The seed had already been planted.

A sudden change has occurred!

In the tranquil Forest, the three little creatures stared in disbelief at the distorted space.

Before long, the scenery in the forest suddenly changed.

Just a moment ago, it was Tōka's head that was smashed into pieces.

But in the blink of an eye, the burly man's head was smashed open, and a thick Wrought-Iron Club was embedded in his skull.

The glaring crimson blood rolled down the large club, staining his cheeks and wetting his clothes.

With a whoosh, Guy, who had gone ahead, appeared beside Neji and Rock Lee, a serious expression on his honest face.

Genjutsu that even he couldn't see through!

The reason Kai hid in the bushes and didn't attack immediately was because he trusted Tōka's strength; he couldn't possibly be unable to handle a Special Jonin.

Otherwise, how could Guy's speed be slower than Neji and Rock Lee's?

"Kai, it seems I've won." Tōka slowly emerged from behind a Big Tree, a faint smile on her face.

"No wonder you're the goal I'll strive to surpass my whole life!" Kai grinned, giving a thumbs up, showing no sign of dissatisfaction at losing the match.

"Tōka, you seem to have gotten even stronger!"

Upon hearing this, the three kids in Team Guy's team had a sudden thought. Could it be that Teacher Kai had never been a match Chunin this Chunin named Tōka?

In a broad sense, Special Jonin are also Jonin, but unlike Jonin have developed their strength in a balanced way, Special Jonin have only reached the Jonin requirements in certain areas.

Chunin defeated Jonin one move?

This kind of thing...

This guy definitely can't be just a Chunin!

At this moment, the way the three little guys looked at Tōka changed; there was no trace of disdain left.

Even the most confident Neji couldn't help but show a solemn expression.

He stared intently at Tōka, his lips pressed into a straight line, seemingly pondering what the outcome would be if he were to take the stage.

"Kotaro is dead, so I'll head back now," Tōka said casually, then turned the tables and became the one leaving things to others.

The main target is the strongest Special Jonin Kotaro; the remaining minor ninjas can be used by Kai to train his three junior disciples.

Tōka returned to the town alone, preoccupied with how to get her hands on the Scroll of Seals from the Third Hokage Generation, completely unaware of the pale-faced man walking towards her.

A chilling aura approached, like Poisonous Snake lurking in the shadows, watching intently.

"Tōka, what are you thinking about? Why are you so lost in thought?" A deep, hoarse voice rang out. At first glance, it sounded completely unfamiliar, but upon closer inspection, it felt strangely familiar.

"Orochimaru?" Tōka stared at the other party and slowly uttered three words.

"Tōka, it's better to meet by chance than by invitation. There's a really good Barbecue Restaurant in this Town, how about... we try it?"

Barbecue is considered a high-end food, and it's one of Tōka's favorites.

However, Tōka was more concerned with the meaning behind Orochimaru's words.

Eating barbecue is just an excuse; the real purpose is to talk about some things.

The Land of Rice is quite a distance from the Land of Grass; to reach it by traveling through the Small Nation, one would have to cross the Land of Frost and the Land of Waterfalls.

Orochimaru's disguise clearly indicates that he has crossed the border into the Land of Land of Fire.

They must have something important to do to come to the Land of Grass, risking being discovered!

Tōka smiled slightly, revealing a row of neat teeth. "Meeting you is fate, I definitely have to go."

The two turned around, each smiling with their own thoughts.

After walking through the winding streets to the center of town, a Barbecue Restaurant spanning two storefronts came into view.

The aroma of roasted meat wafts through the air, steaming hot and incredibly flavorful.

The two entered the shop one after the other. It was almost lunchtime, and the Barbecue Restaurant was nearly full.

"Arrange a quiet place for me," Orochimaru said, tossing a wad of silver coins to the portly shopkeeper behind the counter, leaving no room for refusal.

"Okay, please follow me." The chubby boss's eyes lit up, his face all scrunched up with fat, and he nodded repeatedly as he walked out from behind the counter.

Tōka stood Budong to the side until the two entered a Private Dining Room.

The thin door seemed to shut out the noise from outside, and the air immediately became quiet.

"It seems like Orochimaru comes here often?" Tōka sat casually, his expression exuding a nonchalant air.

"I've been here twice, but I wouldn't call myself a regular," Orochimaru replied casually, waving away the Waiter was serving the food.

With a soft creak, the wooden door closed again.

Only Tōka and Orochimaru remained in the Private Dining Room, along with the red-hot Iron Plate on the table.

Sizzle...

Orochimaru placed a piece of succulent raw meat on the Iron Plate, making an enticing sound that made one's mouth water.

"Tōka, don't just stand there," Orochimaru reminded him, then picked up the half-cooked grilled meat and started eating it in silence.

Tōka narrowed his eyes. If he hadn't already confirmed that the person in front of him was Orochimaru, he would have thought he was sitting with someone from the Akimichi Clan, judging by his eating manner.

What's going on with this guy? The barbecue is just a pretext; who actually goes out to eat to discuss business?

"Didn't Orochimaru want to see me about something?" Tōka wasn't sure what Orochimaru wanted, so he decided to test the waters first.

"Is something wrong? No, nothing's wrong!" Orochimaru swallowed the piece of meat in his mouth whole, a trace of cold blood still hanging at the corner of his mouth.

"Heh..." Tōka sneered, and said coolly, "I do have something I hope Orochimaru can help me with!"

Orochimaru paused in his actions, looking at Tōka with some surprise.

To be honest, meeting here was purely by chance.

Orochimaru only casually mentioned inviting Tōka, expecting Tōka to refuse, but to his surprise, Dong Ge readily agreed.

Orochimaru was also a meticulous person, Tōka's face, which clearly said "I have something on my mind," naturally did not escape his keen eyes.

"I'm listening, Tōka, please speak," Orochimaru said with a smile.

"Has Orochimaru ever seen the Scroll of Seals?"

Tōka held his Wine Cup, speaking very slowly, his gaze fixed intently on Orochimaru's face, not missing any subtle changes in expression.

The Scroll of Seals? Of course he'd seen it, why was he asking?

"Is Tōka interested in the Scroll of Seals?" Orochimaru asked instead of answering.

"Yes, I'm quite curious." Tōka nodded without any attempt to hide her curiosity, then changed the subject, her voice turning colder.

"But... the Third Hokage won't let me see it."

Orochimaru hadn't expected Tōka to be so direct, and was slightly stunned, not quite reacting yet.

The room fell silent for a moment, with only the sizzling sound of meat grilling on the red-hot Iron Plate.

"Orochimaru is very interested in the Sharingan, isn't he?" Tōka's abrupt change in tone caught Orochimaru off guard.

We were just discussing the Scroll of Seals, how did we end up talking about the Sharingan?

Orochimaru looked back at Tōka without comment, remaining silent.

"Now, the most perfect Sharingan is preserved, and the pair that can be obtained is..." Tōka dipped his index finger into the Wine Cup, then wrote a name on the table.

"Does Tōka intend to exchange him for the Scroll of Seals?" Orochimaru habitually licked his lips, a look of excitement on his face.

"Yes and no," Tōka said with a smile.

"What do you mean?" Orochimaru narrowed his eyes dangerously, because a thought inexplicably welled up in his mind: Tōka's next words would definitely anger him!

For a moment, the atmosphere became oppressive, and even the air seemed to become heavy.

"Hehe..." These two words, tinged with meaning, conveyed a message that was not hard to discern from the ambiguous smile on Tōka's face.

I'm already being nice by not causing you any trouble, and you actually expect me to help you get your hands on it?

Exchange? It only exists between two equally matched entities!

"Orochimaru will definitely help me with this, right?" Tōka composed himself, stood up, and looked down at Orochimaru.

Upon hearing this, Orochimaru's face turned completely dark, veins bulged on his forehead, and his terrifying Snake Eyes trembled slightly.

Just then, with a bang, Tōka's figure exploded into a cloud of white mist.

Orochimaru was slightly taken aback, only then realizing that the person sitting opposite him was just a Shadow Clone!

Uchiha, Sharingan...