Guren an Earth Curse Mark and developing her Crystal Release. After traveling through several hidden villages, Orochimaru and Guren returned to Rice Field Ninja Village, which he declared would become their base.

• Anko treated fish as Orochimaru used the work to train her chakra control for Chakra-Enhanced Strength.
• Orochimaru gave Guren an Earth Curse Mark and considered how to strengthen her Crystal Release beyond its weakness to sound waves.
• Orochimaru promised Guren that Rice Field Ninja Village would be their permanent base and that the Land of Rice Fields would no longer suffer war.
• Guren trusted Orochimaru and pledged to make his goals her own.
• Three days later, Orochimaru and Guren arrived at Rice Field Ninja Village, where Orochimaru looked over the village with a smile.

Minato Namikaze placed Konoha on high alert as Kushina’s delivery approached, organizing security with the elders and assigning Danzo responsibility for village security. Orochimaru recognized that the Nine-Tails Attack was near and prepared to put his plan into action.

• Minato Namikaze met with the elders and ordered extensive precautions for Kushina’s delivery, including suspending high-ranking missions and putting Konoha’s ninja on alert.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi confirmed that the Barrier Team had established a barrier and that Biwako would deliver the child.
• Minato assigned Danzo to oversee village security and gave Homura and Koharu authority to mobilize the major clans if needed.
• Johnny and Joseph speculated about Konoha’s sudden readiness at a restaurant until their mother caught and punished them for sneaking out to drink.
• Orochimaru and Anko watched the boys’ mother drag them away, and Orochimaru resolved to begin his plan as the Nine-Tails Attack approached.

Orochimaru brought Anko to Hokage Rock and told her to watch the Nine-Tails' Attack without leaving. When the Nine-Tails appeared and began destroying Konoha, Orochimaru held back from joining the fight, leaving Anko anxious as the village descended into chaos.

• Orochimaru told Anko to stay on Hokage Rock and witness the coming events, assuring her that she could trust him.
• Anko asked where Sister Shizune was, and a distant explosion interrupted their conversation.
• The Nine-Tails appeared inside Konoha and began wrecking buildings, terrifying Anko and the villagers.
• Konoha's ninja rushed to evacuate civilians and fight the Nine-Tails, suffering heavy casualties.
• Anko asked whether they should help, but Orochimaru told her to wait because it was not yet time to act.

The Nine-Tails rampaged through Konoha while Orochimaru protected Anko on Hokage Rock, and Minato redirected a Tailed Beast Bomb before confronting the Masked Man. Minato mistook Obito for Uchiha Madara, and the two prepared to fight as a familiar voice sounded in Orochimaru’s mind.

• An injured Anbu warned Hiruzen Sarutobi that the Nine-Tails had appeared, and Hiruzen prepared to fight.
• Anko tried to flee from the Nine-Tails’ Tailed Beast Bomb, then stood in front of Orochimaru to protect him.
• Minato Namikaze used the Flying Thunder God Formation to transfer the Tailed Beast Bomb away from Hokage Rock.
• The Masked Man appeared behind Minato, and Minato recognized him as the one who had attacked Kushina and unleashed the Nine-Tails.
• Minato mistook Obito for Uchiha Madara and tried to persuade him to turn back, but Obito declared that Konoha was his for the taking.
• Orochimaru noticed the confrontation, then heard a familiar voice in his mind.

Orochimaru chose to stop the Nine-Tails’ attack on Konoha in exchange for a Hashirama Cells fusion formula. He kicked the Nine-Tails out of the village, repeatedly teleported it far away, and summoned Ryūchi Cave’s giant snakes to fight it as his chakra ran low.

• Orochimaru accepted the system’s choice to stop the Nine-Tails and claim the Hashirama Cells fusion formula.
• Orochimaru vanished from Hokage Rock with Anko and reached the Nine-Tails before the other fighters.
• Orochimaru kicked the Nine-Tails so hard that it flew out of Konoha, then teleported it repeatedly to keep it away from the village.
• Hiruzen organized Konoha’s forces while Minato stayed focused on Obito and Obito wondered who had moved the Nine-Tails.
• Orochimaru summoned Manda, Garaga, and Aoda, who attacked the Nine-Tails as Anko watched from the air with Orochimaru’s clone.

Orochimaru joined Manda, Garaga, and Aoda in fighting the Nine-Tails, then cut off one of its tails and scorched it with Light Release attacks. The Nine-Tails recovered from the snakes’ restraint and gathered a Tailed Beast Bomb as Orochimaru prepared to evade it.

• Manda, Garaga, and Aoda briefly restrained the Nine-Tails, but it gradually turned the fight against them.
• Orochimaru created a Light Release Laser Sword and cut off one of the Nine-Tails’ tails, storing it in the Mask Space.
• The wounded Nine-Tails broke free, hurled Manda aside, bit Aoda, and stomped Garaga, so Orochimaru dispelled the Summoning Jutsu.
• Orochimaru dodged the Nine-Tails’ attack with help from Mind Net and struck it with Fang Qi Fierce Light, scorching much of its body.
• The Nine-Tails began gathering a Tailed Beast Bomb as Orochimaru dismissed the threat of an attack that could not hit him.

Orochimaru restrained the Nine-Tails and severed three of its tails while Minato defeated Obito and broke his control over the beast. With the Nine-Tails back in its senses and attacking fiercely, Orochimaru struck it with Gravity Blade: Fierce Tiger.

• Orochimaru evaded the Nine-Tails' attacks, pierced its wrists with a laser from the Sword of Kusanagi, and pinned its hands to the ground.
• Orochimaru used gravity and light pillars to restrain the Nine-Tails, then severed two of its tails.
• Minato overwhelmed Obito, marked him with the Flying Thunder God Technique, sealed his movements, and severed his contract with the Nine-Tails.
• Obito escaped through Kamui, and the Nine-Tails regained control of itself as Orochimaru cut off its third tail.
• The Nine-Tails broke free and attacked Orochimaru, who countered with Gravity Blade: Fierce Tiger.

Orochimaru battled the Nine-Tails with powerful Earth Release techniques, trapping it and draining its Chakra before it broke free. He then used his Black-Winged Form and hurled a Thunder Spear that exploded beside the charging beast.

• Orochimaru used Sage Mode and Earth Release to bury the Nine-Tails beneath a compressed stone pillar.
• Orochimaru pressed his palm to the Nine-Tails' exposed head and began draining its Chakra.
• The Nine-Tails shrank, escaped the stone pillar, and charged after Orochimaru while firing small Tailed Beast Bombs.
• Orochimaru flew ahead of the Nine-Tails and threw a Thunder Spear at the ground beside it.
• The Thunder Spear exploded in a massive blast as Orochimaru flew away.

Orochimaru unleashed a massive explosion that devastated the battlefield and badly wounded the Nine-Tails, but Minato interrupted his follow-up attack. Orochimaru stood down as Minato and Gamabunta attacked the beast and Konoha’s reinforcements approached.

• Hiruzen ordered the ninja advancing toward the battlefield to retreat as Orochimaru’s enormous explosion struck.
• Minato escaped the blast with Flying Thunder God after recognizing Orochimaru, while Anko and Orochimaru’s clone also got clear.
• The explosion left a vast crater and badly burned the Nine-Tails, which crawled from the rubble and confronted Orochimaru.
• Orochimaru prepared two Thunder Spears to finish the Nine-Tails, but Minato and Gamabunta suddenly attacked the beast.
• Orochimaru put away the spears, left Sage Mode, and watched as Minato took over the fight.

Minato decided to preserve the Nine-Tails for Konoha, despite knowing the sealing would cost his life, while Orochimaru examined the dying Kushina. After Minato reunited Kushina with newborn Naruto and explained his plan, he began preparing to seal the Nine-Tails, but Orochimaru stopped him.

• Orochimaru reunited with Anko and Minato, then asked Minato what he planned to do with the Nine-Tails.
• Minato resolved to save the Nine-Tails for Konoha, accepting that the decision could cost him his life.
• Minato brought Kushina to Orochimaru, who found that her life force was so depleted that she could not be saved.
• Minato brought Naruto to Kushina, and she accepted Minato's plan while opposing his decision to die with her.
• Gamabunta struggled to hold off the Nine-Tails as it taunted him, and Minato formed a barrier to begin sealing it.
• Orochimaru hurriedly stopped Minato as he began forming the seals.

Orochimaru restrained the Nine-Tails while Minato stayed with Kushina and Naruto, then severed the beast’s remaining tails as Konoha’s forces watched from outside the barrier. The Nine-Tails broke free of some of Orochimaru’s attacks and prepared another Tailed Beast Bomb.

• Orochimaru offered to restrain the Nine-Tails while Minato spent precious time with Kushina and Naruto.
• Orochimaru trapped the Nine-Tails with Light Release: Nine Pillar Light Prison and pinned it down with Fang Qi Fierce Light.
• The Third Hokage and the arriving Konoha ninja saw Orochimaru’s power, but a barrier stopped them from entering the battlefield.
• Orochimaru used the Kusanagi Sword to sever the Nine-Tails’ remaining six tails in one stroke.
• The enraged Nine-Tails broke free of several light spears and formed another Tailed Beast Bomb.

Orochimaru drained the Nine-Tails’ Chakra and helped Minato seal half of the beast into Naruto, then left the battlefield with Anko. He invited Anko to leave Konoha and establish a ninja village with him, and she agreed; at the village entrance, Orochimaru spotted a familiar figure.

• Orochimaru pinned the Nine-Tails with a spear and drained its Chakra until Minato asked him to stop.
• Minato used the Reaper Death Seal to split the weakened Nine-Tails and sealed one half into Naruto with the Eight Trigrams Seal.
• The Third Hokage and Konoha ninja arrived, while medical ninja took over treating Kushina and Orochimaru left the battlefield with Anko.
• Orochimaru asked Anko to leave Konoha with him and establish a ninja village, and Anko agreed to follow her sensei.
• Orochimaru and Anko reached the village entrance, where Orochimaru noticed a familiar figure.

Orochimaru accepted a stolen Byakugan from Danzo, then decided to leave Konoha with Anko before Danzo could exploit him further. He erased evidence and burned the underground laboratory as they slipped out of the village.

• Danzo gave Orochimaru a pair of Hyuga Clan Byakugan and demanded faster progress on their work.
• Orochimaru told Anko to pack and leave Konoha that night, then gathered his equipment and belongings into the Mask Space.
• Orochimaru and Anko quietly left the village after he sent a clone to erase traces of his human experiments in Danzo's underground laboratory.
• Orochimaru's clone defeated the Root guards, took valuable equipment, and set the laboratory ablaze.

Orochimaru intervened when Kirigakure ninja ambushed Pakura, the Sunagakure envoy sent as a political sacrifice, and saved her from the attack. After treating her wound and defeating the ambushers, he carried her away while his clones remained to clear the battlefield.

• Pakura traveled to Kirigakure for peace talks, unaware that Fourth Kazekage Rasa had sent her as a political sacrifice.
• A Mist Ninja posing as her escort stabbed Pakura in the back, and other Kirigakure ninja attacked her with kunai and shuriken.
• Orochimaru appeared, stopped the weapons with his chakra, and sent his Shadow Clones to fight the ambushers.
• Orochimaru treated Pakura's wound while his clones defeated most of the Mist Ninja.
• Orochimaru left clones to clean up the battlefield, then carried Pakura away.

Orochimaru rescued the wounded Pakura from a political betrayal and treated her injury at an outpost in the Land of Water. He revealed that he had saved her because he needed her abilities.

• Orochimaru teleported Pakura to an intelligence outpost in the Land of Water, where she mistook him for Minato Namikaze because of his Space-Time Ninjutsu.
• Orochimaru removed his mask and stitched Pakura's wound while she watched him and asked why he had rescued her.
• Orochimaru told Pakura that Rasa had sacrificed her to secure peace between Sunagakure and Kirigakure.
• Pakura became furious at Rasa and Sunagakure, then asked Orochimaru again why he had saved her.
• Orochimaru said Pakura's strength would be wasted if she died and told her that he needed her abilities.

Orochimaru recruited Pakura into the Land of Gold and gave her a new identity, then traveled with Anko toward the Northern Hidden Village he had founded. He continued reviewing Hashirama Cells research while avoiding the scrutiny Konoha’s leaders would bring after his recent display of power.

• Orochimaru told Pakura he planned to establish a sixth great nation, and she agreed to join him for the sake of revenge and survival.
• Orochimaru gave Pakura a Land of Gold forehead protector and explained that he had not arranged the events that led to her capture.
• Orochimaru left Pakura to recover and said his clone needed to speed up its work on the Akatsuki-related matter.
• Orochimaru took Anko toward the Northern Hidden Village, explaining that it was the new name for the Rice Field Ninja Village and Otogakure.
• During the journey, Orochimaru studied a Hashirama Cells fusion formula, while Anko fell asleep in the air.
• Orochimaru woke Anko at noon so they could eat and rest before continuing north.

After Minato and Kushina died, Hiruzen Sarutobi learned that Orochimaru and Anko had disappeared, and Danzo accused Orochimaru of defecting. Danzo pushed to choose a new Hokage, but Hiruzen declared that he would resume leading Konoha until a suitable successor emerged.

• An Anbu ninja reported to Hiruzen Sarutobi that Konoha had no trace of Orochimaru.
• Danzo arrived and said Root had found Orochimaru's house empty and his laboratory burned, with a Root guard dead and Anko missing.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi resisted Danzo's claim that Orochimaru had defected, and the two argued over Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya.
• Danzo called for Konoha to choose another Hokage, but Hiruzen Sarutobi said he would lead the village until a suitable candidate emerged.

Orochimaru returned with Anko to Northern Hidden Village, where he had begun building a stronghold with a new village layout, research institute, and Ninja Academy. At the academy, Anko met Guren and grew jealous of Orochimaru's familiarity with her before offering to teach as well.

• Orochimaru and Anko arrived at Northern Hidden Village, where construction was underway and the former Rice Field Ninja Village leadership had been brought under his control.
• Orochimaru showed Anko the village's planned homes, Golden Kage Building, research institute, and other facilities, explaining that he intended to develop it into a city.
• Orochimaru took Anko to the Ninja Academy, where children were leaving class and Guren greeted him.
• Orochimaru asked Guren about her teaching work and offered to send more ninja to help, while Anko watched their interaction jealously.
• Anko stepped forward and said she wanted to become a teacher too.