Prologue: 150 years after the war

"Kabuto to Command. I found the lab, standing by," Kabuto said with a finger on his earpiece.

After months of searching he couldn't believe he found it. Orochimaru's main laboratory.

Ever since news of his former master's death had reached Konoha, Kabuto had spearheaded an operation to secure all the labs that Orochimaru had set up after the 4th great war.

Officially he was here on a mission sanctioned by the 5 kage. But to Kabuto, this was so much more than that. He knew first hand the horrors and marvels Orochimaru was capable of producing. If such power were to fall into the wrong hands, it could threaten the peace of the new age.

He smiled to himself. Out of irony but also nostalgia. Never in a thousand years did he think that he, Kabuto. The same man who raised the dead and fought by Obito Uchiha's side during the 4th great Shinobi world war over a hundred years ago would be one of the staunchest defenders of the new peace, but at the same time, it felt right. Kabuto was a changed man, no longer the same person who sought to destroy the 5 great nations or even a shinobi. Simply the humble ward of the Konoha orphanage.

"Konoha Command to Kabuto," his earpiece rang "are you certain this is the final site described in Orochimaru's scrolls?"

"Without a doubt. The traps present and the main gate are his personal formula," Kabuto replied, scanning the area with his Sage Mode. "Command, whatever he kept in here must have been valuable. I have never seen any of his labs this heavily fortified before. All of the seals present are heavily modified versions of those he used in the other locations. I'm going in."

"Proceed with caution Kabuto. The other teams are still securing the previous two sites. You will be without support for this one."

"Affirmative. Kabuto signing off."


The process of disarming the lab had proven far slower than Kabuto anticipated. The seals present where not only far more complex than any he had previously seen from Orochimaru but kept getting more and more intricate the further he went down. The lab was also infested with various mutated snakes all more than a match for even ANBU class Shinobi based on their chakra signatures, but none seemed hostile. He suspected due to his status as a snake sage.

Approaching the deepest level of the complex he was met with a massive door modelled in likeness to a Rashomon gate. But unlike the previous gates that separated the previous levels, this one lacked any form of seals.

Every instinct told him that this was a trap. That in no world would Orochimaru leave anything of value unguarded. Or maybe Orochimaru genuinely had thought no one would make it down to the 7th floor of the lab. Kabuto would hardly put it past him. The lab defences were after all extensive. Were it not for his status as a snake sage and his intimate knowledge of Orochimaru's methods he might not have made it this far down. But against what he thought to be his better judgement, Kabuto opened the door.

Nothing. No traps, no ambush, nothing. Kabuto only had a second to be surprised by his good fortune as he witnessed the contents of the main room.

"Kabuto to Command. I think you want to see this."