Things turned out exactly as Orochimaru had imagined.
Just as Orochimaru was asking everyone he met about the Akatsuki on the border of the Amegakure, and even beating up any ninja he encountered before asking them questions.
On this day, the two quietly found Orochimaru.
At this moment, Orochimaru was eating a delicious roasted chicken in the jungle. He didn't know why he liked eating chicken.
Is it possible that snakes are born with a special fondness for chickens? I can't figure it out, anyway, wild chickens from all over the world taste different.
Perhaps many years from now, he could write a memoir about a dead chicken!
"I heard you've been looking for us all this time?"
Two uninvited guests slowly approached Orochimaru, while also observing him as he nibbled on an Orochimaru leg.
The newcomers were all dressed in long robes with black backgrounds and red clouds. One of them had orange hair and a pair of Rinnegan that were particularly eye-catching.
The other was like a beetle, a dark shadow moving slowly under a black robe, with only a head wearing a mask showing.
Orochimaru was not surprised to see the newcomer; he had sensed two powerful Chakra approaching long ago.
Just like in the Original Work, the two are Pain and Sasori of the Red Sands.
Pain frowned slightly when he saw Orochimaru acting as if no one else was around, pouring himself a drink.
"Is this over yet? Hmm? Looks like you really want to fight me!"
As they spoke, Pain and Sasori continued to approach Orochimaru until they were about 5 meters away from Orochimaru, at which point Orochimaru stopped what he was doing.
"Do you have the strength to fight against our Akatsuki?"
Scorpion, who was standing nearby, spoke up at the right moment, his venomous scorpion tail swaying back and forth as if he were about to strike Orochimaru at any moment.
After drinking the entire bottle of wine in one gulp, Orochimaru tossed the bottle aside.
He then slowly walked towards the two of them without making any move, until he was about a meter away from them.
Orochimaru slowly took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took one out, and leisurely put it to his lips.
The next moment, a small flame appeared at his fingertips and lit the cigarette.
To be honest, Orochimaru was a little disappointed. He thought Pain would keep extinguishing his flames like Qiang Ge did.
And so, Orochimaru took a puff of smoke and then provocatively blew the smoke toward Pain's face.
Sasori, who was hiding inside the puppet, was secretly amazed when he saw this scene. He thought to himself, "Orochimaru is really brave!"
I don't know if it's ignorance is bliss or if they really have something to rely on.
If Orochimaru knew what he was thinking, he would probably smile kindly.
"When I was starting out in this business, you guys were still babysitting. Now you dare to talk back to me? You think you're so tough because you're gangsters?"
After this whole ordeal, the atmosphere became eerily quiet. Sasori had a feeling that Orochimaru had successfully ignited Pain's anger.
Unexpectedly, Orochimaru turned his attention to Sasori of the Red Sands the next moment.
With a disdainful expression, she looked down at him, her chilling snake eyes seeming to see right through the boy inside the puppet.
"I'm talking to your boss, when did it become your place to interfere? You're just some Tom, Dick, and Harry who dare to speak up, you don't know any manners!"
Orochimaru scoffed, completely disregarding him.
Sasori of the Red Sands, who was inside the puppet, was furious. When had he ever been subjected to such contempt and ridicule?
The last person who treated him this way had his ashes scattered by him.
"No distinction of rank applies before the Akatsuki!"
"But we must distinguish between superiors and inferiors!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Orochimaru suddenly launched an attack, kicking Sasori.
The scorpion tail, which had been poised to strike, also stabbed Orochimaru without hesitation.
With a muffled thud, Orochimaru brutally kicked off Orochimaru, and the puppet was also sent flying backward by the powerful force.
"I see you know nothing about the power of God!"
Pain, who had already distanced himself from Orochimaru, was also annoyed by Orochimaru's disrespectful behavior.
They even dared to make the first move in front of him; they're incredibly arrogant.
Although there was some truth to what he said, he was the leader of the Akatsuki, and when did it become anyone else's place to lecture his subordinates?
"I am indeed somewhat interested in your Akatsuki. I heard you're recruiting. I imagine you would welcome a scientist like me, right?"
Orochimaru crossed his arms and turned his gaze back to Pain.
Pain was somewhat taken aback by the sudden change in attitude.
Are all the Legendary Three Ninjas so eccentric?
When did the organization start announcing recruitment information? Did you, Orochimaru, find out about it through some unknown means?
Scientists like you are more like slackers, aren't they?
Various complex thoughts flashed by, and at this moment, a scrutinizing and weighing light appeared in Pain's Rinnegan.
"Joining Akatsuki isn't impossible, but we'll see if you have the ability. Akatsuki doesn't need trash!"
Before he could finish speaking, Scorpion, who had been kicked aside, stood up in a disheveled state.
With a "bang," white smoke rose, and a red-haired boy of about fifteen or sixteen years old appeared before Orochimaru.
"I underestimated you. Your body is quite suitable for being made into a puppet!"
As he spoke, he took out a ninjutsu scroll.
Then several handprints fell.
The next moment, a Human Puppet appeared beside Sasori; it was none other than the long-lost Third Kazekage.
"A mere trick, yet you dare to show off your meager skills before an expert!"
Orochimaru glanced at the Third Kazekage, then at Pain. Both were puppets, yet the difference between them was so vast.
Sasori's puppets are still at the stage of being controlled by threads. Although they are made by living people, they are far inferior to Nagato's methods of controlling the Six Paths.
They've already started using radio; how can you compare?
Not to mention, compared to Orochimaru's Impure World Reincarnation, Nagato's radio has a range limitation and the signal is sometimes bad.
The Impure World Reincarnation eliminates these concerns, allowing for unlimited Chakra, disregard for distance, and the sharing of vision and thought.
It's fair to say that Scorpion is utterly weak compared to him; there's no comparison whatsoever.
"I'm standing right in front of you. If you can make me take even half a step back, I'll admit defeat!"
Orochimaru didn't summon the Third Kazekage as in the Original Work story; instead, the two versions had a solo battle.
In the Original Work, Orochimaru hadn't fully mastered the Impure World Reincarnation and later lost to the puppet. Now, Orochimaru is confident he can achieve a draw or even win.
But what's the point of that? If you really want to make Scorpion lose his temper, you might as well summon his parents.
It should be noted that when his parents came to Konoha, they were killed by White Fang with a single blow, and Orochimaru had even tried to collect their cells afterward.
If he really pulls this stunt, Scorpion will probably hate him to death. His parents are dead, and he still manages to summon them to oppose him.
It was somewhat blasphemous, and Orochimaru didn't want to go too far, lest he find it difficult to move an inch within the Akatsuki in the future.
Upon hearing Orochimaru's nonchalant words, Sasori's anger, which had just subsided, surged back up.
"Today, I, Sasori of the Red Sands, will skin you alive and make a snakeskin bag for my puppet!"