Orochimaru raced away with Anyo in tow. With his modified body, his speed could only be described as lightning-fast. Worried about Anyo's safety, Tsunade and Jiraiya did not pursue them, just as expected.
Having been bound for so long, Anyo could not help saying, "Uncle, I know you like bondage, but could you loosen this a little? It's too tight. I'm about to..."
Orochimaru ignored Anyo's slightly dirty teasing and interrupted in his hoarse voice, "Judging by the direction you came from, you weren't in the village?"
Anyo answered honestly, "That's right. I've been away for a little over two months."
At that, Orochimaru finally understood. Although he still did not know the details, he could guess some of what had happened. In that case, it was only natural that he had been exposed. With that thought, he released Anyo.
Anyo stretched his limbs and continued alongside Orochimaru, asking curiously, "Uncle, can you tell me what exactly happened? Have you defected from the village?"
Orochimaru replied flatly, "I sent you a little gift. Since you weren't there, someone else must have opened it."
"A gift?" Anyo knew this gift was probably nothing good. Otherwise, it would not have led to such serious consequences.
Orochimaru looked at Anyo with a hint of a smile. "What? Are you afraid I'll be taken back to Konoha and implicate you?"
Anyo said aggrievedly, "You really don't understand me, Uncle. Am I that kind of person?"
"Heh." Orochimaru could not help giving a mocking chuckle. "It's precisely because I understand you that I know why you intervened."
That hurt!
Anyo did not continue that topic. He summoned his Eagle Puppet and said, "Let me fly you out of here. You must be tired after a big battle and traveling all this way."
Orochimaru paused for