When it came to matters like this, Fugaku knew well how to weigh the priorities.
This was not about conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha—it was about outsiders setting their sights on the clan. Regardless of whether it was for their own gain or not, he had no choice but to seek out Kyoichi for a discussion.
After all—
This was no longer a matter of political interest, but of the clan's very survival.
Only now did he truly understand how naïve the Uchiha's earlier belief had been—that even if they severed ties with the village, they could still thrive.
Could a great clan like theirs really stand firm in the shinobi world on its own?
And yet—
The laughable thing was, there were still some among the clan who couldn't see this clearly, puffed up with blind arrogance…
Once Inabi had left, Fugaku entered the sealed chamber, retrieved some of the Uchiha's most vital texts, and after drawing a few grim conclusions, rose to make his way toward the village.
Meanwhile, Kyoichi was still working on laying out the underground surveillance network.
At present, no one else could wield both Wood Release and Sage Mode. In terms of sensory perception, apart from dedicated sensory-nin, no one could match his skills in detection and counter-detection.
Which meant—
The surveillance could only be done personally.
But the results were extraordinary.
The village's every move was essentially under his watch, and the cost…
Was only one shadow clone.
Though shadow clones brought intermittent fatigue, Kyoichi's recovery rate was rapid. True, it couldn't compare to Naruto's as the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, but for maintaining just a single clone over the long term, it was well within his means.
The only real pity was this:
If he was occupied with monitoring, he couldn't devote himself to studying and developing jutsu.
"You can't have both the fish and the bear's paw…"
Kyoichi sighed.
Still, the good news was that the network was nearly complete.
Through the plants' root systems, he easily assimilated them into his "sensory eyes." Anywhere there were roots, he could feel what was happening around them.
And conveniently—
Black Zetsu's earth release hiding techniques loved to nestle among trees, so those areas naturally became priority targets.
With that finished—
It was time to bring Nagato to Orochimaru for the cellular transplantation experiment. Otherwise, Orochimaru would be coming after him again soon enough.
Kyoichi rose and found Nagato in the courtyard, practicing jutsu.
"Nagato…"
"Mm? We're leaving now? Wait a moment—"
Nagato tidied himself quickly, splashed some water on his face, then returned. Kyoichi didn't waste time. His mastery of the Flying Thunder God had grown—over this kind of distance, he no longer even needed a clone to warp.
So—
In the blink of an eye, he transported Nagato to Orochimaru's research site.
Nagato sensed their new surroundings and immediately realized they were no longer within Konoha.
What a convenient, terrifying technique.
Such long-range instantaneous movement… On the battlefield, it would be utterly devastating.
Nagato's heart clenched in silent awe.
Then—
He surveyed the environment. Dim, enclosed—clearly a cavern or underground facility.
"This is where you conduct your research?"
"Yes. I can't reveal the specifics to you, but all you need to know is that the study of that creature is done here. Let me show you the subject first."
Kyoichi didn't elaborate further. Some things were better left unsaid.
He led Nagato into Orochimaru's lab.
When they entered—
Orochimaru was in the middle of tinkering with a freshly obtained White Zetsu.
The sight made Nagato's face stiffen.
That man…
He recognized him!
The Sannin—Orochimaru.
Even as a child, upon their first meeting, Nagato had felt that this man was profoundly unsettling. Seeing him again now…
He was clearly no ordinary person.
Nagato fell silent for a long moment.
It was obvious now—Orochimaru would be handling the procedure.
"No need to be nervous."
Orochimaru's hoarse voice only deepened the sense of oppression. Unfortunately, he himself was oblivious to this, imagining instead that he sounded gentle and reassuring.
The atmosphere turned awkward.
"Let's take a look at this thing first."
Kyoichi ignored Orochimaru's words, guiding Nagato toward the White Zetsu.
Nagato stepped forward, studying it carefully with the Rinnegan.
This body…
So strange…
He froze briefly, then said:
"It doesn't seem like a normal human constitution. The chakra flow is bizarre."
"Mm. Its origin traces back to the First Hokage himself. But at the moment, I'm not certain how Madara created it. If I had to hazard a guess… it might be related to the entity you'll be able to summon in the future."
Kyoichi explained.
Nagato nodded thoughtfully, beginning to understand.
This thing was clearly not produced by natural means. Its very structure defied the boundaries of life. Were it not for the overwhelming vitality it radiated…
He might have mistaken it for nothing more than a lump of cultured cells.
"To ease your doubts, I can show you my own results."
Orochimaru rasped.
He pulled up his sleeve.
His arm had already begun to resemble that of a White Zetsu. At the juncture with his body, however, there was a stark break—the two colors distinctly separate.
After several seconds, Nagato said softly:
"It looks like it's seeping into you."
"Exactly. That's intentional."
Orochimaru smiled.
"I want it to gradually replace everything outside my core, to maximize my vitality and bodily functions. And when I don't need it, I can simply swap the parts out."
"…That's… a little insane."
Nagato struggled to respond. To Orochimaru, the body was nothing more than interchangeable components, spare parts to be swapped in and out at will.
He couldn't agree with such thinking.
"You don't need to follow his example. This one's a madman. If he had the ability to completely switch bodies, he'd already have stolen one of these shells without hesitation."
Kyoichi quipped.
Nagato considered it—yes, that did seem perfectly in line with the man's twisted personality.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru fell into deep thought. Switch bodies…
That line of thinking…
"Now that's interesting. I've considered it before, but never had a concrete method. Hm… If I could use this as my vessel directly, I might last far longer indeed."
He spoke in earnest, already theorizing.
Nagato saw it clearly. This man was a research-obsessed lunatic—ideas like ownership of the body or ethical constraints meant nothing to him.
Dealing with someone like this…
It was simple, but also perilous.
"Let's begin…"
"Where should we start? I recommend grafting all four limbs first—that would yield the best results."
Orochimaru licked his lips.
Kyoichi raised a hand.
"Step by step. The one in a hurry isn't us—it's Madara. Start with the right arm. Let's see how well Nagato's body adapts to the cells."
Kyoichi knew very well: Nagato's Uzumaki constitution could likely assimilate even Hashirama's cells with relative ease. But from a psychological standpoint…
Going straight to all four limbs would be far too abrupt.
"That works too. The procedure's simple—you really don't need to worry. We'll just make a small incision, then I'll spread the cells over it. The whole thing won't take more than five minutes."