The morning mist had yet to fully disperse from the forest, and the moist, fresh air was invigorating.
Several figures darted through the treetops like phantoms, leaving only a faint rustle of leaves behind them.
Barely had dawn broken when Orochimaru eagerly gathered everyone and set out.
His eyes were still faintly bloodshot. Clearly, excitement over the coming "research" had kept him up all night.
In mid-leap, Sen casually tossed the vacant-eyed White Zetsu in his hand to Orochimaru behind him.
"The place is just ahead. Traveling with a half-dead specimen in tow suits your image better, Orochimaru."
Orochimaru took no offense and caught the dazed White Zetsu, unable to hide the excitement in his eyes.
Looking toward the distant hillside covered in lush trees, he said, "That should be it. Hiruko... I'm truly curious to see what that fellow has become."
Might Duy scratched his head and said bluntly, "You're not curious about Hiruko. You're curious about Madara Uchiha backing him, aren't you?"
"Hahaha!" Everyone burst into lighthearted laughter at Might Duy's blunt exposure.
"We should call it Orochimaru's obsession with pursuing the truth, shouldn't we?" Minato smoothed things over with a smile.
As they spoke, Sen came to a stop. They had reached the foot of the hillside.
Orochimaru landed right behind him and immediately began surveying their surroundings warily.
All they could see was an unremarkable hillside rising seventy or eighty meters above the ground.
Yet every one of them keenly sensed something strange about this place.
A remote forest like this should have been a paradise for wildlife, but it was terrifyingly quiet. Not a single birdcall or insect chirp could be heard.
It was as though something had completely erased all signs of life.
"Not even a door?" Minato looked around thoughtfully. "The entrance is