Nothing Is Over Yet!

Orochimaru... has disappeared?!

Upon hearing this completely unexpected news, Kou was startled. The lingering farewell feeling in his heart was instantly dispelled by the sudden chill!

He took a deep breath and asked Karin voice:

When did this happen?

Karin shook her head vigorously and said urgently:

Today is the day!

I discovered this shortly before you returned. As usual, I went to the lab to feed Orochimaru, following your instructions.

When they arrived, they found that he was no longer there.

Karin explained in a very fast voice:

"I used Mind's Eye of the Kagura to cover the entire Inari City, searching the whole place, but I still couldn't find any clues."

Originally, I was thinking of asking Sister Ying and Sister Xing to take people out of the city to search, but at that moment, I sensed your presence as you returned, Master, so I quickly ran over..."

As Karin explained, Kou's brows furrowed even more deeply.

Orochimaru... has disappeared.

Did he break free from the Mangekyō Sharingan himself?

No, impossible!

That stinky snake has been right under his nose all these years. If it really managed to break free of his control, he absolutely couldn't have been unaware!

"So... someone from the outside helped him break free of the control?"

Thinking of this, Kou's pupils suddenly contracted!

In the current Ninja World, there are only three people who are openly capable of helping Orochimaru break free from the control of the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Pain, also known as Nagato, Itachi, and Obito, whom he had recently killed with his own hands in Mist Village.

Of the three, only Obito had the motivation to do this.

But he clearly didn't have the time.

So... it's that man?

Kou muttered something to himself, a cold, sharp glint flashing across his deep black eyes.

Uchiha Madara.

This man, whom he had relentlessly pursued for the past five years but had never found a trace of, was highly likely still alive...

After a moment's thought, Karin earnestly:

"Karin, was anyone injured in the castle? After Orochimaru disappeared, were any important research data lost from the laboratory?"

Karin immediately shook her head:

"No, apart from Orochimaru being missing, everything in the city is normal, and no one has been injured."

The lab materials are all still there. I personally checked all the locked scrolls and the storage cabinets you marked; nothing is missing.

"Really? That's good."

Despite saying this, Kou's expression did not soften at all; on the contrary, it became even more grave.

"That's good..."

"Master..."

Karin looked up at Koto with a worried expression.

As the assistant who had been by Orochimaru's side the most over the years and had personally participated in most of his research projects, she understood better than anyone what Orochimaru's loss of control truly meant.

Orochimaru's mind contained the results and core data of almost all of his master's major research over the past five years.

Any one of those studies would be enough to throw the entire Ninja World into turmoil!

Karin opened her mouth, wanting to say something to comfort her most respected master, but she simply didn't know how to begin.

A moment later, she could only call out again, her voice filled with worry:

"Master..."

Karin.

After a long pause, Kou finally spoke again, his voice regaining its usual calm and composure.

He turned his gaze back to Karin and gave the order in a serious, deep voice:

"Immediately seal off the entire Land of Rice, summon all available ninjas within the city, and lead them to conduct a district-by-district search."

The focus should be on inspecting the ninjas in the core area, looking for any signs that they have been manipulated by any Dōjutsu or Genjutsu!

He paused for a moment, then continued:

"In addition, I sent letters to the Five Great Nations in my name."

Tell them that Uchiha Kuro, the lord of the Inari Kingdom, has a matter of great importance concerning the safety of the entire Ninja World, and ask them to send a representative to discuss it.

I will explain the specific reasons after I meet with them.

If anyone asks, just say that this matter involves the survival of the entire Ninja World!

Hearing her master's series of arrangements, Karin was first startled, then nodded vigorously to Kou:

"Yes, Master!!"

Without asking any more questions, she strode forward, running at an even faster pace than before, towards the long staircase outside the palace that was gradually being shrouded in twilight.

Only Kou remained in the main hall.

He stood there, watching Karin's small figure disappear completely outside the palace gates, the composure he had just barely maintained vanishing from his face in an instant.

Uchiha Madara, if that man is really still alive, and even personally took Orochimaru away...

So, hidden within this whole affair is a peculiar detail that sends chills down his spine even when he recalls it.

"Uchiha Madara —how did he know that Orochimaru was in the Land of Rice, right here with him?"

His brow furrowed into a deep frown.

Something he had never imagined in the past five years resurfaced from the depths of his memory at this moment.

Five years ago, Orochimaru chased Kimimaro all the way to Mist Village for Kimimaro.

The person who told him, "Orochimaru has arrived in Mist Village, go and deal with him quickly," was Obito.

What if, back then, Obito and Madara, who may never have truly died, had already secretly laid out this five-year-long scheme?

What if they deliberately placed Orochimaru, a pawn, in their hands five years ago, only to remove him again on this day five years later?

What if all the plans and schemes I've been so proud of over the years were actually under their watchful eyes from beginning to end, without me ever escaping their notice...?

Hahaha...

Thinking of this, Kou couldn't help but let out a soft, extremely unnatural laugh.

The laughter was extremely low, containing a self-mockery that even he himself couldn't quite explain, a mixture of absurdity and chill.

He turned around and placed his complex and indescribable gaze back on the lifeless Deva Path Pain on the ground.

He was very tired.

From body to soul, I was completely drained by the endless stream of events throughout the day.

But Kou knows that it is far from time to rest.

I haven't obtained the Rinnegan yet.

Orochimaru's whereabouts are still unknown.

Obito might not be completely dead yet.

It's highly likely that Ban is hiding in the shadows of this world, secretly plotting something.

I can't rest yet.

"It's not over yet!"

He murmured softly, a deep resolve flashing in his eyes:

"I will never give up."

"I will absolutely... never give up!"