Just after the news of Tsunade officially taking office as the Fifth Hokage spread throughout the major nations, the nobles and daimyo who had been adopting a wait-and-see attitude while Konoha was without a Hokage began issuing missions to Konoha again.
The daimyo of the Land of Fire personally sent an envoy to deliver congratulatory gifts and new mission requests, and several other small countries that maintained alliances with Konoha followed suit.
Konoha's mission system was fully restored the day after Tsunade took office, and the large backlog of requests accumulated due to Hiruzen's death was quickly distributed to the various ninja squads.
...
While Konoha was flourishing, on the other side of the Ninja World, in a dark cave.
The Gedo statue stood silently in the center of the cavern. Its nine eyes were tightly closed and its ten fingers spread out.
On each finger stood a blurry phantom. These phantoms were projections cast remotely via the Magic Lantern Body Technique, with their true bodies likely several miles away.
"It's been a while since Orochimaru defected, this is the first time we've all gathered. Oh and there's a newcomer joining us." A voice sounded.
"That traitor Orochimaru, I heard he had his hands crippled by the Third Hokage using the Reaper Death Seal in Konoha, and now he's a useless cripple. It's truly laughable. One of the former Sannin has actually fallen to such a state." Another voice chimed in, with undisguised mockery in its tone.
"Enough. Let's discuss Orochimaru later. Itachi, has the mission to capture the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki failed?" Deva Path stood on the center finger.
Itachi said, "The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is very strange. He is immune to my genjutsu. Whether it is basic genjutsu or advanced genjutsu infused with ocular power, it is completely ineffective against him."
"Plus, Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, was present at the time. After a brief clash, Kisame and I judged that continuing the fight was too risky, so we chose to retreat."
Itachi, an S-Rank rogue ninja famous in the Ninja World for his genjutsu, a wielder of the Mangekyo Sharingan, and the man who personally slaughtered his entire clan, had actually admitted that his genjutsu was ineffective against a twelve-year-old Genin.
"Itachi's genjutsu was neutralized? That's rare." A voice broke the silence, its tone carrying a hint of amusement.
Itachi glanced at this figure and spoke, "I analyzed it later. My Sharingan genjutsu did indeed successfully enter the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki's Chakra System at the time, but that genjutsu Chakra was decomposed by some kind of power before it could make contact with his consciousness. The whole process was clean and swift, without any signs of Chakra resistance."
"Did you hear that? Itachi-san's genjutsu is ineffective against that Nine-Tails brat. I was holding off Jiraiya by myself at the time. Samehada hadn't even had its fill before the battle ended."
"But then again, Jiraiya is worthy of being one of the Sannin. That giant toad he summoned slashed several of my water sharks. Next time I meet him, I'll have to settle this score properly." Kisame grinned.
"If a Jinchuriki is unaffected by genjutsu, the difficulty of capturing them will increase by several levels." Sasori's voice came from another finger.
"A Jinchuriki can indeed achieve immunity to genjutsu." Just then, Black Zetsu, who had been silent all this time, spoke up.
"When a Jinchuriki reaches a consensus with the Tailed Beast inside them and becomes true partners, the Tailed Beast can actively disrupt the flow of Chakra within the Jinchuriki the moment they are attacked by genjutsu, thereby breaking any foreign Chakra intrusion. This is one of the signs of a Perfect Jinchuriki."
"Of course, this immunity is not absolutely unsolvable, but ordinary genjutsu is indeed powerless against it."
Black Zetsu's words left everyone present in silence.
A Perfect Jinchuriki?
This term had not been mentioned in the Ninja World for a long time.
The last person recognized as a Perfect Jinchuriki was the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Bee, from Kumogakure.
And now, Konoha's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, a mere twelve-year-old Genin, had actually reached this level.
"Regardless of whether the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki can fully control the power of Nine-Tails, he is our target. Nine-Tails has the largest amount of Chakra among all Tailed Beasts and must be absorbed last. Otherwise, the balance of the Gedo Statue will be broken."
"Now is not the best time for capture. Orochimaru's defection caused the organization to lose some combat power, and we need time to accumulate strength."
"In three years, the plan will officially begin. Our goal is all the Tailed Beasts from the major ninja villages, from One-Tail to Nine-Tails, not a single one missed."
"Before the final plan is launched, everyone continue with your respective tasks, accumulate strength, and collect intelligence."
As Pain's voice faded, the phantom images on the fingers in the cave began to dissipate one by one.
—
Otogakure, an underground base.
"Damn you, Naruto!"
Orochimaru lay on the bed, his entire body wrapped in bandages. His arms hung limply at his sides, and the persistent pain coming from his hands caused his face to twist.
Although the Rasenshuriken Naruto used in Tanzaku Quarters did not hit him directly, the shockwave and the aftermath of the wind blades had ravaged his body—which was already on the verge of collapse due to the Reaper Death Seal—to its limit.
Just then, Kabuto, who was also covered in bandages, pushed the door open and walked in.
"Orochimaru-sama, how are you feeling?"
"Kabuto, is your injury any better?" Orochimaru struggled to turn his head to look at his most capable subordinate.
"Thanks to you, it is much better. That technique of Naruto's is not just the ultimate application of Wind Release Nature Transformation, its internal Chakra structure actively disperses countless cutting forces, down to the cellular level, after hitting the target."
"These tiny Chakra blades penetrate into surface wounds, deepening along the intercellular spaces and continuously destroying the surrounding tissue structure."
"My right arm and left leg were continuously cut by this residual Chakra, and it took me two whole days just to expel it."
"If we had been even a second slower and hit head-on, there probably wouldn't be a single intact piece of tissue left by now."
As Kabuto spoke, he looked down at the wounds on his arms that were still throbbing with pain, his tone carrying a hint of lingering fear.
"Kabuto, this body is no longer holding up. The damage from the Reaper Death Seal, combined with the wounds left by Naruto, can last at most another month. We must find a new vessel for reincarnation before then."
"The time for Sasuke is about right. Have Tayuya and the others depart for Konoha immediately and bring Sasuke back."
"Understood, Orochimaru-sama."
Kabuto turned to leave, but was stopped by Orochimaru just as he reached the door.
"Wait, Kabuto. Tell Tayuya and the others that if they encounter Naruto, do not engage him directly. Retreat immediately."
"His sensory ability is terrifying. We were hiding inside a mountain at least several hundred meters away from him and suppressed our Chakra fluctuations, yet he was still able to pinpoint my location while engaged in a fierce battle with Tsunade."
"This cannot be explained by ordinary sensory ninjutsu, he must have some kind of extraordinary sensory method."
"Tell Tayuya and the others not to underestimate him."
Kabuto nodded and pushed the door open to leave.
After Kabuto's footsteps faded at the end of the corridor, Orochimaru murmured, "Naruto, how exactly did you find me?"