Will the Plan Work?

Orochimaru added with a smile, "Oh, right. This Assimilation ability can't be used on an enemy White Zetsu's 'main body,' you know~."

All White Zetsu had been transformed from humans by the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Rather than "main body," a more accurate term would have been "the primary consciousness." Orochimaru used "network" to define White Zetsu's intelligence-sharing system, so the main body was the "terminal."

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

The White Zetsu that called itself the main body was none other than the one with enormous barbs between its legs, sharing a body with Black Zetsu. Of course, they could not provoke it—not at this stage, at least... otherwise, they would be asking for trouble!

He just did not know... whether Assimilation would work on Uzumaki Clan Zetsu, "Tobi." If it did, Nagato really wanted to peel it off Obito.

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

Like it as he might, before Orochimaru developed this "White Zetsu Assimilation," he had never considered making a move on Tobi... after all, it had an inseparable connection with Obito.

But now... his longing for Tobi was like the urge to relieve himself that came with three daily meals—once it started, it could not be stopped.

"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 glance at Konan from the corner of his eye.

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

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

But she still did not know some of the core issues.

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

For example, the man calling himself "Madara" was actually Uchiha Obito.

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

Nagato could not exactly bring up "Ayakashi" in front of Konan.

Unexpectedly, Konan stood up and said, "Nagato, this room is rather stuffy. I'd like to go outside and take a walk."

Nagato froze for a moment. "Ah... go ahead."

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

"Well now." Orochimaru rested his cheek on one hand, smiling. "Would experimental subjects count?"

"You mean human experimentation?" Konan asked, glancing at him.

"Oh my~ It seems your teacher, Jiraiya, told you many things about me. Heh heh, Konan, was it? May I sincerely praise you?"

"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 gave him a cold reply before leaving the room.

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

With Konan gone, Nagato shifted into a more arrogant posture, propping his cheek up with one hand. "You can't blame Konan for that, Orochimaru. The first thing you did was try to take our lives. Although your motives may have been compassionate, in the eyes of children struggling to survive in a chaotic world, you were just a complete villain~."

Orochimaru smiled. "Nagato-kun, I'm so touched that you can give me such an objective evaluation~."

Listening to the two of them trade remarks, Kabuto beside them was left utterly bewildered again.

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

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

Orochimaru straightened in his seat, his tone turning solemn. "Then, Nagato-kun, can you finally reveal the sample you favor for the fifth eye?"

Nagato revealed the answer without hesitation. "Uchiha Obito. Mangekyō Sharingan, Kamui. That was the ultimate level the Mangekyō could attain. Anyone pursuing the Sharingan's highest ocular power would have 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 whom the Senju Clan and Sarutobi Clan had jointly sealed during the war-torn era because her power was too great. Her ocular power... "Yachihoko." Those eyes possessed an equally dreamlike ability.

But Hikari was an orphan with a tragic past, far too similar to his own experiences in the real world.

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

I may not need to obtain Yachihoko's ocular power myself. One day, I'll lift Hikari's seal and win her over as my companion. Perhaps that won't be any 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 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 which one is Number 0 and which one is Number 1?"

The other chimed in, "Yeah, how exactly are 0 and 1 supposed to be distinguished?"

Nagato stared at them blankly. "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 increasingly elaborate ways.

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

"That's why 1 and 0 need to be distinguished~!"

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

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

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

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

"That's right!"

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

"Uh... that won't be necessary." Konan and I haven't even had children yet. How could I take you as my son?

Back to business once more.

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