Orochimaru no longer paid any attention to the enormous crater. Instead, he turned toward the direction the bamboo skewer had come from and spoke in a low voice, his expression dark and grim:
"Shin... Uchiha..."
Although Orochimaru had been avoiding Shin Uchiha, he had long since gathered information on his appearance. The moment he saw that imposing figure nearby, he recognized him.
Nawaki naturally noticed Shin Uchiha's arrival as well. His face lit up, and he hurried toward him, calling out:
"Brother-in-law, you're here!"
Shin Uchiha merely gave Nawaki a slight nod. His eyes remained fixed on Orochimaru nearby as he said:
"Mr. Orochimaru, once one of the Konoha Sannin. I've been looking for you for a long time, but for some reason, whenever I located one of your bases, you always happened to be away. It's a shame that I've only now had the chance to meet you."
Orochimaru had already felt uneasy at the sight of Shin Uchiha. Those words made his heart tighten, and his expression grew even uglier. He replied in a low, raspy voice:
"Shin, you control both all of Konoha and the Uchiha Clan, the foremost clan in the Shinobi World. Who knows how many experts serve under you? Why bother looking for a failure like me who fled Konoha?"
Shin Uchiha narrowed his eyes at Orochimaru's words. He detected another meaning beneath them.
After a moment's consideration, however, Shin Uchiha shook his head and said with a smile:
"Don't sell yourself short, Mr. Orochimaru. In my eyes, no one can surpass your value. You're worth as much as any Ninja Village."
Orochimaru paused briefly at Shin Uchiha's words, then asked with interest:
"What are you suggesting, Shin?"
Shin Uchiha's expression turned sincere, and he spoke to Orochimaru with utmost seriousness:
"I would like