Trapped where he stood, Orochimaru could not move and had to endure the full display of affection.
He grumbled inwardly: Anyo really is something. When I came to Kirigakure, I only dared to trick a few Kekkei Genkai ninja who were being hunted. In Kumogakure, I went through countless hardships just to obtain some Eight-Tails cells. Yet he only had to ask to get the Six-Tails' vessel, and he even hooked up with the Mizukage.
At that thought, Orochimaru gave a startled shudder. Only then did he realize that, among the Five Great Nations, both the Hokage and the Mizukage were Anyo's women, while the Kazekage was his brother. That left only the Tsuchikage and the Raikage. Once he dealt with those two, the entire shinobi world could be said to be under his control. Was it coincidence, or deliberate?
While he was pondering this, another figure appeared in the mental space. It was Anyo.
"Uncle, I probably won't be able to leave for a while. I'll have to leave the task of cultivating tailed beasts to you."
Orochimaru said in an unfriendly tone, "Get this straight. This is your plan. Besides, we haven't gathered all the tailed beasts yet, and we still have no clue where the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path is. Is one woman worth abandoning your plan for?"
Anyo replied calmly, "I'm not abandoning it, only postponing it. Cultivating tailed beast cells was going to take quite some time anyway. It won't make much difference."
Seeing that Anyo had made up his mind, Orochimaru considered for a moment before asking, "How long do you expect to stay here?"
Anyo replied, "I'll be leaving soon. The Akatsuki's work of collecting the tailed beasts is nearing its end. Everyone in the major villages will inevitably fear for