After hearing Kabuto Yakushi's words, Orochimaru's expression darkened.
For something like this to happen at such a critical moment was certainly bad news for him. Still, he had expected it, because compared to the Research Institute's high-intensity experimental output, its management was actually very haphazard.
That was bound to stir up certain people's ambitions—his own, for example.
After a moment's thought, Orochimaru said, "Clean up every loose end. This internal review must go smoothly."
"Understood!"
Kabuto Yakushi bowed and accepted the order.
Watching Kabuto Yakushi leave, Orochimaru's eyes flickered.
If he couldn't get through the Research Institute's review, he would have to prepare for the worst. So he had already begun plotting against Ada and Daemon. If his secret came to light, he would immediately attack the siblings and claim their divine arts for himself.
By his own estimate, absorbing one or two more divine arts should give him the confidence to stand against Shinji.
Of course, the longer he waited before turning against him, the more it would benefit him.
Over the following weeks, the Research Institute began the most rigorous audit since its founding. Every set of experimental data and every test subject underwent layer upon layer of scrutiny. Who had accessed them, who had used them—all of it had to be recorded and filed.
Once they started looking, they uncovered a mountain of embezzlement and dereliction of duty.
With Ada's Telescopic Eye, anyone suspected by the Research Institute had no way to deny the charges. Large numbers of researchers were taken into custody. Four or five of them were senior figures at the level of team leaders alone, and nearly a third of the Research Institute's personnel were implicated.
Severe punishments across the board would inevitably affect the Institute's research progress. So after conferring, Amado, Orochimaru, Tsunade,