Standing on the rooftop, Kazekage Rasa watched his children return indoors, then shot an iron nail through the Desert Viper, pinning it down. After the snake disappeared, he quietly made his way to the high ground outside the village.
The Fourth Kazekage's expression shifted as he looked at Orochimaru, who stood on the high ground disguised as a Sand Ninja.
The infiltration at the mine last time had been understandable, but this time, the man had made it all the way into his home-the Kazekage's residence, in the heart of the village.
Still, with recruitment for the ANBU not yet complete, there was little he could do.
Leaning against a rock wall with one hand on his hip, Orochimaru looked at the Fourth Kazekage and said, "My apologies for interrupting your family gathering, but I'll be leaving the Land of Wind soon."
"You still dare to show your face in Sunagakure?!" Displeasure colored the Fourth Kazekage's voice.
Orochimaru removed his bamboo hat and said with a smile, "Don't put it that way. Without my warning, the battle would have taken place inside Sunagakure, and your losses wouldn't have been limited to those ANBU. You ought to be thanking me instead."
The Fourth Kazekage's expression darkened at Orochimaru's smug face.
But he had to admit that without Orochimaru's warning, Sunagakure would likely have suffered greater losses. The ninja Orochimaru had attacked would not have escaped with their lives so easily, either.
That did not change the fact that they were still enemies. He certainly did not believe that Orochimaru, who had fought him before, would suddenly become a friend.
After a pause, the Fourth Kazekage said, "Sunagakure still lost a great many ninja, including Jonin Pakura. You also took our tailed beast."
A faint smile appeared on Orochimaru's lips. Deliberately avoiding