No one knew of the conversation that took place beneath the Land of Rain, save for Orochimaru and Kazumi, who had been present at the time.
And under such circumstances, Kimimaro and the others had inexplicably been ordered to set out for Konoha.
"Phew..."
A bleak wind swept across the barren Gobi wasteland, where enormous crimson rock formations stood everywhere.
The scarlet rocks, which had stood there for who knew how long, were already riddled with holes. Yet they remained upright, bringing the only vivid color to this desolate wasteland.
And yet, at this very moment, a small line of black dots had appeared upon this barren stretch of land—a rare sight indeed.
"Hey, what do you think happened for Lord Aizen to suddenly make a decision like this...?"
"To actually send people like us to participate in Konoha's Chunin Exams..."
The one speaking was a strange young man with six arms.
His hair was tied behind his head, and he wore a forehead protector marked with something resembling a musical note. One pair of hands supported his cheeks, while another scratched at his head and ears. He looked utterly confused and nervous.
Hearing his seemingly self-directed complaint, the white-haired figure walking ahead of him lightly covered his mouth, a smile slowly curling across his lips.
Then, a head nearly identical to his own bizarrely emerged from one side of his neck. It turned toward the six-armed man and let out an eerie chuckle.
"Could it be that you're scared, Kidomaru!?"
"Or are you... so frightened that you can't even walk anymore...? Hehehe!"
Kidomaru shot him an irritated look, frowning as he snapped angrily.
"Are you looking to die, Sakon!?"
Sakon did not care in the slightest, continuing to provoke him with a mocking expression.
The several strange figures nearby