A Most Interesting Welcome Mode

The four of them walked forward while talking, and after another ten minutes or so, they finally saw the edge of the forest.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Minato Namikaze stood at the edge of the tree line as if they had been waiting for them all along; the sunlight filtering through the trees cast long shadows behind them.

Lin Zi noticed at a glance that Hiruzen Sarutobi was not wearing his usual loose kimono, but the dark gray combat uniform he was known for during his "Shinobi Hero" era—the old gear he only dug out when he was prepared to fight.

Jiraiya and Tsunade, however, did not think much of it.

Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi, Tsunade paused for a moment, a flicker of nostalgia crossing her eyes, before she continued walking forward with her usual carefree stride.

Jiraiya was even more exaggerated; he happily trotted over while dragging the Cloud Village captive along.

"Yo! Old man! How have you been lately?"

Jiraiya grinned as he approached.

"I'm doing fine."

Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at him.

"It's just that you never give me any peace of mind; you refuse to stay in Konoha no matter what I say."

"Haha! Isn't that what you're there for, to look after Konoha!"

Jiraiya slapped his chest heartily.

"A hero like me is meant to wander the ends of the earth!"

As he spoke, he turned toward Minato, his smile growing even brighter.

"Yo! Minato! Long time no see! How have you been?"

"Well..."

Minato smiled helplessly, his azure eyes as gentle as a pool of water under the sunlight.

"Although there are always times when things are hard to put into words, fortunately, I've managed to hold on."

Jiraiya laughed and patted Minato on the shoulder, using enough force that it was visibly painful, causing Minato to offer a wry smile.

"Haha! I think you've been doing a great job, Minato!"

Tsunade also stepped forward, looking Minato up and down with a smirk.

"I heard you stopped the Nine-Tails? Not bad, kid, you did well."

She then looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, her tone casual.

"So, old man, why the rush to have me return to the village this time?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi wore a gentle smile, his voice softening.

"It's Kushina; she requires some medical treatment."

"Is that so? Then let's hurry back."

Tsunade waved her hand dismissively and started to walk forward, with Jiraiya quickly following suit, turning back to shout at Lin Zi, who was still standing where he was.

"Orochimaru! Why are you still standing there? Didn't you say your mission was to bring Tsunade back to the village? Let's go together!"

Lin Zi did not move.

He stood at the edge of the tree line, his golden slit pupils fixed directly on Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Hiruzen Sarutobi finally raised his eyes, his gaze landing on him. It was a complex look—full of reluctance, resentment, and a kind of indescribable, near-shattered disbelief.

"Old man," Lin Zi suddenly spoke, his voice flat, "this should be our first time meeting, yet you look... quite prepared."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the tightly bound cuffs of Hiruzen's combat uniform.

"Walking this path, I've roughly figured out my situation. Jiraiya, don't overthink it; I've brought you this far, and I've finished what I promised."

"You're not coming back to Konoha with us?!" Jiraiya froze.

"The one who should be returning with you," Lin Zi tilted his head, his snake-like eyes devoid of ripples, "is not this Orochimaru."

"But we welcome you too!" Tsunade frowned.

"Is that so?" Lin Zi sneered, tilting his chin toward Hiruzen Sarutobi. "But the old man is wearing his combat uniform."

The air suddenly went silent.

Jiraiya and Tsunade looked as if they had been struck by something, finally turning their heads in realization to look at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The dark gray combat uniform, the tightly cinched belt—it was the attire of the "Shinobi Hero" Hiruzen Sarutobi, worn only when he was prepared to kill.

Jiraiya's mouth hung open, and the Cloud Village captive in his hand hit the ground with a thud.

Tsunade's fists slowly clenched, her knuckles popping with a faint sound.

Minato stood to the side, silent, merely lowering his eyes and letting out a soft sigh.

"Besides, it isn't just the old man and Minato who came here, is it?"

Lin Zi's golden slit pupils flared with light; he pressed his hands together, his chakra exploding outward as horns protruded from his forehead.

Sage Mode, activated instantly!

"Orochimaru, don't do it!" Jiraiya shouted.

Before the words had even faded, Lin Zi slammed a palm onto the ground.

"Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation!"

Rumble!

The ground in the nearby woods came to life; soil churned and stones surged, with countless pale stone hands erupting from beneath the earth!

At the same time, seven or eight black shadows leaped from the forest. The Root ninja in the lead was still mid-air when he shrieked at the top of his lungs.

"The Sannin are rebelling! Execute Orochimaru!"

Several kunai wrapped in cold light flew straight toward Lin Zi's back.

But Lin Zi didn't even turn his head.

Those stone hands were faster than them, like animal traps waiting in ambush, precisely locking onto the ankles, waists, and wrists of every Root ninja. With a series of dull thuds, they were forcefully pinned to the ground, unable to move a muscle.

The lead Root ninja was still struggling when a white snake darted from Lin Zi's sleeve, coiled around his neck like lightning, and yanked downward. It dislocated his jaw, then thrust its head into his mouth, coiled around a black poison sac, and flicked it onto the feet of Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The entire process took less than three seconds, and not a single drop of blood was shed.

Lin Zi stood up, brushed the dust off his knees, and looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, his tone airy and light.

"Old man, I know you didn't arrange this, but your Konoha's way of treating guests... is truly abysmal, isn't it?"

"This is..."

Tsunade's eyes widened, her mouth agape wide enough to fit an egg; she seemed unable to process what had just happened.

But everyone else around them was stunned.

Whether it was the Root ninjas pinned to the ground, Minato, or even Hiruzen Sarutobi, all were frozen in place.

They had never seen Orochimaru use Sage Mode, and they certainly never imagined there would be a moment where this Orochimaru would refrain from drawing blood.

"Such an incredible Sage Mode..."

Minato muttered to himself from the side, his azure eyes fixed on the horns atop Lin Zi's head.

"It seems... more refined than Master Jiraiya's?"

"What do you mean 'more refined than mine'!"

Jiraiya jumped up in protest nearby.

"The Sage Mode we practice isn't even the same thing! How could Ryūchi Cave and Mount Myoboku be the same!"

Tsunade spoke up suddenly, her voice steady.

"I need the Senjutsu of Ryūchi Cave."

Hiruzen Sarutobi turned his head slowly and asked.

"Is Jiraiya's Mount Myoboku Senjutsu... not enough?"

"Not for now."

Tsunade shook her head, her gaze fixed on Lin Zi.

"Mount Myoboku's Senjutsu primarily enhances taijutsu and sensory perception, but the Senjutsu of Ryūchi Cave can animate the surrounding environment and manipulate natural energy to suppress the Nine-Tails' malice. The yin-natured chakra within Kushina is still restless; it requires his power to harmonize."

Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent.

He looked down at the poison sac pierced by snake fangs at his feet, then looked up at the Root ninjas pinned to the ground with terror-stricken faces, and finally, his gaze settled on Lin Zi's paper-white face.

His grip tightened on his sleeves, the fabric creaking.

"Then..."

The Third Hokage's voice was hoarse, as if something were stuck in his throat.

"Are you willing to enter the village? Consider it a request from this old man."

Lin Zi tilted his head, a hint of amusement flashing in his golden vertical pupils.

He scanned his surroundings—the Root, the Sannin, the two Hokage, and even the Anbu in the distance—all of them holding their breath as they watched him.

"Sure." He licked his lips, his forked tongue trembling in the air. "But I want to live next to Minato's house, and furthermore."

He raised a hand and pointed at the group of Root ninjas on the ground, his voice turning abruptly cold.

"If I catch wind of this kind of 'welcoming ceremony' again, next time, it won't be as simple as just dislocating a jaw."