#most reliable member of the konoha 12

[team7-headquarter]

Some stuff that could have happened that would have affected the Konoha 12 before they were even the Konoha 12 we know:

Naruto could have become a missing min after Mizuki told him about the kyubi decree.

Tenten could have left to become Tsunade's apprentice outside of Konoha.

Shino could have ended up in Root, instead of his brother.

Sakura might have not entered the Academy and kept being bullied, if she hadn't met Ino.

Rock Lee might not have made it so far if he hadn't met Gai sensei.

Ino could have been best friends with other kunoichis with different talents.

Sasuke could have grown up with his family intact if Shisui and Itachi had found a way to make their plan work.

Hinata could have been murdered as a kid instead of being simply kidnapped.

Hiashi could have been the one killed to free Hinata, so Neji would have grown up with his dad and Hinata and Hanabi being closer (?)

Kurenai could have stayed a chuning and someone else could have taken her place as a sensei (who knows who...)

Kiba could have been assigned to Kakashi's team.

Other alternatives:

Naruto could have grown up with both his parents alive and not being a jinchuriki.

They could have stolen Hinata's eyes when they kidnapped her.

Neji could have gone a missing nin after they sacrificed his father.

Ino could have been mean and part of the group of girls bullying Sakura.

Sasuke could have died during the Land of the Waves mission.

Sakura could have grown full of hatred and rage and wishing vengeance from all the bullying of her childhood.

Rock Lee could have died during the surgery, as Tsunade warned him so, sending Gai into depression or even suicide.

Tenten could have stayed a civilian instead of joining the academy.

Shikamaru could have made it to anbu still as a kid if he had been motivated enough.

Mizuki could have been their primary sensei instead of Iruka.

Sai could have been part of the Konoha 12 since the beginning.

[nikkicross22]

Need a fic to fill the empty space? Well, look no further!

Welcome to my

Naruto Reading Recommendation List!

Reblog to save a life!

So, what is this? This is a comprehensive list of all my favorite Naruto reads in - no particular order - that I tend to go back to when I need something to read. From completed journeys to masterpieces in the making, I have it all! Most of these will be long, multi-chaptered fics as well. So, let's get started!

backslide by blackkat - Completed - This is one of my all time favorites and (in my opinion) one of the best stories to introduce yourself to Naruto fanfic with. Naruto-centric with a healthy dose of family feels, angst, and time travel, it makes for a great all-arounder. blackkat has dozens of other wonderful Naruto fics as well, though they have since left the fandom.

Hiding in the Leaves by aventria and iluxia - Story in Progress - This story is very fun for anyone who enjoys world building and character analysis. For a story in progress, this is one I look forward to with a passion thanks to its reliable updates and super quality writing. Focusing on our lovely Konoha 12 but with a big twist to make things interesting, this is a must read. Seriously!

Kamui Blues by butter_peanut - Completed - This lovely story by the one and only butter_peanut is a devastatingly pleasant dive into the hellish mindscape that is Hatake Kakashi. For all you Kakashi lovers out there, it is a must read with its flawless characterization, plot, and storyline. This one is truly a blessing! butter_peanut also has plenty more to deliver on this front, so taking the time to peruse their profile is never going to disappoint you.

Ear to the Wall by Vodkassassin - Story in Progress - Another absolutely thrilling dive into the mindscape of Kakashi, but this time in the form of his troubled youth. Join a sick Kakashi as a panicked Minato and CO try to figure out what's wrong with the tiniest member of their crew, with all the family feels, character building, and plot twists you could ever need. It's truly a joy to read!

Until their leaves fall off by stereden - Story in Progress - An absolutely beautiful reincarnation fic that hits about as close to home as humanly possible. With its captivating writing, arching plot, and new take on the universe that is Naruto, this is a story sure to capture your attention and keep it.

Tampering with Time by Palaserece - Hiatus - This is one of my all time favorite Naruto AUs ever. Period. Please, take a moment to look past its odd formatting and really read this story, as it's one of the only Minato-centric fics out there with this much quality work put into it. Featuring our favorite Konoha 12, plenty of Kakashi, and more fluid, immersive writing than I know what to do with, this story will leave you wanting for more like no other.

Hush by Xov - Hiatus - This story really is the full meal deal when it comes to Naruto AU and Time Travel. A Naruto-centric fic that keeps Naruto in lovable character, you're going to be hard pressed to find another like it. Between a rich, full, lively Konoha bursting at the seems with energy, to a mystery that keeps you reading far past a decent hour, this story really has it all. Also featuring bratty kid Sasuke, and Nerd Minato, who you all know is my favorite.

Count Your Blessings by MadMothMadame - Story in Progress - This is my current favorite Naruto fic and the one that has, by far, hit the closest to home for me. This Tobirama-centic fic really digs into the nitty-gritty of early life in Konoha, and flushes his character out into something new and so, so ineffable. This is the kind of story that really only comes around once in a generation, mercilessly attaching you to all of the characters and refusing to let you go. Please, read this story even if you aren't into the founding Era. You won't regret it.

Claws Amidst the Cracks by Undead Artist - Hiatus - This is a story very near and dear to my heart. I had the honor of being able to beta-read for this fic (Something I almost never do), and although the edited chapters were never uploaded, I will never forget the sheer wonder and joy of being able to be a part of this story. This fic is dark. Disturbing enough to the point that I caution you to read all the tags before progressing. If this is something you're comfortable reading, however, it's a journey you will never forget. The absolute epitome of what a reincarnation story should be CATC takes the Naruto universe and flips it on its head. Sasuke-centric (a rarity) and with a relieving lack of overpowered main characters, it takes you through a journey of self acceptance and self destruction at the same time. I don't think I have the proper words to describe it, beyond a once in a lifetime experience. Please, give this a read if you can.

The Moon is White by UnknownRegion - Story in Progress - A redemption story for the one and only Uchiha Madara, this novel takes you through all the ups and downs of being royally incapable of dying and staying dead. A fun twist on how the founding of Konoha could have gone with some interference, and with characters more than full of life to make up for the lack of our Konoha 12, this is one I visit repeatedly. A great read well worth your time!

Reflection by flyingcrane - Story in Progress - One of the biggest inspirations for Saturn's Rings, this beautiful Kakashi-centric story takes us through the realities of reuniting with with a team long dead in a way that that is wholly unprecedented. With plenty of action, feels, and espionage going on, this is one that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire read. Super fun!

the name of the game by a_sassin - Story in Progress - This is an OC insert story which I am, by default, not the biggest fan of. That being said, this story made it on here for a reason. Between the impeccable writing and the immersive characters, this story really gives it its all in creating a beautiful world I could spend all day in. Free of the usual overpowered self-insert cliches that generally come with this genre, a_sassin did a phenomenal job of showing us what it means to truly flush a story out in the world of Naruto. Special guest appearances from both Kakashi and Itachi!

The Slow Release of Tension by Kooriicoloda - Story in Progress - The only ABO story on this list, this work does a wonderful job flushing out the shifted dynamics of the Senju and Uchiha clans pre-Konoha. Free of the gushing fluids and overused, mindless cliches, this story freely capitalizes on every child's wish to be able to turn into an animal at will. No, but really, it's a wonderful read as they continue to build a wonderfully complex world you can't help but fall in love with. Mostly Tobirama-centric, but does switch around at times.

These Moments We Take for Granted by Applepie - Hiatus - By far the most intriguing and well done beginning to a Kakashi AU story I've ever seen, I would love it if everyone would throw their attention in its direction. With quality Sukea content and plenty of Obito, Minato, and Rin, this story leaves you desperate for more. A true wonder!

Visionary by esama - Hiatus - A truly wonderful reading experience, this fic takes us through the journey of one friendly Uzumaki Naruto, sour Uchiha Obito, and cautious Hatake Kakashi. Between stilted arguments and a few too many limbs, the three of them learn to work together in an attempt to save the world, and maybe charm 2 of the 3 Sannin along the way.

Worm Charming by GremlinSR - Hiatus - This is one of the most fascinating original concepts I have ever seen in Naruto fanfiction. Elected to office after the death of the Yondaime, Nara Shikaku must deduce just where it is that the poison in the roots of his village is coming from. This is a fantastic read, especially if you love mind games and dark humor, and really encapsulates what it means to be Hokage.

So these are just a few of my favorite stories over the years. Some of these summaries may be a bit rough, as some of them I haven't read in many months, but these are fics I always come back to. Feel free to add more that you love, and reblog to share all these amazing content creators with everyone else!

[kishimotomasashi]

Madara for the compilation hc game!!

headcanon compilation ask

Thank you for enabling me. This is under a cut because it's just a long enough for it to be annoying to scroll past on the dashboard.

• a lesson they learned in their childhood:

This isn't exactly a good lesson, but he learned very early on that most responsibility should rest on him, and that his own judgement takes precedence over all else. This is because:

- his incredible talent as a child often put him on the frontlines of important missions: he's got "I'm the best -> I'm going to be the best" drilled in his head already, and so, the natural result of that is that he should always succeed, that he's got the power to ensure nothing bad happens to his fellow clan members and, more importantly, his direct family. Right?

- wrong. And the failure feels deeply, deeply personal to him. Because he's supposed to be The One capable of preventing this, he's supposed to be The Reliable person, and when he isn't he's stuck in a guilt spiral

- And like, along with with that, he still does have a superiority complex (which is kind of hard to challenge when you've been killing grown-ups twice your size at age 12 and your only living rival is the second-coming of ninja God) so the conclusion most normal people would have when everything falls apart because they only two hands and can't be everywhere at once— which is that they need help, and to rely on others— never exactly comes to him! Instead he's compensating by growing stronger (bc strength and power are reliable) and becoming "more observant" (according to him... though he's actually just becoming more cautious and closed off, lol).

- It's not that he never listens to advice ever or doesn't have people doing the planning for him, it's just that whenever Madara has a gut feeling... well, everyone should do best to follow Madara's gut feeling, since he's definitely right about this, and if he is right about it and nobody does it it's still his fault if everything goes wrong (bc he should've pushed harder for it) but also if he's wrong and everyone fucks up it's... his fault if it goes wrong (bc he should've been able to prevent it)*

- This is the mentality that will have you living out the rest of your days in a cave, basically.

• a reason they have for getting out of bed each morning:

Pre-meeting Hashirama:

- Hanging out/training with his siblings! Succeeding at a mission and getting satisfaction from it. Hanging around the falconers and their birds.

After he met Hashirama:

- Take a wild guess

Post first breakup:

- Knowing he has to lead his clan to victory no matter what

- Knowing he has to keep Izuna safe and alive no matter what

Post Uchiha-Senju alliance and Konoha being formed:

- Hanging out with Hashirama every now and then

- Going to the aviary every now and then

• a fear:

Being powerless. It'd be stripping something he feels largely defines him, and allows him to shield others. He's lost a lot of people through perceived powerlessness after all.

• a strength:

Love. Those fleeting moments where he genuinely acts like a kind person.

• how they think others perceive them:

It's not exactly a secret to him that he's not very well-liked; he knows his clan thinks he's incompetent, untrustworthy, too much of a warmonger, bound to lead them to their destruction, etc. They don't exactly hide it from him.

As for the specific and personal, he's got the general sense that Izuna looks up to him, trusts him, but also gets frustrated with him. He knows Tobirama does not like him and he doesn't care bc he hates his guts, lol. He...wants Hashirama to have a special attention given to him, and he actually does have it if you asked Hashirama himself, but Madara has doubts given that Hashirama does have Other Shit To Do (building the village and all) and also there was a period before Madara's proper defection in which they weren't talking to each other properly which heightened that impression.

• how they perceive themselves:

Again, Madara thinks he is The One Who Has To Do Everything, or at the very least the only one who can do anything properly. Do I think he has a little bit of self-awareness on it? Yes. Is he gonna do anything about it? No, bc he has control issues and trying to loosen up is a terrifying concept, and THAT is something he will NEVER admit.

• whether or not they consider themselves a ‘decent’ person:

Lol, no. He's not that far up his own ass. He thinks what he's doing will eventually lead to good, not that he himself morally upstanding, you get me?

• a temptation / proclivity they have:

Drama. He is DRAMATIC, he is a PERFORMANCE ARTIST, he will personnally mow down your entire army and make sure it looks sufficiently cool and intimidating while he's doing it. Which is because he likes flexing his muscles, but the result always ends up pretty showy.

• an alternate career to what they have in canon (if applicable):

I think he would be happier if he spent the rest of his life raising birds and put the scythe and the gunbai down.

Also this is just for my benefit personnally, but he could also be a model for gloves bc it's MY Tumblr and it's my god-given right to sexualize that old man.

• how they waste time:

Either stewing in his own thoughts and souring his own mood as a result of it, or setting things on fire.

*: this doesn't mean he never blames anyone else for anything, though. Like yes there's the "I could have prevented it" part but he is still gonna blame the person who stabbed his brother for being the one to actually stab his brother for example, lol. He both gets mad at people making decisions AND at himself bc he could've had a hand in preventing the consequences of them.

[chalabrun]

where danzo got his sharingan (theory)

When it comes to the matter of where exactly Danzo attained the infamous Sharingan that littered his artificial arm, it begs the question: just where did they come from? Or, more specifically, who was the Uchiha who provided Shin Uchiha's genetic basis? I hope to explore this and more in this meta.

A background: What we know

To begin, I think it goes without saying that Shin Uchiha was the one who provided Danzo with his arm graft. Now, something I think can be reliably disproven is the fact that the Sharingan on Danzo's arm weren't harvested from the victims of the Uchiha Clan Massacre. Instead, through Uchiha genetic material, the Sharingan there were from a single genetic source. 

Naruto Gaiden ch. 700+7, Sasuke confirms Shin as the source of Danzo's grafted, Sharingan-riddled arm.

Shin, with his missing right arm that corresponds exactly with the one Danzo had.

While perhaps it was popular to theorize that the Sharingan on Danzo's arm were harvested from the victims of the Uchiha Massacre, while it's already been proven false, one of the biggest holes in this theory is the fact that Danzo's right arm had been concealed and bandaged before the Uchiha Massacre even started, suggesting that Danzo had such procedures done before it was even suggested or brought to light. That, and Orochimaru had left Konoha before the Massacre had even occurred, at least a handful of years before the likes of Naruto or Sasuke were born (as the Massacre happened when Sasuke was roughly 8 years old). Or, it's strongly suggested they'd left before then.

Ch. 121, when Orochimaru confirmed their own defection from the village as more than a decade before Part 1.

But, as this would go on, this leads us into our next point.

A background: Danzo & Orochimaru

Orochimaru when they were a member of Root.

One of the most mysterious facets of the plot is Orochimaru and Danzo's working relationship, and how far it went. While a fairly shadowy time, there are a few concrete absolutes of what Orochimaru used their scientific prowess for in service to Danzo; or rather, what advances were made before Orochimaru's formal defection. 

The first, and most notable, was taking Anko Mitarashi on as a student and using her in their experiments, prominently with the Curse Marks. 

Orochimaru insinuating at Anko being their past student during the Forest of Death arc.

Anko struggling with her own Curse Mark we learn she received long before Sasuke ever attained his.

Orochimaru, after their revival in the Fourth War arc describing some of the mechanics of their Curse Mark.

One thing significant about the Curse Mark (or, the Curse Seal of Heaven, as it's formally called) is the fact that it had in a one-in-ten success rate, meaning that, while working under Danzo, Orochimaru likely had the jurisdiction to conduct such dubious, fatal experiments with forbidden jutsu despite the casualties incurred. Given Anko's age (24 in Part 1) would've been 13-14 at the time (give or a take a few years from the decade or more since Orochimaru's defection), it meant that Danzo likely authorized them so long as he benefited from the Sannin's experiments. Which leads us to the next point.

Danzo & Orochimaru: An interest in Hashirama

Now given the relational age of students/test subjects like Anko, this leads us to the next most notable. As many people know, the Root agent known as Yamato was also a test subject of Orochimaru's, largely in the twilight years when they became more and more unethical with their experiments. Now, again, here's something to consider:

Danzo, exhibiting signs of possessing Hashirama's cells during his battle with Sasuke.

Now, as we're given a timeframe for when exactly Orochimaru was a part of Root and doing illicit experiments for Danzo's benefit, this leads us to the next most prominent test subject we're introduced to in Part 2.

Yamato, around the time of his introduction to manga & Tenchi Bridge mission.

Ch. 291, where Orochimaru expounds on the experiments they did with the Shodai's cells.

As we learn on the Tenchi Bridge mission, Yamato possesses Hashirama's cells from experiments conducted by Orochimaru who came across (or was given access to?) Hashirama's body they extracted the First's cells from. Now, taking into account Yamato's age this early on in Part 2 (26), the math there would have to factor in Orochimaru's defection and the time since. So, 26 - 14 (adding an additional 4 to factor in the 3 year interlude period and year-long Part 1) = 12, making Yamato around the same age as Anko (give or take a few years) when Orochimaru was experimenting on their Curse Marks while being a part of Root. Especially since these experiments' test subjects are confirmed to have all been children.

Now, while this might seem like random pieces of information, this will become very important. As we can infer from this alone, Orochimaru had a dedicated interest and access to the bodies of the Founders...

Orochimaru using Edo Tensei for the first time during the Konoha Crush.

...as evidenced by their debut use of the Edo Tensei kinjutsu that demands genetic samples of the ones being summoned in order to work. Hell, the first time they utilized the Impure World Summoning kinjutsu was to wield Hashirama and Tobirama against Hiruzen.

Orochimaru: Their interest in the Uchiha

Obito/Tobi on location in the Sharingan lab secreted within his base of operations.

Now, something I think needs clarifying is this: at no point in the manga was it ever confirmed that Orochimaru ever had access to the Sharingan harvested after the Uchiha Massacre. The only one who had, however, was Obito Uchiha as Tobi. In fact, it's strongly insinuated that Danzo likely gave Obito unprecedented access to the victims' bodies and allowed him to harvest all the Sharingan he desired, as seen in the aftermath of Danzo's defeat where Tobi/Obito is shown in his lab with hundreds of Sharingan samples. And the only plausible way it would've been remotely possible was if those Sharingan were from the Massacre's victims.

The prelude to the Hokage Summit when Tobi outright mentions meeting Danzo before.

This doesn't mean that neither person never coveted the Sharingan's power, however. It simply debunks the notion that any of the Sharingan in Danzo's grafted arm were ever Sharingan belonging to the victims of the Uchiha Massacre. As seen with Shin, the Sharingan were artificially made in a lab from Uchiha genetic samples from an unknown donor (or, unwilling test subject, more likely). 

As stated by Shin himself, he and the other Shin clones were cultivated by Orochimaru, not composed of stolen Sharingan from Massacre victims.

The Shin clones themselves from Gaiden, all shown with identical Mangekyo Sharingans like the original Shin.

And, of course, Orochimaru had an extremely well-documented covetousness for the Uchiha and their abilities, best evidenced in their interactions with Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha.

During Orochimaru's years in Akatsuki, they attempted to steal Itachi's body shortly after he joined, but lost their hand as a result.

Orochimaru during one of Sasuke's training sessions before they planned to take his body (mostly) voluntarily as their new host.

However, aside from this vested interest, it can't be overstated enough that Orochimaru is only ever canonly shown targeting living Uchiha, namely Itachi and Sasuke, both which resulted in failure. Regardless of how that interest manifested, what is canon is the fact that Orochimaru only got such power from two sources: the Sharingan they cultivated themself, and the Uchiha survivors they targeted, those being the Uchiha brothers. 

Uchiha Shisui: The possible Uchiha donor?

Ao when he used his Byakugan at the Gokage Summit to confirm that Danzo was not only in possession of Shisui's eye, but that the chakra of his arm matched Shisui's as well.

Now, with the fact that Danzo has reliably proven to have possessed cultivated Sharingan from a single donor, by the looks of it, that donor would've been Uchiha Shisui. However, I doubt this is the case due to the fact that 1) it defies the time period that Orochimaru would've been in the village long enough to collect such samples to create Sharingan imbued in Shin and 2) Danzo is shown with his arm being sealed before he's stated to have ever stolen Shisui's eye for himself. 

Danzo, unveiling his trump card at the start of his battle with Sasuke.

As we can see with this particular panel, a habit Danzo had fallen into was concealing his right, grafted arm and keeping them sealed. 

Hiruzen and the Elders' Council deliberating the possibility of needing to eradicate the Uchiha.

As shown above, Danzo habitually kept his right arm concealed before the Uchiha Massacre even happened. In fact, just panels ago in the same flashback is when Shisui is shown with his right eye missing. In such a consideration, the time between Itachi and Shisui's conversation and Itachi paying witness to the Massacre's deliberation likely wasn't long at all. And certainly not long enough of a time for Danzo to have stolen Shisui's eye and used them as a base for his arm's Sharingan (especially since Danzo has no probable scientific knowhow of the level Orochimaru possessed who had become a missing-nin for years before this point). While his eye certainly is, another consideration to make is that Ao only is capable of recognizing Shisui's chakra that he encountered with his Byakugan before, while never noticing the other Sharingan or Hashirama's DNA (especially since those with Hashirama's cells can be sensed as having them).

Shisui during his conversation with Itachi just panels before Itachi would meet with Hiruzen and the Elders' Council.

Now, while it's been shown before in the manga that eye transplants can occur with just the right amount of medical knowledge and performed by the recipient (as shown with Madara and Izuna's eyes, and later with Obito transferring Itachi's eyes to Sasuke), it goes without saying that medical and scientific knowledge aren't always synonymous with each other. Much like how Tobirama excelled in the sciences while Hashirama was stated to be an expert with medical ninjutsu, or how that dynamic became true again between Orochimaru and Tsunade as the Sannin, Danzo being able to transfer Shisui's Sharingan for his right eye doesn't mean he possessed the scientific knowledge necessary to cultivate Sharingan from it, timeline disputes and narrow timeframes notwithstanding.

Therefore, I don't think that Shisui's Sharingan provided the basis for the Sharingan in Danzo's arm. There is, however, one last and likely possibility.

Uchiha Madara: The most likely Uchiha donor

Now, while this might seem incredibly farfetched, I have a lot of reason to believe that Madara was the genetic template for the Sharingan in Danzo's arm and Shin Uchiha's body. And I have reasons for this, too.

Madara is the most likely Uchiha, and the one who would've gone unnoticed if his body had been experimented on.

Madara at the moment of his death, not long before the end of the Third War, approximately.

When Madara admits to his own status as a "lost" Uchiha.

Now, given the reasons I've stated above, and the fact that Danzo/Orochimaru had access to or knew the locations of graves of the Founders (Hashirama & Tobirama), it gives me reason to believe that they also knew the location of Madara's corpse and were able to procure genetic samples from his body. Given the fact that he was pronounced dead by the shinobi world decades earlier, it leads me to believe that it's entirely likely Madara's body would be the least-risky Uchiha to experiment on that would fly under the radar of the Uchiha Clan who likely wouldn't have ever allowed the village access to their dead clansmen.

It's implied Orochimaru may have experimented on Madara's body before.

Black Zetsu explaining how he led Kabuto to Madara's corpse to begin with.

Admittedly, this page might seem enough to blow holes in my theory, but I think it's worth noting that 1) Kabuto was never aware of Orochimaru's experiments on Hashirama's body nor 2) that Yamato existed at all (especially when one factors that Kabuto would've been taken under Orochimaru's wing around the time these experiments had been going on at all). What's more, the manga itself does have contradictions of its own with previous plot points being undone or contradicted by later ones, or the story being established by the time the manga was nearing its end (such as the relevance and power of the Uzumaki clan not being noteworthy until the Fourth War). 

Madara's body was experimented on once before by Tobirama.

One must also factor in that it wasn't the first time Madara's body had been experimented on to discover the Sharingan's secrets, setting a precedent.

Ch. 681, after Madara's first death.

Given the fact that Danzo had worked under the Second Hokage before, and because Danzo was likely the one who gave Orochimaru access to Tobirama's kinjutsu and cadaver, it also stands to reason that Tobirama's brutal pragmatism and dehumanizing regard of the Uchiha could have later influenced Danzo's absolutism with the Uchiha Massacre and passed on to Orochimaru (despite the fact that they turned out to be even more pragmatic and level-headed than Tobirama).

But, aside from this precedent of Madara's posthumous availability as a test subject of Uchiha-centric experiments, there's more.

Orochimaru & Kabuto reverse-engineered the theory of the Rinnegan's manifestation long before the Fourth War.

Ch. 559, after Madara's debut in the Fourth War.

As this page properly furnishes, something stood out to me: Orochimaru and Kabuto had experimented on the Rinnegan before. Or, more properly, the theory behind how they came into being. A common thread seems to be that older generations were aware of the Sage of Six Paths and the Rinnegan, and given the fact that it's unclear how Jiraiya attained this knowledge, it's probable Orochimaru may have been in the know as well as the Toad Sannin. With all this in mind, it's extremely likely that Orochimaru not only also knew about the Rinnegan, but began synthesizing theories as to how it would manifest in the first place.

Ch. 559

Given the fact that Orochimaru has found the extremely esoteric before, such as probably locating Ryuchi Cave, one of the legendary sage regions on their own (versus Jiraiya reverse-summoning himself due to affinity with the Toads), the idea of them finding Madara's cadaver and utilizing it in experiments is a likelihood as well. 

Closing thoughts

So, while this theory went into a lot more than just what it says on the tin (such as Orochimaru's experiments with the Founders, debunking the Uchiha Massacre victims in Danzo's arm theory, etc.), I hope it was enlightening and possibly opened some eyes!