Orochimaru was facing a rather awkward dilemma.
He had three options: solve the problem himself, seek help from someone else, or take an extreme approach—hide somewhere safe, just like Nagato, and wait until everything blew over.
By then, Black Zetsu and Uchiha Madara would be history, and there would be no one left to trouble him.
Fixing it on his own? That wasn't going to be easy—he was still working on it.
But if he had to call for help, then so be it.
Worst case scenario, he could always disappear.
Nagato had been sent to Ryūchi Cave for protection. Orochimaru could do the same—retreat to the Dragon Earth Cave. It wasn't the safest place, but it was still better than being controlled.
After finishing up the supply transfer, Takuya stopped by the Hokage's office to report before heading home to rest.
He hadn't even made it halfway when he ran into a familiar, increasingly feminine-looking snake.
What the hell?!
Orochimaru hadn't switched bodies yet, so why did he look even more androgynous than before? And that outfit… Takuya found it difficult to look directly at him—it was an assault on the eyes.
"Are you… trying to turn into a woman?"
Orochimaru hadn't even spoken yet, but Takuya's blunt remark almost made him choke. The smirk on his face vanished instantly.
"Takuya-kun, you sure have a sense of humor."
Although he sounded composed, there was a hint of irritation in his tone.
Others may not know you, Orochimaru, but I sure do.
Takuya clicked his tongue, inspecting Orochimaru from head to toe.
"Hard to believe you're actually wearing that. You even put on makeup. If this keeps up, next time I see you, I might have to call you 'Lady Orochi' instead of Orochimaru."
Orochimaru: "..."
He didn't care about gender—if it helped him achieve his goals, becoming a woman wouldn't bother him.
But hearing someone openly mock him like this was another matter entirely.
It seemed the snake was on an irreversible path to transformation.
Takuya could only sigh at how unpredictable life was.
"Alright, what do you want? I doubt you came here just for fashion advice."
Knowing that Takuya disliked wasting time, Orochimaru glanced around to ensure no one was eavesdropping before speaking.
"Black Zetsu, Uchiha Madara's shadow, came to see me. After learning from me that the Rinnegan had been taken to Iwagakure and Kumogakure, he left."
"And?"
Takuya wasn't surprised that Black Zetsu sought out Orochimaru. If anything, this confirmed that he and Tsunade had been right to be wary of the snake.
They hadn't misjudged him.
Not only was Orochimaru naturally untrustworthy, but he was also someone who could be controlled at any time.
Who in their right mind would trust a guy who could turn against them at any moment?
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, sensing that Takuya wasn't the least bit shocked.
"Black Zetsu is controlling Uchiha Obito's body. Obito's Mangekyō Sharingan ability is quite special—it seems to have the power to phase through space.
"He entered Konoha undetected, found me without anyone noticing, and then left just as easily."
So it had come to this.
Just from that description, Takuya could tell that Obito's Mangekyō Sharingan was exactly the same as in the original timeline—Kamui.
Not just Kamui, but both Kamui abilities.
That meant Black Zetsu was getting desperate, and Uchiha Madara was gone.
Otherwise, Black Zetsu wouldn't have shown up in Konoha so boldly, nor would he have rushed off the moment he learned where the Rinnegan was.
There was no doubt—he had gone to gather intel.
And if he found the opportunity, he would try to steal the Rinnegan back.
Without the Rinnegan, Madara's Infinite Tsukuyomi plan was a joke, and Black Zetsu's goal of reviving his "mother" would be impossible.
Kamui was a hassle, but at least it wasn't Konoha's problem anymore.
If anything, Iwagakure and Kumogakure were about to be in deep trouble.
It wasn't Konoha's concern anymore—those villages hadn't cared about Madara's threat before.
They had dismissed him as a minor issue and thought that taking the Rinnegan would cripple him.
Well, enjoy the consequences.
Takuya paused and found himself once again scrutinizing Orochimaru.
It wasn't that he was trying to mock him on purpose, but the way he was dressed… It was impossible to ignore.
It was like watching a bizarre trainwreck—disturbing, yet impossible to look away from.
It reminded him of those questionable performers he'd seen in his past life—repulsive, yet strangely compelling.
"You didn't come to me just to share information. Tell me—if it's something I can help with, I'll consider it as payment for your intel."
Ignoring Takuya's odd gaze, Orochimaru got straight to the point.
"Help me remove whatever Black Zetsu left in me."
"Sorry, not happening."
Takuya didn't even hesitate.
"You'll have to figure that out on your own, or find a place to hide.
"Dragon Earth Cave isn't a bad choice. It's dangerous, full of snakes, but at least it'd be safe for you.
"Wait for Madara's problem to be resolved, and you'll be fine."
Are you serious? You want me to deal with whatever Black Zetsu planted in you?
Takuya Yagami isn't some kind of purification expert. What do you expect me to do?
"I'll report your intel to Tsunade as is. If you need help, you can negotiate with her.
"As for everything else, I can't do much for you.
"The best advice I can give is to hide. Black Zetsu isn't someone you can take lightly."
If Black Zetsu started making moves, Orochimaru would be a liability at best.
Even expecting him not to betray them would be asking for too much.
Who in their right mind would trust someone who could be controlled at any moment?
Well, that was a bust.
Watching Takuya's decisive departure, Orochimaru wasn't too disappointed.
It had been worth a shot.
At the very least, sharing this information would earn him some resources—research funding, experimental equipment, and materials.
Tsunade wouldn't reject his requests now.
With that in mind, he felt a lot better.
After a while, he glanced down at his outfit and muttered to himself.
"Is it really that strange?"
—
Takuya made a quick detour back to the Hokage's office and relayed everything to Tsunade.
Her reaction was immediate.
"You're saying the kidnapped Uchiha Obito is completely under their control now?
"And they're after both Orochimaru and the Rinnegan?"
Isn't it obvious?
Takuya rolled his eyes.
"This is exactly why I said from the start that keeping the Rinnegan would only cause problems.
"Now the trouble's on Iwagakure and Kumogakure instead. Let's hope they don't end up in too deep."
They absolutely will.
Tsunade wanted to make a sarcastic remark, but she held back.
"If my guess is right, Iwagakure and Kumogakure are already trying to research the Rinnegan.
"If they succeed, the balance of the entire shinobi world will change."
That was what worried her.
If Madara came for the Rinnegan, it would be a disaster.
But if those two villages mastered the Rinnegan's power, the consequences could be just as dire.
It didn't take a genius to figure out what they'd do with that power.
In the end, Tsunade could only sigh, feeling the weight of an inevitable crisis looming over them.
___________________________
(P)(S): If you're interested, you can read the rest of the Chapter at Patreon com/ Emik01.
DO NOT FORGET POWER STONE AND CHATTING