Rather than getting Orochimaru to surrender, Naruto cares more about Sasuke's safety.
Orochimaru's mind was restless:
In such a short time, he's used that eye, stronger than the eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, to its full potential... Uzumaki Naruto, as a branch of the Senju clan, could he possibly have the potential to accept the Uchiha?
For the first time, he thought he might have misjudged someone in his past.
He then straightened up and said,
"The defeated have no words. From now on, I will give up on Sasuke. But to immediately pledge loyalty to you... that's still a bit difficult..."
Ninjas at Orochimaru's level would never simply submit to power.
After getting Sasuke's promise not to act, Naruto's expression softened significantly.
And... Orochimaru said he couldn't "immediately" submit, not that he couldn't submit at all.
So, Naruto removed the black rods from Orochimaru.
After standing up, Orochimaru asked with interest, "Naruto-kun, aren't you afraid I might just leave?"
Naruto smiled lightly. He was no longer the naive young boy he once was. After years of being Hokage, he had become skilled in the art of managing people.
Using both rewards and threats is far better than just solving things with brute force.
"Orochimaru, if you want to leave, you can at any time. But I guarantee that one day, you will willingly come back to my side..."
This calm confidence from Naruto only piqued Orochimaru's curiosity even more.
The last time Naruto and I clashed was just half a year ago... back then, he was just reckless, and apart from the incomplete power of the Nine-Tails, he had nothing.
But in just half a year, he's already become someone I can't easily figure out.
Orochimaru said, "Alright, let me see what you do next. That will decide my choice..."
Naruto thought for a moment and said, "Go to the Shinigami's place to retrieve your hands!"
"Hmm!?" Orochimaru's slitted pupils suddenly contracted.
Naruto said with a half-smile, "The place I chose is not far from the Uzumaki Clan's Mask Storage Temple, very convenient for your work..."
As he finished speaking, he suddenly reached out his hand to the side.
—Bansho Tenin!
Whoosh! A White Zetsu, who had been watching the situation from the bushes, was pulled through the air.
Naruto grabbed the White Zetsu by the throat with his left hand. "Did Tobi send you here? You've already scouted this place. Impressive."
"Uzumaki Naruto... you!"
"I won't let you send any information to your comrades."
Zzzz! Naruto's left eye, the Rinnegan, focused, and the White Zetsu's eyes instantly went blank.
Naruto turned and said, "Let's go, Orochimaru. Don't you want to retrieve the jutsu you've been dreaming of?"
Orochimaru stared deeply at Naruto's back. This wind from Naruto, in terms of intensity, has already far surpassed Sasuke's. It's really intriguing. Where will this wind blow to next?
In the Uzumaki Clan's Mask Storage Temple, among the many masks, Orochimaru found the one recorded in the secret scroll.
The "Brahma Mask," which housed the Shinigami's technique, was the only key to unsealing the "Corpse Demon Sealing Jutsu."
Orochimaru said, "This is it. I searched through numerous documents and finally learned of its existence. Naruto, how did you find out?"
Konan couldn't help but glance at him. She was the only one who knew the truth, and she was curious if Naruto would tell Orochimaru everything.
However, after a brief pause, Naruto said, "The Corpse Demon Sealing Jutsu is a sealing technique of the Uzumaki clan. Since I am also a member of the Uzumaki clan, it's not strange that I know about it, right?"
Konan withdrew her gaze, feeling slightly relieved.
Such an important secret shouldn't be shared with someone whose attitude is still unclear. If they turn out to be an enemy in the future, revealing it could cause big trouble.
Naruto became serious. "Orochimaru, you can perform the technique here."
Orochimaru sighed. "Actually, in my mind, this scene was supposed to take place somewhere else."
He was referring to the Uchiha Shrine, where performing the technique would represent his admiration for the Uchihas and carry more of a ceremonial meaning.
But performing it here in the Uzumaki clan's Namiye Hall is also a kind of ceremony, isn't it?
Orochimaru took a deep breath and put on the Brahma Mask.
Boom!!!
"Ugh..."
A powerful chakra storm erupted. Orochimaru was swept along, his body trembling, and his arms spread wide. The Shinigami from the Corpse Demon Sealing Jutsu took on its revered form!
Orochimaru said, "Naruto-kun, besides the soul of my hands, four other souls will be released as well. One of them is..."
Naruto said,
"Understood, I have my own way."
Orochimaru smiled and said,
"That's good."
——The Corpse Demon Sealing Technique!
Crack! the Shinigami, took a large sword and slashed open his own abdomen.
"Ughhh...!!"
As the sacrificial offering, Orochimaru immediately suffered a fatal wound and let out a tragic scream...
Whoosh! From the Shinigami's split abdomen, Orochimaru's soul, along with the souls of the four previous Hokage, flew out! Naruto crouched down, pried open the mouth of White Zetsu, and Orochimaru's true form, the White Phosphorus Serpent, was spat out and flew into it.
A change of fate, transforming into the Shinigami's curse! Orochimaru used the forbidden technique 'No Resurrection,' taking over the body of White Zetsu!
whoosh! Whoosh!
His soul returned to his hands, reclaiming the lost Ninjutsu! The other four souls hovered in the air.
Naruto's gaze focused on the fourth soul, and he muttered with a complex expression,
"Sorry, Father, now... is not the right time."
His left eye, the Rinnegan, opened.
——Hell Path!
Boom! purple flames ignited, transforming into a revered figure of Yama, swallowing the souls of the four Hokage.
Naruto hoped in his heart: But I believe the day we meet will come soon.
Orochimaru, after a long time, moved his hands and set them down. He looked at Naruto, his gaze now showing more respect and submission.
Konan stepped forward and asked,
"What's next? Do we head back to Amegakure?"
"..." Naruto closed his eyes, thinking deeply about the current situation.
The Five Kage Summit was about to begin. The summit was initiated by Raikage, with the main topic being the hunt for Sasuke and the Akatsuki.
Danzo had stolen the Hokage position and would attend the summit. Meanwhile, Sasuke, influenced by Obito, would attack the Five Kage Summit and face off against Danzo.
Naruto vaguely remembered how, in the past, he had traveled far to kneel before Raikage to protect Sasuke... and how Sasuke, after killing Danzo, had nearly lost his eyesight from overusing his Sharingan, locking eyes with Naruto in that moment.
"The banquet of this world, time really flies..."
But Naruto knew, now was not the time to dwell on the past.
For a long time, his Genjutsu had always been a weak point. In Kurama mode, he could almost instantly break out of Genjutsu, but that applied to ordinary Genjutsu. If he encountered something like Tsukuyomi, a genjutsu that could control time itself, it wouldn't help much.
In the Otsutsuki clan, there were many who had similar Genjutsu abilities...
And in future operations, to achieve victory without bloodshed, a keen eye trained in Genjutsu was essential.
Danzo's right eye... without a doubt, was the best option!
---
Opening his eyes, Naruto had a new plan.
Under the watch of Konan and Orochimaru, Naruto took a mask from the wall and slowly placed it on his face.
——"Let's go to the Land of Iron, the Five Kage Conference. We have to capture Danzo before Obito and Sasuke do!"