"As a child?"
Obito was stunned for a moment before quickly recalling that his blood had indeed been drawn once by the Uchiha clan leader when he was a child.
But what does that have to do with his identity?
Orochimaru, unbothered by Obito's confusion, immediately launched into his own fabricated reasoning.
He claimed to have conducted research on the blood sample and found that Obito's power was quite special, somewhat different from the rest of the Uchiha clan. Because of this, Orochimaru said he had paid particular attention to Obito during his research. When they met before, Orochimaru had sensed a familiar aura emanating from Obito, which led him to guess his identity.
This explanation, however, was a complete lie.
A lie so convincing that even Orochimaru nearly believed it himself.
What was the connection between Obito and Orochimaru in Konoha?
Answer: there was none.
Uchiha Obito had never even come into contact with Orochimaru. The only instance of direct interaction was a mission with Kakashi and Rin, during which Orochimaru had frightened him. Beyond that, Obito's understanding of Orochimaru was limited to the man's reputation in Konoha and whatever information he had gathered recently.
So when Orochimaru delivered his fabricated explanation, the scientifically ignorant Obito had no reason to doubt it.
"That's pretty much it. Do you have any other questions?" Orochimaru asked casually, spreading his hands as if he couldn't care less.
From the previous two questions, Orochimaru had already deduced that Obito and Zetsu's current situation was similar to what he remembered. Not much had changed, and this gave him complete confidence in his ability to take control of the situation.
"I see!" Obito muttered. Although he was surprised that Orochimaru had done a blood test on him, it wasn't enough to confuse him. "I don't have any other questions. I just want to know why you called me here this time!"
"Why?" Orochimaru smirked. "No particular reason. I just thought we might be able to work together."
"Work together?" Obito raised an eyebrow.
"Yes," Orochimaru replied nonchalantly. "That impressive companion of yours seems to have excellent intelligence-gathering capabilities. I could ask Nagato to assist you and provide technical support. In return, all I need is for you to gather the information I want."
"That's it?" Obito and Zetsu both looked skeptical.
Orochimaru shrugged. "Of course, part of the agreement is that neither of us interferes with the other's plans."
He elaborated, "I'm currently in control of some of the smaller countries, so I won't interfere with your efforts to capture the Tailed Beasts. Similarly, when you act, I expect you not to disrupt my plans or harm my interests. What do you think?"
"That's all? No problem." After a brief hesitation, Obito agreed. To him, this deal was essentially a no-brainer.
After all, once the Tailed Beasts were captured, wouldn't they have the final say over the world's fate?
Hearing Obito's agreement, Orochimaru couldn't help but let a smile curl across his lips. "Then… happy cooperation!"
As the two figures vanished from sight, Orochimaru rotated his neck and turned away with a sense of satisfaction.
Why did Orochimaru want to cooperate with Obito?
Because he understood that after the Third Shinobi War, the entire ninja world had entered a period of relative stability. Aside from his own grand ambitions, the figures most worth keeping an eye on were Obito and Zetsu, followed closely by the remnants of the Otsutsuki clan.
Sure, Orochimaru could have tried to crush Obito and Zetsu's plans at the outset. But after careful thought, he realized that working with them would yield far greater benefits.
Not only would he gain access to a talented individual like Obito, but he could also tap into Zetsu's vast intelligence network. Most importantly, by cooperating, he could manipulate events to align with his own goals.
Orochimaru also understood the deeper motivations behind Obito's actions. Uchiha Madara and White Zetsu's manipulations had caused Obito to witness the death of his beloved Rin at the hands of his close friend Kakashi. This tragic event shattered Obito's faith in the world, driving him down a dark path of despair and vengeance. He sought to destroy Konoha, the village he had once dreamed of leading as Hokage, believing that only through destruction could he find peace.
At the same time, Obito had shifted his hatred toward Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, blaming him for not arriving in time to save Rin. Obito wanted Minato to feel the pain of losing someone dear to him.
But now, the Hokage of Konoha was Orochimaru's wife, and the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki was carrying Orochimaru's child. Naturally, Orochimaru couldn't ignore such stakes.
By forging a cooperative relationship, Orochimaru ensured he could take the initiative in critical matters and, at the same time, resolve potential threats to Tsunade. It was a strategy that killed two birds with one stone.
Later that night, in a guest room at the orphanage, Orochimaru sat across from a bespectacled young woman on the sofa. "Nono, Kushina, and Mikoto—sorry to trouble you during this time," he said calmly.
Among the three women, two were pregnant. That left Nono as the only one capable of helping for now.
"I don't mind taking care of them," Nono replied as she adjusted her glasses. "But you mentioned Kushina is the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, and that the seal weakens during childbirth. I don't think I'm capable of handling something like that."
Nono was just a medical ninja. Even though she possessed Magnet Release, she was far from being a combat specialist. Her time was usually spent caring for the orphanage's children, and she was nowhere near the level of a true Kage like the Third Hokage or the Fourth Kazekage. Suppressing the Nine-Tails, should its seal break, was completely beyond her abilities.
"It's fine," Orochimaru reassured her. "There are still about two months until Kushina gives birth. I'll do my best to return by then. If I can't make it, I'll inform Tsunade to come in my stead. You don't need to worry."
"Alright, then I'm fine with it," Nono nodded slightly.