As they spoke, Orochimaru had already pushed open the Isolation Room's door, looking positively radiant.
"Are you ready?"
Ignoring Hashirama, who was looking around, and even Danzo, who was sitting there, he stared straight at Nagato, who was beginning to grow uneasy.
Konan had already started tugging at her sleeve. She looked at Orochimaru pleadingly and asked in a small voice:
"Lord Orochimaru, is there really no risk?"
Orochimaru waved a hand.
"Of course there is, but for Konoha as it stands now... no, for the empire as it stands now..."
"As long as the Rinnegan isn't damaged, it doesn't matter even if Nagato dies."
Konan froze.
That did seem true...
"Hey!"
"Orochimaru, I'm warning you, Rinne Rebirth isn't something you can abuse!"
"According to our intelligence, the Sage of Six Paths isn't entirely dead!"
Danzo interrupted Orochimaru, righteous and stern. After becoming the empire's Head of State, he seemed to have grown even softer.
Orochimaru sensed it too. Smiling, he looked at Danzo and said:
"But he hasn't stepped in to stop us so far... has he?"
The twisted smile on Orochimaru's face made Danzo wonder whether the brat was deliberately trying to lure out Hagoromo Otsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths...
"Then... shall we start with a hundred resurrection slots?" Danzo rubbed his chin and suggested tentatively.
Orochimaru nearly threw his back out at that.
A hundred?
I think you're the one trying to lure out Hagoromo Otsutsuki!
Just how short-handed was the empire?
"Is that too many?"
"Hundreds of millions have died in the Shinobi World. Would a mere hundred really draw his attention?"
Seeing Orochimaru's reaction, Danzo frowned and began to think.
"Danzo, could it be possible that..."
"The Pocket Dimension called the 'Pure Land' only retains souls whose chakra meets a certain threshold?"
"Never mind..."