The last bits of Sasuke's consciousness are echoing in Orochimaru's.
"Naruto... Sakura ... Kakashi... Did I make a mistake ? Was my path wrong ?
Why did Itachi do what he did ? Why did we both have to live this way ...
Shit... I'm sorry, mom, dad, Naruto. In the end, I couldn't accomplish anything..."
The dead boy's voice quiets down.
"That poor boy died with so many regrets. It's a shame, but he did come on his own volition.
Don't worry, Sasuke boy, I'll put this body of yours to good use."
"Regrets, huh... I wonder what that's like." Sai asks a peculiar question.
"Oh ? You've never felt it ?"
"We're trained to discard our emotions very early in Root. Lord Danzo says they might complicate or interfere with missions' success, so it's better to get rid of them altogether."
"I see. Good old Danzo never changes. It's true that they sometimes get in the way, but removing them altogether is such a waste. After all, love, hate and grief are such potent and powerful motivators. Take a look at poor Sasuke and how his hate for his brother made him so powerful."
"And what's regret ?"
"It's a bitter, constricting feeling when someone's action gives birth to unwanted consequences; making them wish they didn't do it in the first place."
"Isn't that useless, though ? You can't change the past, and this same regret might bring something worse than if you've let things go."
"That might be true. Humans are foolish creatures, but there's a lot to learn to bad choices."
"Do you have any regrets ?"
"I wonder... It has been a while since I last thought about this kind of thing."
"You're about to have plenty of regrets, alright." An unannounced third party joins the conversation.
Sai throws a kunai at the voice's location. Infiltrating is something, but getting so close while remaining completely undetected is something new.
"Who's there ?" Sai readies his tanto.
"Looks like your little group did squeeze the intel from Kabuto. I've been waiting for someone to come. "
[Super Beast Imitation Scroll (Choju Giga)]
Sai summons Ink lions, ready to pounce to the intruder's location; above their heads.
"It has been a while, Orochimaru." A black puddle with barely visible eyes gazes down. It's Black Zetsu.
"Zetsu, huh... What brings you here ? Surely you didn't come all this way just to say hi. Or maybe congratulate me."
"Not too far from that, actually. What do you plan on doing now ? Get your revenge on us ?"
"Hardly. I have no much interest left for Akatsuki. My main goal remains unchanged. To master every Jutsu and through it learn about the truth of the world. And for that, I needed a fitting, potent and durable body."
"I see. The truth of the world and omnipotence, on top of immortality. ln that case, your goal isn't far from ours."
"Oh my. Surely you're not asking me to come back ?" Orochimaru squints his snake eyes, doubting and questioning Black Zetsu's interests; He feels something is off.
"No. But you might be the one to fulfill a certain... prophecy." Black Zetsu smiles wide, knowing full well he will spike Orochimaru's interest. And he sure did.
"Interesting. You've got my attention now. Although very little would surprise me at this point." His enthusiastic smile widens.
"You might be... but not in your current state. You may have found a proper vessel, but we both know you're still incomplete as one who seeks such heights. And I know of your potential much more than you do, but this is enough for now. "
"Out already ? You didn't even tell me about the prophecy"
"We'll speak again at in another time. When you're ready and the time is right. As for regrets... I think you already know Itachi is not going to let this slide. You better be careful..." Zetsu melts in the shadows; his words echoing in the room and minds of Orochimaru and Sai.
"Good grief... I was barely starting to savor my new body, and he had to remind me of Itachi... Though, I wonder if I could take him on now."
"I only heard of his exploits at Anbu and his Bingo Book case. What sort of person is he like ?"
"You can never know what's on his mind. He's always calm, and his decisiveness is chilling."
"I see." Sai sheaths back his tanto and stores back his scrolls.
"That'll be all, Sai. Return to your room. I need to relax on my own for a while. We'll get to the deal with Danzo tomorrow."
"Alright." Sai calmly leaves and head to his assigned room in the hideout.
Orochimaru loosens his bandages and approaches the mirror to gaze upon his new face; a mix of his eyes and hair length with sasuke's face features and rest of the body. The moment has come.
[Sharingan]
"At last. What a beauty. With this, copying Jutsus will be infinitely easier." Orochimaru stares for a short while - smiling throughout it - then heads back to his working table. "
"Now, going back to the most important research..." Orochimaru ruffles through his documents and scrolls and reveals a few that share an ominous name... [Reaper Death Seal].
Meanwhile, in the Hidden Leaf, it's late in the afternoon. Naruto is supposed to meet up with Kakashi in the training ground. As the latter is usually late to meetings, Naruto was expecting to wait for a long time again. Yet this time, it wasn't the case. Something is off. He came in time. In fact a little earlier than what was agreed upon. And most importantly, he looks pissed off. Naruto is scared and taken aback.
"Kakashi... sensei ?" He hesitantly asks what's wrong.
"We have to talk." He says without a shadow of pleasantry, eyes still serious while Naruto is trying to figure out what's wrong and somewhere deep inside, he hopes this is all a joke.
"Ready up." Kakashi dashes to him. Naruto tries to heed the hostile advice and jumps back. Kakashi catches up and ...
"Lesson Number 1 : Taijutsu." ... Swiftly throws a powerful punch to Naruto's guts.
"Uuuurgh..." A confused Naruto is in as much confusion as pain, wondering wether or not his insides aren't damaged from that, and why that would happen. But there was no time for that, and gets ready to parry the incoming onslaught. They exchange punches and blocks, but Kakashi inevitably wins it out and violently pummels his student. And on another powerful hit, he sends him flying.
"Lesson Number 2 : Ninjutsu. Ready up your Rasenshuriken." Naruto has no time to think and follows the order. But as he readies it, he gets interrupted by a hail of Fire-style jutsu and weapons from all sides. Kakashi then comes from underground with his Earth-style jutsu and hits him again.
"Do something about this. No one is going to see just powerful jutsu being prepared and let it take place, let alone let you come close to hit it." Naruto stands up, humiliated and awaits the next hit.
"Lesson Number 3 : Genjutsu " Kakashi shows Naruto a vision of himself; Of how he had multiple options at his disposal but all he did was be blinded by rage and let the Nine-tails take over when facing the Akatsuki. A disappointing developement, especially after he just mastered a powerful jutsu. Naruto embarassingly looks at himself, all that jutsu did was be deflected by an explosion and cause minor damage to his arms. Regreting how short-tempered he is.
"Starting now, I'm putting all your trainings on hold until you can control yourself. And that's not all. Here's the real deal." Kakashi puts up another Genjutsu. This time it's Sasuke's silhouette.
"I already know..." Says Naruto, until sasuke's dark silhouette turns around and reveals different, sinister, but familiar eyes : Orochimaru's.
"No you don't. Sasuke is dead. Orochimaru took his body."
Naruto freezes in place. "That's a lie... right ?"