Orochimaru

"Let them through!"

Just as Kabuto and the others were about to clash with the newly arrived Otogakure ninja, the leader of the group seemed to receive an order.

After standing stunned for a moment, he let out a cold snort and beckoned to his companions.

The group immediately parted to both sides, revealing a path.

"Please, Lord Orochimaru wishes to see you."

Yan lifted his chin slightly and took the lead, stepping into Otogakure.

Kabuto, Itachi, and the others hurriedly followed.

However, they did not lower the kunai in their hands, remaining vigilant as they passed the Otogakure ninja.

Only after Yan's group had passed safely did they slightly ease their tense nerves.

Upon entering Otogakure, the scene that met their eyes was one of gloom and darkness.

The scattered buildings looked like monsters lurking in the shadows, exuding an eerie aura.

The roads were rugged and uneven, and a faint mist hung in the air, creating a sense of oppression.

The dilapidated houses seemed to have endured the erosion of countless years; some walls were covered in cracks, as if they might collapse at any moment.

Strange sounds echoed from time to time in the silent air, stirring a sense of unease in one's heart.

The air was filled with a faint scent of herbs and the smell of decay, as if the village were hiding some unknown secrets.

At this moment, a silent Otogakure ninja stepped forward and nodded slightly, signaling everyone to follow.

His footsteps were steady and powerful, producing a faint echo in the quiet village.

Yan said nothing, following closely behind along with Kabuto and the others, his expression relaxed as if he had no fear of any conspiracy.

Their figures wove through the narrow streets, rounding dark corners, until they finally arrived at the entrance of a hidden basement.

The entrance radiated waves of cold air, as if it led to another mysterious world.

The guiding ninja stopped, made a gesture of invitation, and then stood still, as if leaving Yan and his group to descend on their own.

Yan curled his lips, smoothed out his spotless clothes, and took the lead down the stairs, with Kabuto, Itachi, and the others following in turn.

The basement passage was dark and damp, and the torches on the walls flickered with a faint light, barely illuminating the path ahead.

Water droplets fell continuously from the ceiling, making crisp sounds that seemed exceptionally clear in the silent passage.

Seeing this bizarre environment, Yan couldn't help but shake his head.

I don't know what kind of obsession Orochimaru has. If you're going to do research, do it properly—why make it so gloomy and creepy? Is he afraid people won't know he's a villain?

As they ventured deeper, an inexplicable atmosphere enveloped them. The passage seemed endless, and every step felt like treading into deeper darkness.

Ten minutes later.

The passage gradually came to an end, with only a single closed door standing before them.

Yan stepped forward and pushed the door open.

A blinding light shone onto their faces, causing Itachi and the others to squint slightly.

Once his eyes adjusted to the light, Yan saw one of the Sannin, the man who had defected from Konoha: Orochimaru.

His pale face appeared particularly sinister in the dim light, and his golden slit pupils flickered with an eerie glow, sending a chill down one's spine.

Upon entering the laboratory, a pungent smell of chemicals mixed with a faint stench of rot rushed toward them.

Various strange instruments and devices were scattered about, and unknown biological specimens soaked in glass containers exuded a bizarre aura.

Choked by the smell, Yan couldn't help but wave his hand in front of his face and said, "Orochimaru, can't you improve this environment? You've made it look just like a villain's lair."

In the center of the laboratory, Orochimaru sat quietly on a massive chair, his gaze cold and profound.

He lifted his head slightly, looked at Yan and the others, and a meaningful smile curled his lips.

"In the eyes of Konoha, am I not a villain?"

Orochimaru's voice was low and hoarse, and he flicked his tongue out from time to time, which made Yan feel a wave of revulsion.

Yan frowned, looked around, and said, "That was in the past. Soon you won't be a missing-nin anymore; Konoha welcomes you back!"

Orochimaru stood up slowly.

His figure appeared exceptionally tall in the dim light.

"Since when does the Uchiha Clan get to call the shots in Konoha?"

Yan sneered, "Hmph, Orochimaru, I don't believe you're unaware of the changes happening in Konoha. Why pretend to be ignorant?"

Orochimaru's lips curled upward slowly, his narrow eyes squinting.

"That pedantic teacher of mine actually gave in? It's truly incredible!"

"Ha!" Yan crossed his arms and scoffed, "Senju Tobirama has already spoken; what else could he dare to say?"

"He's just terrified he won't be able to grab someone's attention!"

Orochimaru shook his head, walked over to the laboratory table on his own, picked up a test tube, and examined it closely as he spoke.

"Even so, I will never return to Konoha; my dream has never changed."

"Konoha... will only hold me back!"

Uchiha Yan curled his lips into a mocking smile, glanced at the black cloak with red clouds Orochimaru was wearing, and said, "So you chose to join a 'small' organization that no one has ever heard of?"

Orochimaru's brow twitched, and the hand holding the test tube trembled involuntarily.

A small organization? Or the Akatsuki Organization?

But he quickly feigned an indifferent attitude and said, "Uchiha Yan, the waters of the Ninja World are much deeper than you imagine. Excessive arrogance is never a good thing."

"Thanks for the reminder!" Yan smiled slightly, then retorted, "The waters of the Ninja World are indeed deep, I'll grant you that."

"But I know far more about the organization you're in than you do!"

As he spoke, Yan paced around the underground laboratory a few times, stopping to observe closely whenever he saw something interesting.

Orochimaru's eyes shifted; he set down the test tube, picked up a file nearby, and asked casually, as if he didn't care at all.

"Uchiha Yan, even bragging requires the right place."

"Are you not afraid that I'll keep all of you here for slandering my organization right in front of me?"

"..."

Yan looked at the specimen in the container and couldn't help but reach out to touch the glass. For some reason, a smile suddenly appeared on his face as he said, "You can't keep us here, and besides, you don't even have any sense of belonging to the Akatsuki Organization, do you?"

"The only reason you remain in the Akatsuki Organization is because of Pain's 'Rinnegan'!"

"..."

As the words fell, the atmosphere in the laboratory instantly turned tense.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, put down the file, and turned to stare straight at Yan.

He was certain now.

The other party had indeed been talking about the 'Akatsuki Organization' earlier, and he even knew the name of the Akatsuki Organization's leader, and was even aware that he possessed the Rinnegan.

After the two stared at each other for a long time.

Orochimaru flicked his tongue to wipe his face and sneered, "Uchiha Yan, I underestimated you. I didn't expect you to know quite so much!"