"Stop! Don't run!!"
Somewhere in the jungles of the Land of Fire.
An intense chase was unfolding.
Orochimaru was in a sorry state.
He was being hunted by a group of Root shinobi.
Leading them was Darkness of Shinobi · Shimura Danzō.
To silence him.
He intended to kill Orochimaru.
That way, he could avoid having that boy, Hyuga Sho, uncover the truth about his cooperation with Orochimaru.
Fifty-seven-year-old Shimura Danzō was fighting thirty-nine-year-old Orochimaru.
Although he had already begun to decline from his peak.
As a traditional veteran powerhouse who could rival the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Shimura Danzō's strength was still beyond Orochimaru's ability to match.
At least before Orochimaru had conceived and developed the series of forbidden techniques he had in mind... such as the "Eight-Headed Serpent," he had no way to fight Shimura Danzō.
"Heh heh heh..."
As Orochimaru sped through the jungle, he wiped the fresh blood from his face.
He turned around and formed hand seals.
"Fire Release... Great Fire Dragon Bullet!!"
The roaring fire dragon charged toward the rear, illuminating the shadowy forest in orange-red light.
Seeing the enormous flames that could swallow more than a dozen people.
Shimura Danzō narrowed his eyes and formed hand seals without hurry.
"Wind Release... Vacuum Wave!"
He inhaled a stream of air.
Then he exhaled.
Ssshh!!!
A crescent-shaped vacuum blade, like a sickle weasel, flew straight toward the Great Fire Dragon Bullet.
Generally speaking.
Fire Release countered Wind Release.
When fire and wind clashed, the normal result was that the wind would fan the flames.
The original fire would instead gain momentum and attack the Wind Release user with even greater ferocity.
However...
How could Shimura Danzō, a veteran powerhouse, possibly make such a mistake?
Ssshh!!
The crescent-shaped Wind Release sickle-like Vacuum Wave actually sliced apart