Learned Wood Release and now you think you're something?

Root operatives were terrifying.

After undergoing brainwashing training, they believed everything they did was right, that it was all to protect Konoha.

They used that justification to keep swinging their butcher knives, never feeling a shred of guilt.

Boom!

A tremendous sonic boom rang out overhead. Kazan had already crossed Konoha's barrier in pursuit.

Soon, however, he slowed down to examine the marks Jiraiya had left.

Observation Haki couldn't pick up those marks.

Even so, it took him only half a day to find the Iburi that Minato Namikaze had mentioned.

"Where is Orochimaru?"

Kazan descended from the sky. Nothing but clouds of mist lay before him, without a single person in sight.

But Kazan knew the Iburi were inside that smoke. He could sense an abundance of life energy within it.

He could even hear their thoughts.

It's a pursuer from Konoha!

Find an opening and kill him!

Lord Orochimaru helped us. Without them, our clan would have vanished long ago. Whatever it takes, we have to buy Lord Orochimaru time to escape the Land of Fire.

"Not coming out?"

Having learned what they were thinking, Kazan didn't hesitate. Conqueror's Haki surged from his body like a tide, crashing toward them in towering waves.

Dark red thunderbolts lashed out wildly, leaving no corner untouched.

"Aaagh!"

In an instant, the figures of the Iburi ninja emerged from the smoke, one after another.

"I'll ask you one last time. Where is Orochimaru?"

"Give it up! We will never betray Lord Orochimaru!"

One man shouted. Judging by his appearance, he was probably the Iburi clan head.

Kazan listened to his thoughts but found no answer.

"So even you don't know where Orochimaru fled."

"In the end, Orochimaru only saw you as disposable pawns..."

Ever since Orochimaru had set his sights on immortality,