An unexpected conclusion unfolded as Shirohebi-hime's face contorted, her features morphing into those of the Sannin.
Orochimaru let out a chilling laugh. "Hehe... I believe I'll be taking the soul power of the complete Eight-Headed Serpent for myself."
It turned out that while Shirohebi-hime was locked in a struggle with Deidara, Orochimaru had seized the opportunity.
He had faced the original White Snake Sage's isolated soul in a direct mental confrontation. It was a gamble of the highest order; had the Sage been at full strength, Orochimaru's consciousness might have been devoured instead.
Fortunately, the "Old Snake" was in a wretched state—weakened by Shirohebi-hime's betrayals and the loss of the Dragon Ball's energy.
His soul was exhausted, allowing Orochimaru to breach his mental defenses, seal him away, and inherit his vast ancestral memories.
Aside from his historical struggles against the Uchiha, Orochimaru remained terrifyingly reliable. After subduing the Sage's consciousness, he had disguised his mental signature as the Old Snake's and merged back into Shirohebi-hime's body, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Realizing she had been played, Shirohebi-hime's eyes flared with power, but Orochimaru was already controlling her other hand to weave seals.
The surrounding Inorganic Reincarnation fluid rapidly coalesced into a massive white orb, sealing Shirohebi-hime within a restrictive sphere of her own making.
"Orochimaru... you treacherous snake!" she shrieked, her control slipping away.
But just as Orochimaru prepared to fully assimilate her, Deidara moved again. He plunged his bone blade into the stone orb, releasing a foul, stagnant vapor that caused the spiritual field to vibrate violently.
"Deidara! What are you doing?" Orochimaru's voice turned murderous as he felt his newly acquired soul power fluctuate.
Deidara ignored the roar and focused on the mission. A massive influx of vengeful spirits flooded the mental battlefield between Orochimaru and the Hime, shattering the delicate balance.
Under the pressure, the projection of the Eight-Headed Serpent behind Shirohebi-hime fractured, splintering into six smaller serpents.
Shirohebi-hime (who held the soul of Hakuga) and Orochimaru (who now held the Old Snake) were the two strongest fragments left. At that moment, Deidara donned a silver mask, and Shiraishi's primary consciousness descended.
Using the stone orb as a catalyst, Shiraishi applied a series of sealing tags. In a flash of light, he snatched four of the smaller snakes—representing the Wind, Fire, Water, and Lightning attributes—and sealed them into a scroll.
Without these components, the White Snake Sage's soul would remain forever incomplete.
Orochimaru was livid. His plan to become the "Ultimate Lifeform" by devouring the complete Eight-Headed Serpent had been sabotaged. It was clear that Shiraishi had anticipated his ambition and set a cap on his growth.
In the midst of the foul-smelling mist, Shirohebi-hime's primary consciousness managed to manifest as a small white snake and dart away. Using a hidden Reverse Summoning array in her abode, she fled back to the safety of Ryuchi Cave to regrow a physical body.
Shiraishi knew the danger Orochimaru posed. Controlling him with one-eighth of the Sage's power was manageable, but allowing him to swallow all seven souls would have created a monster beyond anyone's reach.
Now, the Eight-Headed Serpent's consciousnesses were split: Shirohebi-hime and Orochimaru were destined to be eternal rivals, and both would have to rely on the Hidden Sand to maintain their positions.
The white orb finally crumbled, and Orochimaru stepped out. Though visibly more powerful, his face was dark with resentment.
"Why did you interfere?" Orochimaru asked, knowing exactly whose consciousness was behind the mask.
"Shirohebi-hime has been helpful to me in the past. This was her one and only reprieve," Shiraishi replied calmly.
The incident with Mount Myoboku had infuriated Shiraishi, and he used Orochimaru as a hammer to beat the Hime into submission. She would now crawl back to Ryuchi Cave and remain quiet for a long time.
Shadows in the Rain and Leaf
In the Hidden Rain Village, the Six Paths of Pain didn't suspect much. Deidara (the Azure Dragon) had simply been "monitoring" Orochimaru's suspicious movements in the Sand.
Zetsu's reports confirmed that Orochimaru had successfully devoured a portion of a Sage's soul, explaining his sudden surge in power.
In Pain's eyes, Orochimaru was the primary threat, while Deidara remained a secondary concern.
As for Obito... he wasn't a master strategist on this level. As long as Zetsu didn't raise an alarm, Obito saw no reason to doubt the situation.
But while the dust settled in the Sand, a much larger storm was brewing in Konoha. Four years after the end of the Third Great Ninja War, the Hidden Leaf was facing internal rot. The Uchiha Clan was growing restless.
In a desperate bid to prevent a civil war, Uchiha Shisui revealed the existence of his Mangekyo Sharingan and its ultimate ability to the Leaf's high command.
Kotoamatsukami.
The power to control a person's mind without them ever realizing it. Suddenly, Shisui's eyes became the center of a deadly vortex of greed and paranoia.
When Uchiha Kaede (Shiraishi's split-body in Konoha) heard the news, he took a deep breath.
It's starting.
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