In an abandoned corner of Konoha.
Orochimaru slithered out of the shadows like a white snake. After carefully surveying his surroundings, he finally nodded and spoke in a low, raspy voice:
"This is it. This place was once the Uzumaki Clan's Mask Hall. The Shinigami Mask should be hidden here."
With that, Orochimaru spoke toward a patch of shadow beside him:
"Guren, you're here too."
As soon as Orochimaru finished speaking, Guren emerged from the shadows, dressed in red. She approached him and said respectfully:
"Lord Orochimaru, I hurried over as soon as I received your message."
Orochimaru nodded in satisfaction at her words, then asked:
"How did the task I gave you go?"
Before coming here, Orochimaru had assigned Guren a task.
At his question, Guren hurriedly replied:
"My lord, I don't know when my identity was exposed, but I'm now on the Konoha Wanted List.
"So even with my abilities, I can no longer easily meet Shin Uchiha or the Fifth Hokage.
"However, I did pass the information about Madara Uchiha to Konoha through one of its Jōnin. I believe the Fifth Hokage should have received it by now."
Orochimaru nodded in satisfaction at her words.
"That's good enough. You're my subordinate, after all, and I still have plenty of uses for you. It would be such a waste to lose you in Konoha."
Guren had been a little apprehensive, but Orochimaru's words immediately filled her with excitement. She said gratefully:
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."
Orochimaru was pleased with Guren's reaction as well. After reassuring her, he looked up at the Mask Hall before him again and continued:
"All right, come inside with me and take a look. I have a feeling that what I'm looking for is hidden here."
Naturally, Guren would not disobey Orochimaru, and she respectfully