The First, Second, and Fourth Hokage—three Kage Level Impure World Bodies—along with Orochimaru, freed from the restraints of the seal, and Kabuto Yakushi, who had mastered Senjutsu.
That lineup was enough to make anyone take notice.
So when Orochimaru suddenly turned on her, Karin's expression tightened.
She had been prepared to turn on him herself. She'd expected Orochimaru not to honor their deal, but she hadn't expected him to be so calculating, with so many contingencies in place.
Shinji, who was linked to Karin through Naobi, was likewise assessing the situation she now faced.
"Tch."
Shinji clicked his tongue.
It was fair to say this had taken him by surprise.
He'd known that the village had sealed away the First and Second Hokage's Impure World Bodies. He just hadn't expected Orochimaru to pull a fast one right under the Sealing Team's noses and make fools of them.
Tap, tap, tap.
Drumming his fingers on the table, he weighed his options.
Orochimaru alone was already difficult enough to deal with. Add Sage Kabuto and the Impure World Bodies of the First, Second, and Fourth Hokage, and even Shinji wasn't confident he could handle them.
Karin alone, down in the underground laboratory, would be taking too big a risk. Even with Ryūsetsuna and Chiyo nearby, ready to back her up, it still wasn't a safe bet.
In an instant, Shinji made his decision.
He'd rescued Orochimaru only to free the Fourth Hokage from the Reaper's stomach, so that the half of the Nine-Tails sealed inside him could return to the Shinobi World.
Whether he could get his hands on that half of the Nine-Tails didn't really matter.
Even if he did, he'd have to find a way to pass it to Nagato and Obito without anyone noticing, so they could revive the