Orochimaru looked at Kabuto. "Kabuto, I don't recall ever collecting any of Hanzō's remains."
Kabuto smiled. "Lord Orochimaru, I found these myself!"
After learning Impure World Reincarnation, Kabuto had begun searching for the remains of powerful shinobi from the Great Ninja Villages.
Hanzō had come from a small ninja village, but he had lived in Amegakure, right in Akatsuki's stronghold.
Kabuto would never have dared sneak into Amegakure to steal Hanzō's bones.
He had obtained a sample of Hanzō's DNA tissue through someone else—a man who kept himself hidden in darkness.
The man had said he would supply Kabuto with the remains of powerful shinobi from the Great Ninja Villages, enough to bring them back.
He had asked for nothing in return, as if he knew Kabuto was the sort of person who would stir up chaos.
And chaos was exactly what that mysterious man wanted.
Hanzō turned and noticed Kabuto, then saw the hand sign he was holding.
At first, Hanzō had assumed Orochimaru had learned the Second Hokage's Impure World Reincarnation and used it to bring him back.
But from where they stood, it was clear Hanzō had been brought back to fight Orochimaru. Orochimaru could not have been the one who summoned him.
The young man behind him wore glasses and looked remarkably like Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru, is this your son?"
Kabuto wouldn't have minded having a father. Then he wouldn't have had to struggle so hard to find a reason to exist.
Besides, Kabuto had implanted Orochimaru's cells in his body. In that sense, calling him Orochimaru's son wasn't entirely wrong.
Orochimaru chuckled. "He isn't my son, but he is an excellent subordinate."
"And he shares my ambition!"
"Thank you for the praise, Lord Orochimaru!"
Kabuto remained polite. After years at Orochimaru's side, he had learned that