In the Thicket outside the village.
The Kusagakure jonin assigned to receive them watched the two figures ahead of him warily, his palms faintly damp with sweat.
It would have been a lie to say he was not nervous in the presence of a legendary ninja, especially when Orochimaru had once fought the Five Kage without falling behind.
For the vast majority of ninja in the shinobi world, the Five Kage who stood at the pinnacle of their shinobi villages were the strongest people alive.
Swallowing, the Kusagakure jonin shifted his gaze from Orochimaru to the boy half a step behind him. The boy had white hair and green eyes, and radiated an air that warned strangers to keep their distance.
Recovering from his nerves, the Kusagakure jonin hurriedly said, "Lord Orochimaru, the elders have requested your presence. Please follow me."
The Kusagakure jonin knew nothing of the village's secrets. He had merely received orders from the higher-ups.
Orochimaru nodded. His serpentine eyes lingered on the jonin for a long while before finally shifting away, and he followed the Kusagakure jonin.
As Orochimaru moved, Kimimaro followed beside him and asked, "Lord Orochimaru, has his body caught your interest? Please allow me to capture him."
Orochimaru shook his head gently. His Living Corpse Reincarnation required a three-year cooldown, and only a year had passed. Besides, he had already obtained the perfect vessel: Kimimaro, with his Shikotsumyaku.
There was another reason he had been staring at the Kusagakure jonin.
Recently, Kusagakure's higher-ups had secretly contacted the Akatsuki through the Black Market, proposing a partnership to unseal the treasure that had once allowed Kusagakure to dominate the continent: the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
Their leader, Pain, had little interest in Kusagakure's box. Orochimaru had volunteered to come here and discover its true nature.