They traveled through time at the same time, but the villainous scientist

Chapter 442 Cixuan and the Invitation

What are the characteristics of the attacker?

Orochimaru finished thinking and then asked Hatake Shigeaki.

"Judging from the traces at the scene, the attackers did not use any form of ninjutsu."

Sakumo Hatake's voice sounded somewhat muffled through the mask, but every word was crystal clear.
"Moreover... the operation was extremely swift and decisive, with no signs of struggle at the scene. Our team was wiped out almost instantly."

He paused, as if choosing his words.

The face beneath his mask must have been more solemn than ever before.

As the head of the Dark Division, he knew all too well the level of the elites under his command.

Because it involved the Rinnegan, the people he sent out to carry out the mission were at least elite Chunin, and among them were reconnaissance ninjas from the Hyuga, Inuzuka, and Aburame clans, making it virtually foolproof.

Even so, judging from the traces at the scene, they were still completely wiped out in an instant...

"This level of strength... seems a bit troublesome."

Orochimaru muttered to himself, his fingertips unconsciously stroking his chin.

To be able to wipe out an elite dark squad so easily, without even having time to send out a distress signal, the attacker's strength must have reached at least the Kage level, or even be more bizarre in some aspects.

A Kage-level powerhouse, with a clear objective, headed straight for Nagato.

A name flashed through his mind instantly—Hanzo the Salamander, the leader of the Land of Rain, who was hailed as a "demigod".

But the thought only flashed through his mind before he dismissed it.

Because Hanzo has no reason to do so now.

With the massive material aid and technical support from the Land of Fire, the Land of Rain is struggling to recover from years of war. Hanzo is not a short-sighted person; he would not offend the now-powerful Konoha for a dōjutsu whose value is still unclear.

This is not in the interest of the Rain Country.

So, who could it be?

"Forget it, give the families of the fallen subordinates the highest level of compensation, three times the amount."

Furthermore, arrange for people to continue the investigation, and I will also have Jiraiya and the teacher assist you.

Orochimaru snapped out of his thoughts; his current speculations were pointless.

"Yes!"

Sakumo Hatake responded in a deep voice, his tense shoulders relaxing almost imperceptibly.

With the assistance of Jiraiya and the Third Hokage, the situation was completely different, and the pressure on his side was suddenly reduced considerably.

As soon as he finished speaking, Hatake Sakumo's figure vanished without a trace, becoming a blur as he merged into the air.

Silence returned to Hokage Rock, with only Orochimaru remaining.

The warm sunlight shone on his pale face, but it could not dispel the deep sorrow in his eyes.

Just then, an extremely subtle yet incredibly clear sense of unease suddenly appeared in his perception.

It wasn't a fluctuation of chakra, nor was it the flow of air; rather, it felt like something was off.

Without any hesitation...

In an instant, the natural energy and Sage Chakra within Orochimaru's body merged, and a strange purple eyeshadow appeared on his eyelids, while his golden snake eyes became even sharper and colder—Sage Mode!
Almost at the same time, the ground beneath his feet groaned under the weight of the burden.

Inorganic Reincarnation!
Boom——!
The Hokage Rock, which has stood for decades, with its massive cliff face carved with the faces of the Hokage of all time, suddenly "came to life"!

The First Hokage's resolute face suddenly twisted, transforming into a giant rock fist that, with the force to shatter mountains, smashed fiercely into that empty space!

Ancient trees rose from the ground all around, their thick trunks like wildly dancing pythons, their branches transforming into sharp wooden spears that pierced through from all directions! This is the secret technique of the Earth Dragon Cave, a supreme secret technique that imbues inorganic matter with life through Sage Chakra: Inorganic Rebirth!

However, the next moment...

A figure appeared out of thin air amidst the encirclement of the giant rock fist and thousands of wooden spears, as if he had always been standing there.

Faced with this devastating attack, he simply raised his hand casually.

The giant rock fist, powerful enough to flatten a small mountain, crumbled and vanished silently like a sand sculpture the moment it touched his palm, turning into the most primordial dust.

The sharp wooden spears that danced wildly towards him shattered into dust the instant they approached his body, scattering in the wind.

"What an interesting ability..."

A slightly hoarse voice, yet full of a peculiar rhythm, rang out.

The newcomer was dressed in an immaculate white feather robe, the fabric of which was neither silk nor linen, and shimmered with a strange, muted luster in the sunlight, as if it could absorb light.

Below his left eye is a clear Roman numeral "Ⅳ", and on his chin is a peculiar diamond-shaped mark.

He didn't look at the rocks and trees that had turned to ashes, but instead looked Orochimaru, who had entered Sage Mode, up and down with great interest, his gaze like that of a naturalist admiring a rare insect he had never seen before.

"Your abilities are also quite interesting..."

Orochimaru's voice remained calm, but he was inwardly more wary.

Even with the enhanced perception of Sage Mode, he still couldn't detect what the guy in front of him had just done.

"Heh~"

Upon hearing Orochimaru's words, the newcomer chuckled lightly, completely ignoring the tense atmosphere around him. He walked over to a still intact rock and sat down, his posture casual and elegant, as if this were not a forbidden area of ​​Konoha, but his own backyard.

"I'm very interested in you, Orochimaru."

"interested?"

Orochimaru stroked his chin, his golden vertical pupils flashing with a light of inquiry and vigilance.

"He possesses knowledge that could overturn the world, yet he chooses to bestow it upon mortals who are like ants."

The newcomer extended a finger and lightly traced it in the air, seemingly outlining the contours of the world.
"You ended this chaotic ninja era, guiding them to study the nature and application of chakra..."

This is all so amazing, so unexpected…

His tone carried a heartfelt admiration, but this admiration contained no respect; it was more like a superior's praise for an interesting action by a subordinate.

He paused, then extended his hand to Orochimaru, palm up, in an inviting gesture.

"Come and help me, Orochimaru."

I can tell you the truth of this world that you could never reach in your entire life…

His voice possessed a strange magic, as if it could reach the depths of the soul and arouse people's most primal thirst for knowledge.

"Ha! You really dare to say that."

Upon hearing this, Orochimaru's lips curled into a cold smile.

"Why should I trust you?"

The newcomer's smile widened, a knowing smile tinged with pity.

"Just because of my name."

He stared intently at Orochimaru and spoke clearly, word by word:
"You may call me... Otsutsuki Isshiki."

(End of this chapter)