About half an hour later.
Once Juzo Biwa confirmed that he was completely beyond Orochimaru's sensory range, he immediately took a small Summoning Scroll from his ninja tool pouch.
He bit his finger, quickly wrote several lines of coded text on the scroll in blood, then formed hand seals and sent the scroll back to Kirigakure through summoning.
Only after doing all this did Juzo Biwa let out a long sigh of relief.
He had sent the information back.
The rest depended on how the Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumi arranged things, and how that Light of Konoha, Uchiha Minamoto, responded.
Next.
Juzo Biwa only needed to follow the original plan, meet up with Obito Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki, then head to Kirigakure to carry out the "Six-Tails Jinchuriki capture mission."
"Tsk... what a hassle..."
Juzo Biwa hoisted Kubikiribōchō onto his shoulder again and headed toward the designated rendezvous point.
Meanwhile.
Orochimaru was also traveling southwest toward the Land of Wind.
His pace was unhurried, without the slightest sense of urgency.
As far as Orochimaru was concerned.
Capturing Tailed Beasts and the like...
Held absolutely no interest for him.
By comparison.
Pain's [Rinnegan] and that enormous "Demonic Statue" capable of sealing Tailed Beast chakra interested Orochimaru far more.
"Just what power lies hidden within the Sage of Six Paths' eyes... Obito Uchiha, will he be my key to unlocking that power... the union of Senju and Uchiha..."
Just as Orochimaru sank into thought, his steps suddenly halted.
On the ground not far ahead of him.
A half-black, half-white figure emerged from deep within the earth.
"Zetsu."
Orochimaru stopped, his serpentine eyes fixed on this uninvited "companion."
"Has something changed with the One-Tail Jinchuriki?"
"No, the One-Tail Jinchuriki's situation is fairly stable."
Black Zetsu shook his head and briefly explained the