"Nagato, what are you crouching there eavesdropping on?"
Konan led Tsunade to the top of the building and saw Nagato in a corner with his ear pressed against the wall, seemingly eavesdropping on something.
Like a weasel caught stealing a chicken, Nagato hurriedly used Body Flicker to flee in embarrassment.
Konan wondered, "Nagato... what's wrong?"
Enchanting sounds drifted from the laboratory.
Tsunade and Konan glanced at each other and immediately blushed.
Tsunade spat, "That wicked, lecherous Uchiha!"
...
Beneath Konoha.
Orochimaru used a computer to carefully record Anko's physical characteristics; her physical fitness was constantly improving, and her vitality was growing stronger.
Orochimaru was pleasantly surprised: "White Zetsu cells don't have the terrifying erosive power of Hashirama cells, and they aren't aggressive at all."
"Even without the Chimera Technique, ordinary fusion has a success rate of over 50%."
Sakumo thought deeply: "In that case, could disabled Ninjas regain their health using artificial organs constructed from White Zetsu cells?"
Orochimaru nodded: "Exactly. White Zetsu cells will start a revolution in the medical world."
"I take back my previous contempt for Uchiha Madara. By deriving White Zetsu cells from Hashirama cells, Uchiha Madara's contributions outweigh his faults!"
With White Zetsu cells, no terminal illness would be a problem anymore, and Konoha could make up for the regret of losing Tsunade.
Suddenly, Hiruko, who was monitoring Konoha nearby, made a discovery.
"Orochimaru, come quickly! Obito's White Zetsu artificial tissue is starting to disintegrate!"
Orochimaru and Sakumo looked at the crystal ball. It turned out that Obito and Guy were being more reckless than the other during their match.
They had run hundreds of laps and were still going.
Guy was holding on even though he had lost consciousness, while Obito entered an overloaded state, and his White Zetsu tissue began to disintegrate.
Kakashi was carrying Obito on his back toward the hospital.
Orochimaru stroked his chin and analyzed: "Obito hasn't fully fused with the White Zetsu cells yet. Consuming a large amount of Chakra can even cause the fusion to collapse."
"Ignore him. There's no need to save him; let Jiraiya and the others figure it out themselves."
Hiruko nodded.
Sakumo looked at Kakashi's anxious expression and wanted to say something, but held back.
He was already a dead man, now nothing more than one of Orochimaru's puppets.
Sakumo couldn't control others, but he still wanted to do something for Kakashi.
"If we let Kakashi integrate White Zetsu cells, could it solve the burden the Sharingan places on him?"
Orochimaru nodded: "Correct. As long as he integrates White Zetsu cells, Kakashi's Chakra will increase several times over, allowing him to meet the Sharingan's demands."
"Perhaps once Yin and Yang are balanced, the Sharingan will display even greater power than those of the Uchiha Clan!"
Sakumo nodded: "Orochimaru, I'd like to ask you to transplant White Zetsu cells into Kakashi."
Orochimaru suddenly laughed: "Sakumo, Anko is my disciple, but Kakashi is not one of mine."
Aren't they all from the same Village? Shouldn't it be a win-win for everyone?
Orochimaru had never been a philanthropist, nor would he ever do anything that didn't bring him personal benefit.
Regarding the hope White Zetsu cells could bring to disabled Ninjas, Orochimaru's thought was to ruthlessly drain them of their money and turn them into his puppets to run errands.
Using vast resources to develop more White Zetsu cells and obtain more Ninjutsu.
Sakumo sighed and said, "Orochimaru, I can work for you."
Orochimaru's voice rose slightly: "How foolish, Sakumo. You are currently my Edo Tensei body; I can make you do whatever I want!"
Sakumo said, "Acting voluntarily is different from being passively controlled. Controlling me passively would waste your energy."
"..."
Orochimaru fell silent. Sakumo was right; automatic and manual were indeed different.
Why did Orochimaru keep Hiruko conscious all the time?
Because Hiruko had already submitted to Orochimaru and was now voluntarily working for him.
But Sakumo wouldn't do; he was still a Ninja bound by the Will of Fire.
Not just the Will of Fire, he had also picked up that pedantic samurai code.
Always ready to commit seppuku at the slightest provocation.
If not for the Puppet Talisman Orochimaru placed on him, Sakumo would have already drawn his blade to strike Orochimaru down.
Orochimaru was planning to put Sakumo into a slumber soon.
But Sakumo's greatest weakness now was Kakashi. He owed Kakashi too much and was desperate to see him have the strength to protect himself.
Orochimaru nodded: "Very well, Sakumo. As long as you work well for me, I will transplant White Zetsu cells into Kakashi."
Sakumo nodded and took the initiative to stand guard outside Orochimaru's base.
In the next moment, Sakumo's value was proven when someone broke into Orochimaru's base.
Sakumo swung his blade, a flash of white light streaked across, and Aburame Ryoma fell.
Orochimaru and Hiruko rushed out with their weapons, and Orochimaru recognized the figure lying unconscious on the ground.
"Ryoma?!"
Hiruko shouted, "Ryoma, what are you doing? Don't you know you can't sleep here?"
But Aburame Ryoma had already been knocked unconscious.
Orochimaru's lips curled into a sinister smile: "It seems Danzo has discovered us!"
Hiruko made a throat-slitting gesture: "Should we kill him?"
Hiruko wasn't afraid of the Third Hokage, but Danzo was truly deadly.
In the past, one look from Danzo would make Hiruko feel like his research into Forbidden Jutsu was about to be exposed.
He'd almost wet himself in fear.
Orochimaru chuckled: "Invite him in. If he's of no use, then kill him!"
With the Edo Tensei bodies of the First and Second Hokage, Orochimaru didn't believe anyone in Konoha could stop him!
If not for his fear of Madara, he would have gone up and killed Minato by now, then forced the Third Hokage to abdicate to the Fourth.
Above ground.
The Medical Ninja finished examining Obito and said, "Obito, the White Zetsu cells in your body haven't finished synchronizing with you yet. You shouldn't have over-consumed your Chakra."
Minato asked, "Then Doctor, how can we get Obito to fully fuse with the White Zetsu cells?"
The doctor replied, "Wait for him to grow up and for the cells to become more mature!"
Obito was somewhat distraught: "Grow up? The great battle with Uchiha Madara is imminent; there's no time for me to grow up."
Obito suddenly thought of Tobi and said to Minato, "Sensei, Tobi can help me. Seal Tobi inside my body."
"It was like that before. As long as Tobi is in my body, my White Zetsu cells won't collapse."
Minato nodded: "Alright, we'll go and request Tobi's return now."
Before long, Minato brought Tobi back from the Torture and Interrogation Unit.
Morino Ibiki's father in the Torture and Interrogation Unit couldn't get anything out of him; Tobi's mouth was full of nonsense as soon as he spoke.
The Torture and Interrogation Unit and the Medical Department had also taken samples of its cells, so they simply handed him over to Minato.
Tobi saw Obito and said, "Obito, you can't escape. Your life was saved by Lord Madara; one day, you'll have to pay it back."
"Pay back my foot!"
Obito huffed, jumped up despite his White Zetsu organs disintegrating, and gave Tobi a few slaps.
"Tobi, with your structure, you controlled me plenty before. Now it's my turn to control you."
Tobi was somewhat frightened: "Obito, what are you trying to do?"
Obito looked at Kushina: "Sister Kushina, quickly seal Tobi inside my body."
"Alright!"
Kushina nodded and performed a Four Symbols Seal, sealing Tobi into the right half of Obito's body.
As expected, with Tobi, the disintegration of the White Zetsu cells in Obito's body stopped.
Kushina said, "Obito, the best way is to let Tobi fuse with the right half of your body."
"You have the Sharingan. Practice Uchiha Genjutsu well from now on and try to tame Tobi."
Obito nodded.