Orochimaru smiled and didn't linger on that question, "What did you come here for?"
"To check your progress here, and also, who's currently watching over Otogakure."
Orochimaru shook his head and said, "Just a bit short on people. Once this side is arranged, I'm planning to recruit some good seedlings."
Rengoku laughed secretly in his heart, 'The Karin you had your eyes on has already been intercepted by me, and as for Kimimaro, I'm already on my way there too.'
"You've recruited Kabuto under your command?", Rengoku asked.
"Kabuto?", Orochimaru had to recall a bit before remembering the name.
Orochimaru shook his head and said, "He's a pretty clever kid, but right now he seems to have been sent out by Root to gather intelligence."
'Oh?', Rengoku's eyes lit up, 'Isn't this lamb coming right to him?'
"What? He has something to do with me?", Orochimaru had already experienced Rengoku's dojutsu.
Naturally, he knew that if Rengoku said something like that, it likely meant Kabuto would have deep entanglements with him in the future.
Rengoku smiled slightly, "He once surpassed your very existence."
Orochimaru licked his lips, his expression tinged with excitement, "Oh? In what way?"
Rengoku thought for a moment, "The Sage Mode of the Ryuchi, which you didn't master, he mastered it."
"Impure World Reincarnation was developed by him to its utmost, and could be remotely controlled."
"He almost destroyed the entire ninja world."
"And then?", Orochimaru hadn't expected that little kid back then to have such talent.
Rengoku shrugged, "Then nothing. You got resurrected."
These words sounded a little strange, but Orochimaru could vaguely sense Rengoku was flattering him.
That subconscious feeling of placing Orochimaru in a higher position.
Made Orochimaru feel quite pleased.
"So that means Kabuto must be recruited under my command."
Rengoku thought for a moment, unsure whether the incident of Yakushi Kabuto mistakenly killing Nono had already happened.
"Have the Hyuga clan keep watch, see if that Nono from the orphanage is still there."
"If not, then just monitor the area and see whether Nono returns, or if Kabuto returns."
Orochimaru nodded, "I'll go handle it."
———
Rengoku stealthily returned home, only to unexpectedly see Kaori practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard.
Judging by Kaori's sweaty appearance, she had clearly been training for a long time.
Ryuri sat obediently in her wheelchair, her face clearly filled with joy.
But that wasn't the main point.
Kaori, in the middle of training, suddenly turned sharp in expression and slashed a sword strike behind her into thin air.
Rengoku drew his weapon, and with a clang, blocked it.
Kaori and Ryuri both froze, wasn't Rengoku supposed to be out?
Rengoku looked at the three-tomoe Sharingan in Kaori's eyes with confusion.
Although Kaori had had two tomoe years ago, she hadn't been in combat all these years.
Unless she went through something deeply emotional, how did she awaken the third tomoe?
"Come at me. Let me see your strength," Rengoku became interested.
Kaori saw she couldn't hide it anymore and spoke excitedly, "Rengoku! Let me show you how strong I am!"
She then swung her sword and charged at Rengoku.
Rengoku only defended and didn't attack. His weapon rang with clanging sounds from Kaori's strikes.
At this point, Rengoku had already activated his Mangekyo Sharingan. Under the oppressive difference in Sharingan levels, Kaori couldn't break through his defense at all.
No matter how hard she tried, Rengoku's defense was airtight.
Her eyes spun, and she launched a genjutsu attack, but since Rengoku had Mangekyo, he was completely unaffected.
Instead, Kaori was stunned. She staggered back a few steps, then tossed her weapon aside, and laid flat on the ground, arms and legs spread out.
Kaori had already been exhausted from training. Now, after a round with Rengoku and losing the genjutsu battle, she had no strength left at all.
"No more, no more. Even with three tomoe, I'm no match for you."
Rengoku sheathed his sword. He hadn't underestimated Kaori one bit.
From the genjutsu just now, Rengoku realized Kaori's ocular power was much stronger than most clan members who just awakened their third tomoe.
Even though her swordsmanship was lacking, that was only due to limited battle experience.
But in terms of the Sharingan's perception, she was definitely not weak.
'Could it be Kaori is a genius?'
While Rengoku pondered, Kaori had already slowly sat up.
"Sorry… for hiding it from you for so long. Will this cause you trouble?", In the Uchiha clan, those with three-tomoe Sharingan were elites, usually pillars of the clan.
You're already that strong at such a young age, yet you stay home being a housewife.
Naturally, other Uchiha clansmen would gossip.
That's why, for a time, Kaori repeatedly wanted to return to the combat roster.
Rengoku waved it off, "It's fine. Don't mind it. It's just three tomoe, right?"
"Do whatever you want. With my status, even if others find out, it doesn't matter. It's ultimately a good thing."
Kaori finally let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Rengoku."
Rengoku chuckled, "You really didn't need to hide this from me. I'm already strong enough. You just need to live the life you want."
Kaori walked over to Ryuri's side, grabbed a cup from the small table and took a big gulp.
"Hey, my life is to take good care of Ryuri."
Ryuri giggled, "Big sis Kaori treats me the best!"
Seeing Ryuri's natural expression, Rengoku no longer felt the need to say anything encouraging.
After all, Orochimaru hadn't finished his research yet, giving Ryuri hope too soon would only be tormenting.
———
[Deep Within the Konoha Prison]
In an ordinary cell, a person with both his eyes and arms wrapped in bandages was imprisoned.
From the outside, he looked exactly like Shimura Danzo.
But anyone familiar with Danzo would notice from the expression, this person definitely wasn't him.
Because Danzo's eyes were always like a poisonous snake, gloomy and vicious.
This Danzo had none of that.
The ANBU outside were just for show.
"Cough…", With a cough from one of the ANBU, the "Danzo" inside instantly straightened up with a proper posture, acting the part.
A few minor clan leaders came in to check on Danzo's condition.
After entering, they glanced at the "Danzo" and quietly discussed a few things among themselves before leaving directly.
They didn't really want to interact with Danzo.
There were quite a few like that recently, just came to take a look at Danzo and left.
Among that group earlier, there was one who followed at the rear, wearing round glasses and appearing harmless.
Kabuto only glanced once at the "Danzo," then followed the others out.
'That Danzo… is a fake.'
Kabuto left with thoughts swirling in his mind.
"Hey? That kid who came in with you, where'd he go?"
"What do you mean came with me? Wasn't he with you?"
"You don't know him?"
"Never seen him before."
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