The Windmill Turns Both Ways

Air

Intriguing.

Unexpected, but intriguing.

Orochimaru never expected Obito to use his Sharingan's special ability so soon after awakening it. The ability was latent within even the lowest level. That meant it was even more valuable than he'd originally thought.

And all that potential and intrigue had just escaped.

Orochimaru had found out quite a lot about this time's Obito, and knew half of his body was replaced by the Shodai's cells. It gave him the ability to use one of Madara's Rinnegan and control multiple revived jinchuuriki at once. Who knew what this version would be capable of, given time?

And if all that wasn't interesting enough, Orochimaru could no longer see through Naruto's eyes using the control tag. In fact, he couldn't sense Naruto at all. Even when the young jinchuuriki had gone back to the past, that had been possible. That meant they were somewhere else, somewhere entirely insulated against outside interference. Orochimaru grinned. There was so much about dimensional jutsu he still didn't know.

He lowered his hand from the half-ram seal and shifted his attention back to everyone below. Failing to find their escapees, Kimimaro had gone to calm Juugo before he added even more holes in the wall. Sasuke was still looking up, watching Orochimaru with narrowed eyes, and Suigetsu stood behind him.

"What now, Sasuke-kun?" Orochimaru asked. "You followed me here, even after all the trouble you had to go through. I assume it's because of the scroll... unless there's more?"

"Aren't you going after them?" Sasuke said, voice flat.

"No. It's no use. They're out of my reach now." He paused. "In fact, I'm glad you came here. What I am most interested in now is helping you along whatever path you choose to take next—"

"Stop lying and tell me what you're really trying to do." Sasuke's voice cut harshly through the end of Orochimaru's statement. "Why would you still be in the war, unless you had something you still wanted to get out of it?"

Orochimaru sighed. "Sasuke-kun, what do I need to do to make you believe me? I'll follow whatever it is you want to do. You have my word. Would you like to go to Konoha?"

"Release the Edo Tensei."

Even Kimimaro and Juugo turned to look at him then. Sasuke gave a grim smirk. He was certain Orochimaru wouldn't give up his Uchiha army, especially while the war was still going on.

"I want their souls to return where they belong," Sasuke continued. "They aren't pawns to be used for your scheme."

"Things with Itachi must have gone well."

Sasuke just waited.

"Ah, well. It can't be helped."

Without any further stalling, Orochimaru ran through the signs, not bothering to hide them from Sasuke's carefully watching eyes. He held the last one for a second longer than the rest, then dropped his hands down by his sides.

Everyone turned and watched in disbelief as Kimimaro started glowing, a halo of light surrounding his body. Fine lines appeared and cracked open all over him.

Even he seemed surprised, looking down at his own disintegrating hands as if he could hardly believe it. He looked at Juugo and smiled as if. And very shortly, he was gone. A pile of ash and a corpse were all he left behind.

Sasuke watched with the rest, then turned back to Orochimaru without missing a beat. "How do I know you didn't just send him back, and not the others?"

"If you go aboveground, you'll find that our guards have also disappeared, and the barrier is gone," Orochimaru said, lifting his palms in a careless shrug. "I suppose you can't verify the rest without going to the battlefield, but I promise they've all been dispelled. Is there anything else?"