The forest was already in ruins. Broken trees littered the ground, and the scent of scorched earth filled the air. Orochimaru stood opposite a rugged-looking shinobi, a man in his forties with unkempt hair and a scar running under his left eye.
The tension between them was palpable.
With his usual hoarse tone, Orochimaru said, "A ninja of your caliber shouldn't be an unknown. Why haven't I ever heard of you before?"
The man didn't answer. His sharp gaze was cold and filled with resentment. Years of planning and effort had been destroyed in one night, leaving him in a foul mood. Still, killing the Third Hokage's prized disciple might be enough to vent his anger.
He quickly weaved through a string of hand seals. "Water Release: Water Torrent Wave!"
With a thunderous roar, a mass of surging water shot toward Orochimaru.
Unfazed, Orochimaru's fingers formed a counter seal. "Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
A solid wall of earth rose before him, crashing headlong into the wave. Water slammed against stone with a deafening crack, sending mud and spray into the air.
A moment later, a small explosion erupted behind Orochimaru—the wall now bore a jagged hole nearly a meter wide. Orochimaru's eyes narrowed.
He turned sharply toward the breach, arm raised in anticipation of an attack. Then silence fell. The only sound was the faint whisper of wind through the broken branches.
Orochimaru's instincts screamed danger.
A split-second later, a razor-sharp wind blade cut through the air, striking the wall. The structure exploded, fragments of stone flying everywhere.
Orochimaru leapt sideways, landing lightly.
"Ninja Art: Ash Pile Burning!"
The enemy exhaled a thick cloud of burning ash, filling the battlefield in an instant. The air turned heavy; visibility dropped to zero, and even breathing became difficult.
Orochimaru closed his eyes. Through the heat haze, the serpentine senses he had honed over years of experimentation allowed him to track the man's movements clearly.
But his opponent, thinking Orochimaru blind, charged through the ash. "Die!"
Fists and kicks cut through the smog, but Orochimaru slipped past each strike like smoke itself. Their movements were sharp flashes in the dust—Bang. Thud. Crack.
The man spun, delivering a fierce roundhouse kick. Orochimaru raised his arm to block, their limbs colliding with a heavy sound that sent both skidding backward.
Again, the haze thickened. Wind scattered dust in every direction, disorienting sound and sight alike.
In that moment of confusion, Orochimaru moved first. His hand shot out like a viper, seizing the man's collar. The world spun as Orochimaru swung him around and smashed him into the fractured wall.
Crack!
The wall shattered completely, debris tumbling around them. Orochimaru's follow-up kick was lightning-fast, slamming into the man's abdomen.
"Gah—!" The enemy spat blood before his body crashed to the ground.
Orochimaru's hands blurred once more. "Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bite!"
The ground split, birthing a massive dragon-shaped mound of earth that lunged at the fallen man. But the enemy reacted swiftly, pressing his palms against the ground. Dozens of explosive tags burst from beneath the soil, clinging to the dragon's body.
A blinding flash followed.
Boom!
The explosion tore through the forest, sending dirt and fire skyward. When the smoke cleared, the dragon was gone—and so was the man.
Orochimaru stood motionless, eyes scanning the smoldering terrain. The scattered explosive tags told him all he needed to know—traps were hidden everywhere.
He clicked his tongue. "Tch… running away like a rat."
Deciding not to risk pursuit, he turned back toward Rogue Town.
---
When Orochimaru arrived, his earth clone had already dispelled. Uchiha Hayashi, Nawaki, and the others waited for him at the outskirts.
"Orochimaru-sensei, did you catch him?" Hayashi asked.
Golden eyes flicked toward the boy before Orochimaru shook his head. "He escaped."
Nawaki crossed his arms and grinned. "Don't worry about it, sensei. Everyone messes up sometimes. Even I have failed missions before."
Orochimaru stared at him wordlessly, clearly unimpressed. Without replying, he gestured for them to follow.
"This is where the leader hid the stolen loot. Let's go in and take inventory."
They descended into a dimly lit cellar. The moment Hayashi stepped inside, his eyes widened. Piles of gold bars, silver, and ancient artifacts glimmered under the torchlight.
He blinked rapidly and rubbed his eyes. "Is this real?"
Then—smack!—he slapped Nawaki's cheek.
"Hey!" Nawaki shouted, rubbing the red mark.
Hayashi nodded solemnly. "Good. It's not a dream."
"Why'd you hit me!?"
"I was just confirming reality. Too much wealth makes my hands nervous," Hayashi said, grinning.
He turned and threw his arms around Mikoto with exaggerated joy. "Mikoto, look! These are all from our mission! We're rich! We've made it!"
Orochimaru's raspy voice cut through the excitement. "It seems I need to remind you who truly holds authority in Konoha."
Hayashi spun toward him with a sheepish smile. "Sensei, there's a whole room full of stolen treasure. Don't you want to inspect it yourself?"
"It'll be transported to Konoha in two days," Orochimaru replied flatly.
Hayashi sighed dramatically. "Such a pity."
"I'll be overseeing the transport personally," Orochimaru added.
"Sensei," Hayashi said, lowering his tone, "you don't get what I mean. These spoils will just end up funding Konoha's buildings and hospitals. That's great and all, but it doesn't exactly help us. Shouldn't we solve a few… personal problems first?"
Orochimaru's expression didn't change. Hayashi grew more animated.
"Think about it! Konoha is already the wealthiest of the Five Great Nations, but look at us—we're still broke. Don't you think the shinobi who risk their lives deserve a little reward? These treasures should go to those truly worthy!"
Orochimaru remained silent.
Seeing no reaction, Hayashi leaned in. "Also, sensei… among the loot, there was a scroll—one that contains a forbidden jutsu. I already took it before anyone else noticed. How about I hand it directly to you?"
For a brief moment, a flicker of interest passed through Orochimaru's golden eyes.
After a pause, he said, "Hayashi, I've been considering recommending you for Jonin promotion. But you're still technically an academy student."
He placed a hand on Hayashi's shoulder. "I can reward you in other ways. Take a look around—if something catches your eye, it's yours."
Hayashi's grin softened into something more genuine. "Thank you, Orochimaru-sensei."
While Hayashi eagerly searched through the treasure, Orochimaru's focus shifted to a lone scroll resting on a table. The moment he unrolled it, his face darkened.
The air in the cellar grew heavy.
Hayashi noticed and frowned. "Sensei… what's wrong?"
Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed dangerously. "Something has happened."
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