Orochimaru has always been a cunning and deceitful presence in the ninja world.
His representative animal snakes is also a symbol of this deceit, skilled in stealth, seizing opportunities for sneak attacks, and a repulsive creature that bares its fangs.
He himself thought and indeed, he had deployed all the stealth techniques he was skilled at.
Orochimaru's body itself can be replaced at any time; it is not a fixed ninja form.
Another form he most frequently uses is that of a snake, viscous and wet, a form that can burrow into any inconspicuous nook or cranny.
This time, for a sneak attack on Luffy, it was foolproof.
Orochimaru also used the same method, stealthily infiltrating!
Logically speaking, even if he were to purify himself, he probably wouldn't be discovered by others.
Previously, when he impersonated the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, to approach the Third Hokage, his "teacher" Hiruzen Sarutobi, didn't the old Hokage also fail to notice?
All the elite Jonin in Konohagakure who had received Orochimaru.
Didn't every single one of them also fail to perceive that this wicked venomous snake was right beside them?
Yet, somehow, this outsider managed to expose such a huge deception beside him, revealing his identity, and even suffering an attack!!
Orochimaru absolutely could not accept such an outcome...
And all these thoughts and reflections just now passed through his mind in an instant, like a flash of lightning.
Just as this series of thoughts settled, the intense, skull-crushing pain in Orochimaru's jaw had yet to subside!
Crash... The debris from the roof Orochimaru had smashed fell onto the floor of the room.
This naturally startled the surroundings, alerting the ANBU ninjas of Konoha, who had been hiding in the shadows all along!
Orochimaru had just stealthily infiltrated in the dark when the ANBU ninjas made no move.
Now, Orochimaru was detected by Luffy and sent flying far away with a punch!
These ANBU ninjas only belatedly realized that an accident had occurred!
"What's going on?! What happened?"
"What's happening with Mr. Luffy?!"
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"
The ANBU ninjas quickly communicated in code.
At the same time, they were not slow on their feet, immediately surrounding the area where Luffy was resting!
"Mr. Luffy, what's going on here..."
Before the leading ANBU ninja could finish speaking, the large door of Luffy's residence was directly kicked open by him, flying backward as if two giant shuriken, spinning, plunged into the boundless darkness!
"Who?! Who on earth dared to disturb my sleep just now?!"
This guy, Luffy, sure had a temper when waking up.
"Huh?" Unlike the ninjas, Luffy didn't understand how to use any chakra sensory abilities.
He analyzed and understood this world and his enemies, realizing that everyone used chakra for their senses!
No matter how Orochimaru concealed his chakra, or how he hid his unique cold aura,
He simply had no way to erase traces of his presence under a different sensory system!
"It's this direction!"
He completely ignored these Konoha ANBU ninjas who had suddenly appeared in front of him.
After Luffy confirmed Orochimaru's current direction, he immediately gave chase.
"Mr. Luffy! Mr. Luffy..."
This utterly baffled the Konoha ANBU ninjas.
The mission given to them by Lord Hokage was to ensure Luffy's safety.
But now, Luffy was clearly under attack here.
That huge hole in the roof, it was still clearly illuminated by the moonlight...
From beginning to end, from when Luffy was first attacked until now, he was actively pursuing the enemy.
Their Konoha ANBU ninjas surprisingly had no sense of participation at all. It was as if they weren't sent by the village to protect Luffy, but rather sent by the village to "watch a movie" for free.
"Now... what do we do?"
Several ANBU ninjas looked at each other.
At this moment, they all began to be thankful that they were wearing cat, fox, dog...
...and similar white-based pattern masks on their faces.
These masks effectively hid their awkward and slightly constrained expressions...
"What do we do... what can we do? Fox... you go report everything that happened here to Lord Hokage! Pay attention... everything!"
The ANBU ninja who had been standing at the very front, wearing a raccoon dog mask, said so, warning.
"Even if we didn't discover him in time, the fact that Mr. Luffy encountered danger must also be reported to Lord Hokage! His Lordship will make his own judgment!"
"Yes!"
"The rest of you, follow me immediately! This time, we must ensure Mr. Luffy's safety... I mean, without causing Mr. Luffy any trouble..."
At this moment... no, actually, from the very beginning, these ANBU ninjas who received this mission to protect Luffy probably understood clearly...
Their own strength, compared to Luffy, might not be strong...
Judging from the current situation, the disparity in strength between the two sides meant that their ANBU ninja side should be the considerably weaker one.
Back then, on the most bustling main street in Konoha, the battle between Luffy and Danzo was widely rumored.
Ordinary ninjas, and even some elite Jonin, didn't even know Danzo's identity.
But the ninjas within Konoha ANBU, how could they not know this "Emperor" of Konoha, hidden in the shadows?!
If even Danzo suffered under Luffy's hands, then among the ANBU ninjas, there was absolutely no one who could stand against him.
Even if their ANBU ninjas' most common activities were assassination, poisoning, extracting information, and similar covert actions.
But it was clear this time that the attacker (Orochimaru) had stealthily approached, using methods that could arguably be described as some of the most frequently used tactics by their ANBU ninjas...
But not a single one of them had detected him beforehand.
Instead, it was Luffy who suddenly discovered the enemy's presence, then launched an attack with astonishing speed!
Until now, their ANBU still had no information about the attacker's whereabouts. Compared to them, Orochimaru also used his hidden chakra to flee.
Luffy's pursuit, however, was completely reckless...
"Gum-Gum... Rocket!"
Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh... Anything blocking Luffy's path, whether trees, rocks, or flowers and insects, was all sent flying, broken, and used as leverage!
Luffy naturally felt that the guy who wanted to ambush him this time had malicious intentions!
Holding evil intent, and daring to disturb Luffy's sleep... two crimes combined, multiple punishments will be served. That guy who's hiding his head and showing his tail must pay the price!
"GAH!!!"
Extending his arm, he grabbed a distant tree branch, then, using the elasticity granted by his Devil Fruit power, he slingshotted himself forward!
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