Orochimaru

"Fire Fist!"

Seeing that the wound on the neck of the Anbu Chunin lying on the ground had already congealed, Yun Xi didn't hesitate.

He released the flames within him and prepared for battle.

At the same time,

with nimble footwork, Yun Xi immediately leaped outside into the open space.

But the moment he got out there,

a scene that left Yun Xi utterly shocked appeared before him...

Everyone who had been watching him was dead...

Whether they were from Anbu, Root, or the Hyuga Clan,

not a single one remained.

They were all lying on the ground.

Judging by the bodies, they had all been killed with kunai...

"Who did this?"

If only one faction's people had died, he could have explained it as the other two factions joining forces.

But...

they were all dead.

In an instant, an inexplicable chill crept up Yun Xi's spine.

"Run!"

Yun Xi didn't have time to think.

Whoever could silently take out nine Chunin and strike with such viciousness was far beyond what Yun Xi could handle right now.

Besides, not much time had passed since Uchiha Itachi left.

Only a few minutes...

And in those few minutes, someone had slaughtered all the elite Chunin stationed around his home...

A Kage-level fighter!

Only a Kage-level fighter could do this.

And not just any Kage-level fighter...

Yun Xi hadn't heard a sound earlier, which meant that when this person killed the Chunin,

they hadn't used any ninjutsu...

They had relied on nothing but assassination...

"Who in Konoha is skilled at assassination and also Kage-level..."

As Yun Xi made his escape, he kept trying to figure out who was responsible...

"The only person in Konoha who could be called Kage-level right now should be the Third Hokage..."

"And Gekko Hayate is only a Chunin at the moment. With his abilities, he couldn't have done this..."

"Kakashi..."

"Might Guy..."

After running through all the familiar names, Yun Xi still couldn't think of anyone he suspected...

"Could it be...?"

Suddenly, a figure surfaced in Yun Xi's mind.

Orochimaru!

One of the former Konoha Sannin.

He was powerful and skilled in assassination.

And...

At this point in time, Orochimaru seemed to be working with Danzo on researching the First's Wood Release Cells.

"Could it really be Orochimaru?"

At the thought, a bitter smile spread across Yun Xi's face.

Considering the strength, the way the victims had been killed, and the circumstances...

Orochimaru really was the only one who could have done something like this...

But Yun Xi still had another question.

If Orochimaru really had killed these people, why?

If Orochimaru really was in Konoha right now, then by any reasonable calculation,

keeping a low profile was the right choice.

And murder could hardly be considered keeping a low profile.

Although Yun Xi's home was near the outskirts of Konoha, where no one but the occasional patrol usually went,

the Tenten family, the nearest neighbors to Yun Xi's home, lived on the next street.

But...

Even a fool knew that a murder this serious wouldn't go unnoticed just because it happened in a remote location.

And the victims were from Anbu and Root.

There were also members of the Hyuga Clan...

"How could something like this happen? This is giving me a headache..."

Yun Xi was utterly exasperated. He really hadn't expected things to unfold this way.

Originally, in Yun Xi's plan,

the people watching him had been his own protective shield.

As long as he kept his abilities hidden and didn't let them notice anything unusual, Danzo and the Third Hokage wouldn't suspect him.

But he hadn't expected...

They would die...

And for no apparent reason.

Although Yun Xi could prove that he hadn't done it,

it would still make Danzo and the others even more wary.

Most importantly,

some of the dead were members of the Hyuga Clan.

"I should've asked Itachi to stay a little longer..."

Yun Xi regretted it now.

If Uchiha Itachi hadn't left so soon, this might not have happened.

And even if it had!

With Uchiha Itachi by his side, Yun Xi wouldn't be so helpless now!

"I need to report this to the Third Hokage right away!"

Yun Xi ran at full speed until he reached the edge of Konoha's main street. After realizing the person behind this might be Orochimaru, he immediately decided to inform the Third Hokage.

After all...

Of the three factions, the Third Hokage was the only one who posed the least danger to Yun Xi.

As for Danzo and the Hyuga Clan...

Yun Xi had no hope in them!

"Kid, looks like Danzo underestimated you..."

Just as Yun Xi was preparing to head to the Hokage Office Building, a soft, feminine voice came from behind him.

Yun Xi turned around...

It was Orochimaru.

His long, jet-black hair hung down, and a strange smile flickered across his pale face. His gray-brown, snake-like eyes held a trace of curiosity about Yun Xi.

"Damn, it really is him..."

Seeing that it was Orochimaru, Yun Xi tensed all over.

Although he wasn't far from Konoha's main street,

this place could definitely be considered remote.

And...

As luck would have it, Yun Xi was in a rather dark alley.

Not only were there no people around, even stray dogs were unlikely to come here.

"Has Orochimaru been following me all along?"

Seeing how awkward his position was, Yun Xi silently considered the possibilities.

He wouldn't believe it was a coincidence even if someone beat him to death!

But...

What exactly was Orochimaru after?

First he killed the Chunin watching Yun Xi, then he followed him here...

Yun Xi was full of questions.

Still,

Yun Xi didn't panic. Seeing that he had nowhere to run, he simply stopped.

Looking up at Orochimaru on the roof, Yun Xi slowly said, "Greetings, sir. What is it you want from me?"

"You're quite clever. You even managed to keep Danzo in the dark..."

Unlike the visibly tense Yun Xi, Orochimaru watched him with a smile, surprise and delight flickering in his eyes.

"Kid, tell me your name. And..."

"What was the Fire Release Ninjutsu you used earlier called..."

At last, Orochimaru spoke,

asking Yun Xi in a voice that carried a note of menace.

He stared at Yun Xi like a venomous snake that had found its perfect prey...

"Looks like..."

"I'm really in trouble this time..."

This time, Yun Xi didn't answer Orochimaru. Instead, he tried to figure out how to escape.

After all...

Orochimaru was definitely one of the most troublesome characters in all of Naruto...