All crows may be equally black, but none were as black as Akio's face…
Excellent. Very poetic.
After finally suppressing his frustration, Akio looked at Orochimaru, who seemed ready to flee at any moment.
"Ahem. This old man is the First Clan Head of the Kaguya, Kaguya… hmm…
"Senior, please stop joking."
"It's over. I'm exposed," Akio sighed deeply.
"Don't be in such a hurry to leave, Orochimaru. I have something to talk to you about. Relax, I'm not going to hit you."
As if Orochimaru could possibly relax after hearing that.
But he still didn't immediately flee.
"Senior, did you come to the Hidden Mist for this child?"
Akio patted Kimimaro's head and looked at Orochimaru with 'deep affection.'
"I came for you."
"Senior… I really did use up all of your blood. Not a single drop left."
Akio shook his head and glanced at the Mist shinobi surrounding them. He smiled.
"Orochimaru, show them what real Edo Tensei looks like. Summon Madara and let him beat them up."
Orochimaru froze, finally realizing Akio's true purpose and was speechless.
"Senior, Uchiha Madara's blood is limited too. After what I've used already, there's only enough left for one Edo Tensei."
"So he can only beat them up once?" Akio muttered, unwilling.
"God?" Kimimaro whispered. He hadn't understood any of the conversation.
Akio soothed him with a light pat, then exchanged a glance with Orochimaru, and the three disappeared from the spot.
"Don't chase!" Ao shouted to the Mist ninja who had surrounded the area, eyes sharp as he scanned the surroundings.
Teams of shinobi emerged from every direction. Leading them was the huge, blubbery form of Suikazan Fuguki, the massive man with Samehada flipping casually in his hand, all his facial fat wobbling.
"Ao! Where is Hozuki Mangetsu?!"
"Lord Fuguki, please don't directly call the Fourth Mizukage by name," Ao replied calmly.
"Mizukage? He won't be one for long!"
…
Far away, Akio and the others watched the scene.
"The Kaguya were used as suicide troops, huh," Akio sighed. "This clan really is brainless."
Little Kimimaro looked at him in shock.
Akio shook his head lightly and restored his original appearance.
"The Kaguya have no god. 'God' belongs to the Uzumaki."
Orochimaru secretly rolled his eyes.
Kimimaro reacted quickly.
"God is ever-changing. Was that just one of your forms earlier? And this is your true appearance?"
Akio's mouth twitched. His acceptance level… not bad.
"Yes. This is my true face."
Kimimaro became visibly excited, as though seeing Akio's real appearance was some great honor.
Orochimaru looked regretful. Such an easy-to-lure child… and now he belonged to Akio.
In the distance, the Mist's internal conflict had begun. After the previous Mizukage succession battle, this was the second time Hoshigaki Fuguki clashed with Hozuki Mangetsu, and this time, there was no "Ashura" interfering…
"These bloodline clans are supporting Fuguki?" Akio shook his head. "Or are some of them still waiting to see who wins?"
The number of participating Mist shinobi was far too small.
"Senior, are you going to interfere?"
Akio shook his head.
"I'm not in the mood to help them settle their civil war."
He glanced at Kimimaro, then at Orochimaru.
"My purpose in coming to the Mist is already achieved. Now I'll wait for the dust to settle. Whoever becomes Mizukage, I'll collect my debt from them."
Between Mangetsu and Fuguki, Akio even slightly leaned toward the big fat man. After all, Mangetsu had previously launched a war on the Land of Whirlpools. Not killing him outright was already mercy.
As for staying here, aside from collecting debts, his little notebook had gained a new name.
Every time he came to the Mist, he had to pull out the notebook and write someone down.
This time, it was that bastard who said "You think he's like those undying Uzumaki old monsters?"
Akio had been tracking him ever since.
"There are a lot of people missing. Yagura shouldn't have died in the war, he should be powerful now, a perfect Jinchūriki. And Mei Terumī still hasn't appeared…"
Of all the Mist shinobi present, aside from Mangetsu, Fuguki, and the Hozuki shinobi fighting Kisame, not a single other familiar face could be seen.
"Senior, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave," Orochimaru rasped.
Akio blinked.
"What's the rush? I said I'm not hitting you. I came to find you so you could summon Madara and entertain me."
"Senior… there's really only enough for one summon."
"You won't need it. With your current strength, no one but me can touch you anyway."
Orochimaru shook his head.
"Senior, please be patient. I am currently attempting to replicate Uchiha Madara's cells."
"Cloning?" Akio froze. Orochimaru was already dabbling in such advanced things?
His heart lifted. Maybe soon he'd get to beat Madara up every day…
"Then summon my three disciples and let me chat with them."
Orochimaru shook his head again.
"Senior, I did not take any tissues from your three disciples."
"Giving me that much face?" Akio looked doubtful.
Expression unchanged, Orochimaru replied,
"I dare not disturb their rest."
"Rest, huh…" Akio sighed softly.
"Rest, then. Let them sleep another ten years. Being my students must've been exhausting…"
Akio shook his head with a laugh.
Looking at Orochimaru, he felt a bit unsatisfied. Aside from learning that Orochimaru might be able to mass-produce Madara someday, he had gained little.
"Orochimaru, I want to know what 'power of fate' you found in my blood."
Orochimaru paused.
"My journey to the Mist… was guided by fate."
Akio's mouth twitched. Since when did Orochimaru talk like this?
Wasn't he supposed to be the scientist among the Sannin?
Fate? How unscientific.
He went from scientist to theologian?
"You're not Orochimaru, you're Orochimaru Newton."
"Newton?" Orochimaru looked blank.
Akio quietly exhaled.
So he hadn't extracted Akio's memories from his blood after all.
"What exactly is this 'guidance of fate'?"
"Did you not come to the Mist to find me? Isn't that the guidance of fate?"
Akio curled his lip.
That's because I know the original story. No one guided me…
"Where's your laboratory? Tell me. Makes it easier for me to find you. No need to hide, as long as you don't cause trouble, I won't lay a finger on you."
Orochimaru licked his lips and vanished, leaving behind only one sentence:
"Senior, you've already been to my laboratory."
"I've been there?" Akio was stunned.
"That one in the Land of Rice? You're playing 'the most dangerous place is the safest place,' huh?"
Akio couldn't help laughing.
"God? What do we do now?" Kimimaro whispered after Orochimaru left.
Akio turned toward the battlefield, sensing several new chakra signatures.
He smiled faintly.
"The show is about to begin. Let's watch this free performance…"
---
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