Naruto: Talent Entry Perks

"Lord Orochimaru, thank you for your hard work during this time."

In a cave in the Land of Sound, Izayoi looked at Orochimaru, who had been hiding in Ryuchi Cave and finally reappeared. He tossed a scroll to him and smiled: "This is what you wanted."

As the scroll flew toward him, Orochimaru's eyes burned with excitement.

Without Kabuto Yakushi helping him, Orochimaru extended his head and opened his mouth to catch the scroll.

This scene alone would be enough to scare children and ordinary people away from this cave forever.

Even Izayoi couldn't take it and complained, "Lord Orochimaru, can you stop doing that disgusting thing in front of me?"

"Hehe... Apologies. I'm just too excited." Orochimaru handed the scroll to Kabuto and gave Izayoi an apologetic smile. "Sasuke-kun has been practicing Sage Mode for several months. I was starting to think Izayoi-kun had forgotten our agreement."

"If you were worried I forgot, why didn't you just have Sasuke remind me?" Izayoi asked with a smile.

"I believe Izayoi-kun is a man of his word. If he promises something, he'll do it. The delay must have been due to important matters." Orochimaru said sincerely, in a tone that made people feel very comfortable.

"As expected of Lord Orochimaru. That's exactly what I admire about you."

Izayoi nodded with satisfaction and explained, "The Death Mask is equivalent to an unmarked Shiki Fuujin. You only need to wear it and inject chakra to summon the Reaper. But just like the Shiki Fuujin, once the Reaper is summoned, it will take away the soul of the user."

"So, if you want to retrieve your soul, you must find someone you trust completely—someone willing to sacrifice their life for you."

"I'll leave the Death Mask with you. When you don't need it anymore, have Sasuke return it to me."

As soon as he finished, Izayoi's figure vanished into thin air.

Orochimaru and Kabuto's pupils shrank in shock.

Kabuto said, trembling, "That was... the Flying Thunder God Technique!"

"An unexpected jutsu... but for someone like him, it makes sense." Orochimaru sighed. "For the new era's protagonists, what seems incredible to us may be something simple and ordinary for them."

Kabuto was still in shock. He recalled something and asked, "Lord Orochimaru, just now Izayoi-sama appeared in person. Did you sense his chakra?"

Orochimaru was stunned, and his expression suddenly changed.

"He's become stronger again!" Orochimaru said, eyes full of disbelief. "Could he already be at a super-standard level? But I remember clearly... he hasn't even reached his growth period yet! How is that possible?"

The weak feel pressure just from the presence of the strong—like prey under a predator. It's the natural order.

That's how the Allied Shinobi Forces felt facing Impure World Reincarnated Madara in the Fourth Great Ninja War.

When Orochimaru and Kabuto last met Izayoi, they felt this pressure too.

In front of Nagato, Orochimaru was soaked in cold sweat. He didn't even have the courage to fight or run.

Nagato in his prime was on another level compared to the Tendo Pain puppet.

Back then, Orochimaru still dared to confront Tendo Pain.

But in front of Nagato, whose chakra and ocular power were overwhelming, Orochimaru only felt despair.

This time, however, Orochimaru felt no pressure from Izayoi at all.

He couldn't even sense his chakra.

It was as if the person in front of him was an ordinary man.

That's what made Orochimaru and Kabuto break into a cold sweat.

As elite Kage-level fighters, they knew what this meant.

It meant that Izayoi's strength had reached a depth that couldn't be sensed.

If Orochimaru used a White Zetsu clone to reincarnate Senju Hashirama now, he would find that Hashirama gave the same feeling as Izayoi.

Whether it was strength surpassing the Five Kage, or sage body affinity to nature, or the effects of a Wood Release transformation—

Izayoi now had the ability to be immune to low-level perception.

Coming back to his senses, Orochimaru grinned, "Everyone thinks the future of the ninja world will be decided by whoever holds the Gedo Statue. Whether the ninja god of the new era or the man from the moon wins, that battle will decide whether we enter the age of the Rinnegan or remain under its rule."

"But now, it seems the new era will be a three-way showdown: the strongest modern bloodline limit vs. the ancient sage eye vs. the Rinnegan."

"How interesting. I look forward to seeing Izayoi-kun's true strength shock the ninja world."

"But... I must live to see it."

Thinking of Black Zetsu and White Zetsu, Orochimaru said, "Kabuto, let's go."

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."

Two blurs shot out from the cave like arrows.

Three days later.

In a hidden base.

Orochimaru looked at the blue-haired woman kneeling before him and hoarsely laughed: "Guren, are you really willing to give your life for me?"

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru. It would be my honor." Guren looked up, eyes burning with devotion.

"I've already found the perfect reincarnation body. I no longer need to switch bodies every three years," Orochimaru said. "Guren, you're no longer my backup vessel. If you still have regrets in this world, I can find someone else."

He was sincere.

Unlike the orphans from Sound Village, Orochimaru valued loyal subordinates like Kaguya Kimimaro, Guren, and Kabuto.

If Guren wasn't willing, he would find someone else.

But Guren, whose memory seal hadn't been undone, replied firmly, "Please allow me to be the one, Lord Orochimaru. I don't trust anyone else to carry out this task."

"You will die."

"I'm not afraid." Guren smiled with admiration. "If I hadn't met you, I would've died long ago. Please let me do one last thing for you—just like Kimimaro."

Orochimaru fell silent.

After a while, he spat out a scroll and rolled it toward her. "Then I'll leave it to you, Guren."

"Yes!"

Guren, not minding the saliva, unsealed the scroll.

Bang—a puff of smoke.

A white, devil-like mask appeared on the scroll, along with four photos—the four Hokage.

Orochimaru said, "In addition to my arms' souls, free the souls of these four."

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru!"

Guren immediately stood, took a deep breath, and picked up the Death Mask.

Looking at Orochimaru one last time, she smiled. "Sayonara, Lord Orochimaru."

"Sayonara, Guren."

She placed the mask on her face and injected chakra into it.

Swish—

Her body trembled, a bright chakra flame rising from her form.

"Ahhh..."

She screamed in pain, swaying as the chakra covered her.

Then, the chakra flame vanished.

A chilling aura filled the room.

"This presence..." Orochimaru's eyes widened, pupils locked on the top of her head.

Though invisible, he knew the Reaper had appeared.

Slash—

A deep wound appeared on Guren's body. Blood gushed out.

Five fist-sized blue chakra orbs emerged above her head and flew off.

One orb flew to Orochimaru and entered his body.

His hands were immediately engulfed in chakra flames.

He finally regained use of his arms—lost to the Shiki Fuujin long ago. Ninjutsu that required hand seals had been impossible for him.

Now, his fingers moved, chakra flowed freely—he was whole again.

"My ninjutsu... is back!" Orochimaru exclaimed with joy.

Looking at Guren's fallen body, his smile faded. "Thank you, Guren."

He turned to the darkness. "Kabuto, take her body and bury her."

"Yes."

Kabuto appeared, sealed her body, and left.

Orochimaru picked up the Death Mask and sighed, "Shiki Fuujin... truly terrifying."

If he hadn't lived through its horror, he would never have imagined such a sealing technique existed.

Had Hiruzen Sarutobi had even a little more strength that day, the Reaper might have dragged Orochimaru into its belly instead.

This mask could kill both sides as long as it touched the enemy—regardless of power level.

"But... it likely won't work against someone like Izayoi," Orochimaru added with a sigh.

To even touch that man would be a miracle.

As he was about to put away the mask—

A cold voice echoed.

"So, the mask is in your hands."

"Who's there?!"

Orochimaru's face turned pale.

Floating mid-air was Izayoi—disguised as Otsutsuki Toneri—arms crossed, looking down at him.

"My eyes monitor the ninja world. All the strong are under my watch."

"I've long wondered why that person targeted you. So you can communicate with the Reaper... That's the Death Mask recorded by the Uzumaki clan."

Orochimaru said nothing and turned into a blur.

But just as he disappeared, he reappeared, hurtling toward Izayoi.

"Wind Style: Wind Blade!"

From his fingertips, an invisible blade of wind shot forward.

Izayoi calmly released a gravitational palm. Green chakra appeared and formed a glowing sphere that shot out.

It brushed past the wind blade. The blade instantly unraveled back into ordinary chakra and was absorbed into the sphere.

The beam hit Orochimaru before he could land.

In a flash, he felt his chakra, spiritual energy, and physical energy drained.

He collapsed to the ground, completely powerless.

The green orb floated back to Izayoi's hand. Another one formed and shot into Orochimaru again.

Orochimaru closed his eyes in despair.

But instead of death, the second orb restored him completely.

Floating before him, Izayoi pressed one hand to Orochimaru's head and formed a new spirit ball with the other.

In an instant, Izayoi read his memory.

Then both vanished without a trace.

In a misty region of the Land of Water, a Mist Ninja stood blankly before them.

"Impure World Reincarnation!"

Orochimaru took out a medium, formed hand seals, and slammed the ground.

Spells spread outward. White smoke enveloped the Mist Ninja.

He screamed in agony, his body and face twisting.

When the smoke cleared, a man in a divine robe with short blond hair and cracks all over his body stood in his place.

It was Minato Namikaze—the Fourth Hokage and Naruto's father.

"Time to restore the final piece!"

Izayoi raised his hand and shot a green orb into Minato's body.

Orange-red chakra surged from Minato like a mountain.

Far away, inside Naruto's body—

"My other half's chakra... has returned!" roared the Yang Nine-Tails.

"Who is it? Who's controlling me?!"