As she watched Nagato grow thinner by the day, to the point where he was practically skin and bones, Konan's eyes flashed with pain.
"Do you really trust Orochimaru?"
Konan spoke slowly. "He has already betrayed us once."
Nagato spoke with the exhaustion of an old man. "This time, Orochimaru wouldn't dare lie to me!"
After obtaining the Death God Mask from Uchiha Shin, Nagato released Orochimaru's soul and sealed it within the Naraka Path.
What followed was something interesting.
When communicating with Orochimaru's soul memories, that man's soul actually wanted to make a deal with him—to be revived and rejoin Akatsuki.
As the first step in earning Nagato's trust, Orochimaru revealed an extremely secret piece of intelligence.
Konohagakure's Fourth Hokage—the Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze, who had once terrified the entire Ninja World—was still alive!
The Flying Thunder God Technique was indeed terrifying. Even Nagato, who possessed the Rinnegan, did not dare underestimate it.
So, he sent Uchiha Shin to investigate.
"If the Fourth Hokage is still alive, Uchiha Shin may not come back," Konan said bluntly.
The Sharingan was certainly powerful, but Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, was a formidable ninja who could take on both the Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki at once. Uchiha Shin was probably not up to the task.
"If he doesn't return, that will prove the intelligence is true," Nagato said.
"If the intelligence is true, then do you plan to revive Orochimaru?" Konan asked again.
Nagato fell into thought. "We'll see how things develop. If Itachi and the others can successfully recover the Nine Tailed Beasts, Orochimaru's existence will be dispensable."
Konan nodded and did not ask further.
To prevent anyone from guessing anything, Obito and Yakumo entered Konohagakure a day apart.
The moment Yakumo returned, the entire... Kurama Clan was