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Despite facing Pain, Kakuzu, Sasori, and Itachi Uchiha, Orochimaru managed to leave unscathed. Pain remained expressionless, not ordering a pursuit.
However, Orochimaru using Shin Uzumaki's name as a threat… Pain wouldn't forget that. Orochimaru had successfully earned Pain's enmity.
Orochimaru himself was surprised he'd left so easily. Seems Shin Uzumaki's name carries some weight.
He knew he couldn't misuse Shin's name carelessly; otherwise, Shin himself might come looking for trouble.
But even if Shin did confront him, Orochimaru wasn't afraid. He was highly confident in his survival abilities.
And rightfully so. If there was one cockroach in the Naruto world who simply wouldn't die, it was Orochimaru.
Shin learned about Orochimaru's defection from the Akatsuki, including how he'd used Shin's name to threaten Pain.
White Zetsu delivered the intel. It considered this a major event and proactively reported it to Shin to avoid trouble.
"Orochimaru defecting isn't surprising. But using my name? Isn't that just making enemies for me?"
Though Shin didn't particularly care about making enemies, it was still annoying.
"I should pay Orochimaru a visit."
Shin decided to find Orochimaru, not to settle scores over the name-dropping incident, but to check on the Shikotsumyaku research.
It had been five or six years since he gave Kaguya Sora's body to Orochimaru. He wondered what results Orochimaru had achieved.
"Hinata, Karin, keep up your training. I need to leave the Land of Whirlpools for a bit. Let Kushina and the others know I'll be back soon."
Shin informed the two girls, who were currently training, then vanished instantly.
"Shin-sama left so quickly! He didn't even give us a chance to speak!" Karin exclaimed. She had wanted to say something, but Shin was already gone.
"Karin-neechan, should we go back and tell Kushina-neechan and the others?" Hinata asked Karin.
"Okay, let's head back." Karin nodded and took Hinata's hand, walking towards home.
Shin left the Land of Whirlpools. Finding Orochimaru wasn't difficult. He had placed a spatial marker on Orochimaru during their last meeting.
Unless Orochimaru used his Living Corpse Reincarnation to switch bodies, Shin could find him anytime.
"Orochimaru, where are you headed?"
The voice from behind made Orochimaru, who had just left the Land of Rain, stop in his tracks.
"Shin-kun. Are you here to settle accounts?" Orochimaru turned around and asked Shin. He appeared calm, but inwardly he was panicking.
Unlike facing Pain and the others, where Orochimaru felt danger but was confident he could escape, facing Shin filled him with a sense of inescapable dread.
"Settle accounts? Perhaps. But that's not important right now. I want to know about the Shikotsumyaku research I asked you to do."
"Ah, so it's about that." Orochimaru secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He handed all the research data to Shin.
"I've found quite a few things, but I haven't figured out the origin of Shikotsumyaku. Kekkei Genkai are difficult to research."
Shin looked through the data Orochimaru had gathered. While Orochimaru might have found useful information, it wasn't what Shin needed.
He had asked Orochimaru to research Shikotsumyaku primarily to see if the data could help him develop the All-Killing Ash Bones.
It seemed he would be disappointed. Though, Shin hadn't held high hopes to begin with.
"Unfortunately, this isn't what I need." Although Orochimaru's data was detailed, it wasn't the information Shin was looking for.
"Orochimaru, I hope you won't use my name again in the future," Shin said, tossing the data back to Orochimaru.
"I won't." Orochimaru immediately agreed. He wasn't stupid; he understood this was a warning from Shin, just a verbal one for now. Next time, Shin might resort to action.
"Where are you going now?" Shin asked.
"To the Land of Rice Paddies. I established a small Hidden Village there before. I'm heading back now." Orochimaru didn't hide his destination. It wasn't a secret anyway; the Akatsuki likely knew as well.
Shin glanced at Orochimaru. He knew the "Small Hidden Village" Orochimaru mentioned was likely Otogakure (Village Hidden in Sound).
"Orochimaru, continue your Shikotsumyaku research. If you achieve any breakthroughs, I'll reward you handsomely."
Shin hadn't given up yet. He wanted Orochimaru to continue the research. After all, he wasn't the one putting in the effort.
"Alright. If I have any results, I will inform Shin-kun." Orochimaru naturally wouldn't refuse.
Firstly, he intended to continue researching Shikotsumyaku anyway. Secondly, cooperating with Shin offered some protection—With this connection, the Akatsuki wouldn't dare cause him trouble.
Shin then left, returning to the Land of Whirlpools.
Back home, before the others could ask, Shin explained, "I went to see Orochimaru about the Shikotsumyaku research."
"Did Orochimaru find anything?" Tsunade asked Shin curiously.
"He did find some things, but they're useless to me. I asked him to continue researching."
"I also warned him not to use my name again. He's just creating enemies for me."
Tsunade and the others didn't inquire further.
"Shin, I have something to discuss. How about I take over teaching Karin and Hinata from now on?" Kushina asked, sitting down beside Shin.
"You teach them? Alright, you can teach Karin. But not Hinata," Shin said after thinking for a moment.
"Why not?" Kushina pressed.
"Kushina, do you know the Gentle Fist?" Mikoto asked Kushina.
Kushina shook her head. Of course, she didn't know the Gentle Fist. It required the Byakugan, which she lacked.
"Exactly. So, what could you teach Hinata? You certainly can't teach her the Gentle Fist," Mikoto said, sipping her tea.
"Fine. Then I'll focus on teaching Karin. I'm very good at Sealing Jutsu," Kushina said confidently. She had been learning Fūinjutsu since childhood and was incredibly proficient.
Kushina believed that in terms of Sealing Jutsu, besides Shin, no one could surpass her.
Hmm, her confidence comes from not having seen the Six Paths — Chibaku Tensei. Once she sees that, she'll know what a truly God-level sealing technique looks like.
"Actually, I want to train with Shin-sama," Karin muttered under her breath, careful not to let Kushina hear.
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