Facing Jirobo!

"This..."

Watching Jirobo get defeated right before their eyes, the other three were stunned.

Although Jirobo was the weakest of the four, he was no pushover, especially when it came to close-quarters combat!

Yet he hadn't even had time to activate his Cursed Seal before he was taken down on the spot. It was even unclear whether he was alive or dead!

The impact of it left them all speechless.

"Jirobo really is useless! He can't even handle a little thing like this and got beaten in front of everyone!"

Tayuya came to her senses, then launched into a tirade!

As far as she was concerned, it was bad enough that Jirobo was unreliable in everyday life. But to get beaten in public by some mere boy at a time like this? It was beyond humiliating!

"No, Tayuya. This kid really is a bit strange. We need to be careful dealing with him."

Sakon and Ukon shook their head, watching Takizawa Dan with keen interest.

No wonder Lord Orochimaru had gone to such lengths to gather information on Takizawa Dan. He had even abandoned the plan to take Sasuke's body, a scheme he'd spent years preparing, and turned his attention straight to Takizawa Dan instead!

This kid really did have something special about him!

"Hmph. No matter how strange he is, he's still just a brat who's only just taken the Chunin Ninja Exams. He's no match for us, and neither is Sasuke!" Tayuya scoffed, looking utterly disdainful.

After all, she had great confidence in her own strength. She didn't believe these sheltered flowers could amount to much.

"Kidomaru, you're up. Make sure this kid understands what a real gap in strength looks like!" Tayuya said to Kidomaru. "And don't be as careless as that idiot Jirobo!"

"Don't worry, Sis. I'm not an idiot!"

Kidomaru chuckled, then looked at Jirobo, who lay beneath a tree, his life or death uncertain. He spat in contempt.

Seeing that, Takizawa Dan suddenly felt a little sorry for the big, fat Jirobo.

He'd already thrown in his lot with evil, and on top of that, everyone looked down on him. He was at the very bottom of the pecking order. It was honestly pretty pitiful.

But Takizawa Dan had no time to dwell on it now, because Kidomaru had already leapt down from the tree and landed in front of him.

"Heh, kid. That strength of yours surprised me just now, but your luck ends here."

"Now let me, Kidomaru, teach you a proper lesson!"

With that, Kidomaru opened his mouth and spat out a strand of spider silk!

The silk spread into a vast web and shot toward Takizawa Dan.

Having read the original story, Takizawa Dan knew this spider silk was no ordinary stuff. It was incredibly sticky and acidic. If it wrapped around him, his skin would corrode in an instant, leaving him unable to fight!

Without hesitation, Takizawa Dan immediately leapt away!

Sizzle!

The spider silk landed on a tree behind Takizawa Dan, corroding a huge hole in its trunk! The once-lush, vibrant tree began to wither in an instant!

Takizawa Dan's pupils narrowed slightly at the sight.

This enemy was strong!

"Hehehe, you're pretty quick on your feet. You actually dodged my spider silk!"

Seeing Takizawa Dan's lightning-fast reaction, Kidomaru's face flickered with surprise.

But it soon turned to disdain.

So what if he was nimble? So what if he had talent?

Against Kidomaru's overwhelming strength, he'd still be knocked flat!

"Kidomaru! Don't use your corrosive spider silk! Have you forgotten Lord Orochimaru's orders?"

Seeing what Kidomaru was doing, Sakon and Ukon, standing on a tree branch, immediately lost their composure and shouted at him.

After all, Lord Orochimaru had sent them to capture Takizawa Dan and bring him back because he wanted his body.

If they corroded Takizawa Dan's body, Lord Orochimaru would punish them when they returned. They'd be finished!

So even he, who was usually calm and composed, could no longer keep up his usual demeanor.

"Tch, I know. What a pain!"

Kidomaru clicked his tongue in annoyance, then nodded.

This time, the spider silk he shot from his mouth looked much the same as before, but it was pearly white. It had no poison; it was simply tougher and more adhesive.

Takizawa Dan darted left and right, dodging the silk with great speed.

But as he dodged, he felt a growing sense of unease.

No one would come to the rear mountain at this time, which meant there would be no reinforcements.

Still, nothing was certain. What if someone happened to come across them?

If Kidomaru couldn't take him down quickly, Tayuya and Sakon and Ukon might get impatient and join in. The three of them might even team up against him!

Each of them was stronger than the last. Takizawa Dan could handle any one of them on his own without too much trouble. Against two, he'd have to give it everything he had. But if it was all three...

Heh. He'd better run for his life!

Just as Takizawa Dan's attention wavered, a strand of Kidomaru's spider silk wrapped around his foot!

"Heh, you're caught!"

Seeing that his spider silk had finally snared Takizawa Dan, Kidomaru chuckled, his eyes full of sadistic amusement.

Oh no!

Takizawa Dan's alarm bells rang. Kidomaru swung the strand high, then slammed him hard into the ground!

Smack!

Takizawa Dan was flung into the air, then crashed heavily onto the ground a short distance away!

Pfft!

The moment he hit the ground, Takizawa Dan violently spat out a mouthful of blood!

Damn it!

That slam had nearly killed him. Takizawa Dan felt as though all his internal organs had been knocked out of place!

Fortunately, he worked out regularly, and his body was much tougher than an ordinary person's. Otherwise, that single slam would have taken half his life!

Bracing himself against the ground with trembling hands, Takizawa Dan slowly got to his feet.

"Oh? You can still stand? You've got some tough bones!"

Seeing the defiant look on Takizawa Dan's face, Kidomaru couldn't help feeling surprised.

Usually, anyone he slammed like that would lie on the ground for ages, unable to get up, or howl in agony, losing all will to keep fighting.

Why could this kid get back up so quickly?

"Damn... This guy... is really hard to deal with. Looks like I have to find a way to get out of here today. If I stay trapped here, something's bound to happen sooner or later!"

Takizawa Dan clutched his stomach and looked around through gritted teeth.

However, Sakon and Ukon and Tayuya seemed to see through his intentions. They instantly moved to block his way!

"Hehe, kid, you've had enough fun, haven't you? Give up and come with us to see Lord Orochimaru!"

Sakon and Ukon stepped forward, grinning as they spoke.

"Damn..."

A trace of unwillingness welled up inside Takizawa Dan.

Was he really going to die here today and become Orochimaru's vessel?

Would he go back to his own world after he died?

But just then, he felt as if his foot had kicked something!

Looking down, he saw Jirobo lying unconscious behind him!

Takizawa Dan's expression turned strange. He never would have expected to end up right where Jirobo had been lying.

Had he beaten Jirobo up too badly earlier, and now heaven was playing a joke on him, making him suffer the same beating in the very same spot?