The three of them, under the guidance of the Otokage, arrived at the mountain cave where Orochimaru was.
Although there were many experimental instruments in the cave, as well as some human limbs and severed arms, after searching through the entire cave, there was no trace of anyone else.
Ryosuke looked ahead at the Otokage with a bad expression.
"You bastard, are you lying to me? Do you want to die?"
The Otokage became a little flustered and panicked.
"Sir, I really didn't lie to you. This is indeed Orochimaru's experimental site. In the Sound Hidden Village, there is only this one."
"Maybe he went out, and possibly will return soon."
Ryosuke looked at the equipment on those experiment tables; obviously, someone had just been using them.
He had a bad feeling in his heart. Could it be that Orochimaru knew he was coming, so he escaped early?
That would truly be a bit of a pity. Such a hard-earned opportunity was actually ruined by that guy running away in advance.
That was something he didn't expect. Could Orochimaru really be such a coward?
You should know that in the original storyline, when Tendo Pain tried to recruit Orochimaru, upon seeing those Rinnegan eyes, he even wanted to gouge them out.
Why is it that when facing himself, he fled without even showing his face? Could the name "Uchiha Madara" really be that intimidating?
As for the Otokage saying Orochimaru might come back, Ryosuke believed that the possibility was extremely small.
In the original story, Orochimaru had abandoned many bases. Each time he obtained the research value he wanted, he would abandon the experimental base. This guy was a bit too cautious. He probably wouldn't come back again.
He himself couldn't possibly stay here foolishly waiting for him. He said to Haku and Zabuza, "Let's go, leave this place."
As soon as the words fell, he headed toward the exit. Haku and Zabuza, upon hearing this, followed and left.
The Otokage who remained in place didn't dare make any noise, and was a bit surprised they just left like that.
It wasn't until they completely disappeared in the cave that he finally let out a breath of relief, lucky to have saved his life.
But what should he do about the matter of betraying Orochimaru?
He immediately began to worry again. Did Uchiha Madara leave because he believed Orochimaru wouldn't come back?
If that's the case, then it makes him feel a bit relieved.
———
On the other side, three people wearing black robes with red clouds set out from the Land of Rain, heading northeast toward the Land of Waterfalls.
These three were exactly the Akatsuki members recruited by Pain.
One of them, with short black hair and red stripes painted on the lower half of his face, carrying a large sword, this was Biwa Jūzō.
At this moment, he was complaining while traveling, "Do you guys really think that Uchiha Madara is still alive?"
Half an hour ago, Akatsuki leader Pain summoned the three of them for a meeting, and instructed them to head to the Hidden Waterfall Village to begin collecting tailed beasts.
After that, they were to head north to the Land of Earth to collect the two tailed beasts there. The Hidden Waterfall Village was just a small hidden village.
The guy beside him, wearing a helmet with green eyes, was called Kakuzu. The Waterfall Village seemed to be this guy's former village.
From the scratched-out symbol of the Hidden Waterfall Village on his headband, one could tell.
A headband with a scratch symbolizes betrayal. This guy was a rogue ninja from the Waterfall Village. With him leading the way, it would naturally be very convenient.
Also, since the two jinchuriki from the Land of Earth had already left Iwagakure, there was a chance to collect the tailed beasts inside them.
The leader Pain not only gave them this mission, but also informed them that there was someone impersonating Uchiha Madara who was also collecting tailed beasts.
That was quite shocking. Someone actually dared to impersonate Uchiha Madara, truly bold. Didn't this person realize how many people wouldn't be able to sleep just knowing he's alive?
While rushing along the road, Kisame said, "Didn't Lord Pain say it already? That guy is just an impersonator."
But he himself didn't believe it, because he had seen the real Madara.
After he personally killed his superior, Fuguki Suikazan, he became a rogue ninja from the Hidden Mist Village. Afterward, he encountered Uchiha Madara and was successfully recruited into Akatsuki by him, to carry out that man's great plan together.
A plan that would truly bring peace to the ninja world, something even Tendo Pain didn't know about.
In fact, Madara was the real mastermind behind Akatsuki. Of course, he wouldn't tell others that.
Biwa Jūzō was a bit speechless, "Even if the leader said that, I still don't quite believe it in my heart."
"The leader also said that guy could use Mangekyo Sharingan to activate a giant Susanoo and even use large-scale Fire Style."
"If the three of us encounter that guy, I'm afraid we wouldn't just fail the leader's mission, our lives might be in danger too."
Who else in the ninja world could do that? Even the current Uchiha clan, the man known as the strongest in the ninja world, Uchiha Ryosuke, probably couldn't.
Even though he had defeated the Hidden Cloud Village in a great victory, he was still too weak compared to the man known as the Asura, Uchiha Madara.
Even if it wasn't Uchiha Madara, it would still be a hidden old monster-level powerhouse in the ninja world. Otherwise, they wouldn't have sent all three of them.
With the three of them working together, aside from the Nine-Tails in Konoha, they were confident about collecting the other tailed beasts.
Kisame was silent upon hearing his words. Actually, this guy's guess wasn't unreasonable. It was just that he really had seen the real Madara.
That guy could use Madara's powers, which meant he was extremely powerful. But he wasn't worried about his life, only about failing to collect the tailed beasts and failing the mission.
If they couldn't realize Madara's true plan, then the ninja world would never achieve real peace.
This world filled with betrayal and deception, only by realizing the Eye of the Moon Plan could true salvation be achieved.
Back then, his superior Fuguki Suikazan had him eliminate traitors, but he unexpectedly discovered that Fuguki Suikazan himself was the biggest traitor.
As a village high-ranking official, he not only sold out the village's interests, but also sold out the village's ninjas, sending them to their deaths. And he had actually helped such an evil person. After learning the truth, he had no hesitation in killing him.
He slowly said, "Actually, we might not necessarily encounter that guy on this mission."
Biwa Jūzō was still a little worried. After all, his luck wasn't very good. He almost died at the hands of a Konoha genin before. Now he had become a rogue ninja and joined Akatsuki.
"That's really hard to say."
Meanwhile, Kakuzu, who was traveling with them, was getting a bit annoyed by their conversation. "Shut up, both of you. So noisy, it's killing me."
He was feeling the urge to kill. If these two weren't both rogue ninjas from the Mist Village who might ally together, he would've already made a move.
That guy carrying the big sword was just an ordinary ninja, nothing but a weakling. But the one who looked like a shark seemed kind of strong. He might be a monster like himself, otherwise the leader wouldn't have brought him in.
Biwa Jūzō heard the other guy's words.
He was very displeased in his heart, "What the hell is wrong with how you talk?"
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