Akatsuki

In Episode 34, the Nine-Tails' struggle finally ceased. Its enormous crimson eyes slowly closed, and the demon fox's body was covered by the forest.

Feiyun entered the forest formed by the Wood Dragon, reached the top of the Nine-Tails' head, and forcibly signed a summoning contract: Earth Release: Open Earth, Rising Columns.

After doing all that, Feiyun used an enhanced Earth Release to bury the Nine-Tails, bound up like a dumpling, deep underground.

Splendid! Unparalleled Wood Release, an Immortal Body!

Feiyun-kun, you've already walked ahead of me!

Orochimaru forcefully suppressed the urge to step forward and lick Feiyun's face.

This is simply me!

Orochimaru felt that he could already see a bright future ahead of him!

A successful example lay before him—or rather, someone had already paved the way down the path to eternity. Nothing could have thrilled him more.

As long as there was a direction and data, with my wisdom and abilities, was success really that far away?

Seeing Orochimaru's infatuated expression, Feiyun said with open disdain, "Your smile is really creepy."

Orochimaru was not embarrassed in the slightest. He stretched out his wet, long tongue and washed the dust off his face.

"This terrain and environment are still too conspicuous. We need to hide them properly."

Feiyun swept his gaze across the terrifying traces of battle around them and fell into thought.

"Indeed. If top-tier shinobi come here, they'll definitely notice something wrong and eventually trace clues leading to the Tailed Beast and us."

Orochimaru said softly, "Leave it to me. This is no difficult matter."

"I'll set up a barrier underground to conceal the aura and block sensory detection. We only need to alter the surrounding terrain with a few people."

Feiyun knew that Orochimaru was surely planning to obtain precious samples again. Scraping off some of the Nine-Tails' flesh was unavoidable. Orochimaru could never resist the chance to study such an ultimate life-form. If he did not dissect and analyze it, it would probably be more unbearable for that research fanatic than killing him.

Feiyun chuckled.

"You'd better take it easy. Don't mess up and get yourself killed."

Orochimaru revealed a gentle smile.

"Oh, Feiyun-kun, are you worried about me?"

"I'm afraid you'll die and no one will help me grow stronger."

Feiyun replied irritably, then turned and walked toward Shadow Village.

Orochimaru naturally had his own arrangements for handling the aftermath here, so Feiyun was not worried.

The Nine-Tails had already been suppressed and sealed, and it had signed a summoning contract. It was now little different from Feiyun's summoned beast.

At the edge of the village, Kimimaro and the other Shadow Village elites waited anxiously, all stretching their necks toward the back mountain.

The earth-shaking commotion just now had been terrifying, especially the massive explosion in the sky. It had been more dazzling and frightening than the sun.

What level of energy had that been? What level of battle?

Was it a natural disaster, or an enemy attack?

However, with Orochimaru's strict order in place, although they desperately wanted to investigate, they had no choice but to remain here and wait.

When they saw Feiyun approaching safely, Kimimaro was the first to step forward and bow. "Lord Feiyun, what happened?"

"Where is Lord Orochimaru?"

Feiyun waved a hand. "Nothing. It was a demolition ninja unit. Orochimaru and I have already driven them off."

Everyone was startled. "Then why hasn't Lord Orochimaru returned?"

"Don't ask what you shouldn't. Orochimaru is fine. He'll come find you later."

Feiyun walked toward the village.

Kimimaro continued, "Can we head over now? Is Lord Orochimaru far away?"

"Keep waiting. Until Orochimaru gives a new order, no one is to move recklessly."

Feiyun paused and turned toward Yo. "Find me a few death-row prisoners. I want to practice some ninjutsu."

Yo nodded helplessly and vanished to make the arrangements.

Here, Uchiha Feiyun's status was no longer much lower than Orochimaru's. Naturally, no one dared defy him.

Inside the secret chamber, Feiyun was alone. He laid out the Edo Tensei inscription scroll he had prepared.

He looked at the two bound death-row prisoners before him. They were Shadow Village traitors who had stolen Orochimaru's experimental medicine and been captured.

Feiyun slapped two lumps of flesh onto the formation patterns and rapidly formed hand seals. "Edo Tensei!"

The flesh fused into the formation patterns, which spread outward and surrounded the two sacrifices.

As the formation lit up, Impure World debris and soul power surged forth, wrapping around the sacrifices.

Accompanied by two miserable screams, the newly arrived souls tore apart the original owners' souls. This tearing extended even to their memories and personalities.

After the original souls were erased, a completely new man appeared in the secret chamber.

Feiyun looked closely and recognized him as a Special Jonin of the Sarutobi Clan whom he had killed before.

On the other side, however, the Impure World debris only wrapped around the other sacrifice's waist before collapsing.

The formation markings dimmed, and the soul retreated.

"Looks like the summoning failed. Is there still a problem with the inscription?"

Feiyun muttered to himself. He picked up the failed scroll and inspected it carefully, searching for the cause of failure.

Only after a while did he put the scroll away, his mood much improved.

"A fifty-percent success rate on my first try. With more practice, I'll completely master this technique soon. Then I'll definitely give Konoha a huge surprise."

Thinking of that, Feiyun could not help laughing.

"Hmph, this is all too good!"

"How wicked!"

"A real man must know Edo Tensei!"

Still, Feiyun felt rather regretful. During the Clan Massacre Night, he had not arrived in time, nor had he thought to collect the Uchiha Clan members' cellular tissue. It was truly regrettable that he could not prepare an extra meal for his enemies. Mainly because he had never expected to learn a technique like Edo Tensei later.

"Sigh, family, just wait for me in the Pure Land. I'll send you the souls of your enemies."

In the third year after Feiyun left Konoha, he had returned to the hill of corpses where the Uchiha Clan had been buried. Naturally, he had learned what had happened to the Uchiha Clan, and their bodies were all gone.

Fortunately, he had collected quite a bit of blood from many people while gathering Sharingan. He did not know whether it would be enough to summon them successfully.

Back then, his technique had been poor and time had been tight. In his panic while gouging out his clansmen's eyeballs, he had drawn plenty of blood, all of which he had thrown into culture dishes. Especially when he gouged out his own eyes—it was unforgettable. It hurt. It hurt so damn much. He had done that to keep those big eyes from falling into Supreme Danzo's hands. After his apprentice finished sweeping the floor, the next step would be sweeping up the entire clan. Not a single Sharingan would be left behind.

Even the corpses of many young clansmen who had not awakened their eyes were tampered with. They had probably wanted to see whether special methods could make them awaken the Sharingan.

Feiyun looked at the death-row prisoner muttering to himself in the middle of the secret chamber and frowned in confusion. Had Edo Tensei failed?

The sacrifice had actually not died?

He took two steps forward and leaned closer, wanting to hear what the prisoner was saying.

"Huh?"

"Babble, babble, babble." Feiyun showed a knowing expression. It seemed the ritual had only completed halfway, and the soul had only been crushed halfway too. He had become an idiot.

"Haha, brother, you could say this was a blessing in disguise."

Thus, Feiyun continued improving his mastery of ninjutsu through training. Combined with intelligence from Shadow Village and the Bounty Exchange, he constantly went out to hunt Konoha's Four Great Clans' shinobi, accumulating combat experience and techniques.

With his Immortal Body and the regenerative power of Hashirama Cells, Feiyun had a high margin for error. Thus, in order to grow stronger, he often suppressed his own power and fought enemies to the death. In common terms, he liked to show off.

Feiyun finally understood why the Uchiha Madara from his memories had been so reckless. With an invincible body and self-healing abilities, it was truly difficult to retain one's former vigilance and composure. Perhaps that was what it meant to gain something while losing something else.

Another year passed quickly. During this period, Shadow Village began making moves, and Feiyun's grand plan of revenge began to unfold on a massive scale.

Thinking of the feast he had carefully prepared for Konoha's Four Great Clans, Feiyun was truly looking forward to it.

Spies led by Yakushi Kabuto had begun returning to Konoha through various methods. Orochimaru had also started secretly contacting Rasa frequently through various means. Among the Five Great Nations, the Land of Wind was the most barren, and it was also the nation most envious of the Land of Fire's territory. For this reason, the Land of Wind had attacked countless times.

Even though they were far from being Konoha's match, they had never given up. The desire to advance was humanity's primal instinct. Even if this path was filled with death, even if the chance of success was low, the Land of Wind would not abandon its dream of possessing fertile land.

After all, if they succeeded even once, perhaps their descendants for hundreds of years would have hope of escaping the barren desert.

"Edo Tensei!" Feiyun slapped one hand down, and miserable screams rang out. Five bandits guilty of murder and arson were covered by Impure World debris and transformed into dead members of the Four Great Clans.

"Mm, not bad. I've completely mastered this forbidden technique now."

Feiyun looked at his handiwork with satisfaction.

Just then, Feiyun sensed someone approaching, so he placed his creations into wooden coffins and sank them underground.

Before long, a Shadow Village Jonin appeared behind Feiyun. He dropped to one knee. "Lord Feiyun, Lord Orochimaru has sent a request for aid."

Feiyun's eyes flashed with surprise. He turned and accepted the letter from the ninja.

What enemy could prevent him from escaping?

After scanning the letter's contents, Feiyun waved his hand. "You may leave. You don't need to concern yourselves with this matter."

"Yes." The Jonin respectfully accepted the order and departed.

Feiyun's lips curved upward. "Akatsuki?"

"I wonder if I can catch Uchiha Yo."

"Hahaha!"

In the Land of Wind, atop a massive sand dune, Orochimaru, with a thick hemp rope tied around his waist, faced Hiruko.

Orochimaru folded his arms and chuckled. "My, my, you truly are impossible to get rid of."

A white clay bird flew overhead.

Deidara's voice came from above.

"Hey, old man, Orochimaru's earlier call for reinforcements was intercepted by Akatsuki."

"Hmph, meddlesome fool."

Sasori snorted and withdrew his gaze, looking toward Orochimaru. "You're dead today, traitor Orochimaru. Let's see how you escape this time."

Orochimaru tilted his head slightly, his eyes full of confusion. "I'm very curious. Ever since we first met, you've held great killing intent toward me. What is the source of that killing intent?"

"It isn't because I betrayed Akatsuki, is it? Even when I was still in Akatsuki, you always wanted to kill me."

Sasori's low voice rang out.

"Yes. Someone like you belongs in hell!"

A fierce wind howled, kicking up waves of yellow sand. The Land of Wind was windy all year round, with scarcely any respite.

Orochimaru chuckled. "I still don't understand where your hatred for me comes from."

Sasori spoke in a low voice. "Because you have desecrated eternity. You have desecrated my art. For that reason alone, I will completely destroy you!"

Orochimaru's tongue swept across the corner of his lips. "My, my, where does that accusation come from?"

"I am not an artist. I am merely a seeker pursuing the truth of immortality."

"Hmph." Sasori snorted, and the sound of joints colliding came from his body.

"Your truth of immortality is the greatest stain upon eternity!"

"Let me tell you: preserving life forever, freezing it forever in its most perfect moment—that is eternity. That is true art."

"And your so-called immortality, constantly seizing bodies, constantly parasitizing new flesh, changing forms and replacing skins, is merely ugly, desperate survival. It is an insult to the beauty of eternity."

"I see. That's truly interesting."

Orochimaru spread his hands and looked up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle. "So the eternity you pursue is never being born, and that is why you despise my immortality?"