"Close call!"
After sprinting for a while, he ducked into a civilian home and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He had been tailing Orochimaru the whole time. While Sarutobi Hiruzen was distracted, he had disguised himself as an Anbu member and slipped into the Hokage Secret Chamber to steal the Thunder God Sword and the Sealing Scroll.
There were plenty of treasures in the Hokage Secret Chamber, but before he could take anything else, Sarutobi Hiruzen spotted him.
At that moment, he had the Sealing Scroll and the Thunder God Sword in his hands.
The Thunder God Sword was one thing, but the Sealing Scroll was a precious Konoha treasure, filled with many powerful forbidden techniques.
He could seal the Thunder God Sword inside his Weapon Scroll.
But the Sealing Scroll was a little harder to deal with.
Simple Space-Time Ninjutsu could seal objects inside scrolls for easy transport, but a Sealing Scroll, which already contained sealing power, could not be sealed again.
In other words, there was no way to hide this huge scroll.
Still, that wouldn't stump Hozuki Mangetsu.
He bit his finger and formed several hand seals.
Summoning Technique!
A small clam appeared in the subspace.
After wiping away some of the traces on the two items, Hozuki Mangetsu placed them inside the clam.
"Keep these two things safe for me!"
He had made a blood pact with the Clam Clan, allowing him to summon a clam whenever he needed help. The clams could provide support and also served as perfect mobile storage.
Uchiha Shisui's Sharingan had been kept inside the Giant Clam all along.
"Understood, Lord Mangetsu!"
The small clam replied, then quickly dispelled the summoning and vanished.
All done!
Hozuki Mangetsu stretched and slowly liquefied, slipping away through the pipes.
Now all he had to do was return to the inn.
The door swung open, and several ninja rushed inside.
At their head was a man wearing a green jumpsuit: Might Guy, Konoha's Taijutsu expert.
"What are you doing?"
Still bleary-eyed, Hozuki Mangetsu looked at them in annoyance.
Konoha Strong Whirlwind!
Before he could react, Might Guy's powerful kick came whipping toward him.
Splash!
Hozuki Mangetsu's body rapidly liquefied, and Guy's attack passed through harmlessly.
The Hozuki Clan's Hydrification Technique!
Guy's leg was already trapped in Hozuki Mangetsu's Hydrification Technique. Without hesitation, he swung his other leg with all his might.
Water Arm Technique!
Hozuki Mangetsu's right arm suddenly swelled, catching Guy's right foot.
He raised his left index finger and aimed it at Guy.
He was ready to fire the Water Gun Technique at any moment.
Not good!
Might Guy sensed the danger. As a pure Taijutsu ninja, he was helpless against someone like Hozuki Mangetsu, whose body made Taijutsu useless.
Eight Inner Gates, Fifth Gate: Open!
Guy opened the fifth of the Eight Inner Gates in an instant, breaking free of Hozuki Mangetsu's hold.
Splash!
The force of his movement hadn't yet dissipated, and it immediately shattered Hozuki Mangetsu's body.
Soon, the puddle gathered again and transformed into Hozuki Mangetsu's shape.
As expected of the ultimate Taijutsu technique, the Eight Inner Gates.
Hozuki Mangetsu's heart tightened. Might Guy had only opened five gates, yet he had already reached Kage Level in strength and speed—more than enough to kill most ninja in an instant.
The Hozuki Clan's Hydrification Technique could make its user immune to all physical attacks, but it still had weaknesses. They needed Chakra to hold their bodies together.
Once their Chakra was scattered, their bodies could no longer reform.
Besides Lightning Release, the Hozuki Clan also feared the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist. If Gentle Fist disrupted the Chakra holding their bodies together, they would lose the ability to reform.
In other words, members of the Hozuki Clan could be killed.
But with all Eight Inner Gates open, a fighter had enough power to shatter anything and wreak devastation on a massive scale.
The truth was, even members of the Hozuki Clan could be reduced to dust.
Four members of the previous generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had died to the Eight Inner Gates, including one of Hozuki Mangetsu's clan elders.
"Is this how you people in Konoha treat your guests?"
Hozuki Mangetsu asked with a cold laugh.
Might Guy suddenly burst out laughing.
"I'm sorry. My name is Might Guy, and I'm a Konoha jōnin. I'd heard that Hozuki Mangetsu was a Taijutsu expert from the Hidden Mist, and I'd always wanted to challenge you, but never had the chance. When I heard you'd arrived, I came all the way here just to spar with you. You truly are a genius of the Hidden Mist. I'm impressed!"
As he spoke, he gave a thumbs-up and flashed his pearly white teeth.
Might Guy seemed like a fool in the story, but in reality, he wasn't stupid. No one could become an elite jōnin without a decent head on their shoulders.
He was only using an excuse to test Hozuki Mangetsu.
Hozuki Mangetsu silently thanked his lucky stars.
When he'd slipped out after tailing Orochimaru, he'd left behind a Shadow Clone.
After Konoha had been invaded repeatedly, the village had grown suspicious of them and sent people to test them.
If the real body hadn't returned to the inn ahead of time, that Shadow Clone wouldn't have been able to withstand the attack just now.
A fight had broken out in another room as well, but it was over quickly.
Orochimaru, disguised as a Hidden Mist Anbu member, stood in the room, eyeing the Konoha ninja warily.
Leading the other group of ninja was Asuma Sarutobi. He hadn't found anything suspicious on Orochimaru's end, either.
Asuma and Guy exchanged a glance, then slowly nodded.
"Gentlemen, sorry to disturb you. Please get some rest. Lord Hokage will meet with you tomorrow."
Their tests were over, and they hadn't found anything suspicious. The two men immediately left with their subordinates.
Hozuki Mangetsu shrugged helplessly. "Looks like Konoha doesn't welcome us!"
Orochimaru said nothing. He only gave him a cold look before turning and walking into the room.
What had happened today had shaken him badly.
Watching Orochimaru's back, Hozuki Mangetsu smiled faintly.
Today, he was the biggest winner.
Konoha Hokage's office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura all looked grim.
Tonight had been eventful.
Not only had the S-rank rogue ninja Orochimaru suddenly appeared in the village, but the Hokage Secret Chamber had also been robbed.
Someone had stolen the Thunder God Sword and the Sealing Scroll right under the Hokage's nose.
"Did Orochimaru do it?" Mitokado Homura asked.
The Third, Sarutobi Hiruzen, hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.
Orochimaru had already left. Someone else had stolen the items, and whoever it was had managed to do so right under the noses of the Anbu and Hiruzen himself. They were no ordinary thief.
"Hiruzen!"
Koharu narrowed her eyes. "With such a good opportunity, why didn't you keep Orochimaru here?"
She and Mitokado Homura had always resented Sarutobi for letting Orochimaru go.
Of all the Hokage throughout history, Sarutobi Hiruzen might not have been the strongest, but he was unquestionably the most respected.
Everyone in Konoha held him in high regard.
The one stain on his reputation was that he had deliberately let Orochimaru go.
As Sarutobi Hiruzen's classmates and advisors, they had wanted him to personally bring Orochimaru to justice and clear that stain from his name.
Unfortunately, Hiruzen's actions today had disappointed them once again.
Before you continue