The dark corridors of the underground lair seemed more oppressive than usual, the air heavy with anticipation. Sasuke and Kimimaro walked in silence, the only sound the soft echo of their footsteps against the cold stone. Kimimaro's expression was as stoic as ever, but there was a tension in his posture that Sasuke couldn't ignore.
When they entered Orochimaru's chamber, the stench of decay hit them like a wave. Orochimaru sat slumped on a grotesque throne of serpentine design, his pale skin even more sickly than usual, beads of sweat glistening on his brow. Kabuto fussed over him like a doting nurse, though the frustration in his movements betrayed his concern.
"Sasuke," Orochimaru rasped, his voice barely more than a whisper. "We both know why you're here."
Kabuto glanced at Sasuke, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Orochimaru-sama, you need to rest—"
"Silence," Orochimaru snapped, his voice regaining a fraction of its venom. He waved a frail hand, dismissing both Kabuto and Kimimaro. "Leave us."
Kabuto hesitated, but Kimimaro bowed deeply before retreating, motioning for Kabuto to follow. Once they were alone, Orochimaru fixed his unnervingly golden eyes on Sasuke. Despite his weakened state, there was an intensity in his gaze that made Sasuke pause.
"Tell me, Sasuke," Orochimaru began, a sinister smile curling his lips, "have you considered that you might be better off giving me your body willingly?"
Sasuke's sharingan spun lazily, his expression unreadable. "What are you talking about?"
Orochimaru chuckled, a sickly, rattling sound that sent shivers down Sasuke's spine. "Your goal is to kill Itachi, is it not? To avenge your clan? You would give anything to achieve that goal—your life, your soul."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed but he said nothing, allowing Orochimaru to continue.
"If you give me your body," Orochimaru said, his grin widening to an inhuman degree, "you will create a power unlike any seen before. The perfect being: immortal, with the ability to replicate and master every jutsu in existence. With my knowledge and your sharingan, we would be unstoppable. Killing Itachi will be a trifle."
For a moment, the room was silent save for the faint hiss of Orochimaru's labored breathing. Sasuke tilted his head as if considering the offer. Then, without warning, a Chidori sprang to life in his hand, its crackling light casting harsh shadows across the chamber.
"You think I'd give you my body willingly?" Sasuke's voice was cold, laced with venom. "You're a fool."
Before Orochimaru could react, Sasuke extended the Chidori into a streak of lightning that coiled around Orochimaru's neck like a noose. His skin darkened as he activated the Curse Mark Second Form.
Orochimaru's golden eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in amusement.
"You keep me alive every time you use that power, boy!" Orochimaru hissed, his voice gleeful despite the pain. "You can't escape me." His body convulsed, and his skin began to peel away. His human form sloughed off like a shed snakeskin, revealing his true form: an enormous white snake composed of countless writhing smaller snakes. Its many heads hissed in unison, and Orochimaru's distorted face leered at Sasuke from a top the mass of serpentine flesh.
"So this is your true form," Sasuke said, his sharingan blazing with disdain. "How fitting."
The battle was fierce. The snake's heads lunged at Sasuke with blinding speed, their fangs dripping with venom. But Sasuke's reflexes, honed through years of relentless training, kept him one step ahead. His Chidori-powered blade sliced through one head after another, the lightning chakra incinerating the writhing masses before they could regenerate.
"You can't win," Orochimaru's voice echoed from the snake's many mouths. "I am eternal!"
But Sasuke was undeterred. His Curse Mark wings spread wide. With a burst of speed, he darted toward the snake's core, his sword crackling with lightning nature chakra.
In one decisive strike, Sasuke plunged his blade into the snake's heart. His most powerful Chidori discharged. Orochimaru let out a deafening screech as the mass of snakes began to disintegrate, their forms dissolving into ash. His form was absorbed into Sssuke's Curse Mark. The room fell silent.
When the smoke cleared, Sasuke stood alone, his sharingan spinning furiously. "It's over," he muttered.
At that moment, Kabuto stepped into the room, his eyes widening at the sight of Orochimaru's lifeless form. "What have you done?" he demanded, his voice without inflection.
"I've absorbed him completely. Orochimaru is no more."
Kabuto stared at Sasuke, his mind racing. For a long moment, he remained still, his hands clenched into fists. Then, slowly, he lowered his head and bowed slightly. "Your next move, Sasuke-sama?"
Before Sasuke could respond, Kimimaro appeared in the doorway. His expression was unreadable, but there was a tension in his posture that betrayed his inner conflict.
"I'm sorry," Sasuke said, his voice low but firm. "I did what I had to. Your master is gone."
Kimimaro stood silently for a moment, then dropped to one knee, bowing his head. "That isn't true. You are his heir; you will is his. You've absorbed his essence. I serve you, Sasuke-sama."
Sasuke stared at Kimimaro, his expression inscrutable. "Then follow me," he said finally, turning toward the exit. "We have work to do."
Kimimaro and Kabuto exchanged a single glance before falling in line behind Sasuke. The era of Orochimaru had ended.
The dimly lit corridors of Orochimaru's lair echoed with the quiet footsteps of Sasuke, Kimimaro, and Jugo as they scoured the base. Most of the experiments and underlings had fled or perished in the chaos of Orochimaru's final days. The group moved methodically, Sasuke's sharingan scanning the shadows for any threats.
In one of the deeper chambers, they came across a young woman sitting amidst broken test tubes and scattered notes. Her red hair stood out like a flame in the gloom, and her glasses perched crookedly on her face. She looked up with a scowl, her sharp, amber eyes narrowing at the intruders.
"Who the hell are you?" she demanded, her voice filled with equal parts irritation and wariness.
Sasuke stepped forward, his gaze cold and assessing. "I'm the one who ended Orochimaru."
The girl's eyes widened in disbelief, but her suspicion didn't waver. "You expect me to believe that? Orochimaru-sama was..." She trailed off, biting her lip as she glanced at Kimimaro. Her gaze shifted between him and Sasuke, the truth dawning on her. If Kimimaro, Orochimaru's most loyal follower, was standing with this stranger, then perhaps the impossible had happened.
Kimimaro's calm voice broke the silence. "Sasuke-sama is your leader now, Karin. Orochimaru is gone."
Karin's sharp demeanor softened slightly, though she quickly masked it with a smirk. "Well, well," she said, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "If you're in charge now, I guess that makes you my boss." Her gaze lingered on Sasuke for a moment too long, and a sly smile crept across her lips. "I've had worse looking bosses."
Sasuke ignored her, turning to leave. "If you want to live, follow us. If not, stay here and rot."
"Wait! Of course I'll come with you." She rushed to Sasuke's side, clinging to his arm with a boldness that made Jugo raise an eyebrow. Kimimaro, however, remained stoic, his expression unreadable.
The next day, the group arrived at the Land of Sound's main base, a sprawling underground fortress hidden within a mountain range. Kabuto led the way, his clinical demeanor masking any emotions he might have felt about his new role under Sasuke's command. The fortress was eerily quiet, its halls filled with the ghosts of Orochimaru's twisted experiments.
As they entered Orochimaru's former chambers, Sasuke took in the opulence and decay. The room was lined with bookshelves filled with forbidden knowledge, and the air was thick with the scent of decay and incense. On a pedestal in the center of the room sat Orochimaru's former Akatsuki ring. Sasuke picked it up, sliding it onto his finger without hesitation. It was a symbolic gesture, a claim of power over Orochimaru's empire.
Behind him, Jugo shifted uncomfortably, his body trembling as his rage threatened to surface. Kimimaro placed a steadying hand on his shoulder, his calm presence enough to keep Jugo from losing control.
Kabuto, ever the loyal servant, stood to the side and addressed the group. "This is now your domain, Sasuke-sama. The network Orochimaru built, the experiments, the power—it's all yours. The Sound Village will follow your lead, just as it followed his."
Before Sasuke could respond, the doors to the chamber creaked open. The Sound Four entered, their faces a mixture of disbelief and defiance. Tayuya's sharp tongue was the first to cut through the silence.
"Is this some kind of joke? Where's Orochimaru-sama?"
Kimimaro stepped forward, his unwavering gaze silencing her immediately. "Orochimaru is gone. Sasuke-sama defeated him and claimed his power. He is your leader now."
The Sound Four exchanged glances, their skepticism evident. Sakon and Ukon crossed their arms, their expressions guarded. Jirobo frowned, his bulky frame tense. Kidomaru leaned lazily against the doorframe, but his six eyes glinted with curiosity.
Kabuto stepped forward, his voice calm and authoritative. "I was there. I witnessed the battle myself. Orochimaru-sama's true form was destroyed. Sasuke-sama absorbed his essence and power. He is the rightful leader of Otogakure."
The Sound Four fell silent, the weight of Kabuto's words sinking in. Slowly, they turned their attention to Sasuke, who stood at the center of the room with an air of quiet authority. His sharingan spun lazily, a silent reminder of the power he now wielded.
Sakon was the first to speak. "If Kimimaro follows him, I guess we don't have much of a choice."
Jirobo nodded reluctantly. "Orochimaru-sama chose him as his heir, didn't he? That's good enough for me."
Tayuya scowled but said nothing, her defiance tempered by the reality of the situation. Kidomaru chuckled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Well, this should be interesting."
Sasuke's gaze swept over the group, his expression unreadable. "You'll serve me, just as you served Orochimaru. But understand this—I'm not him. Things are going to change."
Kimimaro stepped forward, his voice firm. "Sasuke-sama is the future of this village. If you question him, you question me."
The Sound Four bowed their heads in reluctant acceptance, their loyalty shifting to Sasuke. He turned to face the room, his mind already racing with plans for the future. How could he use this new development to further his goals?