S-Rank Rogue Ninja, Orochimaru

Looking at his incredibly familiar laboratory, a flash of reluctance crossed Orochimaru's cold pupils, though it was quickly replaced by a touch of madness.

"What is the point of staying in a rotting Konoha any longer!"

"Don't you agree, Teacher?"

Orochimaru suddenly turned his head to look at the laboratory entrance, where a somewhat frail figure stood. As he spoke, the corners of his mouth curled up, and his entire being radiated a chilling aura.

The frail figure took two steps forward, and in the dim light of the room, it was revealed to be the Third Hokage.

"Orochimaru, do you not know that life must not be profaned? I told you long ago that some research must not be conducted, yet you went behind my back and did such a thing," the Third Hokage said, his face full of heartache.

For a moment, he questioned himself in his heart: was he a qualified Hokage, and was he a qualified teacher?

However, such thoughts were merely fleeting.

"Heh, isn't it a bit late for you to be saying these things now, Teacher?" Facing the Third Hokage's reprimand, Orochimaru still wore a cold sneer.

Seeing Orochimaru's attitude, the Third Hokage lost the desire to continue preaching. His regretful gaze turned firm, the air around him began to fluctuate, and the aura of a Kage-level powerhouse erupted instantly.

"Summoning Jutsu: Enma!"

After the Third Hokage quickly formed hand seals, he slammed a palm onto the ground, followed by a burst of white smoke.

Once the smoke cleared, a sturdy white monkey stood side-by-side with him.

"Hiruzen, have you finally made up your mind!"

Enma seemed to know something, as he felt no surprise upon seeing the scene before him.

"Adamantine Staff!"

Enma then transformed into an iron staff and landed in the Third Hokage's hand.

"Heh, it seems a battle is unavoidable today." Orochimaru suddenly opened his mouth wide and pulled out a long, mucus-covered sword.

It was the Kusanagi Sword, one of the three great divine artifacts of the shinobi world.

Pale blue chakra instantly covered the entire blade, and with a casual flick, Orochimaru sent a sharp slash flying fiercely toward the Third Hokage.

The Third Hokage dodged the blade with a sidestep, then the iron staff in his hand suddenly elongated, thrusting directly toward Orochimaru.

Clang!

Sparks flew as the Kusanagi Sword collided with the staff, and the two began a fierce battle within the narrow space.

The current Third Hokage was not like the one in the original story; he still possessed great combat power, and even Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, was suppressed by him.

Before long, Orochimaru fell into a disadvantage and was severely wounded by the Third Hokage, collapsing to the ground.

However, in the end, the Third Hokage's heart softened, and he let him go.

"Hiruzen, you can suppress him now, but what about when you grow old?" Enma did not want to give up this opportunity and tried to persuade the Third Hokage once more.

"You will regret this." Seeing that the Third Hokage remained unmoved, Enma shook his head and vanished into a puff of smoke.

Finally, the Third Hokage took one last look at Orochimaru with a complex expression before turning and leaving.

Inside Konoha Hospital, Naraku, who had been fast asleep, suddenly opened his eyes, then flickered and disappeared from the room.

"Is Captain Naraku staying here?" A youth wearing Anbu attire was standing in front of Naraku's door, just as he raised his hand to knock.

"What are you doing here?" A voice filled with killing intent rang out from behind him, and at the same time, he felt a chill against his neck.

Yamato's body trembled slightly. "I received notice from the Hokage to assemble all Anbu."

At this moment, Naraku recognized Yamato's identity and pulled the kunai away from the other's neck, though he still watched him with a vigilant gaze. If Yamato showed any abnormal behavior, he guaranteed he would ensure he didn't live to see tomorrow's sun.

Naraku felt little surprise at Yamato's transformation from Root to Anbu; for someone who knew the plot, this was entirely expected.

"Assemble all Anbu? Has something major happened to the village?"

Naraku frowned slightly, then pulled Yamato along as he left.

Yamato carefully touched his neck, his face full of lingering fear.

He felt that his survival today was truly a stroke of incredible luck.

Hokage Office

By the time Naraku and Yamato arrived, many people were already there, all of them wearing masks without exception.

Soon, the Third Hokage, dressed in his Hokage robes, walked over with a heavy expression. "Orochimaru has defected from the village."

The Third Hokage said only one sentence, yet it left most of those present feeling incredulous.

In the eyes of most, Orochimaru was not only the Third Hokage's disciple but also a hero of Konoha who had made massive contributions to the village during the Third Shinobi World War.

Could such a person defect?

Although many felt surprised, they trusted the Third Hokage's words implicitly; the Anbu's creed was to obey the Hokage's orders.

"From this moment on, Orochimaru is classified as an S-rank missing-nin of the village. Your mission now is to pursue Orochimaru."

"Orochimaru possesses many of the village's secrets. If he successfully escapes, it will cause the village massive losses, so you must bring him back."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The Anbu who received the order vanished in an instant, leaving the Third Hokage alone in the office, his expression complex as he lost himself in thought.

Naraku arrived outside Konoha Village at a leisurely pace. He knew better than anyone that the Third Hokage's order for everyone to pursue Orochimaru was merely for show; after all, Orochimaru was one of the Sannin, a bona fide Kage-level powerhouse.

If the Third Hokage had truly wanted to deal with Orochimaru, he would have finished him off back at the laboratory instead of waiting until now.

Furthermore, even if every single Anbu were to assemble, they would still be no match for Orochimaru if they faced him together.

In the current Konoha, aside from the Third Hokage and Danzo, the only ones capable of going toe-to-toe with Orochimaru were his fellow Sannin, Jiraiya.

Of course, Tsunade could also do it, provided she overcame her Hemophobia.

Ever since leaving Konoha Village, Naraku had slowed his pace even further, making it look no different from a casual stroll.

"Captain Naraku, aren't we supposed to be pursuing Orochimaru?" Yamato, who was walking beside him, asked with a look of confusion.

Having just joined the Anbu and been brainwashed by the Third Hokage earlier that day, he was unconditionally committed to carrying out the Third Hokage's orders.

Naraku pressed a hand to his forehead as he looked at his only subordinate; he had already learned from Yamato just moments ago that he had been promoted.

"You just need to follow me; there is no need for you to concern yourself with anything else."

"Follow you? Does that mean you've already discovered Orochimaru's trail, Captain Naraku!"