"How was it? Tempted, Nagato?" Orochimaru asked with a lingering smile, waiting for Nagato's answer.
Nagato's pupils flickered faintly beneath his red hair.
What reason did he have not to be tempted?
"I..." Just as he was about to speak, Konan's hand gripped his sleeve.
Nagato understood the look in her eyes. She had something to say, but it was not convenient to say it here.
So he said calmly, "Orochimaru, excuse me for a moment."
Orochimaru smiled and lifted his teacup. "Mm, please, go ahead~."
They came to the corridor outside the laboratory base.
Konan leaned against the wall, her head slightly lowered. "Nagato, to be honest, I don't want you to accept this experiment."
Nagato had expected that. He asked calmly, "Mm, why?"
Konan said worriedly, "The risk is too high. Leaving aside whether what Orochimaru said about you being a descendant of the Senju Clan is even true..."
"That injection is going directly into your body. What if—I mean, what if..."
Her words paused. Her hands behind her waist clenched slightly as she said, "If he has ulterior motives and tampers with it somehow, there's simply no way to guard against it!"
Nagato said softly, "After these past few months together, you still don't trust him?"
Konan gently shook her head.
"These past few months, he and Yakushi Kabuto truly haven't done anything out of line. In fact, we've gotten along quite pleasantly."
"But that still does not change the fact that Orochimaru has dangerous ambitions and ideas."
"Nagato, in the end, he is only helping with your Second Body Plan because you forced him to do so with your strength."
Nagato added, "Half because of strength, and half because of truth. He's a man who craves truth above all else."
Konan shook her head. "I don't