At the top-level meeting room of the high tower, someone had already arrived earlier.
Wearing a black cloak with red clouds, white hair, and a white mask covering his mouth and nose tightly.
An androgynous face, looking rather handsome.
Hiruko.
From the same village as Orochimaru—Konoha.
In the early years, he was closely tied to the Sannin. However, limited by his own talent, no matter how hard he tried, he would always be inferior to the Sannin. Because of this, he reached into Konoha's forbidden techniques, fled the village, and was later absorbed into 'Akatsuki'. He joined early as a core member, his strength unfathomable.
Especially after Hiruko merged five types of Kekkeigenkai, his power in Akatsuki is likely to be among the top.
According to Sasori's knowledge, Hiruko also raised a large number of combined summoning beasts. If summoned for combat, just these beasts would cause headaches for most ninjas.
Besides Hiruko, the eccentric who defected from Hidden Mist, Hoshigaki Kisame of the Seven-swords Ninja also sat quietly in his own position, next to him was Uchiha Itachi, his teammate.
The genius ninja who annihilated his clan, possessing the more advanced than Sharingan, Mangekyo Sharingan, his strength unknown.
Other than these three, the self-proclaimed 'Zetsu' had also arrived here in advance.
Half black, half white; the black part called Black Zetsu, the white part called White Zetsu.
Unlike the numerous clones of White Zetsu, Black Zetsu was a singular existence, together they served as the organization's eyes and ears, responsible for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering.
"The leader's team coming last, I understand, but Orochimaru, is he planning not to show up this time?"
Not seeing Orochimaru's figure in the meeting room, Sasori's low and hoarse voice sounded very dissatisfied.
Though he enjoyed the leisure of the Immortals, he remained as persistent as ever with time consciousness.
After all, the meeting was about to begin, and Orochimaru hadn't arrived, clearly not intending to participate.
"Sasori, Orochimaru is your teammate, isn't it, what happened to him, you should know best?"
Kisame asked curiously.
Sasori's voice remained low: "I also want to know what's going on. Previously, due to finding materials, I temporarily left the team alone, while Orochimaru went to meet Itachi to receive the corpse of the Five-tailed Jinchuriki... So, why are you here, but Orochimaru is not?"
At the end, Sasori turned his face toward Itachi, eyes cold, with a questioning tone.
Opening his eyes, Itachi met Sasori's gaze with his Three-Tomoe Sharingan and slowly began: "I'm not very clear on this matter; after completing the trade involving the Five-tailed Jinchuriki corpse, I haven't seen him. For renegade ninjas like us, it's pretty common to be dealt with by the village's Anbu."
This was not a lie, just omitting the part where he fought with Orochimaru.
After Orochimaru escaped, he indeed did not know where Orochimaru went.
"Anbu? Impossible! As far as I know, Orochimaru has spies planted within Konoha, if Konoha has any major actions, he would be alert. Just relying on Konoha's Anbu, they wouldn't be able to do anything to Orochimaru."
Sasori had absolute confidence in his judgment.
Being in the same team as Orochimaru, regarding his abilities and skills, not dare to say he understood all, but seven-tenths, yes.
In terms of frontal capabilities, Orochimaru may be slightly weaker, but what makes him difficult are his numerous strange and sinister techniques, such as Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu, one of those forbidden techniques. Konoha Anbu attempting to deal with Orochimaru would not be an easy task.
Not to mention, Konoha previously suffered losses in the Land of Wind battlefield, how could they suddenly target Orochimaru now?
Either Itachi was lying, or Itachi was hiding something.
Just as Itachi was about to speak again to explain, the meeting room door suddenly opened.
Konan walked in from outside.
Alone? Seeing only Konan enter, Sasori and others sitting in the meeting room felt puzzled.
Konan swept a glance at everyone in the meeting room and then spoke: "Nagato has some things to handle with Orochimaru, I will lead the content of this meeting. In addition, from today, Orochimaru will continue to work as a researcher for the organization, not participating in the task of capturing tailed beasts."
Once these words were spoken, the meeting room sank into an eerie silence.
◎
An enormous bonsai was placed on the experiment table.
Within the flowerpot, a thick piece of dead wood was planted.
Though it appeared withered, the long wood harbored a massive life energy.
This dead wood came from the most essential part of the Gedo Statue.
Especially after absorbing a whole tailed beast's chakra, the power of the Gedo Statue began to awaken slowly.
Even a piece of dead wood contained exceptionally rich life energy.
"What a great miracle of nature, I'm somewhat looking forward to seeing what the Gedo Statue will become after swallowing all nine tailed beasts. The Ten-tail, does such a thing really exist?"
Orochimaru gazed at the bonsai before him with excited eyes, his expression turning unusually fervent.
This fervor was no less than his pursuit of Kekkeigenkai, like the more advanced Mangekyo Sharingan compared to Sharingan.