Sage Mode

"Uchiha Itachi? Isn't he still just a child?"

Even the civilians of Konoha had heard that name countless times. The eldest son of the Uchiha Clan Head, he had displayed talent and ability that were unquestionably on the level of a Hokage. Since the First founded the village, Uchiha Itachi was the only ninja to go to war at the age of four.

Orochimaru had seen the child on the front lines in the Land of Earth. Even he couldn't help but marvel at the composure and calmness in the boy's very bones.

"The younger, the better. There's more potential to mold."

Guo Wang's cold, impassive face revealed none of his true reasons. The Sharingan's ultimate potential was determined the moment it awakened. Although the Mangekyo reflected the heart, if one hadn't experienced the catalyst for awakening from the very beginning, the resulting Dojutsu would become a tremendous burden on its wielder.

"Elder Danzo, I wouldn't want to lose a partner like you. Are you really not going to consider someone else?"

A deep, shadowy glint showed in Orochimaru's golden, slit-pupiled eyes. He was certainly a reckless man, but even his teacher, Sarutobi Hiruzen, wouldn't dare take responsibility for provoking the Uchiha Clan in the midst of the Shinobi World War.

"The condition is that you complete Living Corpse Reincarnation. In return, I'll tell you the secret of the Mangekyo."

"No, I don't think that reward matches this deal—not in terms of either the benefits or the risks!"

Orochimaru truly wasn't afraid of Danzo. Now that he had completed his transformation, he could always just leave Konoha.

Guo Wang's Sharingan, hidden beneath the bandages, turned toward the pale, smiling young man. After a long silence, he offered a bargaining chip that left Orochimaru stunned.

"Complete the technique and hand it over to me, and Kinoe is yours."

Even Orochimaru, whose outlook had surpassed that of the village and whose nature was almost as cold-blooded as an animal's, felt his blood—which shouldn't have been capable of heating up—begin to surge at those words. An unprecedented desire welled up inside him.

"Well, this is... Are you serious?!"

Unable to believe it, he asked again to make sure. Only after Guo Wang nodded did the corners of his mouth spread into a grin, and then he burst out laughing.

"I've really underestimated you, old man. You're even willing to give up the First's Wood Release. Is the Sharingan really that powerful? Now I suddenly want to see that supposedly invincible Mirror Flower, Water Moon you mentioned. You're even staking a miracle like Kinoe on the Mangekyo."

Wood Release might truly be powerful when mastered to its utmost. In Danzo's memories, the man named Hashirama Senju had been impressive. But "impressive" was the only impression he'd left behind. Compared with the Mangekyo Guo Wang had experienced firsthand, Kinoe's Wood Release was no more than a mediocre wood-style spell in the Dao Realm.

No matter what, individual strength was the most important thing in this dangerous world.

"Give me enough test subjects, and I'll give you an answer within three years."

"Too slow. One year, at most."

Given the talent the child had already displayed, he might have awakened the Sharingan by the age of seven. If that happened, he wouldn't mean nearly as much to Guo Wang.

"That'll require some special vessels. We might have to find an excuse to go to the battlefield in the Land of Water."

Orochimaru had nearly finished researching Living Corpse Reincarnation on ordinary ninja. The current problem was how to take over the bodies of Kekkei Genkai users without damaging their existing genetic sequences. But Kekkei Genkai were rare, and the war had held things back, so the forbidden technique had made almost no progress over the past two years.

"That's a good suggestion. But ever since the Green Pass incident, Kirigakure has been going all out against Iwagakure. There hasn't been a major clash on their front with Konoha for over a year. If we provoke them first, Hiruzen certainly won't agree, given his temperament."

Half of the Shinobi World's Kekkei Genkai clans were in Kirigakure. The Hozuki, Kaguya, Yuki, and Terumi Clans were all just as renowned as the Uchiha and Hyuga. If those clans hadn't been so fond of infighting, the Land of Water's front would probably have been torn open when Konoha fought four nations at once two years ago.

"It's just that there hasn't been a clash. Konoha still hasn't signed a peace treaty with Kirigakure."

Orochimaru smiled slyly, his slit-pupiled eyes full of greed. He'd wanted to make a trip to the Land of Water for a long time, but work had always kept him too busy.

"The way you put it, signing a peace treaty with Iwagakure might actually be a good thing. We can make the most of it."

Guo Wang had spent time undercover among all three schools in the Dao Realm. He was no slower on the uptake than Orochimaru. They looked at each other and knew they'd reached the same conclusion.

Land of Lightning!

Jiraiya was drenched in sweat, desperately squeezing every last bit of Chakra from his body. A spectacular combination Ninjutsu from Mount Myoboku made its grand entrance, but against the monster before him, it was like a gentle tickle.

"Where's your Sage Mode? That Fire Release of yours feels like nothing more than a bath to me."

A massive man, his body blazing with white-hot lightning, casually patted his shoulder and peeled off a charred scrap of clothing stained with oil. He looked a little disappointed as he regarded the white-haired youngster before him.

"Hey, hey, hey! This is my strongest combination Ninjutsu apart from Senjutsu. That big guy's Lightning Release Armor seems even tougher than when I last saw him."

Jiraiya stood atop the head of a giant toad as big as a mountain. He watched the Third Raikage emerge from his oil and fire without a scratch, cold sweat running down his forehead.

"Baka Jiraiya, last time you teamed up with that gloomy old man. I don't like him, but his Wind Release skills are among the best in the Shinobi World, and they're a perfect counter to the old Raikage's Lightning Release. But even so, you know how that battle ended."

Of course he knew. How could he ever forget?

Jiraiya had fought in more than a hundred great battles in his life. The only times he'd faced the threat of death were when he fought Hanzo and when he went head-to-head with the Third Raikage.

The goal of that battle had only been to hold the Third Raikage off, but it had cost Danzo his right eye and left half his body on the verge of paralysis.

"If I hadn't entered Sage Mode in advance, boosting my physical strength, recovery, and speed, I'd have been hurt even worse than Danzo by that move."

"Now you're alone. Run!"

As soon as Gamabunta finished speaking, he caught a familiar scent: Jiraiya's blood.

He drew a special pattern around his eye on his own cheek. Space-Time rippled, and two Sages descended from the void, landing on the white-haired young man's shoulders.

Two-Sages Technique: Sage Mode!