Orochimaru's sudden appearance made the atmosphere instantly tense.
Uchiha Yusuke glanced at him and said flatly, "Orochimaru… didn't expect to run into you here."
Orochimaru's name was intimidating, but Yusuke didn't particularly take him to heart.
On the surface, Orochimaru was Danzo's "backup plan" to eliminate survivors—but Yusuke understood Orochimaru's nature well.
Orochimaru, like him, was extremely goal-driven. Without a benefit worth taking, he would never come all this way just to do Danzo a favor.
Even if Danzo and Orochimaru had dealings, they were partners—nothing more.
Seeing Orochimaru, Nono and Kabuto looked as if they were facing a mortal threat.
If Danzo had sent someone like this as the second layer, their situation was genuinely dangerous.
Orochimaru, however, looked completely casual. He stared at Yusuke's cold face, and a trace of greed flickered in his eyes.
He had already witnessed the Uchiha's strength before leaving Konoha.
Even a freshly graduated Itachi Uchiha had shocked this famous "Sannin" with his shuriken skills.
Aside from the Second Hokage's forbidden techniques, Orochimaru was also intensely fascinated by powerful bloodlines.
He researched immortality because he wanted to master every jutsu—and through that, decipher the truth of the world.
From a "scientist" standpoint, Orochimaru was undeniably qualified.
It was only that Danzo's influence had made his methods increasingly unscrupulous.
Yusuke didn't agree with Orochimaru's casual trampling of life.
Yes, the world ran on the law of the strong devouring the weak—
but while he could be ruthless to enemies, he wouldn't slaughter the innocent without reason.
Orochimaru extended his long tongue, licking the corner of his mouth as he said in a sinister voice:
"Yusuke-kun… you really are a splendid vessel."
"Should I take your body while I have the chance?"
Yusuke's gaze sharpened.
"Orochimaru. What you do is none of my business."
"But if you dare reach your hand toward the Uchiha clan…"
"I'll make sure you never see tomorrow's sun."
Orochimaru smiled.
"So blunt… truly worthy of the 'Flame Demon' who shook the shinobi world."
"But… I really am interested in an Uchiha body."
As he spoke, a fierce killing intent erupted from him.
Young Kabuto nearly froze in place. Even the seasoned Nono broke out in cold sweat.
So this was the pressure of a Kage-level monster—
terrifying beyond words.
Orochimaru radiated menace.
Yusuke remained calm.
"Orochimaru. Are you planning to fight me here?"
Orochimaru didn't change expression.
"I do want to know how much you've grown these years, Yusuke-kun."
Yusuke slowly revealed his three-tomoe Sharingan.
A razor-edged killing intent surged from him.
"Orochimaru. Don't play with fire."
Feeling Yusuke's overwhelming aura, Orochimaru's smile faded.
Two Kage-level shinobi faced each other—needle to needle—until the air itself felt suffocating.
Orochimaru frowned.
He wanted to take Yusuke and make him a vessel…
but he wasn't certain he could win.
Orochimaru was Kage-level, yes—
but Yusuke had defeated the Fourth Raikage and captured Killer B. That wasn't something a weak man could do.
And right now, Orochimaru's Reanimation technique wasn't fully completed.
Against Yusuke, he honestly felt a bit unsure.
Still—
Yusuke's attitude was too arrogant.
So Orochimaru decided to test him.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
With a flick of his arm, he unleashed his signature technique.
A massive serpent coiled in and wrapped around Yusuke's body.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!
Elementalization activated.
Yusuke suddenly became roaring flames, burning the serpent to ash in an instant.
Before the scorched remains even fell away, Orochimaru's neck stretched—his head shooting forward like a projectile.
"Your body-element technique is indeed bizarre…"
"but it's not impossible to counter."
"Cursed Binding Seal!"
He bit down on Yusuke's neck, and black markings spread rapidly.
Orochimaru smiled as he explained:
"A sealing curse that restrains movement."
"It suppresses elementalization extremely well."
"You talk so big, yet this is all you've got?"
"Yusuke-kun… you're finished."
Orochimaru wore a pleased expression.
Yusuke, however, was still as calm as water.
"Is that so?"
"Orochimaru… you should look at your own situation first."
As Orochimaru met those crimson eyes, he suddenly felt as if needles stabbed into his skin.
"W-what?"
"Don't tell me…"
Yusuke's voice stayed cold and flat.
"What a pity, Orochimaru…"
"A legendary 'Sannin'…"
"…and you've been caught by your own binding technique."
Orochimaru finally understood.
"This is… genjutsu?"
"When did you—"
Yusuke replied evenly:
"From the moment you first saw the Sharingan…"
"…you were already inside the illusion."
Orochimaru first looked incredulous—
then deeply impressed.
"To think I'd fall into my own immobilization…"
"What monstrous ocular power…"
"Magnificent."
He struggled to counterattack, but Yusuke didn't allow it.
A flash of cold light—
Yusuke's sword was already pressed to Orochimaru's throat.
"I'll warn you one more time."
"Don't set your sights on the Uchiha."
Orochimaru's face shifted between green and pale.
With a blade at his throat, sweat beaded on his forehead.
He couldn't move.
On the cutting board, he was the fish.
If Yusuke wanted to deal with him, it would be effortless.
Regret flickered in Orochimaru's eyes.
If he'd known Yusuke was this troublesome…
he wouldn't have provoked this calamity.
Wasn't quietly researching the truth of the world far better?
Why did a scientist insist on throwing himself into lethal brawls?
Yusuke studied him and murmured, "What should I do with you?"
"Spare you… or kill you now?"
Orochimaru's expression turned darker. Yusuke's strength was beyond what he'd expected.
After a moment's thought, Orochimaru tossed out a bargaining chip.
"I have information about Danzo here."
"I think you'll be interested."
As long as he could stabilize Yusuke, selling out Danzo's secrets meant nothing.
He understood Konoha's situation clearly:
If Yusuke wanted to rise, Danzo was a major obstacle.
Sure enough—
the moment Danzo was mentioned, Yusuke's hand paused.
Orochimaru seized the opening and continued to lure him.
"I've had certain 'cooperations' with Danzo—surely you know that."
"I can leak some of Danzo's secrets to you."
"I have a map here—marked with the locations of Danzo's hidden bases…"
Following Orochimaru's hint, Yusuke quickly pulled a scroll from his sleeve.
He skimmed it.
It truly contained extensive secret intel on Danzo.
A faint smile rose at the corner of Yusuke's mouth.
With this information, dealing with Danzo would become far easier.
He had only meant to teach Orochimaru a lesson—
but instead, he'd gained an unexpected prize.
Yusuke stepped forward, about to release Orochimaru from the restraint.
But Orochimaru suddenly moved on his own.
His sinister voice came again:
"Heh… the curse mark finally released."
"Yusuke-kun… until we meet again."
He tossed a smoke bomb and slipped away in a serpentine retreat.
When the fog dispersed, his figure was long gone.
Yusuke sighed helplessly.
Orochimaru was a formidable Kage-level shinobi—if he committed to escape, there weren't many in the world who could truly stop him.
Then—
from not far away, Nono cried out in alarm.
"Kabuto!"
"Where did Kabuto go?!"
Yusuke frowned.
Orochimaru had taken Kabuto in the chaos?
So from the very start—
Orochimaru had been targeting Kabuto.
With Kabuto taken, Nono's face filled with panic.
Five years apart—only to reunite and be separated again immediately.
Kabuto had barely escaped Danzo's tiger's jaws…
only to fall into Orochimaru's wolf's den.
For her, it was cruel reality.
"Don't worry," Yusuke said, stepping in to comfort her.
"From what I know of Orochimaru…"
"He won't harm that child."
Hearing that, Nono's expression eased slightly.
She felt genuine gratitude toward Yusuke.
Kabuto had been taken—but there was still hope of rescuing him.
If Yusuke hadn't appeared, tonight she and Kabuto would never have escaped the fate of killing each other.
Nono lifted her head.
"Yusuke-sama… what are your orders?"
She assumed that as the new Hokage Advisor, Yusuke had traveled all this way for an important mission.
Yusuke smiled.
"No need to be so stiff with me."
"Your infiltration mission is over."
"Go back to the orphanage and rest for a while."
"When I need you, I'll have someone contact you."
Nono could hardly believe her ears.
Mission… over?
Go back to the orphanage?
Since when was Konoha's Hokage Advisor this kind?
Yusuke stepped closer and lightly patted her shoulder.
"You've suffered too much."
"That's Konoha's fault."
"The era of darkness Danzo represented is over."
Nono's eyes immediately reddened.
Even as a trained spy, she couldn't fully control her emotions now.
She had waited for this day for far too long.
The orphanage was where her soul belonged.
When Danzo first coerced her, she still held a sliver of hope in the Third Hokage—
but after five years undercover in Iwa, no rescue ever came from Konoha.
Danzo had offered her hope—
but it was only a complete lie.
Once the rabbit was no longer needed, the hound was boiled.
Once the birds were gone, the bow was put away.
Others risked everything for "Root," yet Danzo had planned from the start to silence them.
Danzo's methods were even colder than the Third Hokage's.
It was pure ingratitude.
Elsewhere — Orochimaru's Hideout
Orochimaru carried Kabuto far away, quickly reaching his secret base.
Seeing the bottles, tubes, and the sea of books, Kabuto's eyes filled with shock.
Orochimaru's eerie voice came from behind.
"This is my own base."
"No one knows it exists."
"You're my first guest."
Kabuto asked, confused:
"Orochimaru-san… why bring me to a place like this?"
Orochimaru sat on a stone stool, smiling.
"Your curiosity seems quite strong."
"That's a good thing."
"Humans are always fascinated by the unknown."
"You're a smart child."
"Interested in being my assistant—helping me unravel mysteries?"
Kabuto shook his head and refused.
He only wanted to return and find the director.
Orochimaru didn't get angry.
Like a "creepy uncle" luring a child, he just kept persuading him.
"I'm collecting all kinds of materials—testing them through experiments again and again."
"Accumulating knowledge and power within my body…"
"Until I can rebuild a perfect self."
"Don't you want to understand the truth of this world?"
"Come with me."
Orochimaru's experiments had already made major progress.
If he continued, he believed he would succeed someday.
To change the world—
that was Orochimaru's ambition.
A scientist's dream was something ordinary people could never truly understand.
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