Who Said Black Zetsu Has No Heart

[Cold]

A bone-piercing chill they had never experienced before swept through their bodies, pouring from the tops of the two children's heads down to their heels.

Overwhelmed by terror, they lost even the instinct to scream and could only stare blankly at the unfamiliar figure standing behind the fountain of blood.

Skin so pale that not a trace of color could be seen gleamed hazily beneath the bright moonlight. Long black hair drifted in the wind, and an inexplicable smile rested on a face so beautiful that its gender was impossible to discern.

His golden eyes resembled a snake's, and when his gaze swept over them, the two children felt as though they had been targeted by a venomous serpent.

Thud!

"Y-you..."

Only when the headless corpse fell onto its back did Yahiko slowly recover from his shock. Looking up at the unfamiliar man who had killed the Rain ninja, even his voice trembled.

"You didn't faint? You two have quite the potential to become ninja~"

Having shed his women's clothes, Orochimaru nodded with interest. He raised his hand, brought the bead of blood on his fingertip beneath his nose, and gave it a light sniff. A nauseating earthy stench rushed into his nostrils.

He had investigated this before. Among the Rain ninja, those born with a Water nature accounted for as much as ninety-nine percent. Even Jonin who developed a second nature generally would not choose to cultivate Earth nature.

He had not killed the wrong person. This was an Iwa Ninja.

His gaze shifted to the headless corpse still twitching at his feet, briefly passing over the sharp kunai hidden behind its back.

He had been following the children from afar and had been about to step forward when the suddenly appearing "Rain ninja" caught his attention. To