Orochimaru's Fusion

Kabuto took Deidara away to return to Konoha to complete Ren's mission.

After watching Kabuto disappear into the distance, Ren glanced at Orochimaru beside him, then turned his gaze to a grove of trees and said.

"Now that you're here, stop hiding!"

As Ren finished speaking, a familiar figure emerged from behind a thick tree trunk.

Another Orochimaru.

Ren's gaze fell on Orochimaru, who had just emerged from behind the tree, his eyes narrowed and his smile radiantly bright.

"Ren- kun, long time no see. Is there something wrong?"

Still wearing the Konoha researcher's uniform, and with a face that looked like it had undergone plastic surgery, even his true essence gave off a friendly and warm feeling.

However, Ren still sensed something was off, and his eyes narrowed somewhat deliberately!

Big-eyed cuties, squinty-eyed weirdos – that's an ironclad rule.

After a long while, Ren finally asked in return.

"Has your Kotoamatsukami been dispelled?"

Upon hearing this, Orochimaru's expression changed, a sinister look appearing on his face, and even the aura emanating from his true energy turned icy.

"That technique is called Kotoamatsukami? What an apt name! That's right, Kotoamatsukami no longer affects me!"

After saying that, Orochimaru stuck out his tongue and licked it, then continued to ask.

"Ren- kun, I didn't expect you to see through me so quickly. Can you tell me where I gave myself away?"

Just as Orochimaru was surprised by his own exposure, Ren was equally astonished.

However, seeing another Orochimaru standing next to him, he felt relieved.

Then, looking at Orochimaru opposite him, Ren inwardly scoffed at his question.

You can put on an act in front of others, but why are you doing it in front of me?

Even your teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was no match for me!

"Isn't it obvious, Orochimaru? Everything about you is laid bare before these eyes!"

Hearing this obviously perfunctory answer, and looking into Ren's dark eyes, Orochimaru almost lost his composure.

Ren- kun, are you no longer even bothering to pretend?

At least, say that after you've awakened your Sharingan!

That would be somewhat convincing, and maybe I'd believe it.

"I see!"

Orochimaru looked like he suddenly understood, and then asked again.

"Ren- kun, you won't ask your people to turn me back into the way I was before, will you?"

Ren shook his head at Orochimaru's question.

"No, we'll see how things go after you've completed the rest!"

Upon hearing this, not only Orochimaru on the opposite side, but also Orochimaru next to Ren.

Seeing this, Ren smiled broadly.

"Just kidding. I have something else to attend to, so I'll be going now. Orochimaru, since your true form has come looking for you, let's part ways here."

After speaking to Orochimaru beside him, Ren vanished into the dense forest in a flash.

The two Orochimaru stood silently for a long time.

About ten minutes later, the two spoke almost simultaneously.

"Do you think Ren- kun is joking?" ×2

The two locked eyes, and then a chill ran down their spines.

However, fusion and completion are imperative, otherwise Orochimaru's future will be completely cut off.

With a mix of trepidation and excitement, Orochimaru began the fusion process.

The process was simple and brutal: Orochimaru's soul, which was controlling the young Toneri, floated out of his body and flew towards his true form.

Then it was swallowed whole by the main body.

The clone who followed Ren to the future also understood that the Ōtsutsuki Clan's body was not a good thing, and even though it could control the Giant Tenseigan, it still decisively abandoned it.

After the clone's soul merged with his, Orochimaru took out a bento box from his ninja tool pouch and opened it, revealing three rice balls neatly arranged inside.

After opening his mouth wide and swallowing the three rice balls in one gulp, Orochimaru's aura began to increase rapidly.

In the year that Orochimaru spent, he did more than just collect the fragments of the soul from back then; the rice he had created a thousand years ago based on the God Tree had already been replicated in the Shinobi World.

Not only is it no slower than the other side, but judging from the results, it has also been improved.

After completely merging with his clone, Orochimaru looked up at the sky.

All we need to do is recover the fragments of soul from the Cursed Seal on Haku and Konoha, the disciples from Anko.

He, Orochimaru, will become whole again!

It was Ren's words before he left that made Orochimaru hesitate at this moment.

Should we really proceed with the final two steps, leaving absolutely no room for maneuver?

Just like Rasa, who was always easily manipulated by Orochimaru.

Orochimaru did the same thing in front of Ren.

Throughout his many years in the industry, apart from the time he was Danzo and didn't make much money, everything has gone smoothly for him.

After all, Orochimaru at that time already had the idea of leaving Konoha, which he considered a prison.

Regarding his encounter with Danzo, Orochimaru felt it was a 50/50 split between him and Danzo—whether he was Danzo or went with the flow and completely severed his ties with Konoha.

It's true that he was seriously injured, but Orochimaru got what he wanted, and everything went as expected.

Only after meeting Ren did Orochimaru feel that everything had changed dramatically.

Orochimaru could not deny that his strength had increased dramatically, his vision had broadened considerably, and he had truly found the path he wanted to take in the future.

Upon closer examination, Orochimaru always had the illusion that he had been working for Ren all these years!

No, that's not right, it's not an illusion, Orochimaru added in his mind.

Just as Orochimaru was Rasa's calamity, Ren was also an inescapable calamity for Orochimaru.