Orochimaru Betrays the Akatsuki (Request for Subscriptions)

As Ao led the Mist Ninja forces at a frantic pace, Takigawa Hyuga slowly closed his Byakugan in a nearby stretch of dense forest.

"How did it go?" Orochimaru asked hoarsely from beside him.

Takigawa Hyuga shook his head. "I didn't find Mei Terumi. Looks like she's still in Konoha."

Orochimaru narrowed his golden, slit-pupil eyes, impatience flickering across his face. Even if he was only a clone, being stuck in Konoha all the time wasn't going to work.

Mei Terumi had entered Konoha a year ago. It had been a whole year already!

"Orochimaru, did Mei Terumi meet someone she likes in Konoha and decide to stay there?" Takigawa Hyuga asked with an overly earnest expression.

Orochimaru fell silent, too lazy to answer him.

Afraid of awkward silences... Takigawa Hyuga quietly suggested, "Orochimaru, I have a plan. It'll sow discord between Konoha and Kirigakure and force Mei Terumi to leave Konoha!"

Orochimaru's thoughts raced. "You plan to attack Ao?"

"As expected of one of the Sannin, Orochimaru. You really are brilliant!" Takigawa Hyuga praised him.

"No!" Orochimaru flatly refused.

Attacking Ao's group could certainly accomplish the mission, but it would jeopardize Orochimaru's Konoha Crush Plan!

After all, Ao's team had come to Konoha for the Chunin Joint Selection Exam. If they were ambushed on their way home and suffered heavy casualties, news would spread and damage Konoha's reputation. What if Konoha didn't hold another Chunin Joint Selection Exam? Wouldn't his Konoha Crush Plan be dead in the water?

Compared to his own plan, Akatsuki's little scheme to sow discord was insignificant.

It seemed Akatsuki's mission to sow discord wasn't going to happen after all.

Takigawa Hyuga asked with a grin, "Why not?"

Orochimaru didn't want to explain. He said coldly, "Are you questioning my decision?"

"Your decisions aren't always