After Soji and Orochimaru met, the two exchanged pleasantries before quickly getting down to business.
Originally, Orochimaru was not someone who enjoyed idle chatter, but for some reason, Soji alone was an exception!
Chatting with this nominal disciple always reminded him of his days in Konoha.
If the person before him were anyone else who dared waste so many words on him, they would either have already been swallowed by Orochimaru or be lying on an operating table!
"Soji, I assume you can tell, can't you? I came to see you today for another reason!" Orochimaru spoke bluntly, without beating around the bush.
"I could certainly tell. After all, this formation is rather excessive." As he spoke, Soji swept his gaze over the scene of Manda coiled all around them.
"I suppose I did make too much of a fuss." Orochimaru froze for a moment, then laughed.
Without any visible movement from Orochimaru, the countless desert venomous snakes surrounding them suddenly scattered in every direction in the blink of an eye.
Orochimaru had likely sent these snakes back out across the deserts of the Land of Wind to monitor the region.
When Soji's group of four had first arrived in the Land of Wind, and now when they were preparing to leave, it had been these snakes that informed Orochimaru.
"Is there no problem now?" Orochimaru asked Soji with a faint smile.
"Of course. Actually, Teacher Orochimaru, if you needed something from me, you only had to send word. I should have gone to see you. How could I let you come looking for me?" Soji had always treated Orochimaru with the same respect.
After all, from beginning to end, there had never been any conflict of interest between them.
If anything, they complemented each other!
"Oh? Is that so?