Just as Kimimaro finished tidying up the things on the laboratory bench and prepared to leave, footsteps suddenly sounded in the corridor.
Hearing them, Kimimaro immediately understood what was happening, but showed no displeasure. After all, plenty of fools had overestimated themselves since Lord Orochimaru left. Dealing with them here was only a minor nuisance.
"So we're not going to the Land of Rain after all?" Hashirama did not particularly care, but they were almost there, only to be told there was no need to go. He looked a little disgruntled.
Tobirama frowned slightly. This was clearly not part of their earlier plan. "How did you receive this information?"
At that, Uchiha Gen pointed at his forehead. "The information is in my head. Consider it a communication method unique to our leader." That was the truth, though it only allowed him to communicate with himself.
Tobirama's expression chilled. "Then, by that reasoning, 'he' actually knows all your whereabouts?"
"Yes."
"What about ours?"
Uchiha Gen shook his head.
"I don't agree with your explanation."
Tobirama said coldly, "So far, everything we know has come solely from you and Orochimaru. Now you're saying we should go somewhere else. Can I take that to mean you have something to hide?"
Or did that supposed mastermind they had mentioned earlier not exist at all? Yin-Yang Release, a matter involving the legendary Sage of Six Paths—the more he considered it, the more unreal it all seemed.
At that moment, aside from Orochimaru, the other two Hokage also frowned slightly. What the Second Hokage had said was, in fact, exactly what they were wondering.
However, although Orochimaru knew that most of what Uchiha Gen had said was correct, he harbored doubts similar to Tobirama's.
His suspicions simply lay in a different direction. Orochimaru kept feeling