Before Fushimi Inari Shrine, the fierce battle reached a fever pitch!
This was Orochimaru's first time entering battle in Shinigami Mode, so we had to ramble a little and lift the veil of mystery surrounding it.
This mode had debuted at its peak!
That was thanks to the souls of the four Hokage inside the Shinigami's belly.
Especially the soul of the First, hailed as the God of Shinobi!
But in this life, the selfless Orochimaru had separated Hashirama Senju's chakra from his soul... creating Sasuke's White Cursed Seal.
With one of the four missing, that peak was no more. Even though Danzo, who later died on Blue Moon Island and became an Earthbound Spirit, had filled that vacancy... quantity could never make up for quality!
Another point worth mentioning was the Yin Nine-Tails inside the Shinigami's belly, entangled with the Fourth Hokage's soul!
The Yin Nine-Tails... had never truly opened his heart to Orochimaru. Orochimaru could use the Shinigami's power of command to force his way into Yin Kurama's Chakra Mode, but he could not combine it with Shinigami Mode!
So he had to choose one or the other!
Then which was superior?
Orochimaru's choice of Shinigami Mode at this decisive moment spoke for itself.
Shinigami Mode was Orochimaru's trump card!
"This mode initially lasted only five minutes. After stripping away Lord Hashirama's chakra, that increased to eight minutes. After a year of training, its duration doubled again, finally reaching sixteen minutes..."
"If I maintain this mode until it expires naturally... the side effect will leave me unconscious for three days and three nights, with no way to forcibly awaken me!"
"In two days and two nights, Sasuke-kun's Ayekashi will flare up. So... I must end this farce before the mode expires naturally and return to Sasuke-kun's side!!!"
Sheltered