Seeing that the other party's attitude was not bad, Orochimaru didn't mind giving him some time.
He patted Hidan on the shoulder lightly, signaling him to stop.
"Fine! You're a nobody, big or small. I'll give you a day. I expect you to have an explanation by this time tomorrow!"
Hearing Hidan agree, the old man also breathed a sigh of relief. This matter had to be clarified. If they were really targeted by the forces behind them, how could Hoshikage Village have a good life in the future!
Besides, the fact that the other party didn't make a move right away proves that there's still room for negotiation. Perhaps it really is a misunderstanding?
"Since you two have come from afar, why don't you stay here for the night to avoid the trouble of traveling back and forth!"
Seeing Hidan preparing to leave, the old man spoke up at the right moment to persuade him to stay, as it was not advisable to make things too tense.
Just as he was about to refuse to complain about this remote and impoverished place, Orochimaru spoke first from behind:
"Alright! Then I'll trouble you!"
Hoshikage was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. He was just being polite, so why was the other party taking advantage of the situation? Could it be that the other party was... Shunli?
Hidan was also surprised that Orochimaru wanted to stay, but then he thought about the mosquitoes and poisonous insects in the wild...
Having grown accustomed to a comfortable life, he was unwilling to suffer unnecessarily. Although the environment here was a bit poor, it was still better than going out to feed mosquitoes.
"What? Didn't you tell us to stay? What are you spacing out for!"
Hidan attacked him at point-blank Hidan again, and the old man could only swallow his anger; what could he do when Hidan was so foul-mouthed?
"Akahoshi! Take our two distinguished guests to rest!"
Upon hearing the order, a ninja immediately stepped forward. Out of the corner of my eye, I recognized him as the extra.
Orochimaru couldn't help but feel that Orochimaru looked familiar; it turned out he was the protagonist's experience pack.
Without further ado, the two followed Akahoshi out of the wooden house.
"If you hadn't stopped me, I would have flipped the table just now!"
Hidan started complaining as soon as they walked a short Hidan away, his voice completely undisguised, and Akahoshi, who was walking ahead, almost lost his balance and slipped to the ground.
From the front, his face had become extremely ugly. These two not only disregarded their Kage, but also the twenty or thirty ninjas present.
"We're here representing the village. If you come in and immediately try to overturn the table and kill our whole family, what will become of our village's image?!"
"That seems to be true! Oh well, waiting another day won't hurt, so people won't say we're being unreasonable!"
The two talked without restraint, not caring at all that the ninja in front of them might overhear them. Strength was king, and that was all they could do.
Soon, Orochimaru and Hidan were taken to a wooden house on the edge of the village.
Having completed his task, Akahoshi didn't want to stay a moment longer and turned to leave with a dark expression.
"Tch! A small ninja village is a small ninja village, how rude!"
Before leaving, he was mocked by Hidan again, but he didn't turn his head back. He just quickened his pace, afraid that if he didn't leave quickly, he would lose control of the knife in his hand.
However, not long after Akahoshi left, a faint rustling sound of leaves came from the surroundings. Only a ninja with exceptional hearing would have noticed this anomaly.
"Damn it! It's just one night's stay, is it really necessary for five or six ninjas to come and monitor us?"
Hidan, looking very annoyed, really wanted to go out and finish them off, but Orochimaru stopped him.
"Ignore them. That old man won't feel at ease if we don't!"
As he spoke, Orochimaru took out a storage scroll and retrieved the food that had been inside.
Time passed quickly, and the two of them simply made do in the room for the night.
Calm and uneventful, at least on the surface...
The next morning, Hidan, who was still fast asleep in bed, was woken up by the noise outside the door.
Hidan, who had slept with his sickle in his arms all night, drooled all over the blade and groggily opened his eyes.
"Who the hell is making such a racket so early in the morning, daring to disturb my sweet dreams? They must have a death wish!"
Hidan, who was getting Hidan and angrier, finally sobered up and immediately jumped off the wooden bed. Ignoring Orochimaru, who was looking at a rock next to him, he angrily Gate of Opening.
As soon as Gate of Opening, the scene before him surprised him.
More than twenty Hoshikage Ninjas, swords in hand, glared angrily at Hidan, as if he were their mortal enemy.
"They've finally come out! The Hoshikage who killed us still dares to stay here!"
"It must be them! Lord Hoshikage met with misfortune as soon as they arrived, they must be involved!"
"Kill him! Avenge Lord Hoshikage!"
With everyone talking at once, the entrance to the hut was as lively as a market, leaving Hidan, who had been furious, somewhat bewildered.
Originally intending to confront the perpetrators, they were unexpectedly falsely accused by the villains.
After a long while, Hidan managed to piece together the main information from the chaotic mess.
"Killed Hoshikage? That old man is dead?"
He remembered that he tossed and turned all night and only fell asleep just before dawn. He didn't do anything, and it was even less likely that he would do it with Orochimaru.
He wouldn't deign to lay a hand on a lackey of Hoshikage's level. Even if he did, he wouldn't need to do it behind his back; he could simply give the order.
"They dare to do it but not admit it! Lord Hoshikage should have ordered them to be killed last night!"
"Keep pretending! Keep pretending even when you're about to die! It's disgusting!"
"Stop wasting time talking to him, take him down first!"
These clamoring Hoshikage Village ninjas approached step by step, their words utterly merciless.
Hidan, who was already short-tempered, couldn't stand these words. Little did he know that when he insulted others, they felt the same way he did now.
"Hahaha..."
Hidan suddenly burst into maniacal laughter, causing everyone present to pause slightly, momentarily confused as to what had gotten into him.
However, they quickly received an answer from the other party.
"Don't tell me I didn't kill your Hoshikage. Even if I did, so what? Today I'll offer you all up to the Lord Jashin!"
"Come on, come on! My greatsword is itching for a fight!"
As he spoke, he raised the sickle in his hand and charged into the crowd without hesitation.
"Brothers! Kill him! Avenge Hoshikage!"
With a flick of his Akahoshi, which had been fanning the flames, the crowd behind him surged forward.
He had disliked these two for a long time, especially the foul-mouthed guy in front of him!
The reason he harbored such deep hostility was not to avenge Hoshikage, nor because of the humiliation he suffered last night, but because the Star Stone he had been longing for had disappeared.
I had long considered the Star Stone my possession, but it was inexplicably stolen last night.
He had searched everywhere, but he had not checked the residence of these two outsiders.
These two are highly suspicious; we need to take them down no matter what!
The facts were pretty much as he had guessed; the Star Stone, or rather the Ten-Tails Fragment, from their village was indeed in Orochimaru's hands.
Sensing the commotion of fighting outside, Orochimaru put away the Ten-Tails Fragment.
"I never expected to run into this time. It seems there's no need for this village to exist anymore!"