Thud, thud, thud!
The Mist Ninja closed the gap.
Shuriken whistled past them, thudding into the tree bark with muffled strikes.
"Big brother, Kakashi, if we keep running like this, they'll catch us in no time."
Obito spoke coldly, clutching his bleeding arm where a shuriken had grazed him.
"I have the most chakra left. I'll stay behind to stall them."
"You two go on ahead."
"By yourself? Are you looking for a death wish?"
"If anyone's staying behind, it's me."
Kakashi grabbed Obito just as he was about to turn back and leaped forward.
"With your skill level, against this many people, they'd kill you with a single kunai each."
"You wouldn't even slow them down."
"Kakashi, I'm not arguing with you this time."
"If I die, you and Big Brother take care of my grandma."
"Her health isn't great. After I'm gone, just tell her I'm on a long-term mission so she doesn't worry."
"I'm just a dead last anyway. It's not like I was ever going to do anything big."
"Heh."
"Take care of your own grandmother."
"I'm not doing it for you."
"Take the scroll. You two go first."
While Obito and Kakashi were arguing over who got to be the tragic hero...
Clang! Motomu, having just barely deflected a shuriken with a backhand strike, planted his feet firmly on the ground.
He looked at two familiar large trees and the hidden entrance to Orochimaru's base beneath the ground.
A slight smirk played on Motomu's exhausted face.
If he remembered correctly...
For the past few days, Teacher Orochimaru had been staying in this Forest of Death base for a certain research experiment.
I wonder if Teacher will like having so many Bloodline Limit ninjas delivered to his door.
With shattered goggles and numerous superficial wounds, Obito saw Motomu stop. He turned around, drew his weapon, and glared at the Mist Ninja with his Sharingan.
"Dammit! Big Brother, your talent as a ninja is better than mine. You go!"
"Just remember to avenge me later!"
"Dead last, get back. I don't want to save you a third time."
Kakashi's bright longsword pointed diagonally at the ground as he rested his trembling left hand on Obito's shoulder.
"All of you want to be heroes?"
Hozuki Mangetsu, who had grown increasingly excited during the chase, stepped forward from the group of over a dozen Mist Ninja.
His hair was still an afro from being electrocuted, and a twisted grin spread across his blackened face.
"Then you can all die right here!"
"Die!"
"Thinking of surrendering?"
"We Mist Ninja will enjoy rejecting you!"
"To think that Konoha's own would die because of the rules set by their own village!"
"Jie jie jie! This is getting me so hyped!"
The Mist Ninja howled, cheering for their genius.
They were so excited it was as if victory was already theirs.
In their minds, they were already imagining all the different ways the three would die.
They couldn't wait to unleash their cruel techniques.
At this moment.
Surrounded by enemies on all sides.
Motomu, Kakashi, and Obito.
Their stamina was depleted.
Their supplies were exhausted.
Even Kakashi, who had slain countless enemies in another world, felt the shadow of death looming over him.
Just as the final battle was about to erupt...
Suddenly!
Motomu gave a faint smile and suddenly called out:
"I welcome my master's emergence from seclusion!"
He reached out and lightly pressed a mechanism on the tree trunk.
With the sound of grinding stone...
The ground rumbled open, revealing Orochimaru's base.
An evil, gloomy aura wafted out from the dark sanctuary where sunlight could not reach.
The sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard.
Hozuki Mangetsu and the other Mist Ninja stopped in their tracks. Wary, they stared solemnly into the depths of the cave.
Out of the darkness, a pale figure dressed in deep purple robes appeared.
A strange man with eerie purple eyeshadow and cold, reptilian slit pupils slowly stepped out.
The moment their eyes met, Hozuki Mangetsu felt a chill run down his spine.
Who is this?
I feel like I've seen him somewhere.
Just as the thought occurred to him...
An older, more experienced Genin among the Mist group tremblingly spoke the name.
"K-Konoha Sannin... the Cold Lord, Orochimaru!"
What kind of existence were the Sannin?
They were top-tier ninja who had already made a name for themselves during the Second War!
In the Five Great Nations, unless a Kage personally intervened, no one could do anything against them!
The Mist Genin felt their scalps go numb.
"Dammit, this is the Chunin Exams hosted by Konoha."
"Lord Orochimaru, please respect Konoha's..."
Before the word 'rules' could even leave Mangetsu's mouth...
The killing intent Orochimaru unleashed froze him in his tracks.
Mangetsu's mouth hung open, but no sound came out.
Orochimaru was in a foul mood, still fuming over Danzo taking away his experimental subjects.
Ignoring the Mist Genin, whom he considered mere trash, Orochimaru directed his indiscriminate killing intent toward Motomu.
"My dear disciple, tell me... what important matter has brought you here to disturb your master?"
Gulp!
Beside him, Obito subconsciously swallowed hard, caught in the wake of the killing intent.
Motomu's heart tightened.
He took a step forward and bowed deeply with a fist salute.
"This disciple has prepared excellent 'vessels' for my Master. Please, accept them with my compliments."
Like listing treasures, Motomu pointed out the several Bloodline Limit ninja he had spotted among the group.
Hearing this, Orochimaru's expression softened, but he sneered inwardly.
This many people were certainly strong enough to surround and kill his disciple.
He didn't need to be a genius to guess that his disciple's previous 'demonic actions' had caused these 'righteous sects' to come knocking at his door.
Orochimaru looked away from Motomu and swept his gaze across the Mist Ninja.
No matter. He happened to be short on experimental materials lately.
These were all quite decent prospects.
Young, yet already possessing extraordinary strength.
They were likely far better than that Aburame brat from Root.
As for the Hidden Mist Village...
As long as no word got out, who would ever know he was the one who took them?
"My young friends, you truly bring me joy!"
"You've traveled so far and exerted yourselves; you must be exhausted."
"Why not come and rest in this humble cultivator's sanctuary?"
They were suppressed by the killing intent.
Mangetsu and the others struggled desperately, their faces contorted in agony as they glared with bloodshot eyes.
They fought frantically to regain control of their bodies.
The word 'No' hung in their throats for a long time, never finding release.
The area was dead silent; no one answered.
Seeing this...
A look of satisfaction flashed across Orochimaru's thin face. He silently completed his hand signs and held up a finger.
"Earth Style: Swamp of the Underworld."
Squish!
Centered around Orochimaru, the ground for hundreds of meters instantly transformed into a foul-smelling swamp of black mire.
Still suppressed by the killing intent, the Mist Ninja's reactions were a beat too slow.
They were all sucked into the swamp.
A few unfortunate Genin without Bloodline Limits sank instantly, disappearing beneath the bubbling surface.
As for those with Bloodline Limits like Hozuki Mangetsu or the Yuki and Kaguya clan members, they were trapped.
Then, they were all swallowed whole by giant snakes summoned by Orochimaru.
Not a single person was allowed to escape to deliver news.
It wouldn't be long before these fellows were completely 'refined' by Orochimaru's experiments.
The group of Mist Ninja that had nearly killed Motomu's team was wiped out in seconds.
Is this the Kage-level power of a Sannin in his prime?
Ordinary ninja had absolutely no power to resist such an existence!
Motomu was more than a little shaken.
[ Author's Note : If you're loving the story, a power_stone, review or comment means the world!
Want 40+ chapters ahead right now? patre0n.c0m/Royal_ink ]