Orochimaru's Defection Incident

The noren curtain of Ichiraku Ramen was gently lifted, and steaming heat carrying a rich aroma washed over them.

"Teuchi, one tonkotsu chashu ramen." Menma led Hinata into the shop.

He pointed at the menu board placed on the floor nearby, then turned and asked, "What do you want to eat, Hinata?"

"I... I'm fine with anything..." Hinata lowered her head and twisted her fingers together, her voice barely louder than a mosquito's buzz.

"Then have the same as me." Menma took Hinata's hand and sat down with her at the counter.

It was lunchtime, and there were three other customers in Ichiraku Ramen. Teuchi looked up through the hazy steam, squinting as he said to Menma, "Oh, little Menma. Is this a new friend?"

Ever since moving into Konoha, Menma occasionally came to Ichiraku Ramen to see whether he could run into Naruto or Kakashi.

But perhaps because Naruto was still young and there were still nine years until the main storyline began, he had encountered neither Naruto nor Kakashi.

"Hey, I haven't seen that kid Junta lately." While waiting for the ramen, a conversation from the villagers at the next seats drifted into his ears.

"I haven't seen him for several days either. I went to his house yesterday to look for him, but no one answered."

"Didn't that kid just return from a mission? How did he suddenly disappear?"

"Could he have received some higher-level mission?"

"He's been a Genin for years. What kind of mission could he get?"

"That's strange. Sato disappeared a few days after coming back too."

Hmm?

Menma quietly listened as those villagers, who looked like Genin, discussed their friends' disappearances. Some plot points from his memories gradually resurfaced as well.

"Looks like Orochimaru is about to defect." Menma had been planning to get some benefits from Orochimaru.

He had coveted the technology Snake Uncle possessed for a long time.

Although Impure World Reincarnation was probably not yet perfected at this time, genetic technology, cloning technology, and the Hashirama Cells Orochimaru possessed were all priceless treasures.

"Here's your ramen, little ones." Just as Menma was considering Orochimaru's possible escape routes, Teuchi's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Two bowls of ramen were pushed before them. The chashu trembled faintly in the rich broth, while the soft-boiled eggs glowed amber.

"Th-thank you..." Hinata thanked him as she accepted her bowl with both hands.

Slurp, slurp—

The two began eating with great enthusiasm.

Menma had already eaten before leaving home, so he ate rather slowly this time.

By the time he was halfway through his bowl, he noticed Hinata taking small sips of the broth beside him, swallowing faster and faster.

Before long, she had finished an entire bowl of ramen.

Even if Hinata was only three years old, that appetite was far too large.

"Teuchi, another large bowl of ramen, please." Seeing Hinata's little face flush, Menma guessed she was still not full and ordered another bowl.

"N-no need..." Hinata shyly pinched the corner of her clothes.

The education she had received taught her that girls were supposed to eat delicately and quietly. They were not supposed to eat large mouthfuls or eat as much as boys.

"Eat. I'm treating." Menma's voice carried an unmistakable note of refusal.

Teuchi worked quickly. Before long, a large bowl of steaming tonkotsu chashu ramen was placed in front of Hinata.

"Enjoy!" Teuchi smiled as he brought over a serving of Tempura and placed it between Menma and Hinata.

"To thank an old customer for bringing in a new one, this is a gift for you two." Teuchi squinted as he smiled.

Menma was already full, and there was still food left in his bowl, so he pushed the Tempura toward Hinata.

Looking at the large bowl of ramen and the plate of Tempura before her, mist welled up in Hinata's eyes again.

Ever since she could remember, she had never eaten her fill. Yet she had been too embarrassed to tell her parents. Sometimes, she was even lectured by her mother for eating a little more.

She was clearly the young lady of the Hyuga Clan, one of Konoha's two great noble clans, yet she had never eaten her fill. Who would believe that?

At that moment, Menma's casual gesture made her feel warmer than the clan compound with its strict rules ever had.

After finishing the second bowl, Menma made as if to raise his hand and order Hinata another serving.

Hinata, however, blushed and hurriedly pressed down his sleeve, shaking her head.

"Then let's go. I'll take you home." By the time the two left Ichiraku Ramen, it was already getting late.

Menma extended his hand and naturally took Hinata's little hand in his.

Under the setting sun, the two tiny shadows stretched long.

Hinata lowered her head to look at that little hand holding hers so firmly. Her already slightly flushed face turned several shades redder.

"If only it could be like this every day..." Hinata felt a sense of reassurance and safety unlike anything she had ever known.

She looked just like a good girl who had been lured away by a little blond troublemaker.

The two walked toward the Hyuga Compound.

Hinata suddenly stopped and froze where she stood.

"What's wrong?" Feeling her hand stiffen in his, Menma tilted his head slightly.

A Gentle Fist strike rushed at him head-on, carrying a fierce gust of wind!

"Die, scumbag!" Big Sister Hinata shouted sweetly!

"Hokage-sama!" A masked Anbu ninja landed in the center of the Hokage's office.

"This is the latest investigation report on the missing persons within the village!" The Anbu ninja offered a scroll with both hands.

Wearing the Hokage hat, Hiruzen Sarutobi accepted the scroll with a grave expression, already prepared for the worst.

Recently, more and more ninja had gone missing in the village. Though they were all Genin, the disappearances had still aroused Hiruzen Sarutobi's suspicions, prompting him to order the Anbu to investigate.

When he opened the scroll and saw the person named in its investigation report, even the prepared Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils trembled slightly.

"Kakashi," Hiruzen Sarutobi called softly.

Whoosh—

An Anbu wearing a White Cat Mask appeared behind Hiruzen Sarutobi and waited for orders in a half-kneeling posture.

"Gather the First Division. Follow me to... arrest Orochimaru!" As Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke the final words, his face darkened with grief and pain.

"Yes!" Kakashi accepted the order and immediately went to assemble the team.

The Anbu's full name was the Assassination Tactics Special Squad. It consisted of four divisions, each with four teams, for a total force of around seventy people.

Most ordinary Anbu ninja only possessed Chunin-level strength. Anbu ninja at team leader rank or above possessed at least the strength of a Special Jonin, division captains were regular Jonin, while the Anbu Captain was an Elite Jonin like Kakashi.

In actual deployment, the Anbu tried to ensure that each division had two Jonin and three Special Jonin.

Before long, Hiruzen Sarutobi changed into combat gear and personally led the team to clean house.

In the forest outside Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi led an arrest squad made up of three Jonin, three Special Jonin, and more than a dozen Chunin as they moved swiftly through the trees.

The leading Anbu ninja suddenly gave a hand signal, and everyone landed silently like falling leaves.

A sensory ninja formed hand seals with both hands.

"Hokage-sama, the entrance is here!"

"Kakashi, Jaku, come in with me. The rest of you set up outside!" Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered.

Apart from the two Jonin, Kakashi in the White Cat Mask and Jaku in the sparrow mask, the other Anbu ninja went under their respective team leaders to search the surrounding area for other entrances.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded at Jaku.

The latter flung out a Kunai bearing an Explosive Tag.

Boom!

As the thick smoke dispersed, the disguise was torn apart. A dark passageway, like the open mouth of a snake, appeared before Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other two.