Ye Zi and Orochimaru returned to the base.
The moment Nanako saw Ye Zi, she ran up to him and embraced him tightly, saying nothing.
Ye Zi remained motionless, letting her hold him.
After returning from Ryūchi Cave, Orochimaru had informed Nanako about Ye Zi's situation, reassuring her so she wouldn't worry too much.
Even though she knew Ye Zi was unharmed, seeing him again in person made her unable to hold back her emotions. She threw herself at him, releasing all the pent-up feelings in her heart.
Not far away, Shin watched the scene with a blank expression, patiently waiting for Nanako to let go of Ye Zi. He had questions to ask.
The room was silent for a while.
"I'm fine. Go back to your work," Ye Zi said softly, gently pushing Nanako away.
Nanako looked up at Ye Zi's calm face, biting her lip, unsure of what to say.
Without meeting her gaze, Ye Zi walked past her and headed deeper into the base.
Shin took a few steps forward, but before he could speak, Ye Zi said casually, "Be ready. In a few days, we'll attack Konoha to reclaim Kotoe's body."
Hearing this, the questions Shin had been holding onto dissipated instantly. He watched Ye Zi walk past him with a determined expression and responded firmly, "Understood."
Ye Zi stared into the depths of the passage, his eyes resolute and unstoppable. At this moment, nothing could deter him from his decision.
He was going to reclaim Kotonoha's body and use Edo Tensei to bring her back, effectively reviving her in a new form.
Orochimaru followed behind Ye Zi. While they waited for White Zetsu to return to the base, there were still important details to discuss.
The two entered a room and sat down.
"When can we get the defense map?" Ye Zi asked.
"The intelligence exchange happens within the borders of the Land of Fire. Even if we rush now, a round trip would take at least six days," Orochimaru replied.
"I see…" Ye Zi muttered, deep in thought. This was a considerable problem. Without the defense map, they couldn't plan infiltration routes or allocate forces effectively.
Since they couldn't retrieve the map in advance, the next best option was to finalize the Edo Tensei forces and personnel, then acquire the map en route to Konoha and devise their attack strategy on the fly.
"We'll pick up the defense map on the way to Konoha and plan accordingly. Orochimaru, you'll control the Edo Tensei forces. I'll assign the corpses to you," Ye Zi said, glancing at him.
"My ability to control them is limited," Orochimaru replied nonchalantly. Controlling Edo Tensei corpses required him to stay far from Konoha, making it one of the safer tasks.
"We don't need too many, just enough to hold off some of Konoha's forces," Ye Zi said sternly. "But before deploying them, we need to test your limit for controlling the Edo Tensei bodies."
Orochimaru's lips curled into a faint smile. "Very well."
Later, they conducted a test to determine Orochimaru's capacity for controlling Edo Tensei. Without Hashirama's cells in his body, he could control around twenty corpses at most.
With the number confirmed, they began selecting suitable Edo Tensei bodies. Among them, Dan Kato was a must, as he could counter Tsunade.
After all, Tsunade's Slug Techniques could effectively reduce Konoha's casualties, something Ye Zi had no intention of allowing.
Even if Dan Kato could restrain Tsunade, there was still Kushina, who could also use Slug Techniques. She was another issue. Being the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki and central to the tailed beast collection plan, she had to be kept alive at all costs.
"Dan Kato and Sakumo Hatake, correct?" Orochimaru's eyes gleamed.
"These two will be the main forces," Ye Zi replied coolly. "Dan Kato can counter Tsunade, and Sakumo Hatake can be deployed in crowded areas. With his skills and the undead nature of Edo Tensei, few can stop him. He'll be a major headache for Konoha."
The available Edo Tensei bodies from Konoha included many jonin, with the most prominent being Dan Kato, Sakumo Hatake, the First Hokage, and the Second Hokage.
However, they wouldn't use the First or Second Hokage this time. Orochimaru lacked the ability to control them, and among the twenty available Edo Tensei bodies, Dan and Sakumo were the standouts.
The immortality and limitless chakra of Edo Tensei, combined with the emotional impact of facing familiar comrades, were enough to cause significant trouble for Konoha.
Especially Sakumo Hatake, if used wisely, he could become a devastating killing machine.
When they first resurrected Sakumo using Edo Tensei, he had requested that Ye Zi send him to fight Kakashi if they ever acted against Konoha.
Regrettably, Ye Zi had no intention of granting his wish. With such power, it would be a waste not to use him for killing enemies.
Before Konoha could eliminate the twenty Edo Tensei bodies, Ye Zi intended to retrieve Kotoe's corpse, eliminate anyone in his way, and have White Zetsu collect useful DNA, including Uchiha Sharingan and Hyūga Byakugan.
Waiting for White Zetsu was crucial for this purpose.
The Sharingan, in particular, was a priority. While obtaining Byakugan would be more difficult, since branch members of the Hyūga destroyed their Byakugan upon death, it wasn't as essential as the Sharingan.
"The other Edo Tensei bodies can be discarded, but make sure Dan Kato and Sakumo Hatake are preserved. If the situation becomes unfavorable, prioritize protecting their Edo Tensei forms," Ye Zi reminded.
Orochimaru gave a slight nod and remarked, "Even with Dan Kato and Sakumo Hatake as key forces, infiltrating Konoha alone still carries significant risk."
"I have Shin and Manda," Ye Zi said calmly.
Orochimaru remained silent. His position was the safest, whereas the mission Ye Zi was about to undertake was the most dangerous. He would face countless adversaries and be surrounded by formidable enemies.
With the basic strategy confirmed, the next step was to wait for White Zetsu to return. Once he arrived, they would set out for Konoha, acquire the defense map, and determine where to deploy the twenty Edo Tensei corpses.
Two days later, White Zetsu returned to the base. Accompanying him was Sasori.
Ye Zi wasn't particularly surprised by this, as he had summoned Sasori beforehand. While he wasn't sure if Sasori would agree to help, it was now clear that he had.
At this point, Sasori had finally discarded his female puppet body, appearing instead as a delicate young man with short auburn hair.
With everyone present, they made simple preparations. Ye Zi and his group were ready to depart for Konoha.
As they were about to leave, Kimimaro emerged from a corner of the corridor, blocking their path.
Looking at Ye Zi, Kimimaro spoke earnestly, "Lord Ye Zi, please take me with you."
His clear, resolute voice echoed through the corridor.
From behind the wooden wall at the corner, Jūgo cautiously observed the scene.
Ye Zi looked at Kimimaro's serious expression, his own face calm and unreadable. After a moment of silence, he said, "You're too weak right now. You won't be of any help."
Kimimaro froze in place, stunned by the blunt response.
Ye Zi walked past him, heading toward the exit.
Orochimaru, Sasori, and Shin followed at his side.
The four of them disappeared around the corner of the corridor.
"Still not strong enough…" Kimimaro muttered, staring down at the wooden floor with a look of dejection.
Jūgo watched Ye Zi and the others leave, then walked over to Kimimaro's side, unsure of what to say.
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Currently on Chapter 464 - The Cursed Seal