A cold wind blew.
Orochimaru and Kabuto's bodies were completely frozen in place.
After the reincarnated Kazekage fell, the entire plain instantly became so quiet it felt like the air had solidified!
After hearing Kyo's words,
Orochimaru and Kabuto's thoughts were almost instantly interrupted, their minds going completely blank.
At that moment, on the sandy ground,
The body of the reincarnated Kazekage, which had been pierced by the blade, had already begun to gradually disintegrate.
Finally, the outer layer, like a shell of dust, completely shattered, began to crumble, and slowly peeled away...
Gradually revealing the appearance of an unfamiliar middle-aged man.
He seemed to have died long ago.
Yet the look of terror from before his death still remained on his face.
The moment he saw this man,
Orochimaru's pupils constricted again, and he felt a chill run down his spine!
This man,
He couldn't possibly not recognize him!
Because this was the living sacrifice he had used to create the reincarnated Kazekage!
'How could this be?!'
'The Third Kazekage was clearly a successful Impure World Reincarnation!'
'Before my technique is released... how could it become like this...?!!'
Orochimaru suddenly looked up again, staring at the blade in Kyo's hand.
The blade was sharp, reflecting the sunlight.
Orochimaru gritted his teeth tightly, his gaze incredulous.
'No, impossible.'
'How could anyone kill a soul with a blade?'
'It must be a joke...'
'This guy always likes to bluff, and this time... it's definitely that!'
Orochimaru reluctantly grinned, cold sweat trickling down his forehead. He stared fixedly at Kyo, and said in a low, hoarse voice:
"No, that's wrong."
"You're trying to confuse me, aren't you, Kyo?"
"You must have... used some kind of special ability to cancel the Impure World Reincarnation technique, right...?"
At this moment, Orochimaru's gaze trembled slightly.
He would rather believe his Impure World Reincarnation had been cancelled than believe a soul could be killed!
After all, even that forbidden technique, Dead Demon Consuming Seal, which could only be released at the cost of one's life, merely used the Shinigami to seal the soul.
Although it also cannot be reincarnated with Impure World Reincarnation, the essential reason is the sealing of the soul, not its death.
However,
Hearing this, Kyo just said flatly, expressionless:
"Don't be naive, Orochimaru. Haven't you understood yet?"
"Why did you successfully reincarnate the Third Kazekage before, but failed in your experiment with Sasori of the Red Sand?"
"Think carefully about the reason."
"?!"
At these words, Orochimaru was momentarily stunned, frozen.
'Wait.'
'Why... did Sasori of the Red Sand's Impure World Reincarnation fail...?'
Hearing this question,
Orochimaru's breathing involuntarily stopped.
He suddenly recalled,
Back then, he thought there was some problem with Sasori's body tissue.
Or perhaps, because there was some defect in the technique itself, it couldn't be summoned normally...
But now it seemed,
The only difference between Sasori and the deceased Third Kazekage was,
That he was... killed by Kyo.
And if what Kyo just said was true-
Those killed by the blade in his hand would not only have their bodies die, but their souls would also die!
This way,
It would perfectly explain why Sasori's summoning failed...
Because from start to finish,
His soul had never entered the Pure Land.
At the moment he was killed by Kyo, it perished along with his body!
Thinking this,
Orochimaru's breathing completely stopped!
Large beads of sweat began to continuously emerge from his forehead, instantly covering his entire face, his whole body turning cold!
As a scientist,
For the first time, he began to feel a fear beyond comprehension!
'An ethereal soul...'
'Could actually be killed by a blade?!'
'Is this power that a human can master???'
Orochimaru's pupils constricted, and he involuntarily began to sweat profusely.
He looked at Kyo with a horrified gaze,
His expression was very ugly, teeth clenched tightly, he spoke hoarsely and intermittently:
"You... just how many hidden abilities do you possess... Kyo-kun...?"
"From the first appearance of the 'True Eye of the King', to now this 'Soul-Slaying Blade', to you..."
"Are these transcendent powers all just ordinary things...?"
Orochimaru's heart was very bitter.
From the time he first met Kyo until now, the more he understood him, the more he could feel his depth.
And the power he displayed always seemed to be just the tip of the iceberg.
It even made Orochimaru begin to wonder if, from beginning to end, this guy had ever fought seriously even once...
However,
Hearing Orochimaru's words,
Kyo just chuckled lightly and shook his head, saying directly:
"Stop changing the subject."
"Make your choice, Orochimaru."
"Will you come back to Amegakure with me willingly, or will I have to cut you down first and then take you back?"
"..."
As the words fell, Orochimaru was stunned.
He didn't expect Kyo to seem like he was actually still carrying out Akatsuki's mission...
But, after just a moment's thought,
Orochimaru suddenly looked up, his expression slightly froze, staring straight at Kyo, and said:
"I want to... choose a third option."
"Huh?"
Kyo was momentarily stunned.
Confused by this unexpected answer.
Seeing this, Orochimaru grinned, showing a somewhat forced smile, and cautiously probed:
"Hehe..."
"Kyo-kun, if I'm not mistaken,"
"Someone as powerful as you, already transcending the Shinobi World, probably joined Akatsuki purely for pleasure... right?"
"After all, unlike the others, you don't bear the name of Missing-nin."
"Moreover... under your command, there should be some more secret, powerful organization..."
"Until now, the strange actions you've taken should also be efforts towards some deeper plan."
"Am I right...?"
Orochimaru finished speaking in a low, hoarse voice, then revealed a hint of eerie light in his eyes, staring intently at Kyo.
There was even a faint smile in his expression, as if he had seen through everything.
In fact,
From a long time ago,
Orochimaru had this guess.
But he had never been able to confirm it.
However, today, after seeing Kyo's unparalleled power to kill souls,
Orochimaru still decided to speak out and test him...
But,
As these words fell,
Kyo was once again stunned.
'Huh???'
'Wait,'
'Under my command... a secret organization...?'
'And executing some deeper plan...?'
'What's going on?'
'Isn't this Orochimaru guy a believer in science?'
'How the hell is his imagination this strong?'
Kyo was stunned for a moment, then immediately found it amusing inside.
'Tsk tsk...'
'Since you're so sure, it actually works perfectly for me to take advantage of this.'
In fact,
From the moment Kyo accepted Akatsuki's pursuit mission,
He never intended to kill Orochimaru immediately.
After all, this guy still had quite a few side missions, and even main missions, that could be completed.
With such great value, how could he not fully exploit it?
And the reason Kyo deliberately said those words earlier was entirely to intimidate him,
To make him willingly work for Kyo...
Who would have thought,
Before Kyo even officially spoke, Orochimaru had already imagined most of it himself!
'A secret organization, a deeper plan, a powerful leader...'
'What a perfect deception!'
Thinking this, a strong hint of amusement flashed in Kyo's eyes.
At this moment, he decided to simply start using Orochimaru's guess to help him completely set up this scheme!
The chaos in the Shinobi World is determined by the acting champions!
Since that fool Obito could put on a mask and pretend to be Uchiha Madara to manipulate the Akatsuki, what else was impossible?
With this in mind,
Kyo immediately furrowed his brow, deliberately pretending to be somewhat displeased, then looked at Orochimaru, darkened his eyes, and said coldly:
"Hmph, Orochimaru."
"Did someone in the organization mention my 'Hueco Mundo Plan' to you in advance...?!"
"Was it Konoha's 'Shimura Danzo'?"
"Tsk, if I had known... I shouldn't have let that guy join my ranks."
"?!"
At these words,
Orochimaru and Kabuto were simultaneously shocked, their expressions changing dramatically!
'Holy shit!!'
'There really is a secret plan!?'
'And...'
'He even mentioned 'Shimura Danzo' just now??!!'
'That old guy in the Konoha's high ranks is actually his subordinate??'
Orochimaru and Kabuto were instantly dumbfounded, completely bewildered.