Clack, clack, clack.
A stiff sound rang out, as though something hard were turning, producing a series of teeth-grating noises.
At that moment, Nara Rokuten turned his head to look at Orochimaru and Sōkyū Hatake, his eyes calm, as though their arrival came as no surprise at all.
"Lord... Orochimaru," Nara Rokuten said flatly, as though merely stating a fact.
"Speak, Nara Rokuten. Spare me the meaningless words. Why did you betray me?" Orochimaru's expression darkened immediately, and the chill in his eyes made even Nara Rokuten turn his gaze away to avoid its sharpness.
"Lord Orochimaru, I assume you already know that I'm a member of Root," Nara Rokuten said flatly. In fact, he had heard everything Yamashiro Kōyō had just reported.
The secret he had wanted to preserve by killing himself had been discovered after all.
In other words, he had been arrested in full view of everyone. Even if he left safely now, presumably neither Root nor Danzo would ever trust him again.
Either way... he was doomed to die!
"Heh heh heh, of course I know that." Orochimaru laughed coldly, seemingly finding Nara Rokuten's words beneath his notice.
"Then what is there left to discuss? Report it directly?" Nara Rokuten suddenly raised his head and looked at Orochimaru with a hint of mockery.
"Reporting it directly isn't my style. There's more I want to know," Orochimaru said, running his tongue over his lips.
"What do you want to know?" Nara Rokuten paused, then slowly spoke.
"Why target Sōkyū Hatake?" Orochimaru suddenly dropped all other expressions and fixed his eyes on Nara Rokuten.
"I don't know why either. Those were simply the orders I received. I don't know anything else." Nara Rokuten closed his eyes, refusing to look at Orochimaru.
"Heh heh heh, you really... won't give