Fishing in Troubled Waters

"Sarutobi-sensei!"

Orochimaru said unhurriedly, "I have only come to retrieve what is mine this time. I have no desire to start a war, which is why I didn't kill those Anbu. Besides..."

He extended his tongue to lick the corner of his mouth.

"Sarutobi-sensei, there is nothing left in Konoha that could possibly interest me."

Orochimaru!

Sarutobi Hiruzen said indifferently, "It has been so many years, yet it seems you still haven't shed that cold-blooded nature of yours."

He tapped his pipe firmly and continued, "You didn't kill them not out of mercy, but out of disdain. That is the only thing that fits your persona as a maniacal killer."

Back then, in order to research forbidden scrolls, Orochimaru had gone on a killing spree in Konoha, causing many ninjas to go missing as they became his test subjects.

Orochimaru burst into laughter.

"Sarutobi-sensei, that is the difference between us. You have mastered every ninjutsu, yet you waste your focus on those ordinary people, squandering the title of Professor of Ninjas."

His smile stiffened as he continued, "I am not like you. My interest lies in mastering every ninjutsu in the world and becoming the Sage of Six Paths. As for those ordinary people, they are merely my stepping stones."

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed and said, "Orochimaru, I never expected that even now, you still wouldn't understand the true meaning of being a ninja. It seems my decision back then was a mistake."

As he spoke, he put away his pipe.

When Orochimaru was assassinating Konoha ninjas in the past, Sarutobi Hiruzen could have killed him, but he had secretly let him go.

Orochimaru smiled and said, "Sarutobi-sensei, you are old now and no longer possess the prowess of your prime. I have no desire to kill you today."

How bold!

An Anbu stepped forward and sneered, "Orochimaru, what arrogant words!"

Orochimaru's pupils constricted as he coldly sized him up.

"Hatake Kakashi, is it? I never thought the brat from back then would have grown to this extent."

Having had his identity exposed by Orochimaru, the Anbu removed his mask, revealing a young face—it was indeed Hatake Kakashi.

He formed several hand seals, and a flash of lightning appeared in his hand; it was the signature technique of the Copy Ninja Kakashi—the Chidori.

The other Anbu also pressed his palms together, ready to support Kakashi at any moment.

A Wood Style user?

Orochimaru glanced at him sideways and laughed, "Sarutobi-sensei, isn't your Konoha enjoying the fruits of my labor? This child must be one of the forty from back then. I never expected that anyone would actually survive. The First Hokage Hashirama-sama probably never imagined that the Wood Style would have a successor."

He suddenly let out a wild laugh and said, "This is the charm of experimentation."

Upon realizing that his experiments back then had not all been failures, Orochimaru's expression suddenly turned manic.

The other Anbu was none other than the Wood Style user Yamato. He was a survivor of Orochimaru's Wood Style experiments, and Orochimaru was the nightmare that haunted his heart—a nightmare that even after a dozen years, he could not escape.

You two!

Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly said, "Get out!"

What?

Both of them froze, looking at the Third Hokage in confusion.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's mouth twitched as he said, "Get out. I will resolve this matter myself."

The two exchanged a glance before slowly retreating from the Hokage Secret Chamber.

Orochimaru!

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at him coldly.

Orochimaru glanced at him sideways and laughed, "What, is the teacher going to do it himself?"

He licked the corner of his mouth and said, "It has been a long time since I crossed blades with you, teacher. Just thinking about it makes me excited."

Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly formed a hand seal.

The door to the Hokage Secret Chamber opened.

Sarutobi Hiruzen walked in, retrieved a sword, and said, "Take your things and go!"

Orochimaru paused, looking at the Third Hokage in bewilderment.

After a long while, he reached out and took back the Kusanagi Sword.

"While I am moved by the teacher doing this, I will not show you any mercy."

Sarutobi Hiruzen stared intently at Orochimaru for a long time before letting out a long sigh, saying, "Orochimaru, I watched you grow up, and I understand your ambition all too well. In a chaotic world, you would be a brilliant ninja. But in times of peace, you are nothing but a dangerous bomb."

He suddenly clasped his hands behind his back.

"I had my reasons for not killing you back then. I will not kill you today either. Go—the further away, the better."

Orochimaru's smile froze. He sneered and said, "Teacher, the more you treat me this way, the more I hate you. Sooner or later, I will destroy Konoha."

With that, his figure flickered, and he departed from the Konoha secret chamber.

Although the Third Hokage was aged, Orochimaru still dared not be careless. Furthermore, this was the heart of Konoha; if he were to be surrounded, Orochimaru would undoubtedly die.

As Orochimaru left, Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression sank once more.

He recalled the time they had spent together in the past once more.

A rhythmic tapping sound echoed.

The figure of Danzo walked in slowly.

"Hiruzen!"

He said indifferently, "You are still as soft-hearted as you used to be."

Sarutobi Hiruzen remained silent.

He had always regarded Orochimaru as his own child, pinning his own ideals upon him.

Although Orochimaru had strayed from the path, a parent always hopes that one day, their child might turn over a new leaf.

Orochimaru was a fanatic researcher of ninjutsu, and his research had the potential to benefit all of humanity.

Take medical ninjutsu, for example, or the Wood Style ninja; one had to realize that a Wood Style ninja held immense significance for Konoha.

Even though it was cruel of Orochimaru to abduct forty children for his experiments, he had successfully cultivated the only Wood Style ninja in Konoha.

From that perspective, Orochimaru still had merit in his service to Konoha.

Therefore, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt deeply conflicted regarding the matter of Orochimaru. On one hand, he valued Orochimaru's talent; on the other, he worried about Orochimaru's ambition.

Danzo tapped his cane against the floor and sneered, "I don't want to say much about your affairs, but I must warn you: you are nursing a viper in your bosom!"

With that, he slowly left the room.

Since Sarutobi Hiruzen had no intention of killing Orochimaru, Danzo was naturally happy to slack off and throw out a few cynical remarks.

Orochimaru!

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed once again.

He truly felt conflicted about this former disciple of his.

No!

Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly sensed something and rushed into the Hokage Secret Chamber.

At the same time, a dark figure dressed as an Anbu flashed outward.

Clang, clang, clang—the figure exchanged a few blows with the Anbu guarding the perimeter before vanishing into the darkness.

"Lord Hokage, what happened?"

Kakashi and Yamato hurried to the Hokage Secret Chamber.

The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, looked grim as he said, word by word, "The Thunder God Sword and the Sealing Scroll have been stolen."

What?

Kakashi and Yamato nearly fainted on the spot.

The Thunder God Sword was the weapon of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama; while it possessed great power, it was, after all, just a weapon. The Sealing Scroll, however, was different. It contained Konoha's high-level forbidden techniques, and the consequences of it being stolen were unimaginable.

Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly looked up and commanded sternly, "Level one alert! Do not allow anyone to leave Konoha by even half a step. These two items must not be allowed to leave the village under any circumstances."