Mandara Formation!

"Your first mission, and you reacted so quickly. Nicely done, Shun."

Orochimaru praised him.

Akiyama Shun said, "You're too kind, Lord Orochimaru."

After exchanging pleasantries, the two looked in the direction Yoshioka Yusuke had gone.

"Since that's settled, let's follow him and finish the mission quickly so we can head back."

Orochimaru finished speaking and set off first, with Akiyama Shun close behind.

Yoshioka Yusuke was very cautious. He took a winding route through all sorts of places, occasionally using genjutsu and the Transformation Technique to avoid being followed. Unfortunately for him, that was useless against Akiyama Shun and Orochimaru.

Because...

The mission briefing had already given them Yoshioka Yusuke's address. They didn't need to follow him at all—they could simply wait for him at home.

"I have no idea what he's going in circles for."

Watching Yoshioka Yusuke from a distance as if he were a clown, Akiyama Shun then followed Orochimaru.

Before long, Orochimaru led Akiyama Shun to Yoshioka Yusuke's home.

It was a typical estate with a spacious courtyard, almost as large as Yuhi Shinku's home. It was clear that Yoshioka Yusuke had done very well for himself here—well enough to afford a mansion like this.

"Before you sneak in, remember to check your surroundings. Spies usually set traps or other devices around their front gates. If anyone comes by, they'll notice."

As he spoke, Orochimaru pointed to a spot about half a meter above the courtyard wall. He understood what Sarutobi Hiruzen had in mind. Teaching Akiyama Shun a thing or two while they were at it was no trouble for him.

"I see it, Lord Orochimaru."

Akiyama Shun had spotted it too. The sunlight glinted off a thin wire.

"If these traps are triggered, they'll probably set off the Explosive Tags inside, blowing up the courtyard, destroying any clues, and alerting our target with the noise so he can escape. Just a cheap trick. Take care, and you'll be fine."

Orochimaru explained as he jumped into the courtyard.

Akiyama Shun followed him in. There were no more wires inside the house.

"There are many ways to kill a target quietly. The simplest is poison. Of course, if you don't know how to use poison, you can try setting some traps."

As he spoke, Orochimaru demonstrated. He picked up a cup from the bedside table, and a snake slithered out along his arm and injected poison into it.

"I understand, Lord Orochimaru."

Akiyama Shun picked up the bread from the bedside table and copied Orochimaru, injecting it with poison.

Hm?

Orochimaru's pupils contracted. He glanced at the bread, then at Akiyama Shun.

Had he just seen a snake crawling along Akiyama Shun's arm?

Orochimaru didn't think he'd imagined it.

At the thought, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touched Orochimaru's lips. When he looked at Akiyama Shun again, there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

"Poison doesn't guarantee a kill, so to be safe, we'll wait here. The spy may have set up other things in the house. Be careful when looking for a place to hide. Of course, if you have a special ninjutsu, you can be a little bolder. For example..."

As Orochimaru spoke, his body began to change.

He became a man from the waist up, with a snake's lower body.

Snake Movement!

"Can you use a similar technique?"

Akiyama Shun nodded. "I can, Lord Orochimaru. I can."

As he spoke, Akiyama Shun's body changed to match Orochimaru's: a man from the waist up, with a snake's lower body.

Orochimaru said, "...All right."

In this form, Orochimaru was almost indistinguishable from a real snake. He twisted his way up to the rafters, with a small snake—Akiyama Shun—following beside him.

Akiyama Shun found the experience novel.

It was his first time experiencing such a strange perspective and such an unusual way of moving.

Once the two snakes were on the rafters, they fell silent.

Like hunters lying in wait for their prey, they remained motionless, waiting for Yoshioka Yusuke to return home.

About an hour later, Yoshioka Yusuke finally finished his game of cat and mouse with the air and returned home.

After entering, he checked every corner of the house. Only after confirming that everything was in order did he lie down on the bed.

He neither drank water nor ate anything.

"Assassinations often turn out like this. At that point, you have one last option: attack directly and take him out. That's when your combat skills are put to the test."

By now, Orochimaru wasn't even bothering to disguise his voice. His chilling words echoed through the entire room.

Yoshioka Yusuke immediately opened his eyes and looked around. Seeing no one in the room, he ran into the corridor to search.

Although someone had broken into his home, Yoshioka Yusuke still had confidence in his abilities.

He was a Special Jōnin, after all. If things got too tough, he could run. And if he managed to kill the assassin here, that would be a bonus.

That was what he thought—until a snake dropped from the far end of the corridor.

Yoshioka Yusuke snapped to attention.

In that instant, a name renowned throughout the Ninja World flashed through his mind. Orochimaru's techniques were so distinctive that they were even easier to recognize than a Kekkei Genkai.

He couldn't win! There was no way he could win!

Yoshioka Yusuke knew exactly how strong he was. Against a powerful shinobi on Orochimaru's level, he'd be lucky not to get killed instantly.

He regretted it and wanted to run, but it was too late.

Snakes were beginning to descend from both ends of the corridor.

Yoshioka Yusuke was trapped!

"Shun, you take him on. Get a feel for the difficulty of an A-rank mission."

At Orochimaru's words, Akiyama Shun nodded, released Snake Movement, and jumped down from the rafters, landing in front of Yoshioka Yusuke.

Seeing that Akiyama Shun was just a child, Yoshioka Yusuke didn't dare underestimate him. He knew Orochimaru was watching nearby!

"Sometimes, to conceal your identity, you can't use techniques that are too distinctive. Stick to techniques everyone knows, so it'll be harder for others to guess who you are."

Orochimaru's voice came from the rafters. He was reminding Akiyama Shun not to use Ice Release. Akiyama Shun nodded.

"I understand, Lord Orochimaru. I'll not only do my best to conceal my identity, but I'll also make the most of the surroundings to hide my presence!"

The surroundings?

Orochimaru glanced around the house. By now, snakes had filled almost every part of it. The surroundings...

Hm?

Orochimaru seemed to realize something.

The next moment, Akiyama Shun's voice confirmed his suspicions. "Mandara Formation!"

Orochimaru: "..."