The next morning.
Shimoku and Orochimaru left the Rain Hidden Village together.
Originally, Shimoku had suggested meeting and getting to know other members of the Akatsuki beforehand, to take the opportunity to recruit characters like 'Piggy Bank'...
Unfortunately, Nagato refused, claiming that all other members were currently on missions.
Shimoku didn't push too hard.
After all, it wouldn't be long before they would join forces against Konoha anyway.
At that time, there'd be no problem recruiting people like Kakuzu.
If things really came to it, they could even directly abduct them amid the chaos of battle.
Where there's a will, there's a way!
...
"Finally leaving?"
"That child… he's dangerous," Konan frowned, warning him.
She always found that kid deeply unsettling!
He possessed thoughts far beyond his age; and the way he looked at her was full of aggression.
"Just temporary compromise."
"After defeating Konoha and obtaining the Nine-Tails. The future will be in our hands."
"As God, I shall bring peace to this world!"
Deva Path Pain clenched both fists, confidently asserting.
No one understood the power of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and [Ten-Tails] better than him.
With such power in hand,
the Uchiha clan wasn't even worth mentioning!
However, just then,
Obito and Zetsu, wearing masks, appeared from behind them.
White Zetsu: "Yahaha! That little kid really isn't simple!"
"He seems even stronger than Madara as a child!"
Black Zetsu: "Shut up! Don't say it..."
Hearing this, Obito twitched his mouth, feeling these two were subtly implying something about him again.
But he still calmed himself, and seriously stated:
"The Three-Tails from Kiri should already be in that kid's hands..."
"We'll eventually confront him again."
"That child has exceptional talent; we can't delay much longer..."
"Otherwise, he'll become our greatest variable!"
Clearly, Obito remained deeply wary of Shimoku.
After all, possessing the Mangekyō Sharingan himself, he naturally understood how powerful those 'cursed eyes' could be.
Letting that kid develop further, who knew what level of combat strength he might reach?
Thankfully, there was at least one consolation.
He had already confirmed—Shimoku was an only child with no brothers or sisters.
Therefore, he would never be able to get the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
As long as Obito held out,
that kid would inevitably go blind someday!
...
Meanwhile.
After departing from the Rain Hidden Village,
Shimoku and Orochimaru didn't rush away immediately.
Instead, they hid themselves dozens of miles away.
Shimoku's Plan B was very straightforward.
By using the Flying Thunder God Marks secretly placed on White Zetsu's body last night,
he planned to track White Zetsu's movements,
thereby discovering the secret base where Obito and others were hiding.
Finding the army of thousands of White Zetsus.
To seize the physical form of White Zetsu!
...
Thus, the two lay hidden at that location for a whole day.
Until deep into the night.
Shimoku finally sensed that the marking aura he had placed on White Zetsu had departed from the Rain Hidden Village. It headed straight northeast without stopping.
Seeing this, Shimoku and Orochimaru immediately followed.
One day later...
In the north, within the Land of Iron, lay the Mountain Graveyard.
One of Madara's secret bases.
Following White Zetsu's movement, Shimoku and Orochimaru eventually located this secret Underground Facility...
Of course, they didn't rush in.
They waited another two days.
Only after sensing that White Zetsu had left the base for elsewhere did Shimoku and Orochimaru secretly infiltrate the facility,
to avoid exposing their identities.
After all, if Obito and Zetsu discovered that their secret base and White Zetsu army were exposed,
they might fly into a rage and lose control?
That would interfere with Akatsuki's plan to launch a surprise attack on Konoha, which would be bad.
...
This base has three levels.
First level: very ordinary, just like a normal underground cave. Mainly used for communication and hiding purposes.
Second level: stores various experimental instruments. It must have been here where Obito was rescued by Madara and given Hashirama's cells.
Moreover, deep within the second level remained a large room sealed at its entrance.
Shimoku could almost confirm that this room was originally meant to house the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
Though now the statue should be with Nagato...
Third level—that was where Shimoku and Orochimaru were heading.
Sure enough, a staggering number of White Zetsu bodies were indeed sealed here!
A rough estimate suggested at least thirty or forty thousand!
Seeing this sight, Orochimaru couldn't stop himself from trembling, his breath coming in quick gasps.
So the brat wasn't lying to me!
There are actually this many suitable bodies stored here!
Orochimaru didn't even need to inspect them closely. He could instantly feel the powerful vitality and intense cellular energy radiating from their bodies!
Undoubtedly, these White Zetsus had definitely undergone transplantation of Hashirama's cells!
Perfect candidates for his reincarnation vessels.
"See? I didn't lie to you."
Orochimaru's eyes sparkled with excitement as he kept exclaiming:
"Amazing! Simply amazing! How was this accomplished?"
"Don't get too excited. Take a few more bodies and let's leave quickly."
"Once they return, there will certainly be a major battle..."
Shimoku urged.
Soon, Orochimaru took over 20 White Zetsu bodies, swallowing them all into his abdomen, storing them in his Ninjutsu space.
I'll admit, this space-type Ninjutsu really is pretty handy.
It just looks a bit gross...
Having to use your mouth for swallowing everything just felt gross...
With their carriers secured,
Shimoku and Orochimaru didn't stay, leaving the underground base directly.
Heading back toward the Land of Rice Fields.
Within less than a day,
the two returned separately to Homuragakure and Amegakure.
And became busy once again.
Orochimaru, having obtained suitable vessels for reincarnation and the Impure World Reincarnation technique, naturally threw himself into his research with great excitement.
Moreover, the Kinjutsu [Impure World Reincarnation] still had room for improvement.
There was plenty of work ahead.
After all, Shimoku also wanted to bring forth Kinkaku and Ginkaku—those walking treasures—as soon as possible through the Impure World Reincarnation process.
This would add several powerful Six Paths Ninjutsu Tools, as well as two new Pseudo-Jinchuriki, to the strength of his own [Homura Hidden Village].
Once those were under control,
Orochimaru would then feel much more confident launching a surprise attack on Konoha in two weeks' time!
Of course, at the moment, the most pressing matter
was that he had heard the envoys from the [Kiri] had already arrived at [Homura Hidden Village].
He wondered whether Terumi Mei was among them.
As the Young Master, keeping their guests waiting this long felt rather embarrassing.
It was time he paid their guests a proper visit.
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