The operative carrying out the Madara Luring Plan, Kabuto Yakushi, also had another, higher-priority mission: gathering intelligence and biological material from the opponents in Sasuke’s Eighth Battle.
After Kabuto left Blue Moon Island with those two missions, Orochimaru broke with his usual practice and told Sasuke who his opponents in the Eighth Battle would be ahead of time!
The Second Tsuchikage, the Second Mizukage, the Third Raikage, the Fourth Kazekage, and... an Undetermined Candidate!
Sasuke was curious. "Why an Undetermined Candidate?"
Orochimaru explained, "Because even I'm not sure whether Kabuto will find that person's life substance on this trip. If he can't, I'll have to release the Second Hokage from the Shinigami's stomach as a replacement!"
Sasuke thought, So that Undetermined Candidate... must at least be as strong as the Second Hokage!
"Why tell me about my opponents ahead of time this time?"
Orochimaru said, "Those four Kage I mentioned were all reincarnated by Kabuto as enemies of the Allied Shinobi Forces during the Fourth Shinobi World War in our previous lives. Sasuke-kun, the timing of your entry into the war meant you never encountered them. To you, they're strangers..."
"Furthermore, they are Reincarnation dead, with bodies that cannot be killed. Sasuke-kun, the purpose of the Ten Battles is growth—to push you into desperate straits so you can absorb the White Cursed Seal's power as quickly as possible. Therefore, Sealing Jutsu is forbidden!"
Sealing Jutsu was forbidden.
Sasuke knew full well what that meant.
However powerful he was, he was still a human of flesh and blood. His stamina and mental energy would eventually run out. But the Reincarnation dead never felt fatigue, and their chakra never truly depleted. Without Sealing Jutsu to end it, an endless battle meant...
"The Eighth Battle... is a guaranteed defeat."
Orochimaru neither agreed nor