Naruto smiled and nodded as he sensed three masses of chakra rapidly approaching.
"Sure enough, with a wise woman like Snake Aunt, an emotional connection is more reliable than a physical one."
"My lord, their three-man squad has split up."
Team 7 was out in the open, while Snake Aunt's squad remained concealed.
"That blond brat certainly knows how to cooperate. Go secure the perimeter. If any other genin squads try to swoop in and reap the rewards, kill them."
"Yes!"
With the order given, the two middle-aged men dared not hesitate. They vanished from the spot and rushed into the dense forest around them.
As her two subordinates left, a smile slowly spread across Snake Aunt's lips. Then she opened her small mouth, and countless little patterned snakes poured out, dropping to the ground.
Once they landed, the densely packed snakes pressed against one another, their flesh rapidly melting and fusing together.
In just a few breaths, the mass of little snakes below had merged into three Giant Pythons.
"Keep him occupied."
Snake Aunt pointed at the Blond-Haired Boy in the bushes, then leaped down from the canopy and landed firmly on another giant snake's head. The snake immediately sped toward Sasuke and Sakura's location.
At Orochimaru's command, the other two Giant Pythons slithered through the damp, shadowy undergrowth, racing toward Naruto.
With Naruto's current sensory abilities, how could he possibly fail to detect two Giant Pythons approaching?
But to plunge Sasuke into a false crisis, he had to pretend he had noticed nothing.
Rustle...
As the bushes shook violently, Naruto instinctively turned his head. Seeing a huge, toothless maw lunging at him, he did his best to let out one final scream.
"Aaah!"
Then the Giant Python swallowed Naruto whole.
Meanwhile.
Snake Aunt rode her giant snake toward