[Orochimaru's Laboratory]
Minato had already sent Hiruzen's body back ahead of time; it was now at the daimyo's city.
Rengoku wanted to confirm one thing, so he first had Orochimaru perform Edo Tensei on Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Edo Tensei!"
Orochimaru was already very familiar with this technique and casually used it.
They'd also recently captured a lot of scouts, plenty of sacrifices.
Paper talismans fluttered, and Sarutobi Hiruzen was resurrected as an Edo body.
But Orochimaru controlled Hiruzen and did not restore his consciousness.
"Danzo's Root organization was wiped out, wasn't it? Where did you find the Gozu Tenno plan?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen answered in a slow, wooden tone, "The main researcher of the Gozu Tenno plan, Shigaraki Tanuki, survived after leaving."
"He continued to preside over the Gozu Tenno plan."
Rengoku thought for a moment, "When did you complete the Gozu Tenno plan?"
"When we encountered the attack from Hiruko and the Sand Village."
Rengoku asked oddly, "Why was it completed when they attacked? Is there a connection?"
"Due to technical limits, the Gozu Tenno requires three thousand live sacrifices to be engraved on the body."
Rengoku raised an eyebrow, "So you deliberately lured other forces to attack your team?"
"The original plan was to wait for your Uchiha assault; Hiruko and the Sand were unexpected."
Rengoku really realized he had underestimated Hiruzen.
The reason he didn't rush the attack was purely because Nagato could just push them over directly.
He didn't need to send his Uchiha clan in at all.
Besides, Nagato also had a prearranged justification. Namely, the transfer of the Nine-Tails jinchuriki.
But those things aren't the point now; the key is that the otsutsuki clan appeared early.
Although in the original timeline Jigen hadn't recovered yet, this time he took two Sarutobi folk, Nue and the half-Nine-Tails with forty percent chakra.
That could lead to unpredictable danger later.
Black Zetsu also acted on Nagato; even Uchiha Madara's eyes, Black Zetsu could control, so they could not let Black Zetsu take back the Rinnegan.
"Orochimaru, from reference to past cases, how many people can Nagato resurrect at once?"
Orochimaru pondered for a moment, "Resurrecting others is one thing, but Kushina, probably not possible."
Rengoku naturally understood Orochimaru's meaning.
As an outstanding Uzumaki, Kushina's life force was enormous.
Nagato would be easily drained to death.
Rengoku thought briefly and opened his Bond Stars.
"I should have a way."
———
[The Black Market]
Information that Akatsuki had overwhelmed the Sarutobi clan was already posted on the black market.
Because the battle happened so quickly, Pain had unleashed Shinra Tensei in a very short time.
Most intelligence operatives' information lagged behind.
Or maybe they lacked courage.
Many people only saw that the Sarutobi clan had been flattened.
Then a giant summoning beast appeared.
Nagato's Chibaku Tensei pulled it up, and there was a huge explosion.
No one dared go online to check further.
But at least one thing was true: the Akatsuki leader possessed a secret technique capable of wiping out a village.
This level of power alarmed all the shinobi villages.
Such a terrifying secret technique, any target hit by it would be annihilated.
People in the black market mostly hid their appearances.
In a corner, Kakuzu was holding a report and reading.
Compared with other bounty hunters, Kakuzu had been in the black market longer and naturally knew which intel was more reliable.
He read and thought: it seems the organization and the Uchiha clan are deeply involved.
Even the alleged theft of the Nine-Tails jinchuriki by Hiruzen was a setup between Akatsuki and Rengoku.
Because Konan had already released a statement by now.
She claimed Hiruzen colluded with their traitor to switch the Nine-Tails jinchuriki.
Pain had even exposed many caravans in the Land of Fire that Hiruzen had tricked out of money.
Pain this time was demanding the Nine-Tails jinchuriki; Hiruzen's side neither paid nor surrendered the jinchuriki, that's how it escalated to the final great battle.
But only Kakuzu knew these were lies.
Because there were simply no Uchiha or Akatsuki people pursuing Kakuzu.
At that moment a blonde-haired person casually leaned next to Kakuzu.
Doing that in the black market was very dangerous.
Kakuzu stiffened, "Who?"
A somewhat young voice said, "I want to join your organization, hmm!"
———
[Konoha Village]
[Commercial Street]
A tall, blue-skinned man walked out of a restaurant with a gentle woman.
"Brother Kisame, this place is pretty good. Let's come again next time."
Kurita Kyoko took Kisame's hand; her palm looked small and delicate in his large hand.
"If you like it, we'll come next time."
Once he had no direction, everything in the world seemed fake; he bore the mission of slaughtering comrades and trudged forward painfully.
Only Kyoko could see how hard his life had been.
Kisame gently held the one person who cared for him as if holding the entire world.
"Kyoko, do you like it here?", Kisame's voice wasn't pleasant, but his tone was gentle.
Kyoko turned, long hair brushing Kisame's arm, smiling softly with warmth, "As long as Brother Kisame is here, I like it anywhere."
Thump! Thump!
Kisame's heartbeat quickened a bit.
Kyoko suddenly pulled her hand back and ran to the street stall.
"Brother Kisame, look, this is so cute!"
She picked up a little black dog charm and her eyes curved with a smile.
Kisame bared his sharp teeth, "Yes, it is cute."
The shopkeeper granny nearby, spotting customers, hurried over, "Two dear customers, these are a set, two make a pair."
She picked up another white dog charm and placed it beside Kyoko's hand.
The two charms snapped together and stuck.
Kisame's eyes brightened.
"I'll take these two."
Before he could speak, Kyoko excitedly paid, "Brother Kisame, this is for you."
A faint blush rose on Kyoko's face as she handed Kisame the black dog charm.
Kisame accepted it; he couldn't suppress the curve at his mouth.
"You must wear it always, okay?", Kyoko shook the white charm in her hand.
"I will wear it always."
Kisame put the charm away, planning to hang it on Samehada when they returned.
"Sorry to bother you, but there's something I need Kisame to do."
A voice sounded that made both Kisame and Kyoko turn with pleasure.
"Lord Rengoku."
Rengoku smiled at the two; Kisame hadn't even brought Samehada, and Kyoko was in plain clothes.
They'd forgotten their former troubles and went out to enjoy life.
Kisame replied, "Lord Rengoku, just tell me."
"Go deliver a message for me."
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