When the Third Hokage realized he was about to be forcibly teleported, he had already begun breaking free by force. Spatial transportation was simply too fast—it had only a beginning and an end, with no process in between. Thus, when the Third Hokage forcefully swung the staff in his hand and split everything binding him apart, and faint light entered his pupils again, he no longer knew where he was.
The giant snake's head had been split in two by the Third Hokage, and he quickly stepped out of its gaping mouth. Once he reached the open ground, the Hokage looked around. At the very least, he could determine that this was neither Konoha nor anywhere near it.
Just as the Third Hokage raised his head to look at the sky, Orochimaru also walked out of the snake's mouth. Naturally, he was completely unharmed.
"It's quiet here. A good place, Sarutobi-sensei." Orochimaru looked at the Third Hokage's back as he spoke. He did not launch a sneak attack immediately, because that would have been completely meaningless.
Under normal circumstances, given the Third Hokage's personality, he should have tried to persuade Orochimaru to turn back from his misguided path, spouting some useless words and expressing his deep sorrow. However, that was only under normal circumstances.
A disciple he had raised from childhood was certainly worthy of affection. But when that disciple was placed on one side of the scales and the entire Konoha Village on the other, was there really any need to consider which was more important?
Tonight would be Konoha's most chaotic night. At a time like this, as Hokage, he should have been in the village overseeing the situation. But why had he been forcibly taken away from Konoha? Tracing the matter back to its source, it was