"Because of certain circumstances, information has surfaced that a clan within the village is no longer aligned with Konoha. Iwagakure has learned of this and may attempt a large-scale offensive."
After Aburame Ryūma finished speaking from behind Danzō, Yakushi Nono's hands clenched tightly.
Then she replied, forcing herself to stay calm:
"You've come to the wrong person. I'm just the head of this orphanage now."
Danzō frowned slightly.
"You should understand why the orphanage's funding still hasn't been finalized."
Aburame Ryūma spoke again, his voice steady and cold:
"The funds will likely arrive eventually, since the Fourth Hokage promised them. But this place is remote. Have you considered hiring shinobi to protect it? To prevent theft… or something happening to the children?"
Orochimaru smoothly continued,
"Children of unknown origin have… value. I have need of such resources."
He didn't finish the sentence, but Nono understood perfectly.
She had no choice.
Maybe she could find another way to solve the funding issue—but the children…
As a former elite of ROOT, Nono knew exactly how ROOT "used" orphans.
Used.
Brainwashed into weapons of war.
Thrown into human experimentation.
Either path was hell.
"…I understand."
When your weakness is firmly grasped by someone else, surrender comes far too easily.
Danzō's eyes flickered faintly. Orochimaru smiled.
"This mission cost me a subordinate," Danzō said calmly. "So this time, I'll be taking a child from here—"
"No!"
Before he could finish, Nono stood up and refused outright.
The children were her weakness—but also the reason she had crawled out of the darkness in the first place.
Outside, Yakushi Kabuto clenched his fists.
It seemed as if he had already made up his mind.
"Pat."
A hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.
Kabuto almost jumped out of his skin.
Turning around, he saw the red-haired man who had treated him to grilled meat a few days ago.
"You—"
Kong smiled lightly.
"You're thinking of rushing in and agreeing, aren't you? But do you know what ROOT really is?"
Kabuto shook his head.
"I just don't want the headmistress to suffer. As for me… I don't matter."
Kong glanced toward the room. A shadow inside seemed to swell and distort.
"Go wait over there for me."
He pushed Kabuto aside and drew his blade in one smooth motion.
"Boom!!"
"Slash!"
The wooden door exploded inward.
The Shadow Snake Hands lunging out were cleanly severed.
…His strength was a little hard to control now.
Kong withdrew his blade and frowned.
The sudden surge in vitality had pushed his speed, strength, and chakra far beyond before—but the control he had painstakingly built up had dropped sharply.
…He hadn't just dislocated Kabuto's shoulder, had he?
"Red hair… Uzumaki blood?" Orochimaru's long crimson tongue flicked over his lips.
"You're not a Konoha shinobi. Looks like my laboratory is about to gain a very fine specimen."
"Honestly," Kong spat,
"you're disgusting as hell."
In the next instant, both his hands moved.
Eight Flying Thunder God kunai flew from his pouch.
The accuracy was… questionable.
Only two headed directly toward the enemy. The other six scattered across the room.
"With aim this terrible," Orochimaru chuckled,
"you remind me of a certain white-haired man's techniques."
He raised his hand to deflect—
And then his pupils shrank violently.
The characters etched onto the kunai—
"Flying Thunder God?!"
Before the cry finished—
A kunai pierced straight through his heart.
"Pff!"
"You guessed right, Orochimaru."
Kong's voice whispered behind him.
But the next moment—
Orochimaru showed no pain at all.
His neck softened and stretched unnaturally, his head twisting around to Kong's back.
"Slash!"
The Kusanagi Sword shot from his mouth, stabbing into Kong's neck—then sweeping sideways.
"Pff."
Smoke erupted.
A shadow clone.
"I was never here for you, one of the Sannin."
Kong flashed behind Danzō and stabbed down with a kunai.
"Clang!"
The attack was blocked.
Kong looked up at the man standing before Danzō.
Aburame Ryūma.
"From the very beginning," Kong said calmly,
"your attention was never on me. You were watching Danzō's surroundings the entire time. Loyal to the bone, huh?"
Ryūma replied expressionlessly,
"ROOT exists to protect Lord Danzō. The Fourth Hokage's Flying Thunder God is fast—but it is still only speed."
"Bzzzz—"
A mass of black insects poured from his body like a living cloud, swallowing the space around Kong.
"Flash!"
Kong teleported back, dodging the kikaichū, and smiled.
"No. You simply don't understand how terrifying Flying Thunder God truly is."
"Boom."
A kunai ignited in flame as Kong hurled it toward Danzō.
"Clang!"
The first burning kunai was knocked aside.
The second followed instantly.
The third was already there.
"Flash!"
Kong appeared behind Aburame Ryūma.
In the next moment, his blade split the man cleanly in two.
"Pff!"
"Bzzzz—!"
A swarm of insects erupted.
A bug clone.
"Uzumaki-kun," Orochimaru's voice hissed coldly,
"what makes you think Flying Thunder God alone is enough to deal with us?"
Several giant snakes burst forth, surging toward Kong.
"Flash!"
Kong vanished—
And reappeared behind the newly emerged Aburame Ryūma.
This time—
The real body.
"Slash!"
An arm was severed at the shoulder.
Blood sprayed everywhere.
But Kong frowned.
Ryūma hadn't dodged.
He had allowed the contact.
"Haah…"
Cold sweat rolled down Ryūma's forehead from the pain—but compared to Obito, this man's pain response was almost nonexistent.
"Trading an arm to keep you here," Ryūma said calmly,
"I consider that an excellent bargain."
"Space–time ninjutsu is terrifying, yes. But the reason you dared attack us is because you can always escape, isn't it?"
"You placed seals elsewhere. If things go wrong, you leave immediately."
"That," he continued evenly,
"is your true confidence."
Kong paused.
Something inside his body… was moving.
This was—
Ryūma watched him closely.
"The parasitic kikaichū have begun consuming your chakra," he said.
"Next, they will rapidly grow and reproduce—until—"
He didn't need to finish.
As a clan possessing true secret techniques, the Aburame were more than capable of turning the tide of battle.
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 60 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/arcanechronicals