Chapter 308: The Turncoat Guide
"hahahHAHAHAHA!"
Yasushi laughed uproariously. Orochimaru darkened his expression, feeling considerably humiliated.
But though mocked, Orochimaru became convinced Yasushi indeed lacked interest seizing Nagato's Ten-Tails.
Could the shinobi world truly contain a second Ten-Tails somewhere?
Could he find it before Yasushi, striking first to seize it?
Orochimaru unconsciously extended his long tongue, greedily licking around his lips.
Yasushi ignored his scheming, merely continuing:
"Synthesizing minor Ten-Tails has only one difficulty—finding a sturdy shell for the minor Ten-Tails."
"The Ten-Tails' body is the Divine Tree—that Gedo Statue."
"You've presumably witnessed that thing's sturdiness."
"Ordinary materials cannot possibly serve as minor Ten-Tails shells."
Orochimaru frowned, directly asking:
"No need beating around the bush. Just tell me directly what materials to use for such shells, or where to search."
Who knew Yasushi would grin while shaking his head:
"Currently the only known substitute for Gedo Statue serving as minor Ten-Tails shell is Susanoo."
"Besides Susanoo, other physical objects basically cannot withstand minor Ten-Tails' high-quality energy."
Now Orochimaru's serpentine pupils immediately narrowed into slits, speaking ominously:
"Yasushi-kun, are you toying with me?"
"No no no, Lord Orochimaru—don't misunderstand!" Yasushi grinned while waving. "Actually I provided you the solution long ago."
"Remember my research commission last time?"
"Tail beast consumption and chakra fusion safety research." Orochimaru's mind turned, immediately understanding everything. "You mean having me use my own body fusing nine tail beasts' chakra, then synthesizing minor Ten-Tails internally?"
"Approximately this meaning." Yasushi nodded with a pleasant smile. "The Ten-Tails—even used as jinchuriki form—ultimately remains external, not one's own."
"Though Ten-Tails jinchuriki state can maintain Six Paths Mode, once tail beasts are extracted, immediately returns to original form."
"This isn't what I want."
"In my view, Nine-Tails jinchuriki strength proves inferior to Kinkaku and Ginkaku's method—integrating Nine-Tails chakra with themselves completely."
"What I want is integrating Ten-Tails chakra with myself completely—indistinguishable."
"Only this way truly achieves Six Paths Mode, comparable with the Sage of Six Paths."
"Look at Otsutsuki Hagoromo—after separating the Ten-Tails from his body, he didn't fall from that realm. This proves Ten-Tails jinchuriki Six Paths Mode must be imperfect."
"Accomplishing this myself proves quite difficult. So I thought of Lord Orochimaru."
"If Lord Orochimaru can solve this Ten-Tails chakra fusion problem, then after I obtain the Ten-Tails, I absolutely don't mind letting you bite first."
After hearing Yasushi's words, Orochimaru remained silent for ages before sneering.
"Hehe..."
"Your words sound wonderful—saying you'll let me bite first."
"You clearly want making me the first test subject, verifying whether this fusion method actually works!"
"Hehe, so will Lord Orochimaru bite this first piece of Ten-Tails meat or not?" Yasushi also laughed eerily.
"Hmph!" Orochimaru snorted coldly before agreeing: "I'll continue deeply researching tail beast chakra and human body fusion technology. But now Lightning Country has attacked our doorstep. You must first help me eliminate this trouble."
"Naturally. I came precisely to help Lord Orochimaru eliminate future troubles."
After both reached agreement, Yasushi settled down in Otogakure.
Within days, Lightning Country's army attacked.
This time, the Raikage brothers personally led forces, bringing vast shinobi armies directly assaulting Otogakure before meeting Uchiha Yasushi head-on.
Watching Uchiha Yasushi suddenly fly from Otogakure, hovering in midair, all Cloud Village personnel's expressions turned ugly.
"Wasn't this place supposed to only have Orochimaru? How did Uchiha Yasushi appear?"
Fourth Raikage A darkened his expression, furiously berating the intelligence division chief.
"Extremely sorry, Lord Raikage. Everything resulted from our work failures."
That intelligence division chief sweated profusely while repeatedly apologizing and explaining:
"Previously our intelligence showed no signs of Uchiha Yasushi appearing in the Land of Fields."
"According to village intelligence, after destroying Fire Country's capital, Uchiha Yasushi should have headed toward the Land of Rivers. No reason for suddenly executing a one-eighty reversal, specifically coming here."
"We investigated—though Uchiha Yasushi and Orochimaru were Akatsuki partners, since both defected from Akatsuki successively, they've never appeared at the same occasion. No evidence shows deep friendship between them."
"But now it seems everything was our misjudgment. We'll immediately revise intelligence upon returning."
After listening, A nodded.
"Not necessarily misjudgment. Perhaps Orochimaru hired him through transactions for combat assistance."
"Then if we offer better terms, could we hire him to betray Orochimaru, standing on our side?"
"After all, he's merely a rogue ninja. What wouldn't he do?"
Speaking thus, A shifted his gaze toward another person beside him, seriously asking:
"Shikasuke, what's your opinion?"
This person was precisely Nara Shikasuke. However, his current forehead protector had changed from Konoha Village to Cloud Village markings.
Previously after Konoha Village dissolved, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio under Nara clan leadership collectively defected to Cloud Village.
Through prior planning and inter-clan marriage methods with Cloud Village clans, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio not only successfully established footholds in Cloud Village but even retained family secret techniques.
The Nara clan's strategic reputation was known across nations. A naturally understood this, valuing Nara Shikasuke highly.
This expedition's primary goal was partitioning Fire Country. Shikasuke had formerly been Konoha Village's Hokage Advisor, intimately familiar with Konoha Village's internal situations.
Near Konoha Village—where ores proved richest, where lands proved most fertile, where archives and secret bases were hidden—no one knew better than him.
So A brought Shikasuke along, constantly strategizing while having this turncoat guide provide directions. After charging into Fire Country, they'd prioritize seizing the most valuable assets.
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