"What in the world…?" Kimimaro, his usual shock replaced by speechless astonishment, could only manage to utter those words.
Upon arriving at their base in the Land of Rice Fields with the spoils of their raid on Akatsuki's hideout, Kimimaro and his companions were met with a sight that left them utterly speechless. Their once-imposing fortress had vanished, leaving behind only a massive crater, as if it had been razed to the ground by dozens of tons of explosives.
"If Orochimaru-sama returns and sees this…will he kill us all?" Tayuya gulped, her face contorted with fear.
"Damn it! Yūkimaru! Where's Yūkimaru?!" Guren, her expression a mixture of anxiety and worry, dashed forward, desperately searching for any sign of Yūkimaru.
However, the entire base had been completely leveled, leaving no place for anyone to hide. The scene was utterly desolate, devoid of any sign of life.
Then, Orochimaru's figure suddenly materialized. Except for Guren, still frantically searching for Yūkimaru, and Jirōbō, who wasn't technically under Orochimaru's direct command, the rest of the group immediately rushed forward, their faces etched with fear and apprehension, to beg for Orochimaru's forgiveness.
Although they were not responsible for the destruction, Orochimaru's notoriously volatile temper meant that any sign of displeasure from him could easily lead to their demise.
Orochimaru, however, simply waved his hand dismissively, offering no reprimand. In fact, they could sense that he seemed to be in rather good spirits.
"Could Orochimaru-sama have destroyed the base himself?"
The thought echoed in the minds of the assembled ninjas.
Orochimaru was indeed in a surprisingly good mood. While his base had been reduced to rubble during the raid on Akatsuki's hideout, the acquisition of a three-tomoe Rinnegan and the four jinchuriki that Kimimaro and his team had successfully captured far outweighed these losses.
"Guren, there's no need to search. Yūkimaru was likely taken by that brat Deidara, along with White. Fortunately, I still have some of White's cellular material on hand; otherwise, this situation would have been considerably more troublesome," Orochimaru stated calmly.
"Deidara? That's the same bastard who kept causing explosions near the base?" Guren hissed, her voice filled with resentment.
After White was abducted by Orochimaru, Deidara, having obtained information related to Orochimaru's location, followed him to his base in the Land of Rice Fields.
Knowing that a direct confrontation would be futile, given Orochimaru's current strength and the formidable abilities of his subordinates, Kimimaro and Guren, Deidara resorted to a strategy of continuous disruption, causing significant trouble for Orochimaru and his forces.
After all, when it came to wreaking havoc, Deidara was undoubtedly among the most skilled in the entire ninja world.
Following Orochimaru's departure with Akatsuki to attack Konohagakure, the other high-ranking ninjas stationed at the base, under Orochimaru's orders, had been dispatched to Amegakure to capture the tailed beasts. This created the perfect opportunity for Deidara to strike.
He first rescued White, conveniently seizing Yūkimaru, who appeared to hold a position of some importance within Orochimaru's organization, and then proceeded to completely level Orochimaru's base, destroying countless valuable pieces of experimental equipment and precious medicines.
"Orochimaru-sama, what should our course of action be now?"
Orochimaru let out a chilling chuckle, "We'll abandon this base. Akatsuki is effectively finished, and Nagato has suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Yusuke-kun. Once I've acquired new power, we'll move to Amegakure and take over Akatsuki's remaining forces. Amegakure will become our new base of operations."
Unbeknownst to Orochimaru at this moment, although Nagato was indeed dead, Black Zetsu had already resurrected the far stronger Madara Uchiha. Madara was currently in Amegakure, and he intended to reclaim the other Rinnegan from Orochimaru.
"Konan, this is Nagato's final message. He pleaded for your life, and I, Madara Uchiha, will not go back on my word,"
Madara, his gaze fixed on Konan, spoke in a flat, emotionless tone from within the damaged Amegakure statue. He was clad in ancient armor reminiscent of the Warring States Period, with a gourd-shaped fan strapped to his back. Behind him stood Black Zetsu, now devoid of his Akatsuki attire.
Opposite Madara stood Konan and Hōichi, patiently awaiting Nagato's return to Amegakure.
Out of gratitude for Konan saving his life, and despite the disintegration of Akatsuki, Hōichi chose to remain by Konan's side, offering his support as a gesture of his loyalty.
When news of the Konoha battle reached the ninja world, and Nagato failed to return to Amegakure, Konan's unease grew into a deep sense of foreboding. Madara's sudden appearance served to confirm her worst fears.
Upon hearing the news of Nagato's death, tears silently streamed down Konan's cheeks.
Konan, her voice icy, addressed the arrogant Madara, who stood with his arms crossed, "You intend to let me go? Are you not concerned about the risk of me revealing your secrets?"
Madara let out a light chuckle, "In this world, only Hashirama Senju could ever hope to stand against me. If those foolish enough to challenge me come forward themselves, it saves me the trouble of seeking them out."
"Sooner or later, all those who obstruct my path will perish!"
Konan's voice dropped to a low, menacing tone, "Where is Nagato's body?"
Madara responded nonchalantly, "That…has already been taken care of. Amegakure is now under my control. You should leave now."
Konan's face contorted with fury.
Upon learning from Madara that Nagato had used the Samsara of Heavenly Life technique to resurrect him, resulting in his own death, Konan had initially contemplated a suicidal attack on Madara, seeking mutual destruction. However, her desire to recover Nagato's body had momentarily restrained her actions.
Now, realizing that Madara had casually disposed of Nagato's remains, and with Yahiko's body also unaccounted for, Konan, her heart filled with despair and a burning desire for vengeance, fixed her gaze upon Madara, preparing to unleash her full wrath.
As Konan's killing intent surged, the assembled ninjas, all highly skilled in the art of combat, instantly sensed the shift in the atmosphere.
Madara let out a cold, sardonic laugh, his overwhelming presence pressing down upon Konan like an insurmountable mountain, "Although I promised Nagato to spare your life, if you choose to act unwisely, do not blame me for breaking my word."
Overwhelmed by Madara's aura, honed in countless battles and soaked in the blood of countless enemies, Konan found herself struggling even to make a move. Hōichi, seizing the opportunity, launched a surprise attack, subduing Konan and swiftly escorting her away from Amegakure.
Witnessing Konan's departure under Hōichi's escort, Madara made no move to pursue them, considering both to be insignificant obstacles in his grand scheme.
"Master, what should our next course of action be?" Zetsu inquired of Madara.
Madara furrowed his brow, his face displaying a mixture of anger and frustration.
The fact that the four jinchuriki captured by Akatsuki had been stolen was a development that had completely caught him off guard. It was clear that Zetsu and Obito had not only failed to accomplish their assigned tasks but had also left him with a monumental mess to clean up.
"You incompetent fools, utterly useless. In the end, I have to do everything myself."
"Get White Zetsu to locate Orochimaru. I'm going to Konoha to meet that young man who's impressed even me."
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