Chapter 94: A Heavy Burden
"Haruta, your mission has been approved."
In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Haruta, Shisui, and the other three team members with a serious expression.
Same lineup, same team as before.
Although Uchiha Itachi was part of Kakashi's squad, he hadn't been selected for this mission.
But what surprised Haruta was the presence of someone unexpected in the office.
"Jiraiya?"
Haruta looked at the white-haired man in front of him, puzzled.
He had no idea why this guy was here.
At this point in time, shouldn't Jiraiya be anywhere but Konoha?
"Because this mission is particularly special, I found you a suitable team leader."
Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled as he gestured toward Jiraiya.
"This is one of the village's finest jōnin—Jiraiya. I believe you all know of him?"
"A bunch of brats, huh?"
Jiraiya walked over, glancing at the group before grinning.
"Oh? If it isn't Kakashi! Long time no see. You've grown quite a bit—nice, nice. You don't seem as gloomy as before."
"Jiraiya-sama."
Kakashi had great respect for Jiraiya, as he was his teacher's teacher.
"Good to see you again."
"And you must be Tsunade's clansman?"
Jiraiya patted Kakashi on the shoulder, then turned to Haruta with curiosity.
"Doesn't seem like much. You're not as handsome as I am, are you?"
"…"
Haruta fell silent for a moment.
This guy's shamelessness exceeded expectations.
But Haruta still lifted his head, pretending to size Jiraiya up before speaking in a doubtful tone.
"So… you're the pervy, goofy toad guy that Tsunade-sensei talks about?"
"…"
Jiraiya's face froze.
Yep, that was definitely something Tsunade would say.
But there was no way he could lose face in front of this brat!
"Nonsense! I'm not pervy and goofy—I'm beloved by women everywhere!
And that Tsunade—she used to be as flat as a washboard!"
"Cough cough cough!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't take it anymore.
Was this really something to say in front of kids?
Luckily, Haruta probably didn't understand—
"Huh?"
Haruta tilted his head.
"That's weird. I thought she was big and soft."
"…"
Jiraiya twitched.
Meanwhile, Kakashi smacked Tenzo over the head before he could ask any dumb questions.
"Alright, enough talking. Let's move out."
"Yeah, Tenzo, I think it's better if you just keep quiet."
Shisui nodded in agreement. Although he didn't fully understand what was going on, he could tell it wasn't anything good.
Didn't you notice that Yugao hadn't said a word? Shisui was sharp enough to pick up on that.
Besides, in his mind, this was his last mission with the Anbu, so no matter what, he didn't want anything going wrong.
"Yeah, yeah, let's not talk about this anymore."
Jiraiya led the way ahead, but out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Haruta.
This brat… how does he understand everything?
Although he looked about fifteen or sixteen years old, he seemed way too mature for his age.
For some reason, Jiraiya suddenly felt a twinge of envy. Damn this kid.
With a silent sigh, as they arrived at the village outskirts, Jiraiya's expression grew more serious, and he finally spoke up.
"This mission is both troublesome and dangerous, so I hope we can work together. I also expect you all to follow my lead. No objections?"
When Jiraiya finished speaking, he was surprised by the silence. No one responded immediately — not even Kakashi.
What was even more interesting was that everyone's gaze seemed to drift toward Haruta.
"Does this kid have that much authority?"
Seeing this, Jiraiya unconsciously nodded. With Wood Release and the Flying Thunder God technique, it wasn't surprising that he commanded such respect.
What Jiraiya didn't know was that both Kakashi and Shisui had suffered losses at Haruta's hands before.
If Haruta was willing to follow their orders — even calling someone "Captain" — it probably meant they were about to take the blame for something.
"Of course, no problem. We'll definitely follow your lead, Lord Jiraiya."
Haruta seemed to understand the silent exchange of looks between Shisui and Kakashi. Smiling, he gave Jiraiya a nod.
Following orders was one of his strong points!
Of course, how to follow orders — and how closely — was entirely up to Haruta himself.
As for convincing Jiraiya? That wasn't too difficult. Jiraiya could be stubborn at times, but he had a glaring weakness.
Orochimaru.
Coincidentally, there was a good chance they'd run into Orochimaru on this mission, making things much easier to handle.
"Good."
Seeing Haruta's obedient attitude, Jiraiya immediately smiled.
"I'm confident we'll get the job done this time!"
"I think so too," Haruta replied with a grin — a grin so obvious, even through his mask, everyone could feel it.
"I believe we'll work together very well, Captain Jiraiya."
---
"Haruta's team is on the move again?"
In Konoha, at the Root headquarters, Danzo stared at the report in his hand, deep in thought.
His expression darkened as he pondered.
Because this time, he had no idea what Haruta's mission was — and no one had bothered to tell him!
"Hiruzen… so much for your so-called magnanimity."
After a long silence, Danzo let out a cold snort, tossing the scroll aside.
Danzo had made quite a splash during the recent negotiations between Konoha and Iwagakure. Thanks to Haruta's secret maneuvers, Danzo had significant influence over Sunagakure.
This influence paid off during the negotiations — he had Ryoma Aburame relay key information to the Sand Village, and they had cooperated as planned.
Of course, the Sand Village had its own motives, but the point was that they had listened.
Danzo was quite pleased with the results, and Konoha did secure some benefits.
However, Danzo wasn't satisfied. In his view, Konoha should have seized even more!
So, without hesitation, he began planning further "operations" — another chance for him to strengthen his position.
But before he could act, Hiruzen Sarutobi, along with Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, confronted him.
"Danzo, I don't care what you're plotting, and I don't even want to know what you've done, but I'm warning you — you'd better stop!"
Faced with Hiruzen's stern gaze, Danzo had to admit he was a bit rattled at the time.
He couldn't help it. After Root was nearly wiped out, his assassination attempt was thwarted, and his forces were surrounded by the Anbu, even losing Kinoe — Danzo had every reason to be on edge.
But he held his ground. He knew his old friend was sentimental, so he forced himself to stay calm.
"Hiruzen, I understand your point, but you're too soft. You were lenient with Kumo, and now Iwa — don't you realize the damage you're doing to Konoha?"
"Damage?"
Hiruzen chuckled bitterly. Thinking about Danzo's secret schemes, his face grew cold.
"Antagonizing Iwagakure only benefits Kumogakure. Even if Iwa won't declare war, what good comes from provoking them?
All you're doing is making Konoha's situation even worse. Or do you want to repeat the Third Great Ninja War all over again?"
"You admit war might happen again. If that's the case, they are future enemies. Weakening them bit by bit — what's wrong with that?"
"You're only doing this for yourself!"
"I'm doing it for Konoha! Yes, I might benefit, but that's only because you're too weak — you're the one endangering Konoha!"
"Enough! I am the Hokage!"
"You… you'll regret this!"
In the end, their arguments always circled back to one brutal truth — Hiruzen was the Hokage.
And Danzo… was merely his advisor.
No matter how arrogant Danzo acted, this fact always shut him down.
"Damn it!"
Even now, thinking about it, Danzo slammed his fist on the table. His longing to become Hokage only grew stronger.
One day, he would have his revenge — he'd tell Hiruzen to his face: "I am the Hokage!"
But that was for the future. For now, thanks to his recent clash with Hiruzen and his actions during the Iwa negotiations, Danzo's influence had been restricted once again.
Especially when it came to his connection with Haruta — it was completely severed.
Right now, he had almost no direct contact with Haruta.
"Are you trying to cut me off, just like when you took Kinoe from me?"
Danzo muttered, conveniently ignoring the fact that he was the one who had sent Haruta — a civilian ninja — to the Anbu in the first place.
Tapping his fingers on the table, Danzo pondered his next move.
He wasn't about to give up on Haruta. A talented, intelligent, and independent ninja — but one with a weak spot Danzo could exploit.
A pawn like that… why would he ever let him go?
"Looks like it's time to step things up."
Danzo's gaze turned icy, and his fingers stopped tapping.
"Ryoma — come here."
"Lord Danzo."
At his command, Ryoma Aburame instantly appeared, kneeling on one knee, his head bowed in submission.
"Deliver a message to Nonō Yakushi — she is to eliminate a target hidden within Iwagakure."
Danzo's voice was as cold as ever.
"At the same time, inform Kabuto Yakushi. Tell him there's an Anbu contact within Iwagakure — his mission is to rendezvous and gather intelligence."
Standing up, Danzo's eyes hardened. His patience with Nonō and Kabuto was running out.
One was always begging to see her "orphanage director," hoping to finish a "final mission" and leave Root.
The other kept asking for photos of Haruta, dreaming of the day he'd be free.
How childish.
"They should learn from Haruta — that boy understands things far better than they do."
Root wasn't a place you could just walk away from.
Once you entered… there was no escape.
Killing them might be risky, but the reward was worth it.
He could twist the truth however he liked — maybe tell Haruta that Orochimaru was responsible.
It didn't matter. Danzo controlled the flow of information.
"If you want revenge, Haruta… you'll have no choice but to rely on me."
Hatred was the perfect tool.
Danzo understood that even better than Itachi Uchiha.
"Also, contact Orochimaru — I need him to clean up after me in Iwagakure.
Inform him of Nonō and Kabuto's movements. If he succeeds, I'll give him what he wants. Dismissed."
"Yes, Lord Danzo."
Ryoma bowed and disappeared in a flash.
Alone again, Danzo murmured to himself.
"Once you're in Root… no one escapes."
---
"Aren't we having a few too many meetings lately?"
Inside the tower in the Land of Rain, Sasori's phantom image gazed at Pain, shaking his head and speaking coldly.
The Akatsuki was a loosely organized group — this was clear from how everyone operated independently in different countries.
However, there were mandatory activities, like key missions, which Sasori didn't mind.
After all, he was still a ninja, and back in his village days, he had grown used to such routines.
But the recent frequency of meetings was starting to irk him — especially after his last trip to the Land of Grass, where his puppets had suffered significant damage.
He had been busy repairing them ever since, only to be summoned again.
"This time, it's not about a mission."
Nagato, controlling Pain, shook his head. This wasn't about a mission, but it was still something crucial.
After much thought and discussion with Konan, he had made a decision.
"We're recruiting a new member. I believe his addition will greatly benefit us, so I want you all to test him."
"Oh? A new member?"
The Venus flytrap-like Black Zetsu tilted its head, looking at Pain with curiosity. He didn't know much about this matter.
Lately, his life hadn't been easy either, thanks to Obito's antics.
The last encounter with Kakashi was meant to serve as a release for Obito — to further solidify his resolve to reclaim his eye.
But…
While the plan seemed fine at first, the outcome was far from ideal.
Kakashi used a Lightning Clone to trick Obito, while Haruta Shigaru and Uchiha Shisui, with their Wood Release and Mangekyō Sharingan, brutally overwhelmed Sasori and Kakuzu.
After dealing with them, Haruta Shigaru even had enough strength left to turn around and confront Obito!
In the end, although it was White Zetsu who suffered the most—being forced out of Obito's body by Haruta and ultimately killed—the impact on Obito was still immense.
They had tried countless methods to remove the cursed seal, but none worked.
Eventually, they resorted to the most extreme measure—cutting out the piece of flesh entirely!
According to Obito, this was a grudge he'd remember for the rest of his life. It had been a long time since he'd been injured to this extent.
Now that he'd fully recovered, his mind was constantly consumed with thoughts of revenge, leaving Black Zetsu feeling utterly helpless.
"The one you should be seeking revenge against is Haruta. The others are long dead — unless you're planning on digging up their graves."
Obito's antics had kept Black Zetsu too preoccupied to fully grasp the affairs of the Akatsuki.
"Yes, a new member."
Pain nodded, his gaze shifting to the Venus flytrap-like figure of Black Zetsu.
"Even with Hoshigaki Kisame joining us, our numbers are still too few. We need new recruits."
"I'm curious — who is this new member?"
Kisame stood idly to the side, his massive black sword, Samehada, strapped to his back.
Having grown disillusioned with the Mizukage, Kisame's faith in the village had long since eroded. With Black Zetsu and Obito manipulating the Mizukage, it wasn't hard to push Kisame into abandoning the village. It was only after his departure that Black Zetsu approached him about joining the Akatsuki.
Everything unfolded so naturally — and now, Kisame was officially a member of the Akatsuki.
"You might have heard of him. No, actually — you're all quite familiar with him."
Pain glanced at the silent Kakuzu before finally revealing the name.
"The new member is Konoha's rogue ninja — Orochimaru."
"Orochimaru?!"
"What? Him?"
The mere mention of Orochimaru's name sent a wave of shock through the group.
For these powerful shinobi, Orochimaru's reputation was infamous — there wasn't a single one among them who hadn't heard of him.
Sasori, in particular, held no fondness for Konoha's ninjas. His parents had died at the hands of Konoha's White Fang, Sakumo Hatake.
When he last confronted Konoha's forces, he vaguely noticed Kakashi among them — but the timing hadn't allowed him to act.
As for Orochimaru, Sasori despised him as well. Their paths had crossed during the war, and although Orochimaru wasn't his direct opponent, Sasori's loathing for the man ran deep.
Kisame's reaction was more straightforward.
He wasn't exactly disgusted by Orochimaru — but he was certainly terrified of him.
During the Third Shinobi War, Orochimaru had commanded Konoha's forces against the Mist Village in the Land of Whirlpools — a battle Kisame could never forget.
And now, this same Orochimaru was going to be his colleague?
"Orochimaru, huh?"
Even Black Zetsu seemed a bit surprised, but he quickly nodded in agreement.
"If it's him, that's a solid choice. He's powerful and knows Konoha inside and out.
With him, a lot of our future plans will become much easier.
But there's one problem — he's elusive.
Even Konoha doesn't seem to have much information on his whereabouts.
How do we find him?"
"Don't worry — that's already been taken care of."
Pain showed no hesitation as he turned to Kakuzu, who had remained silent all this time.
"Kakuzu has provided us with intelligence. According to his sources, Orochimaru has recently been seen near Iwagakure.
He might be there for his own agenda — but that's irrelevant to us.
Now that we have a lead, we can make our move!"
After a brief pause, Pain continued,
"This mission will be handled by all of you.
I have other matters to attend to, but I'll send 'Angel' to accompany you.
With this lineup, I trust you'll succeed."
Truthfully, Pain would have preferred to personally lead the mission. Recruiting Orochimaru would have been much simpler if he were there himself.
However, he had urgent matters to deal with — particularly the intelligence regarding Hanzo.
He didn't fully trust Black Zetsu, but he had verified the information about Hanzo himself.
He planned to strike soon.
Hanzo was too dangerous, and Pain didn't intend to let Konan get involved — he would handle the matter alone and explain later.
Orochimaru's sudden emergence, however, gave him a convenient excuse to send Konan away.
Finally, Pain's gaze returned to Kakuzu.
"Kakuzu, you'll take the lead on this mission.
Since you have the intel, it makes the most sense.
If there's nothing else, prepare for the operation."
With that, Pain prepared to cut the communication link.
Everyone fell into a contemplative silence.
Recruiting Orochimaru would be no simple task.
Kakuzu, however, felt a bead of cold sweat trickle down his forehead.
What intel? He'd just been reading from a script!
Sure, getting paid was great — but now that the mission was real, panic was creeping in.
"Boss Haruta, don't screw me over…"
"Hey, Haruta — where's your informant?
Should we meet him first?
It'd help us figure out Orochimaru's situation."
In the Land of Fire, Jiraiya led a team of five — including Haruta — swiftly moving through the terrain.
Jiraiya, however, couldn't help but be curious about Haruta's intel.
The information Haruta provided felt vague, and while Jiraiya trusted him enough to act, he still wanted more concrete details.
Otherwise, if they came up empty-handed, it would be a huge waste of time.
"Honestly, instead of worrying about that, we should think about the route we're taking to Iwagakure."
Haruta glanced at Jiraiya, internally sighing.
After all, most of the "intel" he provided was made up.
The only thing he could confirm was that someone from the opposing side would likely show up — but beyond that? He had nothing.
Still, Haruta had his reasons for leading the team out here — without them, he'd never have gotten Jiraiya to move.
"Besides, Jiraiya-sama, you know how informants work — they won't meet me in the open.
If their cover gets blown, they're dead."
"Tch, whatever."
Jiraiya shook his head, deciding not to press the issue.
Haruta was an Anbu member — he wasn't reckless enough to lie about something this serious.
So Jiraiya dropped the subject and stroked his chin, switching gears.
"There are three routes to Iwagakure.
The path through the Land of Grass is the most convenient, but also the riskiest — given the recent negotiations between the village and Iwagakure."
The Land of Grass had a tense relationship with Iwagakure.
Konoha had seized some of its territory and stationed troops there — meaning they were likely to face trouble if they took that route.
"We could slip through unnoticed — the Iwa-nin in the Land of Grass might not spot us."
Haruta shrugged, clearly unfazed.
"Plus, we'd pass by the Kannabi Bridge — the place where Uchiha Obito supposedly died.
Who knows? We might find more clues there."
Kakashi's eye twitched, glaring at Haruta.
Why did this guy seem so hell-bent on choosing the most painful route for him?
Just the thought of running into Obito again made Kakashi's fists clench.
"How about going through the Land of Rain instead?"
Yamato, noticing Kakashi's sour mood, quickly suggested an alternative.
"Though it's constantly raining and the roads are rough, there's less outside interference.
The Land of Rain is extremely isolationist, but if we disguise ourselves, we should be fine."
"Land of Rain, huh?"
Haruta arched a brow.
Knowing Danzo's history with the Land of Rain, Haruta doubted it was a friendly place.
And considering Hanzo and Nagato were likely still active…
"Good idea!"
Haruta shot Jiraiya a playful glance.
"I heard you and Hanzo have some history, Jiraiya-sama.
Maybe that'll work to our advantage."
"…"
Jiraiya awkwardly scratched his head, thinking, What history? He beat me up!
"Forget the Land of Rain," Jiraiya said, clearly uncomfortable. "Hanzo isn't someone we can easily deal with. Besides, none of you know the Land of Rain well — Hanzo won't be happy if we show up there. It could cause a lot of trouble."
"Looks like our only option is the Land of Waterfalls," Shisui finally spoke, having been silently listening the whole time. "The Land of Waterfalls is relatively neutral. They have their own ninja village and the Seven-Tails. Though it's a chaotic place, that works to our advantage."
"Agreed. Let's take the Land of Waterfalls route," Jiraiya decided, swiftly ending the discussion.
Honestly, Haruta had a knack for making things complicated — even choosing a route became a whole ordeal. First, he managed to poke at Kakashi's nerves, then he turned around and gave Jiraiya a hard time.
"This kid…" Jiraiya muttered under his breath.
Wait… wasn't the original goal to gather more intel?
How did the topic shift to planning their route?
Jiraiya blinked in confusion. Somehow, Haruta had completely derailed the conversation — and Jiraiya had even gone along with it.
"Damn it… these kids are going to be a handful," Jiraiya thought, already dreading the rest of the mission.
Meanwhile, Haruta paid no mind to Jiraiya's frustration. After successfully shifting the focus away from Kakuzu's so-called "intel," he casually slipped over to Yugao.
Yugao, now almost seventeen, had grown into a graceful young woman, radiating a youthful charm.
However, she'd been uncharacteristically quiet during the journey, something Haruta immediately noticed. He figured it was time to smooth things over.
"Senpai, you seem a little down," Haruta said softly.
"I'm fine," Yugao huffed, though her tone was a bit stiff.
Before she could react, Haruta gently took her hand, acting as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
"Are you feeling unwell? Do you want me to—"
"Stop it! Jiraiya-sama is right there!" Yugao whispered fiercely, clearly flustered.
It seemed Haruta really didn't care about timing or place — even with Jiraiya around, he just did as he pleased.
Yugao glanced around and noticed that Kakashi and Shisui seemed completely used to Haruta's antics, while Jiraiya was walking ahead alone, lost in thought.
She couldn't help but sigh inwardly — why were her teammates all like this?
"I'm not upset — stop overthinking," she said, giving a small huff.
She tried to shake off Haruta's hand, but when she realized she couldn't, she just gave a resigned shake of her head. After all, she had gotten used to it by now.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Yugao put on a "senior" demeanor and gave Haruta a stern look.
"I'm just annoyed that, despite being so young, you're already picking up bad habits. What's going on with you, Haruta?"
"Huh?"
Haruta blinked in confusion.
"How am I picking up bad habits, senpai?"
"Don't play dumb! Earlier… what you said to Jiraiya-sama — you little brat!"
Yugao struggled to voice her frustration. She simply huffed again and turned her head away, avoiding eye contact.
"Oh, you're talking about that?"
Haruta suddenly looked like he had a revelation, which only made Yugao more anxious — afraid he'd blurt out something inappropriate.
But Haruta just chuckled and pointed at Kakashi.
"Once, I saw Kakashi-senpai reading a book called Icha Icha Paradise. Out of curiosity, I secretly bought a copy for myself.
Then I realized it was written by Jiraiya-sama, and the content… well, it was pretty interesting. A lot of what I know comes from—"
"Ahem!"
Kakashi, who had been silently minding his own business, choked on air. How did this suddenly turn into his problem?
Even Jiraiya, leading the group, almost tripped. He hadn't been paying attention, but the mention of his book instantly grabbed his focus.
The more he listened, the more he realized a massive black pot was about to be dumped on his head.
"Icha Icha Paradise? Jiraiya-sama's book?"
Yugao, though unfamiliar with the details, wasn't stupid.
She had heard Tsunade mention Jiraiya's "hobbies" before — and suddenly, her face beneath her mask grew hot.
"You… you're not allowed to read those kinds of books anymore!"
"But… I already finished reading it," Haruta said, blinking innocently.
Then, leaning closer to Yugao's ear, he whispered, "Actually, I was hoping to learn how to make senpai happier… but the stuff in the book…
Still, I think I prefer senpai just the way you are."
"Enough! Stop talking!"
Yugao quickly bumped Haruta with her shoulder, her voice a mix of embarrassment and frustration.
"You might be innocent, but I'm telling Tsunade-sensei about this! This is unacceptable!"
She was genuinely upset. In her mind, Haruta was still a simple, straightforward person — and now, thanks to some sleazy book, he'd been "corrupted."
No matter what, she had to report this to Tsunade.
Hearing that, Jiraiya's face darkened instantly.
Now he was sure — that black pot had well and truly landed on his head.
---
In Iwagakure, Kabuto Yakushi went about his duties as usual, maintaining his cover as a loyal Iwa-nin.
Ever since his last contact with Haruta, though, his mood had soured.
Even though Kabuto now understood Haruta's plan, it still felt reckless.
"This won't guarantee the director's safety..."
He clenched his fists, his hatred for Danzo simmering.
Kabuto trusted Haruta — he truly did — but no matter how much faith he had in him, a sliver of hope still lingered.
It was only human nature.
No matter how bleak the situation, people always clung to some faint hope — a desperate belief that maybe, just maybe, things weren't as bad as they seemed.
But that hope was crushed the moment he found the director in Iwagakure… only to realize she no longer recognized him.
At that moment, his last shred of optimism shattered.
Everything Haruta had warned him about was true.
It was all inevitable — their fates sealed.
"I'm not as sharp as Haruta… I've been a fool."
Kabuto's heart burned with fury, but there was nothing he could do for now.
All he could do was continue blending in, avoiding suspicion, and waiting for Haruta's next move.
"Hurry up, Haruta… even if you beat me to a pulp again once this is over."
Recalling the brutal training sessions in Root — where Haruta had pounded him into the ground more times than he could count — Kabuto involuntarily shuddered.
Still, a lingering question gnawed at him.
"Did Haruta always know Danzo was a threat? Is that why he refused to join Root?"
Kabuto shook his head bitterly.
He felt guilty — as if he had unwittingly dragged Haruta into all of this.
But it was too late for regrets.
"I just hope he doesn't hold a grudge… and that he gets here soon."
As Kabuto pushed open the door to his temporary home in Iwagakure, his sharp senses immediately picked up on something.
"Someone's been here."
A seasoned spy, Kabuto had discreetly set traps and markers around his residence. Now, he noticed subtle disturbances — a faint shift in the layout.
More importantly, a scroll lay conspicuously on the table.
He didn't react outwardly, but his mind raced.
Slowly, he scanned the room to confirm no one was watching before picking up the scroll and unfurling it.
"Damn it..."
Despite his calm expression, his blood boiled at the scroll's contents.
It instructed him to meet with another intelligence agent at midnight in three days.
Normally, this wouldn't raise suspicion.
But given the timing — and the fact that there was already a point of contact — it was clear what was happening.
According to Haruta, this was a classic setup.
A trap was about to be sprung.
"Shimura Danzo… you really deserve to die."
---
Not far from Iwagakure, Orochimaru's long tongue flicked out, licking the corner of his lips.
Though he wasn't particularly interested in Danzo's orders, the man had offered far too much to refuse.
Still, Orochimaru wasn't someone who liked being ordered around — not even by Danzo.
"Kabuto Yakushi… Nono Yakushi… tch tch…"
His golden snake-like eyes narrowed, his figure slowly blending into the shadows.
"Such pitiful souls… so let's see…"
"Which one of you will survive — and earn the right to follow me?"