A New Snake In The Shinobi World

Kushina shared a unique bond with Orochimaru, and as a result, he took her with him wherever he went.

Because the two of them had a mutual understanding, it was only natural for Kushina to follow him without question.

However, anyone with even basic knowledge knows how crucial the first three months of pregnancy are. Any negligence could affect the fetus.

Yet Kushina, either due to her confidence in her physical resilience or her lack of attention to such matters, didn't take this seriously.

After hearing Orochimaru's words, Kushina turned around, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Of course I know. But to…"

"You don't need to go that far." Orochimaru smiled, lifting her chin. "You can do as you please with other things, but not this. Not until the baby is born."

"Well, I understand."

"Good. Now, go take a shower. We're leaving this place tomorrow morning."

Kushina hesitated, as though she wanted to say something, but ultimately kept silent. She climbed off Orochimaru, straightened her clothes, and walked toward the bathroom.

Seeing her hesitation, Orochimaru was momentarily concerned. However, he didn't dwell on it.

After all, she had been thoroughly shaped by him—physically and mentally. She was even carrying his child. She wouldn't do anything that would harm her own interests.

Satisfied with this reasoning, Orochimaru shifted his attention back to the progress he had made during this time.

By replacing the daimyo of a country, he could openly walk into their mansions without raising any suspicion.

He was already in the Land of Grass, his third target.

After examining the memories of so many daimyos, Orochimaru couldn't help but marvel at the disparity in their authority.

Not all daimyos held actual power. For those who didn't, Orochimaru had to stay longer to suppress rebellions, eliminate dissent, and consolidate power.

Although troublesome, Orochimaru's immense strength made these tasks simple. He could complete them without drawing any attention.

---

While Orochimaru moved forward with his plans, Jiraiya started a journey to find the "Child of Prophecy" again.

But could the Child of Prophecy still be found?

Jiraiya didn't know.

Regardless, he felt this was his duty—a mission he had to fulfill.

---

Meanwhile, in Konoha, Tsunade, as Hokage, received a special letter.

After reading its contents, she was utterly shocked.

"Mikoto! Mikoto!" Tsunade called out urgently.

Click!

Uchiha Mikoto quickly entered the office.

"What is it, Tsunade-sama?"

"I can't leave right now. You'll need to go to the Land of Rivers to intercept Orochimaru on my behalf. This is a top-secret mission. Remember, you must stop him!" ɌÀΝO͍BЕṩ

Tsunade leaned in, giving Mikoto detailed instructions.

After listening, Mikoto was stunned.

"Me? I'm supposed to go alone?"

"Yes. This is a confidential mission. With your current strength, there shouldn't be any issues, right?"

"It's not about my strength, Tsunade-sama…" Mikoto hesitated, her tone uneasy. "It's just… in front of Lord Orochimaru, I can't even find my voice…"

"There's no other choice. Treat it as an assignment and get it done!"

"…Understood!"

---

At the same time, in the Sound Ninja Village, within a heavily guarded secret laboratory—

Numerous clones patrolled the area, their vigilance unmatched.

In a dim corner of the lab, the air suddenly rippled.

Buzz!

A black-cloaked figure wearing a spiraling mask materialized from the distorted space.

Uchiha Obito scanned the rows of experimental pods before him, his expression one of astonishment.

"What… are these?"

The lab was filled with human clones, incomplete humanoid forms, and advanced technology that defied belief.

"If an intruder is detected, kill them!"

A cold, mechanical voice suddenly echoed through the lab.

Whoosh!

Countless eyes turned toward Obito's location.

Swish!

The closest clone immediately lunged at him, attacking without hesitation.

But Obito's Kamui ability rendered him intangible.

The moment the clone's strike passed through his body harmlessly, Obito smirked.

"You're quite sharp to detect my presence so quickly."

Before he could dwell on it, three more clones appeared behind him, kunai in hand, striking in perfect coordination.

Once again, Obito phased out of their reach with ease.

"This is troublesome. Forget it—I'll return another time."

Uninterested in wasting his energy, Obito quickly activated Kamui, sinking into the ground.

The clones scoured the area, searching for the intruder, but Obito was already miles away.

Waiting for him there was Zetsu, who emerged from the earth like a shadow.

"What's wrong, Obito?" Zetsu asked.

"The plan has changed," Obito replied coldly.

"What happened?"

"There's a lab inside… it should belong to Orochimaru."

Obito recounted everything he had seen.

Zetsu was silent for a moment before responding.

They had been observing the Sound Ninja Village for quite some time, even before Orochimaru's return.

Their original plan was to contact Nagato first and then create opportunities to provoke conflict.

If Yahiko could be killed during this chaos, Nagato would inevitably fall into their hands.

However, they had underestimated the strength of the Sound Ninja Village under Orochimaru's control.

Even with their unique abilities, Obito and Zetsu couldn't orchestrate a scenario where Yahiko's death would remain undetected, nor could they incite Nagato without suspicion.

The Daimyo of the Land of Sound? He lacked both the strength and the courage of someone like Hanzō of the Salamander. He wouldn't dare to challenge the Sound Ninja Village, let alone orchestrate covert operations against it.

The Land of Frost? It didn't even have a ninja village capable of resisting Orochimaru.

The Land of Taki? Orochimaru had already taken their tailed beast, leaving them unable to protect themselves.

The Land of Wind? Terrified of Orochimaru, they wouldn't dare raise a hand.

The Land of Lightning? Perhaps there was potential there, but with the death of the Third Raikage, their power had diminished significantly.

Provoking a conflict between them and the Sound Ninja Village would require time and careful manipulation.

As for Obito?

While he did possess the ability to assassinate Yahiko, he couldn't guarantee that Nagato wouldn't suspect him. Yahiko's death within the heavily fortified Sound Ninja Village would raise questions. If Nagato doubted them, the entire plan would collapse.

Thus, they decided to shift their focus elsewhere and that led them to Orochimaru's lab.@@novelbin@@

"Wait… are you saying there are people similar to me inside?" Zetsu asked.

"Yes. Not only are they mass-produced, but their combat abilities seem to surpass yours."

***

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