Venomous Snake on the Prowl

Rustle...

In the dense jungle, a small snake coiled around a treetop and lowered its head. Its pale yellow slit pupils watched a group moving through the woods.

As the five-person ninja squad gradually disappeared into the distance,

the snake opened its mouth and, in a way no ordinary person could have imagined, spat out... a man.

Purple eye shadow, golden slit pupils, delicate earrings, and shoulder-length hair. He was in his prime, missing only an Akatsuki cloak. He was one of the Konoha Sannin.

Once a strong contender for Hokage.

An S-rank Missing-nin.

—Orochimaru!

"Hiss—"

He ran his long tongue around his lips out of habit, his gaze grave. "Anko... Her Cursed Seal is completely intact. Looks like I'll have to think of something."

"Nii-san, I almost caught that guy the other day, but Kakashi wouldn't let me keep going. Otherwise, I definitely could've killed him!"

Shinji glanced at the boastful Uchiha Nobihi.

He shook his head to himself.

According to Nara Rokuyuki, eighteen people had "defected" from the village. Every one of them had the strength of an elite Jonin, including Aburame Ryoma, Aburame Torune, and Yamanaka Fū.

Two of them had been assigned to lure Kakashi and the others away.

Uchiha Nobihi might have had the Three Tomoe, but he lacked combat experience. Root was notorious as an assassination unit. Its members were hard to kill and even harder to capture.

"Senior Kakashi was saving you. Don't be ungrateful. A ninja can't let the heat of battle go to his head and act on impulse. Do that, and you'll end up a corpse."

Shinji turned toward Kakashi, who was strolling along with his hands behind his head.

"Am I right, Senior Kakashi?"

"Huh? Oh, right!"

Kakashi answered absently.

Shinji shook his head helplessly. "We're getting close