Only after Sasori revealed his identity and intimidated Kabuto Yakushi did Zou Hyuga gradually withdraw his prying gaze.
Beyond his identity as a genin spying within Konohagakure, Zou remembered Kabuto more as Sage Kabuto, the practitioner of Ryūchi Cave Senjutsu.
The former was Orochimaru's assistant, an elite jonin well versed in medical ninjutsu.
The latter was the mastermind who had used the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu and sparked the Fourth Shinobi World War. Not only had the past Kage he summoned caused enormous trouble for the Allied Shinobi Forces, but his own strength had reached extraordinary heights.
With the cells of Hawk Squad integrated into his body, Kabuto had fought the Uchiha brothers single-handedly. His strength had unquestionably surpassed the Five Kage of that period, reaching the threshold of the super Kage level.
Of course, the current Kabuto was merely an ordinary jonin, with nothing particularly outstanding about him.
But Kabuto's research abilities were beyond question. Becoming Orochimaru's assistant was itself proof of his talent, and his achievements bore that out.
Zou Hyuga had always appreciated ninja with a talent for research.
Even Sasori, who had destroyed small countries' shinobi villages, had been captured and granted the "privilege" of working twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, contributing his modest share to the shinobi world's future development.
So what chance did a mere spy like Kabuto stand? A ninja questioning his purpose in life needed a good dose of Izanami to set him straight. Danzo still had plenty of Sharingan on hand, anyway.
After remotely instructing Sasori to place a new cursed seal on Kabuto, Zou Hyuga headed toward the laboratory.
While dealing with Kabuto Yakushi, who had stumbled into the underground palace, Zou Hyuga had not forgotten his ultimate objective. Danzo was the reason he had gone to