Orochimaru contemplated whether to inform Charles Doyle about Jiraiya's frequent visits to his base. Ultimately, he decided to keep it to himself.
"My lord, your orders?" Orochimaru asked respectfully.
Charles began, "If my predictions are correct, the faction of Hydra led by Pierce within S.H.I.E.L.D. will soon take significant action."
"This Hydra operation is likely to end in failure."
"You need to be prepared on two fronts."
"First, ensure that your Hydra connections remain undisclosed. Second, find a way to claim their spoils."
"Rather than letting S.H.I.E.L.D. dissolve and their assets fall into the hands of various governments, it's better for you to seize as much as possible. Of course, if it's inconvenient for you to act directly, let other Hydra factions handle it."
Orochimaru licked the corner of his mouth with a sinister grin.
"This is indeed an excellent opportunity."
"The Hydra personnel I'm currently working with are not part of Pierce's faction."
"Presumably, my identity hasn't been recorded in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s systems either."
"As long as Pierce doesn't flee to my side with his subordinates, everything will be fine."
"Even if they do come, I have ways to deal with them."
Charles nodded, reassured. The key was to avoid exposure.
Otherwise, if Tony Stark and the Avengers began hunting down Sound Ninja bases across the globe, it would be a major headache.
After all, many Avengers was currently on Earth, and the combined efforts of Thor, Hulk, and Tony would pose a significant threat to the Sound Ninja.
However, with Orochimaru's confidence in handling the situation, Charles felt at ease. He trusted Orochimaru's resourcefulness.
"Pierce likely won't have the chance to escape to your side."
Orochimaru nodded with a sly smile, "In that case, there's even less risk."
After exchanging a few more words, Charles departed from the Sound Ninja base.
…
Elsewhere-
In the Cloud Village Base-
Cee, Karui, and Killer Bee beamed with joy as they stood before Mabui and Yugito Nii.
"Haha! Who would've thought our lord would bring the two of you here? This is fantastic!"
"With you around, Mabui, things will get much easier for me."
As the Raikage's secretary, Mabui excelled at handling official affairs and negotiating with external parties—skills that Cee couldn't match.
Moreover, her mastery of the Heavenly Transfer Technique made resource transportation significantly more efficient.
"Did the lord have any specific instructions?" Cee inquired.
Mabui replied, "There are no special instructions from our lord. He simply asked us to follow your lead."
Relieved by the lack of direct orders, Cee grinned, "We're all working for the same lord. Let's cooperate and figure things out together."
Though Cee was an elite jonin, Mabui's standing in the Cloud Village was arguably higher.
Not only was she a jonin and his senior, but she had also been the Raikage's secretary and a rare user of the Heavenly Transfer Technique.
Cee knew better than to act like the boss in her presence.
As for Yugito Nii, she wasn't just a senior but also the jinchūriki of the Two-Tails, making her even more powerful than him.
Following the traditions of the Cloud Village, Cee wouldn't dream of issuing orders to either of them lightly.
Fortunately, the three of them had a good relationship from their time in the Cloud Village. Everything could be handled through discussion.
When the Raikage eventually joined them, they would submit to his leadership. However, Charles Doyle would remain the ultimate boss.
Hearing Cee's words, Mabui and Yugito Nii both smiled.
Yugito Nii pulled Killer Bee close, grinning, "Ha! Is this really our little Killer Bee?"
She ruffled Killer Bee's hair playfully, messing up his hairstyle.
Clearly, Yugito Nii was intrigued by the youthful version of Killer Bee. Back in the Cloud Village, Killer Bee had been seven years older than her and had shared much of his knowledge about controlling a tailed beast during her training.
Now, seeing Killer Bee as a teenager, she couldn't resist teasing him.
"Hey! Do we even know each other that well?" Killer Bee protested.
Yugito Nii smirked mischievously, "Call me sis, and I'll teach you how to master your tailed beast's power."
Cee and Karui exchanged knowing glances. They understood Yugito Nii's personality well. If not for the fact that Killer Bee was Karui's mentor, Karui might have teased him similarly.
Suddenly, Yugito Nii's expression changed, turning serious as she asked, "Wait a second, where's your tailed beast?"
Her question came after sensing that Killer Bee lacked the Eight-Tails' presence, confirmed by her own Two-Tails communicating with her.
Killer Bee freed himself from Yugito Nii's grasp and explained, "I don't currently have a tailed beast inside me, but there's no need to worry."
"Lord Charles has assured me that when my future self is brought back from the timeline, my powers will be restored."
At that moment, a voice echoed in the room, "That's correct. You will regain the power of the Eight-Tails in due time."
The five individuals turned to see a masked man appear before them. Despite his unfamiliar appearance, they recognized him instantly as Charles Doyle.
The group immediately knelt on one knee and greeted in unison, "My lord!"
Charles nodded and spoke, "Cee, I'm here to reassign Killer Bee and to give him a new mission."
"With Mabui and Yugito Nii now with you, I believe this will alleviate some of the manpower issues."
Cee responded respectfully, "Understood, my lord. Please proceed with your instructions."
Charles turned to Killer Bee and said, "Killer Bee, I need you to immediately rejoin Coulson's team."
"You are their advisor, and now that S.H.I.E.L.D. is aware of reinforcements, this serves as your reason for returning."
"What do you need me to do, my lord?" Killer Bee asked.
Charles continued, "S.H.I.E.L.D. is on the verge of a major crisis, one that could lead to its collapse and dissolution."
"I need you to work with Coulson's team to locate the Fridge."
"It contains a large number of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s 084 artifacts and some detained individuals with superhuman abilities."
"Additionally, if S.H.I.E.L.D. disbands, Coulson is a likely candidate to lead its reformation. I need you to keep tabs on developments there."
Hearing the mission details, Killer Bee nodded firmly, "Understood, my lord. I will complete the task."
"Reach out to Coulson immediately and rejoin his team as soon as possible. Their time may be running out."
"Yes, my lord."