Orochimaru wanted to team up?

The Land of Rain, a land where even the heavens weep, is shrouded in a continuous drizzle.

This is due to the weather in the Land of Rain itself, and also because of Nagato's Rain Tiger At Will Technique.

Tōka walked through the Rain Pine Forest with an Oil-Paper Umbrella, a pair of cold eyes still staring at his back.

Even a fool could guess who was behind that gaze.

Moreover, Tōka's insight is no weaker than that of the Byakugan, even though his current eye color is black, indicating that he has not fully opened the Tenseigan.

Ignoring Konan completely, Tōka quickened his pace.

"I wonder how Black Zetsu's preparations are going; I can't wait to see him."

Raindrops pattered against the pine trees, making a crackling sound, as Tōka silently pondered his plans for the trip to the Land of Wind.

A little excitement welled up inside him, and a smile of uncontrollable joy appeared on his lips.

Sudden!

A strange feeling welled up in my heart; it was the Rinnegan's Demonic Illusion: Phantom Lantern!

Has Nagato gotten another new mission? Tōka's heart skipped a beat. He took out a ring from his pocket, on which was clearly engraved a dark red character.

Tōka found a lush spot under Big Tree and hung her Oil-Paper Umbrella between the branches, creating a Vacuum Zone to prevent rain from falling.

I sat down on a relatively clean Taiseki under a Big Tree.

Close your eyes, and the scenery around you will change.

Tōka's chakra transformed into Thought Wave, which was amplified by Nagato in the Command Tower, and then appeared as a phantom in a cold and damp cave.

Eight figures appeared one after another on the finger of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.

Kakuzu and Sasori were not talkative people, Deva Path and Konan always had a cold and aloof demeanor, and Pakura and Haku couldn't stand the oppressive atmosphere, so they rarely spoke either.

Above the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, only White Zetsu could liven things up.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's been so long! What have you all been up to?" White Zetsu chuckled, breaking the deathly silence.

Everyone thought that White Zetsu and Black Zetsu were two people with completely different mindsets.

Only Tōka knew that the other half of Black Zetsu, White Zetsu, was merely a puppet, and that Black Zetsu was the one who truly held the reins of power.

White Zetsu's words did not ease the deathly atmosphere; instead, they made it even more awkward.

Deva Path and Konan didn't even give him a second glance. As for Kakuzu and Sasori, they both kept their heads down, seemingly lost in thought.

"What do you want with us?" Tōka, disliking wasting time, stared intently at Deva Path and asked in a deep voice.

"There's a guy with decent skills who's planning to join us. I'd like to send three people to greet him." Deva Path's gaze swept over Tōka, Kakuzu, and Sasori.

The meaning was clear: he wanted the three of them to teach this guy a lesson.

While testing the opponent's strength, Akatsuki's power is also displayed, warning the opponent not to think about things they shouldn't.

Tōka tilted his head in thought. At this point, Itachi, Deidara, Hidan, Kisame didn't seem to be qualified yet.

So the only one left is that person— Legendary Sannin, one of the Orochimaru.

"Tōka, Kakuzu, and Sasori, the three of you can go." Deva Path directly named them, as a pair was the best option just to be on the safe side.

The three of them were there, naturally to better suppress Orochimaru!

Kakuzu and Sasori remained silent, Tōka didn't speak, making the atmosphere even more eerily quiet. But Deva Path knew that the three of them understood his meaning.

"Zetsu, you should have information on Orochimaru, right?" Deva Path glanced at Black Zetsu and asked.

"I'll send it to Tōka shortly," Black Zetsu voice.

"If there are no other questions, that's all for today." Deva Path's gaze swept over Tōka, Kakuzu, and Sasori.

Seeing that they seemed to have nothing to say, Deva Path changed his hand seals and then dispelled the Demonic Illusion: Phantom Lantern.

The eight figures swayed, like ripples on water scattered by the wind, and in the blink of an eye, the ten fingers of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path were empty.

Tōka knew that Orochimaru didn't really want to join Akatsuki, but he didn't intend to expose Orochimaru.

A light drizzle enveloped the Rain Pine Forest, making the entire forest seem as if it were covered with a white veil, adding a touch of mysterious haziness.

Tōka picked up the Oil-Paper Umbrella again, turned around and walked out of the Rain Pine Forest.

The pair of cold eyes that had been watching his retreating figure had vanished, and another ghostly presence was approaching.

Tōka had just stepped out of the Rain Pine Forest when a Pitcher Plant sprouted from the ground.

"How are the plans for the Land of Wind going?" More than Orochimaru's involvement, Tōka was more concerned about the plans for the trip to the Land of Wind.

This is a crucial step related to awakening the Sage Body.

"Don't worry, we already have news." Black Zetsu tossed a Scroll to Tōka, which recorded the locations Orochimaru had recently been seen.

Tōka didn't even glance at it before putting the Scroll away.

Kakuzu and Sasori are currently at Akatsuki's base. Tōka will soon be able to reunite with them at the same tavern run by the glamorous proprietress.

After using a Genjutsu spell to knock him down, Tōka pushed open the door and entered.

This time, the tavern was slightly different; it was no longer empty, although there weren't many people inside.

"So slow, Tōka!" Scorpion hates being waited for, and hates waiting for others even more!

"Who are these guys?" Tōka glanced at the three ninjas dressed in black, without any insignia Forehead Protector on their heads.

The tavern was always cleared out because it was where Akatsuki members gathered for missions, but there were three strangers in the tavern besides Kakuzu and Sasori.

That means these three guys are "one of us," or at least have the tacit approval of Kakuzu or Sasori.

Kakuzu believes in nothing but money, so naturally he wouldn't build his own power base.

That must be the person Scorpion is, Tōka's gaze fell on Scorpion.

"A messenger sent by Orochimaru." Sasori understood the meaning in Tōka's eyes and gave a brief explanation.

A messenger sent by Orochimaru? One Flash of Ice Blue light crossed Tōka's eyes. No wonder he sensed a familiar aura!

It turns out it was a pocket...

The thought flashed through Tōka's mind, and his gaze turned cold, his mockery evident.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!

A sharp gust of wind whistled through the air, and Tōka flicked his fingertips, then flung out several Bone Bullets.

The deathly gray Bone Bullets streaked through the air, heading straight for the three men completely shrouded in ninja attire.

Kakuzu and Sasori's eyes narrowed slightly, not understanding why Tōka would suddenly make a move.

However, neither of them intended to stop it. In any case, they wanted to teach Orochimaru, and killing a few messengers might be a good option!

Pfft!!

Two Bone Bullets pierced the chests of the two ninjas with a thud, and a putrid stench filled the air.

Their pupils turned deathly pale, and they instantly lost all life; not a single drop of blood spilled from their bodies...

In an instant, it turned into scraps of Waste Paper and fell down.

As the Bone Bullets out, one of the dark figures quickly leaped into the air, dodging Tōka's attack with a high jump.

His feet were imbued with precise chakra, allowing him to adhere to the ceiling using only his feet.

"It really is Kabuto!" Tōka smiled as he looked at the Kabuto Yakushi on the ceiling. "Aren't you going to come down and say hello to an old friend?"

Say hello? You greeted him using the All-Killing Ash Bones?

If that's the kind of greeting he gives, it's best not to say hello to him!

His hat was hanging upside down from the ceiling, the thick brim of which had fallen off, revealing his face covered in cold sweat.

"Kabuto?" Sasori and Kakuzu looked puzzled. It seemed that no Ninja World had ever heard of a powerful figure named Kabuto!

"Orochimaru thinks highly of this guy." Tōka raised his Sword Hand Seal; he hated being looked up at like that!

Genjutsu: Enchanting Sounds!

Those under the spell will reveal their innermost thoughts. The Genjutsu used for interrogation can only be released when one's mental strength completely overwhelms the opponent.

As Tōka's mouth opened and closed, a magical note, as if imbued with a spell, transformed into tangible runes and attacked Dou.

The moment Dou saw Tōka take his right hand out of his pocket, he was already prepared to flee.

However, how could he possibly outrun Tōka's Genjutsu?

"Tell me, what did Orochimaru send you here for?" Tōka casually chose a spot at the bar and sat down, beckoning Kabuto to come closer.

Kabuto loosened his chakra at the soles of his feet, and his body was pulled by Attractive Force, plummeting straight down. Just as he was about to reach the ground, he suddenly performed a Swallow Turn and knelt steadily on one knee.

His eyes were lifeless, and he walked towards Tōka like a puppet on strings.

"Lord Orochimaru has two objectives..." The voice of the godless machine rang out, and Kabuto revealed Orochimaru's entire plan without reservation.

On the surface, Orochimaru sent Kabuto Yakushi to contact members of Akatsuki as a test of the organization.

If Orochimaru is truly as powerful as Pain claims, he will personally meet the members sent by Akatsuki.

If Orochimaru were merely a figurehead, easily defeated even by Kabuto, he wouldn't have shown his face.

The deeper meaning behind this is based on the first hypothetical scenario: Orochimaru planted a pawn into Akatsuki beforehand.

This pawn is Kabuto. Kabuto can choose a member of Akatsuki to pretend to be their spy and monitor Orochimaru.

"In that case, hand him over to me!" Scorpion sneered. They wanted to plant spies, didn't they? Let's see who's planting spies for whom!

Tōka glanced at Dou with pity. Dou had fallen into Sasori's hands, and after the plan had been exposed. Sunflower Seeds wondered what Sasori would do with Dou's head.

Puppet Technique are definitely a must, but as for whether there will be any strange parts, Tōka has no idea.

"What about Black Zetsu's information?" Kakuzu's voice rang out. While Tōka and Sasori's attention was focused on Kabuto, he simply treated it as a farce and let it go.

Kakuzu's mind is solely focused on money, enjoying the thrill of making and counting his earnings.

He just wanted to complete the task Pain assigned him as soon as possible, and then go hunt down those high-value bounty hunters!

Upon hearing this, Tōka took out the Scroll that Black Zetsu had handed him. He hadn't even looked at the Scroll yet, so he simply tossed it away.

Kakuzu frowned slightly and muttered to himself, "What a hassle. Why not just tell me the location?"

The Scroll unfolded, revealing only three characters: a place name called Nohara Mountain, which, coincidentally, was a place Kakuzu knew about.

A mountain range on the outskirts of the Land of Land of Waterfalls, near the Land of Fire!

Kakuzu took this very route when he attempted to assassinate the First Hokage!

"The Land of Waterfalls?" Tōka raised an eyebrow. That's in the opposite direction from the Land of Wind. Orochimaru really knows how to pick a location.

"Is there anything special about Nohara Mountain?" Sasori asked, raising his head after setting up a Puppet Technique in Kabuto's mind.

Kakuzu's thoughts drifted away, recalling the terrain of Nohara Mountain.

If I had to pinpoint what's so special about Nohara Mountain, it would be that it's like a wild, untamed horse.

"Wild" refers to untamed nature, and "plain" does not refer to Plain, but rather to a primitive state.

Dense jungles and jagged rocks make it difficult to conquer, which is the most distinctive feature of Nohara Mountain!

"So, Orochimaru has already prepared an escape route for himself?" Sasori chuckled softly. Cold-blooded Orochimaru? More like a mudfish.

Kakuzu's eyes One Flash slightly, but he didn't reply. The terrain of Nohara Mountain was as complex as Poisonous Snake with countless burrows.

Tōka pursed her lips and fiddled with the empty cup beside her. The task that seemed simple was actually quite difficult!

Throughout the entire Ninja World, Orochimaru is one of the most difficult to kill.

Moreover, the specially chosen location was a primitive mountain range with extremely complex terrain, so it's safe to assume that Orochimaru had already scouted that mountain range beforehand.

"Scorpion, how long are you going to keep going?" Tōka glanced at the unconscious man on the ground, letting Scorpion operate on his head.

"The Puppet Technique has already been set up; this is another layer of seal to prevent the Jutsu Formula from being broken!" Scorpion explained as he continued his work.

Tōka wasn't very skilled at Sealing Technique.

As Puppet Master, Sasori's Puppet Technique, which he set up in Kabuto's mind, is also a type of Sealing Technique, sealing Kabuto's original memories and implanting a new one.

Unlike the Sealing Technique of the Uzumaki Clan, it is full of magical and fantastical elements.

Scorpion's Puppet Technique have a high-tech feel to them.

"What would happen if the Puppet Technique were broken?" Tōka asked curiously as he squatted down and looked down at the pocket with a cut on his scalp.

The wound wasn't deep, and there was very little blood.

Scorpion was placing Talisman the size of an Explosive Tag inside.

"Unlocked? Hah..." Scorpion was very confident in his Puppet Technique; the seal was just a precaution.

If it really gets solved, hmph...

Tōka leaned back slightly, awkwardly distancing herself from Xie. "Don't look at me like that, okay? It's a little scary!"

Scorpion's fingers moved with precise mechanical movements, and a thin thread, almost invisible to the naked eye, swiftly pierced through Kabuto's scalp, stitching up the previously cut opening.

Immediately afterwards, Scorpion took out a porcelain bottle, poured out a clump of dark green powder, and applied it to the wound.

The wound, stitched up with fine thread, healed at a speed visible to the naked eye; even with Tōka's keen eyesight, it was difficult to detect the slightest trace of injury!

As expected of a genius Puppet Master, Scorpion is capable of creating Human Puppet! His sewing skills alone are enough to leave anyone speechless!

"Let's go, it's all taken care of."

Hiruko's hoarse voice rang out, and Tōka, who had been staring in disbelief, came to his senses.