The Plan-Feasible?

Orochimaru added with a smile, "Oh, right. This assimilation ability can't be applied to the 'main body' of enemy White Zetsu~."

All White Zetsu had been transformed from humans by the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Rather than calling it the main body, a more fitting definition would probably be the 'primary consciousness.' Orochimaru used a 'network' to define White Zetsu's intelligence-sharing system, so the main body would be the 'terminal.'

Well... that sort of thing was unimportant~.

The White Zetsu that called itself the main body was none other than the one with enormous barbs growing from its crotch. It shared a body with Black Zetsu, so they obviously couldn't mess with it—at least not for now... Otherwise, they would be asking for trouble!

The only question was... would assimilation work on the Whirlpool Zetsu, Tobi? If it did, Nagato really wanted to peel it off Obito.

He really liked Tobi—so much that he wanted to run together with it beneath Amegakure's skies!

Liking it was one thing, but before Orochimaru developed this 'White Zetsu Assimilation,' he had never considered targeting Tobi... After all, it was inextricably linked to Obito.

But now... his fixation on Tobi was like the urge to relieve himself that accompanied three meals a day—once it started, it was impossible to contain.

"Now that the technical issues have been resolved, we should discuss how to complete the most crucial step of the plan."

As Nagato spoke, he cast a somewhat wary sidelong glance at Konan.

Konan had not been present for his private discussion with Orochimaru at the Heaven-Earth Bridge.

Afterward, he had roughly explained to Konan what he intended to do.

But there were still some core matters Konan did not know.

For example, Nagato's Rinnegan had been secretly implanted in him by Madara when he was a child.

For example, the man who called himself 'Madara' was actually Uchiha Obito.

There was simply too much information to process. Even if Konan accepted the truth, it would still raise the question of how Nagato could have known all this.

Nagato could not exactly make up something like 'Ayakashi' in front of Konan.

Unexpectedly, Konan stood and said, "Nagato, this room feels a little stuffy. I'd like to go outside and walk around."

Nagato froze for a moment. "Ah... go ahead, then!"

Konan's gaze shifted slightly toward Orochimaru. "Orochimaru, there isn't anything in this base of yours that shouldn't be seen, is there?"

"Well." Orochimaru rested his cheek against one hand, smiling. "Do test subjects count?"

Konan glanced at him. "You mean human experimentation?"

"Oh my~ It seems your teacher, Jiraiya, told you quite a lot about me. Heh heh, Konan, was it? May I offer you a sincere compliment?"

"What?"

Orochimaru ran a hand through his hair and said sincerely, "That little girl from back then has truly grown into a great beauty~."

"Thank you." Konan replied coldly, then walked out of the room.

Orochimaru shrugged helplessly. "It seems she still holds a grudge against me over what happened back then."

With Konan gone, Nagato changed into a rather arrogant sitting posture, propping his cheek on one hand. "You can't blame Konan for that, Orochimaru. You tried to take the lives of all of us the moment you arrived. Even if your intentions came from compassion for the world, to children barely surviving in a chaotic era, you were nothing but a downright villain~."

Orochimaru smiled. "Nagato-kun, I'm so moved that you can evaluate me so objectively~."

Listening to the two of them banter back and forth, Kabuto was utterly bewildered again.

So... Lord Orochimaru and Lord Nagato had known each other from long ago? And they were actually Lord Jiraiya's disciples?

Nagato turned serious. "All right, back to the point... The Second Body Plan still lacks two major elements: the cells of the Hashirama Artificial Body on the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, and the final sample of Uchiha blood!"

Orochimaru straightened his posture, his tone becoming solemn as well. "Then, Nagato-kun, can you finally reveal the sample you have chosen for the fifth eye?"

Nagato bluntly revealed the answer. "Uchiha Obito. Mangekyō Sharingan—Kamui. That is the very pinnacle a Mangekyō can reach. Anyone pursuing the Sharingan's supreme ocular power has no reason to exclude those eyes..."

Of course... in this vast shinobi world, there was another pair of eyes that had been sealed away for a hundred years.

Uchiha Hikari, the Uchiha girl who had been jointly sealed by the Senju Clan and Sarutobi Clan during the age of war because her power was too great. Her ocular power... Yachihoko. Those eyes possessed an equally dreamlike ability.

But Hikari was an orphan who had endured a tragic life, one far too similar to his own experience in the real world.

Setting aside her strength, emotionally, he did not want to take Hikari's eyes from her.

I may not necessarily need to obtain Yachihoko's ocular power myself. One day, I'll lift Hikari's seal and persuade her to become my companion. Perhaps that would be no worse than wielding that ocular power myself.

Heh, perhaps the Mangekyō Sharingan my Second Body awakens in the future won't be inferior to Yachihoko either?

Orochimaru smiled. "As expected, Obito."

Nagato said, "As for the Hashirama Artificial Body's cells, our two White Zetsu—Number 0 and Number 1—will sneak back into Obito's lair and act when the opportunity arises."

One White Zetsu spoke up. "Lord Nagato, may I ask who is Number 0 and who is Number 1?"

The other chimed in as well. "Yeah, exactly how are 0 and 1 distinguished?"

Nagato stared at the two of them in confusion. "Um, you two... which one was which again?"

The one on the left raised his hand. "I'm the one Lord Nagato mercilessly ripped apart with the Human Path!"

The one on the right raised his hand. "I'm the one Orochimaru dragged in with snakes!"

Nagato was at a loss. "Uh, you two, I'm really sorry for treating you so roughly before!"

The two Zetsu struck poses in different styles.

"It's fine. Thanks to that... we became anomalies among White Zetsu!"

"That's why we need to distinguish between 1 and 0~!"

Nagato looked at the White Zetsu on the left. "Since you can assimilate, you'll be Number 0."

The White Zetsu on the right immediately became dejected. "Uh... I can't assimilate. Does that mean I'm unworthy?"

Nagato comforted him. "No, no, 0 and 1 are only for convenience. Besides, in biology, 0 represents 'female,' while 1 represents 'male.' When you have more companions in the future, you'll play the role of the father!"

"Oh~~ I'm the father, and the later individuals will all be my sons, right??"

"That's right!"

Number 1 happily jumped up. "Lord Nagato, I'm willing to acknowledge you as my father~!"

"Uh... there's no need for that." Nagato thought, Konan and I haven't even had children yet. How could I acknowledge you as my son?

Returning to the main subject once more.

Nagato said solemnly, "Then the biggest problem is here: how are we going to obtain Uchiha Obito's blood?"