Naruto: With maxed-out affection, I am invincible in the ninja world.

Orochimaru looked at Sasori, who was keeping a distance of five or six meters from him, licked his lips, and smiled sinisterly:

Aren't you curious about what I did last month?

Scorpion stopped and said indifferently:

"Besides doing your boring experiments, what else do you do?"

Upon hearing this, Orochimaru maintained his smile:

"I have some collaborations with Uchiha Haneda."

Scorpion looked back and saw the smile on Orochimaru's face, and felt a chill creep down his spine.

"You want to borrow a knife to kill someone?"

Orochimaru said, "It depends on your sincerity. I only cooperate with people who are valuable."

"I can give you a clear answer: Haneda desperately wants to kill you, and he has asked me to pinpoint your location."

"But I don't want you to die right now."

Sasori understood Orochimaru's hidden meaning.

Now does not equal the future; this is a blatant threat!

Scorpion wasn't the type to like being threatened, he said coldly:

"The leader won't let you get away with this, and I'm not so easy to kill either."

Orochimaru smiled, glancing casually at the pale purple eyes hidden behind the pillar.

Pain had been watching this place the whole time, and Orochimaru was making a veiled statement.

He had no intention of betraying the organization.

Upon arriving at the gathering place, Pain sat upright on a high stone chair, exuding a godlike majesty amidst his coldness.

Pain's gaze immediately fell upon Orochimaru:

What did you do during the month you disappeared?

Orochimaru spoke frankly: "I promised Konoha's Hokage, Uchiha Haneda, that I would be researching some things."

Payne became curious.

If Haneda were to seek cooperation with an S-rank rogue ninja from Konoha, Orochimaru must possess a value that even the Hokage could tolerate.

What does he want to study?

Chapter 287 Hehe or not?

Payne remained expressionless, asking in a businesslike manner:

"Researching new weapons to deal with other countries?"

Orochimaru smiled and said:

"Haneda isn't that bored; he himself is a weapon capable of destroying a country."

"He asked me to research high-yield grains for use in the first five-year plan, and it has already achieved great results."

Payne knew exactly what Haneda's first five-year plan was.

Eliminate hunger in the Land of Fire.

Nagato, who was controlling Pain from deep within the base, smiled slightly.

Haneda never forgot the milk and bread he had promised.

This reminded him of his childhood experience of stealing food with Yahiko and Konan.

If someone had been there at the time...

Nagato shook his head. What truly caused him pain was the war and the despair of his close friend Yahiko dying on his kunai.

He continued to control Pain, but instead of asking Orochimaru what he had researched, he gave the following instructions:

"You can continue to stay by Uchiha Haneda's side and gather information about Konoha. As for the Akatsuki's missions, they will be temporarily handed over to Sasori."

Scorpion showed a hint of delight, knowing that he was at risk of being betrayed at any moment while carrying out missions with Orochimaru.

If you act alone, you are very safe.

The leader clearly considered his own safety and deliberately separated him from Orochimaru.

The word "temporarily" at the end indicates that the leader intends to change his partner!

Sasori glanced at Orochimaru, who seemed lost in thought, and then asked Pain for instructions:

"I'm off on a mission, Chief."

Pain nodded slightly, and Orochimaru also said goodbye.

Pain's attitude convinced Orochimaru that Pain and Haneda had a special connection.

Pain deliberately handed himself over to Haneda under the pretense of gathering intelligence on Konoha.

However, the two maintained a considerable distance.

Orochimaru planned to resign from his position under the name of Akatsuki every so often, so that he could focus on other research.

He preferred the mysteries of chakra and natural energy to those boring, high-yield foods.

…………

In the secret base where Nagato was located, a vortex quietly formed, and a person wearing a yellow tiger-skin mask appeared.

The visitor was none other than Obito.

"What are you doing here?" Konan stood in front of Nagato, looking at Obito warily.

Obito glanced at Konan out of the corner of his eye, then looked at Nagato, who was connected to the Gedo Statue:

"Orochimaru is back. Where did he go?"

"You should rein in those people; they're too undisciplined and have no sense of discipline whatsoever."

Obito's tone was reproachful, clearly showing his dissatisfaction with Nagato, the apparent leader of Akatsuki.

"Nagato has already contacted Orochimaru!" Konan replied on Nagato's behalf.

"Oh? What did you say?"

Obito spread his hands, his gesture laced with sarcasm.

"Being missing for a month is enough to be treated as a traitor according to the rules of the Ninja Village."

At this moment, Nagato said, "He is a spy I placed in Konoha to gather information about the Nine-Tails."

"Currently, he is a researcher directly under the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Haneda, and works for Haneda."

Obito adjusted his mask, and a space-time vortex appeared behind him.

"Remember to report this to me next time something like this happens; we're on the same side."

"Also, remind Orochimaru to act respectfully; Uchiha Haneda is not someone who can be easily fooled."

After saying that, Obito left.

Konan said worriedly, "Nagato, you didn't let Orochimaru gather information about the Nine-Tails."

Nagato said, "The information we gather about Konoha includes the Nine-Tails."

"Xiao Nan, how's the 300 million explosive tags you prepared coming along?"

…………

On the other side, Konoha.

Haneda and Shikaku stood on an experimental field.

When the seeds were evenly scattered on the experimental field by the wind, Haneda clapped his hands, and the seeds that fell to the ground instantly took root and sprouted.

With the help of Wood Release chakra promoting growth, large swathes of golden rice appeared almost in the blink of an eye, swaying in the wind.

Haneda then used Wind Release, condensing the air into a scythe to slice off large swathes of rice.

The sickle then transforms into a mini tornado, absorbing the rice and finally transporting it to large sacks in the surrounding area.

Shikaku stood to the side watching, a bright smile playing on his lips.

"Well done, Hokage! At this rate, we'll have enough seeds to ship throughout the country in less than a week!"

As Shikaku spoke, he didn't forget to urge Hata on:

"You must do a good job! The whole country is counting on you next spring!"

"You make it sound so simple."

Haneda held his chin, panting heavily.

Since Orochimaru left, Shikaku has been constantly urging himself to use Wood Release to obtain enough seeds to satisfy the entire nation.

Previously, he was the one who pushed Shikaku to improve his official duties.

Now they've turned against the Heavenly Generals!