After several days of continuous fighting, culminating in an intense internal battle, Yagyu and the girls, including Hinata, didn't wake up until noon the next day.
This was a rare occurrence for Yagyu and the others.
Since childhood, they had never slept until noon, usually waking up in the morning, and sometimes even earlier.
Especially after mastering the Sage Body and the Yin Seal, their boundless energy made it impossible to laze around.
This just showed how intense the previous night's battle had been.
When Yagyu and the girls woke up together, Karin and Sakura, who had fallen asleep from exhaustion the night before, suddenly realized what they had done. Their faces turned bright red, and they either covered their faces with their hands or hid under the blankets, too embarrassed to show themselves.
Only Ino remained unfazed, nuzzling against Yagyu in his arms, almost reigniting the flames of battle.
After lingering for a while, they finally got up to wash and prepare for the day.
There was no time to cook, so they headed out to work.
Although the war had ended, there was still a lot of aftermath to deal with.
As the direct disciples of the Fifth Hokage, Karin and the others needed to share the burden with their teacher. They would be busy for a while.
Yagyu also had things to do.
As a transmigrator, he was well aware that Naruto Shippuden wasn't entirely over.
Even if Shippuden ended, there would only be a little over a decade of peace before a new era began.
And this new era would bring extraterrestrial enemies, ushering in the age of seals and divine techniques.
After bidding farewell to Hinata and the others with a kiss, Yagyu opened a Yomotsu Hirasaka portal and stepped into the black gateway.
The next moment, he appeared in a secret base, standing in front of a man.
"As expected, I couldn't hide from you, Yagyu-kun," Orochimaru said without surprise, his voice hoarse as he smiled. "Am I no longer of any use to you now?"
Throwing the shinobi world into chaos had been part of Yagyu's deal with Orochimaru.
The price for this deal was Orochimaru's current body, which he had taken over from a White Zetsu clone.
Although it was called a White Zetsu clone, each White Zetsu was a product of the Infinite Tsukuyomi, a non-human monster and a new form of humanity.
By taking over a White Zetsu body, Orochimaru felt as if he had regained his original body, with no rejection between his soul and the new vessel.
Having witnessed the true pinnacle of power, Orochimaru no longer planned to continue his reincarnations.
Even the Sage of Six Paths couldn't achieve immortality, so Orochimaru knew that continuing to reincarnate would only lead to his soul's eventual dissipation and inevitable death.
He had also uncovered the secrets and final evolution of the Sharingan, so his obsession with these eyes had faded.
Orochimaru had originally thought that if Yagyu didn't come after him, he would spend the rest of his time devoted to science.
But now, it seemed he wouldn't get his wish.
After all, during the war, Orochimaru had used the Reanimation Jutsu to kill too many people.
Although few knew it was his doing, and the blame had been shifted to Hundred Faces, Orochimaru didn't believe he could hide it from Yagyu.
During the shinobi alliance's retreat, Orochimaru had been one of the closest spectators.
Countless reanimated bodies had been destroyed in the battle between Yagyu and Madara Uchiha.
Such power was on par with that of the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju.
Being targeted by someone like Yagyu, there was no escape, even to the ends of the earth.
Moreover, Orochimaru firmly believed that Yagyu must have left some hidden mark on his body or was using some method he couldn't detect to monitor him in secret.
Otherwise, when Orochimaru had tried to take over Sasuke Uchiha's body, Yagyu wouldn't have arrived so promptly.
That's why Orochimaru hadn't even considered running away and had prepared himself for Yagyu's arrival.
What he hadn't expected was how quickly Yagyu would come for him.
The war had ended last night, and by noon today, Yagyu was already here.
For a moment, Orochimaru wasn't sure whether to feel unlucky or to marvel at how much Yagyu valued him.
Of course, Yagyu had no idea what Orochimaru was thinking.
But hearing Orochimaru's words, Yagyu could guess their meaning—Orochimaru was worried that Yagyu would kill him now that he was no longer useful.
To this, Yagyu simply smiled and said meaningfully, "Orochimaru-sama, you've passed my test. I came today to ask if you'd be interested in returning to Konoha and working for me."
Yagyu had a favorable impression of Orochimaru.
Although, to Konoha, he was the murderer of the Third Hokage, Yagyu had also wanted the Third Hokage dead.
If the Third Hokage hadn't died, how would Tsunade have returned to the village and become the Fifth Hokage? How would Yagyu have become the crown prince of Konoha, second only to the Hokage? How would he have dared to reveal his Wood Release Kekkei Genkai?
So, in a way, Orochimaru had done him a favor.
That's why Yagyu hadn't killed Orochimaru in Tanzaku Quarters but had let him go with mercy.
Later, Orochimaru had brought Yagyu two great benefits.
First, he had reanimated the previous Hokage, allowing Yagyu to gain insights into the Flying Thunder God Technique and significantly reduce the time it took to master it. Yagyu had also obtained the Sage Mode and the Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands techniques ahead of time.
Second, Orochimaru had reanimated Madara Uchiha, allowing Yagyu to awaken the Rinnegan and complete the unification of polar energies.
Without this, Yagyu wouldn't have known how long it would have taken to naturally awaken the Rinnegan.
By the time he did, his unique ocular technique might not have been the bug-like ability known as Outer Path Maru.
Orochimaru had done Yagyu three great favors.
Especially the last one, which not only granted Yagyu power on a different level but also proved Orochimaru's loyalty, as he hadn't tried any underhanded tricks.
If Orochimaru had harbored other intentions and acted on them, Yagyu wouldn't have killed him but would have confined him to a designated area, letting him live as a solitary scientist, just like in the original story.
But now, Yagyu wanted to treat Orochimaru well and allow him to return to Konoha.
Although Jiraiya was dead, Orochimaru still had Tsunade as a former teammate and Anko as his student.
As the Third Hokage's most talented disciple and someone with experience in building a village, Orochimaru's political and managerial skills surpassed even Tsunade's.
In the original story, if it hadn't been for the emergence of Minato Namikaze, Orochimaru's close ties with Danzō Shimura, and the Third Hokage's paranoia and unwillingness to step down, Orochimaru would have been the best candidate for the Fourth Hokage.
If Yagyu delegated power to Orochimaru, he could manage Konoha exceptionally well, allowing Yagyu to become a hands-off leader.
Now that his strength had reached the level of a god among men, Yagyu had no interest in power.
All he wanted now was to find Isshiki Ōtsutsuki, read his memories, obtain the second Ten-Tails and the Ōtsutsuki clan's methods of planting the God Tree and refining chakra pills, and then eliminate the Ōtsutsuki clan that would come to Earth in the future.
After that, he could follow the Ōtsutsuki clan's example, planting God Trees across the universe to grow stronger, turning himself, Hinata, and the others into long-lived beings.
Orochimaru, of course, had no idea what Yagyu was thinking.
Hearing Yagyu's words, his suspicions were confirmed.
Yagyu had indeed been monitoring him all along.
Even Madara Uchiha's body falling into his hands had been part of Yagyu's plan.
In truth, Orochimaru had his own ulterior motives.
But those motives had been quickly quashed.
After obtaining Madara's body and uncovering the final secrets of the Sharingan, Orochimaru had once considered seeking out Hundred Faces—his former colleague —to trade for the Chimera Technique. He wanted to consume Madara's body to see if he could gain Wood Release, the Sharingan, or even the power of the Sage of Six Paths.
But when he thought about his current body and Yagyu's timely intervention, his enthusiasm was doused like a bucket of cold water.
He was certain that Yagyu knew Madara's body was in his possession.
Even his research had been under Yagyu's watchful eye.
If he made any moves, not only would Black and White Zetsu and their master come after him, but Yagyu might also take action.
Later, when Madara faced Yagyu, Orochimaru's suspicions were confirmed.
Yagyu had known about Madara's existence all along and had even allowed Orochimaru to use the Reanimation Jutsu to revive him.
This kid not only knew the final secrets of the Sharingan but also possessed the power of the Sage of Six Paths.
The moment Yagyu awakened the Rinnegan, Orochimaru realized that Yagyu might have been the true mastermind, planning everything for years.
He, Orochimaru, was just one of Yagyu's pawns.
It was normal to dispose of a pawn after it had served its purpose.
But to his surprise, Yagyu didn't plan to eliminate him. Instead, he wanted Orochimaru to return to Konoha?
Orochimaru couldn't help but laugh. "Yagyu-kun, are you sure you want to invite me back to Konoha? After all, I killed your Third Hokage."
To this, Yagyu smiled and replied, "The Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, and Mitokado clans—I was the one who wiped them out."
Hearing this, Orochimaru's pupils contracted slightly, and he nodded in understanding. "So that's how it is. That night, when the moon changed, the pattern in the sky was your Mangekyō Sharingan, wasn't it?"
"Don't worry, I'll clear your name," Yagyu said without denying it, smiling as he made his promise. "Right now, Konoha—no, the entire shinobi world—is under my control."
"Haha, as expected of the new God of Shinobi. How domineering," Orochimaru chuckled in admiration.
Then, unable to suppress his curiosity, he couldn't help but ask, "Yagyu-kun, I can become your subordinate, but can you answer one question to satisfy my thirst for knowledge?"
Yagyu seemed to know what Orochimaru wanted to ask and smiled playfully. "Orochimaru-sama, do you want to know the truth of this world?"
"That's right," Orochimaru nodded honestly, his eyes burning with fervor. "I thought that you and Madara Uchiha, who possessed the power of the Sage of Six Paths, were the rulers of this world. Your battle confirmed my suspicions. But Zetsu's actions and the woman Madara transformed into overturned my initial assumptions."
"Unfortunately, my abilities weren't enough. I only saw the woman's appearance, and then you and the others disappeared. In the end, only you returned."
"Yagyu-kun, who was that woman?" Orochimaru asked curiously. "Was she the legendary Sage of Six Paths? Is it possible that the Sage of Six Paths, who founded the shinobi way in myth, was actually a woman?"
"Or is there an even deeper secret hidden in this world?"
For a scientist, the unknown is the greatest temptation.
If the final battle had just been between Yagyu and Madara Uchiha, with both possessing the power of the Sage of Six Paths and becoming the new Sages, Orochimaru wouldn't have been so curious.
But the appearance of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki had left Orochimaru itching to know more.
Was the vessel that sealed the Nine Tailed Beasts a contingency left by the Sage of Six Paths?
Was the Sage of Six Paths from myth not a man?
Was that mysterious woman the true Sage of Six Paths?
Had the Sage who founded the shinobi way distributed chakra to the world just to revive at this moment, overcoming the limitations of lifespan and reclaiming control over the shinobi world?
Seeing Orochimaru's intense desire, Yagyu didn't refuse. Instead, he smiled and nodded. "Alright, as a reward, I'll tell you a story, Orochimaru-sama."
With that, Yagyu's eyes transformed into the Rinne-Sharingan.
The supreme ocular power, even without being unleashed, made Orochimaru feel the gap between their levels as if an ant were facing a human.
In the next moment, the world around Orochimaru changed drastically.
He and Yagyu appeared in the vastness of space, and not far from them stood two figures in white robes—a man and a woman.
The woman's appearance was unmistakably the white-haired woman Madara had transformed into.
"Thousands of years ago, two extraterrestrial beings arrived on Earth from an unknown planet and planted a tree here, known as the God Tree.
However, for the God Tree to bear fruit, one of them had to be sacrificed."
The scene shifted from space to the ground, where the man and woman stood before a creature Orochimaru was very familiar with—the vessel that sealed the Nine Tailed Beasts.
Then, the woman suddenly attacked the man, causing him to be swallowed by the creature.
Since this was an illusion, the finer details weren't shown, and Orochimaru could only see the general picture.
After devouring the man, the creature transformed into a towering tree and bore a fruit.
The woman then ate the fruit, becoming the progenitor of chakra. She used a special secret technique to create two sons, leading to the story of the Sage of Six Paths.
Yagyu didn't reveal the secrets of the Infinite Tsukuyomi or the White Zetsu to Orochimaru.
He only let Orochimaru know about Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's identity and the origin of chakra.
Yagyu had high hopes for Orochimaru, who had brought him three great benefits. He didn't mind expanding Orochimaru's horizons, allowing his brilliant mind to generate even more imaginative ideas and fully utilize his knowledge.