"Hey, long time no see."
A familiar figure stood with his back to them.
He was much taller than they remembered. A few strands of hair fell across his forehead, and his pure-black eyes were clear and bright.
The young man raised a hand in a casual wave. A roguish smile tugged at his lips as he greeted them.
Orochimaru's dark-gold slit pupils contracted. He froze where he stood.
Reason told him it was impossible, but his racing heart told him...
Yes. There was no mistake.
Appearances could change. Voices could change. But an instinct rooted in his soul told him the truth.
"You..."
Orochimaru opened his mouth. His voice came out impossibly hoarse, as though something had lodged in his throat, leaving him able to force out only that one thin syllable.
Tsunade's and Jiraiya's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. They were stunned beyond words.
Someone who had died years ago had appeared without warning. Who could possibly accept that?
Kamizuki drew the Crimson Blade and examined it closely.
"You've taken excellent care of it. Hanzo, you know your..."
Mid-sentence, Kamizuki sensed killing intent flare behind him and instinctively raised a hand.
Smack!
Orochimaru's left hand seized his. Their hands clasped, and Orochimaru drove a kunai through the back of his own hand, pinning it to Kamizuki's palm.
The blood that flowed out gathered into a twisted curse mark.
"This is..."
Kamizuki did not move. He let Orochimaru's blood coil around him, followed by the crushing force of a giant serpent closing in for the kill.
"Orochimaru! Stop!" Tsunade cried. She recognized the technique he was about to use.
Even after fighting Hanzo this long, Orochimaru had never considered using it. Why now...?
Orochimaru ignored Tsunade. With his right hand, he grabbed Kamizuki's other hand