No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't come up with any good solution.
Should he just go straight to Obito and make a move?
That wasn't impossible. Their one-year agreement depended on the circumstances; it wasn't absolute.
If he didn't want to completely fall out with him, he could act a little more innocent... challenge him in the name of sparring. As long as he injured Obito during the fight, he would have a chance to obtain his blood.
The question was, how would he wrap things up afterward?
Someone who had solemnly declared not long ago that whatever he did or wherever he went within the next year had nothing to do with him suddenly wanted to spar with him.
What excuse could he give?
That he had failed to destroy Konoha that night and wanted to confirm his own shortcomings by fighting him?
That would be treating Obito like a complete idiot.
Not only would it become impossible to smooth things over in the end... he would also expose the cards he currently held.
Unless it was absolutely necessary, it would be best to resolve this without the two kings meeting.
Uchiha Obito had been injured and bled before. There was one occasion in particular... he just didn't know whether it would work.
After a long while, Nagato finally raised his head from his thoughts and asked, "Orochimaru, if blood has been clotted for a long time, can effective genetic material still be extracted from it?"
Orochimaru raised a hand and lightly supported his chin. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Nagato, I can only say that genetic material is far less fragile than you imagine."
"What is it? Did Obito leave behind a similar blood sample somewhere?"
"Yes. During the battle at Kannabi Bridge, Obito had half his body crushed by a giant boulder. There might be a large amount of residual blood on that rock. But that happened at least a year ago, so I don't know whether rain and such have affected it."
"Or perhaps Obito has already cleaned up that rock."
"Nope~" White Zetsu No. 0 spoke up then. "Obito never went back to Kannabi Bridge specifically to deal with that rock. Besides, it was buried beneath a pile of rubble. Unless someone knew him inside out and had nothing better to do, who would think to target that rock~?"
"Exactly, exactly~!" No. 1 chimed in. "Besides... Obito has always presented himself as Madara. He never imagined that anyone would learn his true identity~"
Orochimaru smiled and urged them on. "In other words, this is where you two can be useful, yes~?"
"NO, NO, NO~" No. 0 said, waving his hand. "Kannabi Bridge is already very close to the main base. Otherwise, that kid Obito wouldn't have fallen into Madara's nest back then~"
No. 1 said, "That place is full of my fellow kind on the enemy side. Even if you've done something to No. 0 and me, and they can't detect that we've switched sides, any strange behavior in front of them would still arouse suspicion~!"
"By then, Obito won't even need to act. Our fellow kind will swarm us and tear us to pieces~!"
"That's right. Even though we're of the same kind, they never hold back when necessary. We White Zetsu are disposable pawns like that~!"
Nagato said, "Then it truly wouldn't be appropriate to have you handle this. Focus on returning to the main base and find a way to obtain the Hashirama Artificial Body Cells on the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path~!"
No. 0 gave a thumbs-up. "We have Hashirama Cells in our bodies too~ They're pretty low-quality, but if Lord Nagato doesn't mind, you can use mine~"
Of course I mind. Otherwise, would I need to go through all this trouble and pull these tricks?
But Nagato replied with high emotional intelligence, "Sigh, you are both important subordinates of mine~ How could I let you injure yourselves?"
No. 0 immediately burst into tears. "Sob, sob, sob... Lord Nagato, you're far too kind!"
No. 1 immediately declared, "Even if I'm shattered to pieces, I'll remove the entire Hashirama Artificial Body from the Demonic Statue and carry it before you!"
Nagato turned his gaze toward Orochimaru... technical matters still needed his judgment. Whether it was necessary to remove the entire thing depended on his opinion.
After considering it, Orochimaru said, "A small amount will suffice. The most important thing about cells is not quantity, but purity. As long as I have a small number of high-purity cells, I can culture and proliferate them."
"Besides... I don't believe you would survive long enough to return before Nagato and me after removing the entire Hashirama Artificial Body. Doing so would also be for your own protection, wouldn't it?"
Only a small amount would do... Then the difficulty of the main-base mission did not seem quite so unimaginably high.
Nagato said, "No. 0, No. 1, though the mission is important, you must both stay alive. Understood?"
He thought, Especially you, No. 0... Your assimilation ability will carry crucial strategic significance in the future.
"Lord Nagato... we guarantee that we'll complete the mission!!"
After saluting, No. 0 and No. 1 both sank into the ground.
Once the two chattering troublemakers had left, the room became quiet again.
Nagato, Orochimaru, and Yakushi Kabuto were all deep in thought.
In the end, Orochimaru broke the silence.
"Nagato, what are you planning to do about Kannabi Bridge?"
"Konan and I absolutely cannot appear there, much less dig up that rock." Nagato spoke in a low voice, utterly resolute.
That would be equivalent to... tearing off Obito's bloody mask from afar and viciously trampling his face.
"..." Orochimaru's slit pupils lowered as well. Just as he considered how to speak—
"Let me go." Yakushi Kabuto, who had remained silent ever since they entered the core issue, finally spoke.
Nagato gazed deeply at Kabuto. "Kabuto, don't volunteer so casually. Do you know what you will be facing?"
Kabuto pushed his glasses up with a finger and said in the calm voice of a young man, "I do. Once I enter the White Zetsu's field of vision, that man will instantly appear before me with his ocular technique called Kamui, won't he? And then my life will..."
Nagato said without evasion, "Simply taking your life may be the lighter outcome. What if he uses the Sharingan to make you reveal information? Everything concerning me would be compromised."
This time, Kabuto met his gaze directly. "Lord Nagato, forgive my bluntness, but this is an objective risk that you must bear. I can only guarantee that I will do everything in my power to end my own life before he extracts information from me!"
Hearing Kabuto's answer, Nagato smiled. He smiled from the bottom of his heart. "You cannot die, Kabuto. Have you forgotten what I entrusted to you?"
"Huh?" Yakushi Kabuto froze for a moment. In his mind, he recalled Nagato's request that day—"This is also my other objective: to make these Rinnegan, which do not truly belong to me, become genuinely mine—belonging to this body called Nagato!"
So he had actually been serious? Nagato... someone even Lord Orochimaru was eager to pursue... truly trusted me this much, enough to entrust such an important mission to me...
It turned out... Kabuto had never taken those words seriously before!
That truly left him... overwhelmed by the favor.
After careful consideration, Nagato said, "Orochimaru, if Kabuto is truly going, then follow what I say next and give him an insurance policy..."
Before you continue