Orochimaru, want to see the Golden Bird?

In the end, Minato gave in, agreeing to Sasori's request with a pained expression.

Tōka observed Minato's expression Budong, only to find that beneath his flowing golden hair, a pair of gleaming eyes narrowed instantly.

"Keep pretending! "Tōka was speechless, silently despising Minato's behavior.

A single Eight-Tails Jinchuriki could recoup enough profits from Kumogakure to make up for the commission many times over, not to mention the great victory Konoha achieved in this battle.

Fame, wealth, and resources from missions in the Great Nations will continuously flow into Konoha.

Tōka glared at Minato with extreme disdain, then immediately looked away, secretly praising him, "As expected of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze."

Not only does he possess a sunny and handsome appearance, but he also has a mind even more astute than the Third Hokage.

Let's observe a moment of silence for the girls who were deceived by Minato's handsome face.

Tōka raised her head again and sat upright on the sofa with a serious expression.

"Feiliu, please stay in Konoha for now. To avoid any misunderstandings... please don't wander around."

"Understood!" Scorpion replied coldly.

Minato, with a resentful expression, escorted Sasori to the door. The moment the wooden door closed, a small, bitter face appeared, huddled together...

Instant color change!

The handsome young man's face was beaming with an irresistible smile, which made Tōka's eye twitch.

"Lord Hokage!" Your ability to change your expression is quite impressive.

Tōka stood up respectfully. He knew that Minato would ask about the Six Harmonies Divine Technique, and he had prepared countless answers in his mind.

However, Minato's gaze fell on Killer B, his lecherous eyes looking at her as if she were a tempting but coy beauty.

The closed-mouth smile gave Tōka Goosebumps.

With Minato that stretched from Kakuzu to ear, Minato completely missed Tōka was saying, his small eyes gleaming with a sly light.

The smile reached his eyes; Minato was genuinely happy!

Tōka stood silently to the side, roaring inwardly, "Lord Hokage, image! Image!"

Ten thousand people are watching!

"Lord Hokage, if there's nothing else, I'll be going now," Tōka said hastily, preparing to slip away.

Just then, a burning gaze suddenly fell on Tōka, and he froze as he turned around, preparing to jump out of the window.

With a hint of embarrassment on her face, she turned back mechanically.

"Lord Hokage?"

"Don't rush off yet, I have a few more questions for you." Minato seemed like a completely different person, staring intently at Tōka.

She slightly raised her chin, gesturing for Tōka to sit back on the sofa.

Well, the Lord Hokage has changed his tune again...

"Tōka, how did you escape that day?" Minato's voice deepened as he cut to the Gate of Opening. "How did you dodge the Tsuchikage's Dust Release? And the Raikage's full-force attack earlier too?"

A powerful attack, enough to instantly kill an Elite Ninja, clearly struck Tōka. So why did Tōka reappear unscathed?

This question had been lingering in Minato's mind, but he could never figure it out.

"This... could be considered a Secret Technique within the Kekkei Genkai," Tōka replied ambiguously.

Upon hearing this, Minato revealed an expression that said, "I knew it."

He guessed it might be one of Tōka's Secret Technique, but since it concerned Tōka's Kekkei Genkai, Minato didn't press the matter further.

"That person just now?" Minato pondered for a moment, then asked.

"Hiruko?" Tōka pretended to be deep in thought, as if recalling the moment he first saw Hiruko that night.

"Did you find anything?" Minato's narrowed eyes opened a crack, a glint of light One Flash across them before he quickly closed them again.

Tōka seemed oblivious to Minato's changing expressions. He rested his chin on one hand and tapped the table repeatedly with his index finger.

The slow, rhythmic tapping sounds seemed to possess a certain magic, drawing people in irresistibly.

A moment later, Tōka paused in his movements, turned to look at Minato, and looked as if he had thought of something.

"What?" Minato's expression turned serious, and he immediately perked up his ears.

"After attacking the northeastern camp of Kumogakure at night, in order to avoid the strongmen of Kumogakure, I chose to flee north..."

In his panic, Tōka stumbled right into a trap set by Killer B, a huge pitfall outside the Medical Department and Warehouse.

Tōka, of course, was not going to surrender so easily, so...

A great war is about to break out!

The night was as dark as ink, the sky gloomy, and countless Shuriken and kunai bound with Explosive Tag Kunai through the air...

A barrage of sharp blades rained down from the sky.

Immediately afterwards, a deafening explosion resounded through the sky!

Tōka chatted idly while keeping an eye on Minato's expression, until the other man slightly frowned.

Tōka abruptly changed the subject, saying, "Just then, Hiruko appeared and defeated Killer B in one move!"

Minato's temples throbbed with veins, and his face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

He had listened attentively for half a day, but all he heard was nonsense; he hadn't gotten a single useful piece of information.

Minato had realized that Tōka was playing him, trying to fool him with fabricated information.

The atmosphere suddenly became silent.

Tōka tensed up secretly. Minato's speed was beyond description. If Minato decided to make a move, Tōka really didn't have any good solutions.

However, Tōka believed that Minato would absolutely not attack him, at least not at such a crucial moment.

Finally, Minato rubbed his throbbing temples and waved his hand impatiently. "Alright, that's enough for today."

Tōka breathed a sigh of relief; her gamble had paid off!

He shrugged, flicked his fingertips, and a strange energy fluctuation flashed by. Tōka's body transformed into fluttering leaves and drifted down.

The aura vanished completely in a very short time.

Minato, who had been pretending to rub his Minato while looking down, raised his head, his squinting eyes slightly opening, revealing a wise glint.

Minato made a hand gesture to the shadows, and with a whoosh, a dark figure silently swept away.

"Tōka seems to have quite a few secrets! It's really giving me a headache..." After finishing all this, Minato stretched and yawned, then stood up and walked towards his desk.

Seeing the table piled high with documents, Minato felt a sudden headache coming on.

It was already broad daylight. After leaving the Hokage Building, Tōka didn't plan to go back for a nap because he had discovered something interesting.

A small figure flashed past a street corner in Konoha, seemingly deliberately leading Tōka to some place.

After disappearing, it immediately reappeared in another corner, deliberately revealing its presence.

"It feels a bit like... Kabuto?"

Tōka was very familiar with the snake scent emanating from Orochimaru; Kabuto, having followed Orochimaru around, had picked up quite a bit of Orochimaru's aura.

The icy, bone-chilling taste sent shivers down one's spine and subconsciously ignited a sense of hostility.

That's the feeling Orochimaru got from Tōka.

Noticing Kabuto's movements, Tōka wasn't in a hurry to follow, knowing that Minato would definitely send someone to monitor him.

Pretending to be nonchalant, Tōka strolled through the streets, looking around and occasionally buying some snacks to eat as she walked towards the quieter area.

Upon arriving at the deserted alley, Tōka activated his Chakra Sensing Technique and detected that there was no one nearby.

With a whoosh!

Tōka lowered his body, gathered his strength, and leaped high, disappearing among the crisscrossing houses in a few bounds.

A cool breeze swept across my face from outside the Quiet Grove.

Tōka tossed away the Three-Colored Dango in her hand and smiled as she looked at the dark figure in front of her.

"If we keep going, we'll be in the woods! Come on!"

"What?" Dou's expression suddenly changed, his tone filled with disbelief, his eyes seeming to say, "You were actually recognized?"

"Orochimaru wants to see me, right? Where is he?" Tōka was too lazy to waste time with small talk and went straight to the point.

"..." Dou nodded slightly and curled the corners of his mouth. He reached out and adjusted his glasses, a slightly cold arc of light reflecting off the lenses.

Is this all there is to it?

"Lord Orochimaru is right here!"

"Here?" Tōka's expression tightened, and he was about to activate his Sensory Technique.

Suddenly, a chilling aura burst forth in the air, accompanied by the hissing sound of Poisonous Snake.

Chakra erupted instantly.

Shadow Snake Hand!

The scent of snakes, a cold and sinister aura, surged forth, and Tōka suddenly felt the hairs on his arms stand on end.

The air seemed to freeze, and a gust of cold wind swept over us.

The Poisonous Snake twisted its body and pounced on Tōka, its scarlet body leaving a red line in the air.

Tōka's expression was tense, and a look of surprise flashed in his eyes. He actually... chose to stand Budong!

Call out!

The Poisonous Snake darted through the air, almost grazing Tōka's cheek. Its cool scales brushed against his skin, sending a chill down his spine.

Bang!

The Poisonous Snake swept past Tōka and rushed directly towards the shadow on the ground.

Just then, Tōka's shadow seemed to come alive, twisting and standing up before darting towards the Forest.

With a few leaps, the dark figure swiftly disappeared into the Forest, leaning against Big Tree and standing in the shadows, staring at the crowd.

"Tōka, you're so careless." Orochimaru's figure suddenly appeared on the Rock not far away, his cold Snake Eyes fixed on Tōka.

After a brief glance, Orochimaru's gaze shifted to the ANBU member who had been Anbu following him from the shadows.

Shadow-based Secret Technique, the ability of Yin Release.

"The Nara Clan?" Orochimaru stared expressionlessly at the rabbit-faced Anbu, his voice hoarse and low.

"Orochimaru, an S-rank Rogue Ninja, what are you trying to do here in Konoha?" The rabbit- Anbu stared intently at Orochimaru, his eyes filled with seriousness.

Orochimaru, the cold- Konoha Sannin one of the Legendary Sannin of Konoha, is a true Kage-level, and his strength is beyond doubt!

Rabbit-faced Anbu knew he was no match for Orochimaru and was even destined to die here, but he had to send the information back to Konoha before he died.

Tōka and Orochimaru...

Rabbit-faced Anbu's gaze kept shifting back and forth between Tōka and Orochimaru, as he pondered the relationship between the two.

It didn't seem like a chance encounter; rather, it was a deliberate meeting.

There must be some unspeakable secret between these two. The Lord Hokage must be careful of Tōka!

"Orochimaru, can you finish him off quickly?" Tōka couldn't stand Orochimaru's perverse sense of humor; he always enjoyed toying with his opponents.

This is Konoha! It's already dangerous enough that he came here to meet us, Orochimaru still has the nerve to play games?

Tōka really wanted to slap him, if only he could beat Orochimaru...

"Hehe, Tōka, don't worry." Orochimaru licked his lips, a habitual gesture that made Tōka's skin tingle even though he had seen it countless times.

With a whoosh, Orochimaru clasped his hands together, forming several hand seals in an instant, and a powerful surge of chakra within his body churned like boiling water.

Evil Snake Arm Explosion!

Several enormous Poisonous Snake burst from the ground, opening their blood-red mouths and spewing out a foul-smelling stench. The venom left nothing but barren land, and the trees that passed through the venom withered and turned to dust.

The giant snake charged madly toward the rabbit-faced man's Anbu, its massive body crushing across the ground and leaving a long drag mark.

Big Tree that several people could barely encircle was snapped in two by the crushing weight, and the earth beneath the tumbled ground revealed its original, earthy yellow color.

Rabbit -Anbu's hands flew as he quickly Hand Seals, not daring to be careless in the slightest when facing Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin.

Buzz!

As soon as the seal was formed, chakra rapidly condensed.

Secret Technique: Shadow Possession!

The rabbit-faced Anbu's body, like ink painting, slumped together and seeped into the ground.

In reality, it hid itself in the shadow beneath the giant snake.

"Heh, the same trick again?" Orochimaru grinned, his cold smile laced with murderous intent.

Then, Orochimaru's finger twitched.

The bodies of several giant snakes swelled up wildly, like balloons.

"Burst!"

Boom!!

With Orochimaru's low shout, a series of enormous explosions, one after another, shook the sky from the Forest.

A yellowish-brown mushroom-shaped structure shot into the sky, instantly uprooting Big Tree within a hundred-meter radius. The earth seemed to have been turned upside down by a giant's hand; the terrifying power inspired fear.

"Orochimaru, isn't this a bit too much of a commotion?" Tōka frowned slightly. With such a big commotion, Konoha would send its Anbu to investigate in no time.

"Having met with Tōka today, I'm preparing to leave." Orochimaru smirked, a sinister smile playing on his lips.

Tōka's face immediately darkened. You just left after you've done all that? I still have to stay here and make a living!

Etc!

Wait... Orochimaru deliberately lured me here before leaving, could it be that he wanted me to attract Konoha's attention?

Tōka's gaze gradually turned cold. He still tilted his head and looked at Orochimaru, but his aura suddenly darkened, becoming icy and murderous.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to complete the task that Tōka asked me to do before." Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, completely unconcerned about the killing intent emanating from Tōka.

Tōka's eyes flickered slightly as she recalled what had happened before...

Then, he suddenly realized that Orochimaru was referring to helping Pakura escape from Konoha.

"The plan has changed slightly, and I didn't have time to inform Orochimaru. I'm sorry!" Tōka didn't want to say too much about Pakura, especially since Bai was with Ye Pakura.

Scorch Release and Ice Release are two major Kekkei Genkai.

For Orochimaru, who enjoys human experimentation, this is an absolutely fatal temptation!

One of them stood on the boulder, looking down from above, while the other stood on the ground, tilting his head and looking up.

The forest fell silent for a moment. In the stillness, a gentle breeze swept by, stirring up the dust from the ruins, swirling between the two of them.

Dou, hiding in the shade under the tree, reached out and removed a dead twig stuck in his hair. His eyes flickered slightly, and he looked up to wipe away non-existent cold sweat.

Lord Orochimaru's aura is suffocating.

This kid, who's about the same age as me, why does his aura feel even more unsettling?

Glug...

Dou nervously swallowed...

Suddenly! Orochimaru moved, using an extremely fast Body Flicker Technique to flash to Tōka's side. He stretched out his Ape Arm, which transformed into a giant python, and pounced out, binding Tōka tightly in the blink of an eye.

"Orochimaru, what does this mean?" Tōka looked at Orochimaru with a calm expression, seemingly unconcerned about the snake that was tightening around him.

"I originally just wanted to say goodbye to Tōka, but I suddenly changed my mind." Orochimaru stared greedily at Tōka; what an alluring ability!

Gray bones, reeking of decay, one strike... a fatal blow!!

Orochimaru's original intention was to have Tōka attract Konoha's attention, but now... he has changed his mind and decided to take this perfect test subject away!

"Oh? I see!" Tōka seemed to sense Orochimaru's thoughts, and the smile on his lips widened even further.

Orochimaru's face showed a hint of doubt. He couldn't understand Tōka at a time like this. How could he still be laughing?

Confidence? Or are you planning to give up?

For some reason, the smile in Tōka's eyes grew even stronger. Orochimaru felt uneasy and decided to knock him unconscious and leave first.

At that moment, a light, airy voice rang out, sometimes seeming to come from the other side of the Forest, sometimes sounding as if it were exploding right next to your ear.

"Orochimaru, do you want to see the sun?"

The sun? What does that mean?

Orochimaru first looked puzzled, then his eyes turned cold, a dark cloud crept onto his face, and a dangerous aura immediately spread.

The atmosphere became even more oppressive, like a mountain pressing down on one's heart.

Sudden!

Tōka's eyes narrowed, and a terrifying spiritual force erupted instantly, sweeping out like invisible, towering waves.

Orochimaru... is caught in the midst of this terrifying wave.

The Six Harmonies Divine Technique: Golden Wheel Nine Revolutions!

In an instant, Orochimaru's eyes became dull and lifeless, like a puppet doll that had lost its soul, standing still in place.

In the Primordial Illusion Realm, Nine Golden Crow hung high in the sky, their scorching heat seemingly baking the earth.

Orochimaru stood alone in the desert, and he could clearly feel his skin, flesh, and even bones melting away.

"Is this an illusion?" Orochimaru was certain he was under Genjutsu, yet he couldn't believe how real the illusion was.

It's so hot, the air feels like it's on fire. It's clearly just Genjutsu, so why does it feel so real?

Orochimaru was not one to sit idly by and wait for death. He gritted his teeth and clasped his hands together in a mudra.

"Release!" Spittle flew everywhere, and his entire face contorted in agony from the excessive force.

However...

The scorching heat lingered, and nine enormous stars in the sky seemed to mock him, flickering and releasing raging flames.

"How... is this possible?..."

He can't even break free from a kid's Genjutsu?