Jizo Temple, Land of Rice.
Nagato sat on the stone steps, looking at Kabuto's missing left arm beside him. "Kabuto, with your medical ninjutsu, if you had brought the severed hand back, you would have been able to reattach it yourself, wouldn't you?"
Kabuto adjusted his glasses and nodded. "Yes, Lord Nagato, but the circumstances at the time did not allow me to do so."
Nagato extended his hand and gripped Kabuto's left shoulder.
"My lord..." Kabuto looked hesitant and uneasy.
"Don't move."
As Nagato spoke, his eyes narrowed slightly.
—Asura Path!
Crack!
At Kabuto's severed arm, a brand-new hand instantly appeared.
"Th-this is..." Kabuto was immediately dumbfounded, while Orochimaru also revealed a subtle expression.
Nagato removed his hand from Kabuto's shoulder. "This is a mechanical prosthetic arm I made for you with the Asura Path."
Crack! Crack! Kabuto moved the mechanical prosthetic arm, marveling, "Even the nerves are connected? The power of the Rinnegan is truly incredible."
Nagato smiled. "Well. Since it isn't flesh and blood, it definitely won't be as convenient as your own hand at first. But I believe you'll adapt to it soon enough."
Kabuto's expression became complicated for a moment.
He knew very well that the person Nagato needed most was Orochimaru. Yet Nagato had shown concern and gentleness toward him—a relatively limited-use assistant to Orochimaru—that he had not even shown Orochimaru himself.
It moved him, but also left him lost and at a loss.
What exactly does Lord Nagato want from me? My two-faced skills as a spy, or my excellent but not top-tier medical ninjutsu?
Kabuto truly could not figure it out.
At that moment, Nagato turned his gaze toward Orochimaru and said seriously, "Next, that man will certainly search the entire world for your whereabouts. You can no longer stay at the