The information about Hiruko has already been thoroughly investigated by Zetsu.
As a childhood friend of the Legendary Sannins, Hiruko didn't possess their remarkable talents.
To compensate for his natural shortcomings, he secretly researched a forbidden jutsu called "Chimera Technique," which could merge other people's Kekkei Genkais.
However, before he could complete his research, the Third Hokage discovered it and sent the Sannins after him.
Perhaps it was just his luck, but through various maneuvers, he managed to escape their pursuit.
But after leaving Konoha, Hiruko had no more resources.
He had no choice but to take on low-risk jobs at Bounty Stations to earn money.
At the same time, he saved up to continue his research on the Chimera Technique.
After several years of research, he finally made some progress.
Just as he was overjoyed, thinking that he was about to gain extraordinary talents and surpass the Legendary Sannins, a harsh reality stood before him.
That was, with his current strength barely reaching the level of a Jonin, capturing a Kekkei Genkai user was not going to be an easy task.
It was in this situation that Black Zetsu approached him, promising to help him capture a Kekkei Genkai user.
But the condition was that Hiruko had to learn the Reanimation Jutsu and successfully improve it to bring back people with peak-level strength.
If Hiruko could successfully research the incomplete Chimera Technique, then the complete Reanimation Jutsu would be no problem for him.
Thus, Hiruko happily agreed to Zetsu, and within just a week, he had learned the Reanimation Jutsu.
Currently, he was still researching how to improve the success rate of merging Kekkei Genkais with Chimera Technique, while also modifying the Reanimation Jutsu.
"Rinnegan? Forget it, I'm not interested in those deadly eyes."
Hiruko's response greatly surprised Zetsu.
In Zetsu's eyes, Hiruko was someone who would stop at nothing to become stronger.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have researched the Chimera Technique, which only had a few vague words, but instead would have honestly stayed in Konoha, becoming a Chuunin who could easily predict the future.
"Why? The Rinnegan is the Sage's eye. Once you have it, you can immediately become one of the strongest ninjas in the Shinobi world."
"It's not mine. I can't trust using something that isn't mine."
Looking at the liquid in the test tube, Hiruko showed a trace of disappointment. Then he glanced at the body of Nagato lying on the ground and continued, "Just look at him. A perfectly fine person, yet his body was drained by the Rinnegan. I don't want to end up like that. In life, you have to rely on yourself. Only when it's your own can you feel at ease using it."
"So you're researching Chimera Technique to turn someone else's Kekkei Genkai into your own?"
"Yes."
Hearing this, Zetsu rolled his eyes in his mind.
Clearly, he was extremely disdainful of Hiruko's reasoning.
"Fine, since you don't want it, I'll take it. You can just keep messing with your Chimera Technique."
Hiruko didn't want it, and Zetsu wouldn't force him.
He squatted down and dug out one Rinnegan from Nagato's tightly closed left eye. Just as he opened the right eyelid to dig out the Rinnegan from the right eye, he froze.
"What's going on? Where's my Rinnegan?"
"How could such a big Rinnegan be gone?"
Nagato's hollow right eye socket completely broke Zetsu's defense.
This wasn't just any ordinary eye; it was the Rinnegan, also known as the Sage's eye.
How could one be missing?
"Did you carelessly drop it somewhere?"
Seeing Zetsu panicking, Hiruko laughed gleefully.
"Drop it? Eyes don't just fall out like that!"
"Heh, well, I'm not going to deal with you anymore. I'm going to rest. I haven't slept in three days. I'm so tired I could die."
Hiruko yawned and left, turning back to his resting place.
Meanwhile, Zetsu was still thinking, wondering why a Rinnegan was missing.
At that moment, the usually quiet White Zetsu spoke up.
"Could it be that Nagato noticed something was wrong and hid a Rinnegan before heading out to deal with the Hidden Cloud Village ninjas?"
"Hmm, that's the only possibility," Black Zetsu sighed. At this point, there was no use in overthinking.
Thankfully, even with only one Rinnegan, its power was still incredibly strong.
The only downside was that using techniques like Shinra Tensei or Chibaku Tensei would increase chakra consumption.
"Do you think Nagato hid the other Rinnegan somewhere?"
Black Zetsu placed the left eye into a glass container filled with liquid, waiting to hear White Zetsu's thoughts.
"I don't know where Nagato hid the Rinnegan, but I'm certain he must have told Konan where it is."
"Is that so? Just like I thought."
Black Zetsu had watched Nagato and Konan grow up, and knew their relationship all too well.
Nagato would never hide anything from Konan.
"Send more White Zetsu to scout. I want to know where Konan is right now."
"Understood."
White Zetsu, now leaving Black Zetsu, went off to carry out the orders. The massive cave was left quiet, with only Black Zetsu remaining.
It quietly stared at Nagato for a moment, then shook its head, turning to use its power to dig a large hole and bury Nagato's body.
At the same time, things were happening in Orochimaru's laboratory in Konoha.
A hooded figure walked through the laboratory, as if in a desolate, empty world.
Soon, he arrived in front of Orochimaru, who was busy recording data.
"Orochimaru-sama, I am back."
Orochimaru turned around, smiled widely, and said happily, "Kabuto, welcome back."
That's right, the person was Kabuto Yakushi, who had gone to the Ryūchi Cave to learn Sage Mode.
"Orochimaru-sama, I have mastered the Sage Techniques."
Kabuto took off his hood, revealing his current appearance.
Unlike his previous face, which had a charming "neighboring big brother" look, his face was now covered with irregular snake scales, and his eyes had turned into amber-colored snake pupils, giving him an eerie and terrifying appearance.
"Good, I'm glad you've learned it. It was worth my expectations."
Orochimaru extended his tongue and licked his lips.
He felt something was off.
After mastering Sage Mode, Kabuto seemed to have a noticeably different attitude toward him.
At least, Kabuto, before, would never have directly looked him in the eye. He would always slightly avert his gaze.
This was a sign of respect from the weaker to the stronger, as well as a way for Kabuto to show he meant no harm.
"Kabuto, do you think you've surpassed me and no longer need to respect me?"
"Of course not, Orochimaru-sama."
At this moment, Kabuto imitated Orochimaru and extended his long tongue to lick his lips.
"In my eyes, it's all about you."
*********
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