Pale skin, a sinister air, and a long tongue—Orochimaru, you bastard!
Rasa immediately grew wary. Those traits made it hard not to think of Orochimaru.
During the Chunin Ninja Exams, Orochimaru had used the Vanishing Facial Copy Technique to impersonate a Kusagakure ninja and infiltrate Konohagakure. Even though he looked different, he had still retained all his usual traits.
Most importantly, no one in Konohagakure had recognized the bastard.
It was about as believable as a man dressing up as a woman in a period drama: a young lady put on men's clothes, and nobody could tell she was a woman.
Or a disguise in a comedy: put a mole on someone's face, and suddenly they were a completely different person. Nobody could recognize them.
Amazing, wasn't it?
"Can you confirm he's a Kusagakure ninja?" Rasa asked. Better to be cautious.
"Absolutely. I've seen this ninja before, too. He hasn't changed much."
Rasa narrowed his eyes. The Vanishing Facial Copy Technique... Could it be that Kusagakure had sent an envoy, only for Orochimaru to intercept him along the way?
Noticing Rasa's doubts, Nagato asked in confusion, "Is something wrong, sensei?"
There was plenty wrong!
"That person may well be Orochimaru in disguise. Either way, he means us no good," Rasa said calmly, trying to figure out Orochimaru's intentions.
Scientific research didn't come out of nowhere. Orochimaru had probably already begun his forbidden experiments. Now that he'd learned of Hanzo's death, he might well have set his sights on Amegakure and decided to steal Rasa's opportunity.
After all, Rasa was eyeing Amegakure himself. They were kindred spirits.
Nagato was stunned. Orochimaru, the Cold Lord, was as renowned as sensei Jiraiya. Good grief!
Ten years had passed. Sensei Jiraiya should have reached Kage Level by now, and Nagato knew that Orochimaru was