The Death of Orochimaru

Seeing this scene, Sasori of the Red Sand, hovering in the air, couldn't help but exclaim, "It's practically apocalyptic. What terrifying destructive power."

"Ye has grown so quickly; he truly stands at the very pinnacle of the Ninja World now!"

"Cough, cough..."

Standing in the center of the field, Uchiha Ye suddenly couldn't help but drop to one knee, coughing violently. His face turned quite pale, and beads of sweat instantly broke out on his forehead.

Seeing this, Sasori of the Red Sand immediately descended, retracted the Third Kazekage puppet, and asked, "Are you alright?"

Uchiha Ye stood up upon hearing this, deactivated his Observation Haki, and shook his head. "It's just that the exertion was a bit much, and it aggravated the wound on my chest."

Sasori nodded and tossed Uchiha Ye a Military Ration Pill to help him recover his stamina.

Uchiha Ye offered his thanks, consumed the pill, and let out a breath. "With this, the mission is complete!"

"Orochimaru of the Sannin has been officially removed from the Ninja World!"

Sasori of the Red Sand remarked with emotion, "Life can fade away so easily. Truly, eternity is the only real art!"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but look up, his expression filled with surprise.

The sky looked as if it had been set ablaze, a deep crimson stretching to the very edge of the horizon.

Then, it slowly turned gloomy.

Dark clouds gathered, eventually transforming into a drizzling rain that smoothed over the ravaged earth, cooling the scorching ground.

"Is even the heavens... mourning and grieving for the departure of a man like Orochimaru?"

Sasori of the Red Sand let out a scoff at the sight and retreated into Hiruko, lest the rain cause the puppet's joints to rust and hinder his own mobility.

Uchiha Ye, however, looked up at the sorrowful sky and the falling rain, took a deep breath, and walked straight into Orochimaru's research base.

Even a powerhouse like Orochimaru could fall just like that.

The importance of strength went without saying!

As for having killed Orochimaru with his own hands, how else could he cooperate with him in the future to resolve issues regarding the ocular power and stamina of his Mangekyo Sharingan?

"Who could swear on their life that Orochimaru is truly dead?"

Uchiha Ye glanced at the small clump of flesh in his hand, placed it into a special solution, and began to search the area.

Nominally, he was looking for data to broaden his knowledge.

In reality, he was simply searching for a specific technique he might need later!

A technique that could resurrect Orochimaru when the time came!

The strange phenomenon in the Land of Whirlpools naturally caught the attention of many.

News of the battle here was quickly spread abroad.

"What is this... feeling of oppression mixed with a hint of sorrow?"

In Konoha, inside the Hokage Office!

The Third Hokage suddenly felt a stifling tightness in his chest and couldn't help but frown.

He just felt inexplicably unwell!

Somewhere in the Land of Fire!

"Why does my heart feel so heavy all of a sudden? Yet, at the same time, it feels empty?"

A stunning, "super-busty" beauty with long, golden wavy hair suddenly clutched her chest and frowned slightly.

She didn't realize how many men nearby were left drooling at the sight of her!

Land of Grass!

"Snap!"

A man with long white hair and a headband inscribed with the character for "Oil" looked at the pen that had suddenly snapped in his hand and couldn't help but frown. "How could there be such an ominous omen? Could it be that I am about to encounter some danger?"

"However..."

He put away the scroll resting on his lap and narrowed his eyes. "I heard that a mysterious organization has recently appeared in the Land of Rain, replacing that fellow Hanzo of the Salamander to rule Amegakure, and they strictly forbid outsiders from entering. I must be on guard!"

Could a mysterious organization bring a new crisis to the Ninja World?

Could it drag the entire Ninja World back into the quagmire of war?

This was something that required vigilance!

Land of Whirlpools, inside a certain cave.

Using the Magic Lantern Body Technique, Uchiha Ye and Sasori of the Red Sand reported on the mission.

Orochimaru had been successfully killed, and his research base had been wiped out.

As for the matter of Edo Tensei, Uchiha Ye had asked Sasori of the Red Sand to keep it a secret, so no one else was made aware of it.

"Very good!"

None of the members present felt surprised by their achievement.

After all, it was the powerful combination of Uchiha Ye and Sasori of the Red Sand.

Even as one of the Sannin, Orochimaru could not fight off a multitude with only two fists!

His fall was only natural!

The next day!

A bombshell of news suddenly spread, triggering a massive uproar across the Ninja World.

[Orochimaru of the Sannin, confirmed dead in the Land of Whirlpools]

The report did not specify exactly whose hands Orochimaru had died by.

But even so!

The news of Orochimaru's death was enough to leave everyone inexplicably shocked!

Even terrified!

Who was Orochimaru?

One of the Sannin!

A top-tier powerhouse of the Ninja World!

His reputation alone was enough to make small clans choose to serve him and offer him everything they had just to secure their own survival.

No one had ever imagined that such a powerhouse could die!

Just how formidable must one be to kill such a powerhouse?

And who could possibly possess such ability?

Consequently, this event immediately drew immense attention throughout the Ninja World.

People were endlessly debating who the mysterious powerhouse behind the scenes was that had killed Orochimaru!

Some said it was one of the Five Kage!

Because Orochimaru had infringed upon their interests.

Others claimed it was the former "Demigod" Hanzo of Amegakure, who had not died but was instead hiding in the Land of Whirlpools to recuperate.

He had killed Orochimaru simply because the latter had disturbed his cultivation.

There were even rumors of a mysterious organization in the Ninja World; Orochimaru had joined it initially, only to later defect, and because he knew the organization's secrets, he had been hunted down.

But regardless!

Orochimaru's death added a touch of panic to an already calm yet eerie Ninja World.

Whether the culprit who took down Orochimaru was an individual or an organization.

They were certainly not to be trifled with!

They were a force that every power, including the Five Great Ninja Villages, needed to be wary of.

"I never expected that the unease I felt that day would stem from this matter."

If one were to ask who was most saddened by Orochimaru's death, it would naturally be the Third Hokage.

He was his most brilliant student!

Even though he had gone astray, they had been master and student, and the bond remained.

How could he not be sorrowful?

"This matter... could it be related to that Akatsuki organization?"

Amidst his grief, the Third Hokage could not help but recall the intelligence Uchiha Itachi had sent back some time ago.

There was an organization called 'Akatsuki' operating in the shadows of Amegakure, and Orochimaru had once been a member.

Not long ago, Orochimaru had defected from this organization.

And immediately after, news of Orochimaru's death had arrived.

How could one not draw a connection?

"Whether it is or isn't, we will know once Uchiha Itachi's next report arrives!"

The Third Hokage's gaze sharpened, filled with intensity: "As for this Uchiha Ye, I never expected that this fellow would actually join the Akatsuki organization. What exactly is he trying to do?"

Hiding his strength while lurking within the Uchiha Clan, then defecting during the Uchiha Clan Downfall Night, and now joining the Akatsuki organization.

It was impossible to guess his thoughts or motives.

How could one not be wary of such an uncontrollable variable?