What Did They Mean, the Sannin Had Betrayed Them?

Killer B emerged from the shattered remains of Rashomon with four octopus tails trailing behind him. His body was in Partial Tailed Beast Transformation as he suddenly thrust out his tentacles and scooped up Ai, who was covered in blood and barely conscious.

Red Tailed Beast Chakra covered most of his face, and his pupils had narrowed to slits. He was clearly on the verge of losing control.

Lin Zi stood where he was, panting heavily, his snake-like pupils slightly narrowed.

"So persistent... I didn't even kill him after all that?"

Jiraiya walked over to Lin Zi and patted him on the shoulder. "Never underestimate anyone, Orochimaru."

"So are we still fighting the Eight-Tails?"

"Looks like they're about to run."

Killer B held the unconscious Ai in his arms. He couldn't even rap now. He stared fixedly at the three of them, his whole body rigid.

"Konoha Sannin... We lost. But we still have a trump card."

"A trump card?" Lin Zi grinned and took half a step forward. "Are you sure you want to use it?"

"I'm willing to risk my life here."

Killer B's voice was hoarse, carrying a beastly growl.

"But in your current state, are you sure you want to fight us to the death?"

"Our current state?" Lin Zi looked down at himself, then back up, wearing an innocent expression. "What state are we in?"

Ai suddenly opened his eyes in Killer B's arms. His pupils were unfocused, and though his voice was weak, his words were firm.

"B... get out of here. Even with Complete Tailed Beast Transformation... we still wouldn't be able to beat them."

"Big brother!"

"Wow, what brotherly love!" Jiraiya rubbed his hands together and turned to Tsunade. "Why don't we just take them back with us?"

Tsunade walked over and punched Jiraiya on the crown of his head, making him crouch down with his hands over his head.

"Jiraiya! Do you want Konoha to declare war right now?"

Jiraiya rubbed his head. Remembering the message in Minato's secret letter that Konoha was still rebuilding, he could only nod reluctantly.

"Fine, fine... You can go. Konoha doesn't want to make enemies with anyone right now."

The tension had just begun to ease.

Suddenly.

Lin Zi's neck made a painful-sounding "crack, crack." Like a boneless snake, it shot forward, stretching two meters!

His head instantly came up beside Ai in Killer B's arms. His mouth opened, and he sank his teeth into Ai's neck!

"Orochimaru! What did you do?!" Killer B was terrified out of his wits. He retreated three steps with Ai in his arms.

Ai's eyes rolled back, and he passed out again.

"Get back and have him checked out, rap boy."

Lin Zi's neck snapped back to its normal length. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and smiled nonchalantly.

"Any later, and your Fourth Raikage might really have died here."

Killer B's face turned deathly pale. Not daring to waste another moment, he turned and fled with Ai in his arms, vanishing at the end of the street in the blink of an eye. He ran as if a ghost were chasing him.

Jiraiya stared in astonishment. "Hey! Why'd you bite him? What did you do?"

Lin Zi shrugged. His forked tongue flicked out to lick his teeth. "Nothing."

He turned around, his black ponytail swinging in the night breeze, his tone light.

"I was just imitating the Orochimaru from your world to scare them."

Jiraiya's mouth twitched. "...You have a nasty sense of humor."

"Likewise, Pervy Sage."

Watching the two of them, Tsunade helplessly held her forehead.

She was just about to speak when her pupils suddenly shrank.

On a distant rooftop, a transparent figure flashed and vanished, as if sucked into something. It didn't even stir the air, disappearing so quickly it might have been an illusion.

But Tsunade was certain: it wasn't anyone from the Cloud Village. Someone had been watching them the whole time, and had been there for quite a while.

"Orochimaru, it seems we've got someone watching us again."

Lin Zi followed Tsunade's gaze. The rooftop was empty.

He frowned. "What did you see?"

"I'm not sure. A transparent figure, but... it didn't seem intent on attacking."

"A transparent figure?"

Lin Zi rubbed his chin, his snake-like pupils narrowing slightly. Then he gave a mocking laugh.

"I think I know who it was. Whatever. The rat should stay in its hole, not come out for a look around."

"What rat?" Jiraiya leaned over, his head almost touching Lin Zi's shoulder.

"Jiraiya, you're too close!" Lin Zi slapped his face away.

"Come on, don't be so cold!" Jiraiya rubbed his cheek, grinning carefree.

The three of them bickered noisily, as if the deadly battle moments earlier had been nothing more than a stroll after dinner.

"So, should we head back to Konoha?" Tsunade rolled her wrist.

"Yeah." Lin Zi nodded and pointed at the unconscious Cloud Village ninja on the ground. "Jiraiya, carry him. Let's go."

"Why am I always stuck doing the heavy lifting..." Jiraiya grumbled, but walked over and slung the man over his shoulder like a chicken.

The three turned toward Konoha and set off for home.

At the border of the Land of Fire, in a remote mountain forest.

Two Root ninja crouched in the shadows of the treetops, like lifeless puppets.

They had been lying in wait there for quite some time. Their mission was to watch for signs of the mysterious blond man. Danzo had given them strict orders: bring him back alive or dead.

One of the Root ninja, wearing an animal mask, was watching the distant mountain path through a pair of binoculars.

Suddenly, his hand went still.

Four figures had appeared on the path.

The white-haired man on the left, carrying a huge scroll and walking with a swagger... That was Jiraiya.

The one on the right, whose fists cracked as he clenched them... That was Tsunade.

And the one in the middle, with pale skin, golden vertical pupils, and a black ponytail hanging to his waist...

The pupils beneath the mask abruptly shrank to pinpoints.

"Is that... Orochimaru?!"

The other Root ninja whipped around, nearly dropping his binoculars. He stared at the figures walking side by side along the path, his mind completely blank.

The legendary Konoha Sannin.

They were all together?!

And Orochimaru was walking with his arm around Jiraiya, while Tsunade was right beside them without punching him?!

"Q-quick... report to Danzo!"

The first Root ninja's voice trembled. He fumbled for a message scroll, his fingers shaking so badly he could barely form the hand seals.

"Tell him... tell him the Sannin have all defected! Orochimaru's turned the other two! They're heading toward Konoha together!"

"Wait, they're carrying someone... Is that a Cloud Village ninja?!"

"Forget about that! Send the message first!"

The scroll turned into a trail of black smoke and shot toward Root's lair deep beneath Konoha as fast as it could.

Root's underground chamber.

Danzo unrolled the scroll and scanned the report with his single eye. His hand tightened abruptly around it, and the paper crumpled with a strained crackle.

"Jiraiya... Tsunade... Orochimaru... working together?"

His voice was so low it seemed to rise from beneath the earth, trembling with disbelief.

"And Orochimaru even captured a Cloud Village ninja alive?"

Danzo slowly raised his head and gazed at the dim oil lamp on the ceiling of the chamber. His single eye churned with a complex mix of shock, anger, and delight.

He was shocked that Orochimaru was not only alive and well, but had also reunited with the other two Sannin.

But he was delighted because this was practically a gift from heaven: Minato consorting with a rogue ninja, and the Sannin conspiring together. It was enough to bring the Fourth Hokage down completely at the next meeting!

"Aburame Torune."

"Yes."

"Go invite Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura."

Danzo's lips curled into a sinister smile.

"Tell them... I have something enormously important to discuss with them, concerning the Fourth Hokage's dereliction of duty and... the collective betrayal of the Konoha Sannin."