Uchiha Itachi met Orochimaru's scrutiny without a flicker of expression. His voice remained cold.
"I want you to transplant Hashirama Cells into me."
Orochimaru froze for a moment, then let out a sinister laugh.
"First the Cursed Seal, and now Hashirama Cells? Uchiha Itachi, do you have a death wish?"
"The child of Fate the Great Toad Sage spoke of is your younger brother, not you!"
Uchiha Itachi answered coldly.
"I know. But I have to risk my life!"
"It's the only way I might defeat Uchiha Yongye and save Konoha and the Shinobi World!"
Orochimaru's smile spread from the corners of his eyes to his mouth, then all the way to his ears. His tongue slipped out again and traced the edge of his lips.
"Save Konoha? Hahaha! You really have gone mad!"
"But if you're determined to fight Uchiha Yongye to the death, that suits me perfectly."
"I can help you."
Itachi shifted slightly in midair, tilting half an inch from his upright posture toward the other end of the corridor.
"Let's leave first. Go to the rendezvous point we used last time."
Orochimaru said nothing more. He merely nodded.
His body slowly sank into the ground. The earth beneath his feet turned soft as mud and swallowed his entire figure.
Kimimaro followed close behind.
Ignored by everyone, Kabuto Yakushi narrowed his eyes, flickered, and vanished into the darkness.
Uchiha Itachi watched the spot where he had disappeared, his gaze unreadable.
A moment later, Uchiha Itachi's body began folding inward from the edges, breaking apart once more into a flock of tiny crows. They flew down the corridor toward the vent and soon melted into the darkness, vanishing completely.
When Uchiha Fugaku rushed through the front door, his wooden sandal struck the threshold with a sharp knock.