Looking at the sleeping Kimimaro, Uchiha Yuu took off his robe, wrapped it around the boy, and handed him to the clan chief beside him.
"This child has great talent, and I am quite satisfied with him. I'll need you to take care of him for a while longer. I have something troublesome to deal with."
Uchiha Yuu did not tell him what he needed to handle. The Bamboo-Cutter Clan had long been accustomed to being weapons. They did not think; they only carried out orders.
"Yes!"
Watching the Bamboo-Cutter Clan chief carry Kimimaro onto the large ship, Uchiha Yuu fixed his gaze on a spot within the forest, secretly marveling. Despite such a major upheaval today, Orochimaru had actually managed to resist taking advantage of the situation to plunder.
Ever since they had parted ways in Konoha, Orochimaru had lost much of his support. Research required money, and without financial backing, it was undoubtedly extremely difficult for Orochimaru to advance his work. That did not even include the human experiments, which he had to personally handle.
No wonder he would establish a village later on. One person alone was incapable of sustaining research.
His pace quickened as he locked onto Orochimaru's hiding place.
At this moment, Orochimaru was preparing to strike Kirigakure. There were things in Kirigakure that he had to obtain. Besides plundering resources, there were also Kirigakure's Bloodline Limits. Today's chaos was the perfect opportunity for him to act.
But he hesitated. The instant he was about to move, he sensed danger. A powerful person's perception could save their life at critical moments, and that vague intuition had saved Orochimaru many times. His heart grew heavy as he continued hiding in the shadows and observing.
"What exactly is watching me from the shadows?"
He was positioned on