Seeing that Orochimaru had finally caught on, Shin Uchiha nodded approvingly. Without beating around the bush, he said:
"Orochimaru, I do have some understanding of your goals.
"In fact, compared to the Uchiha Clan, the Ōtsutsuki Clan would suit you much better.
"And the reason I came to you is that I'm interested in the Ōtsutsuki Clan as well. I want to join forces with you and uncover their secrets."
Yet after hearing Shin Uchiha's words, Orochimaru showed little sign of being tempted. He flicked out his tongue to lick his lips, then said thoughtfully:
"Shin, you're now one of the strongest people in the Shinobi World. Please don't joke with me."
At that point, Orochimaru glanced at Guren beside him before continuing:
"It's not that I'm uninterested in the Ōtsutsuki Clan. We don't even know whether they actually exist.
"Even the legendary Sage of Six Paths lived a thousand years ago.
"If the Ōtsutsuki Clan really existed, with their powerful bloodline, how could they have produced only one Sage of Six Paths in all those thousand years?
"You should know that time is the cruelest thing of all.
"I think that even if the Ōtsutsuki Clan existed a thousand years ago, they would have vanished over the course of those thousand years."
Shin Uchiha was not surprised by Orochimaru's words.
After all, even with his breadth of knowledge, Orochimaru could not comprehend the Ōtsutsuki Clan, who roamed unchecked across the universe. Just as a summer insect could not understand ice, how could a mayfly born at dawn and dead by dusk understand how humans lived?
At that thought, Shin Uchiha shook his head slightly, gave Orochimaru a meaningful look, and drawled:
"What if I told you that even the most ordinary member of the Ōtsutsuki Clan had a lifespan