"Lord Shura!"
Gota arrived at the entrance of the stone chamber and reported in a low voice, "A Konoha ninja has pursued us into the cave. We've captured him."
Inside the chamber, Menma was calmly reading through the Iburi clan's historical scrolls. Hearing this, he slowly raised his eyes.
He had already expected Kakashi to track them here.
And the events that followed—the scene where Yamato rescued Kakashi, and the two of them were led away by Yukimi—would likely unfold just as he remembered.
"Chief! Yukimi—Yukimi has taken those two away!"
Sure enough, moments later a clan member came running in panic to deliver the news.
"What?!" Gota's face changed instantly upon hearing that Yukimi had freed the captives. Anger flashed across his expression, followed by anxious hesitation as he glanced toward the figure standing inside the stone chamber.
"I-I'm terribly sorry, my lord… It was my failure in discipline…"
"No matter."
Menma casually shook the scroll in his hand, his tone indifferent. "I've already guessed the identity of that Konoha ninja. He won't harm Yukimi."
He paused, then added in a calm and composed voice, "Children, after all—rebellious phases are normal. She'll return home eventually. For now, you should be thinking about how to deal with Orochimaru."
At the mention of Orochimaru once more, Gota's expression grew heavy with unease.
Meanwhile—
At the marketplace of a small town on the outskirts of the forest, the escaped Kakashi and Yamato accompanied Yukimi as she strolled happily through the bustling streets.
This was the first time Yukimi had ever left the underground. The lively crowds and colorful sights filled her with wide-eyed wonder.
She stopped to look at everything—buying cloth for a new outfit, trying unfamiliar snacks, and gazing in delight at ordinary everyday objects.
Kakashi and Yamato, both hardened by years in ANBU and Root, temporarily set aside their missions to walk beside her.
They even spent their own money to buy her little treats.
Watching the bright, carefree smile on Yukimi's face, the two shinobi felt something soften inside them.
For a short while, they were no longer soldiers or tools—just three friends enjoying a peaceful day together.
At that same time—
"Huff… huff…"
Clutching his wounded abdomen and bleeding heavily, Orochimaru finally arrived at the Iburi clan's hidden tree cave.
"Orochimaru-sama!"
Two Iburi clansmen emerged from smoke and hurried forward in concern.
But suddenly—Orochimaru lashed out!
He seized one of them, opened his mouth wide, and sank his fangs into the man's neck.
"Ahhh! Orochimaru-sama!"
The victim screamed in terror, trying to turn into smoke—but the curse mark on his body activated, locking his ability away.
His blood drained rapidly. Within moments, the man's body shriveled and collapsed lifelessly.
After absorbing the fresh blood, Orochimaru licked his lips in satisfaction. Strength returned to his exhausted body.
Without hesitation, he turned his gaze to the next stunned clansman and lunged again.
Whoosh—!
A sharp wind blade suddenly sliced through the air, forcing Orochimaru to release his target and leap backward.
"Who's there?!"
Orochimaru looked up angrily, golden snake-like eyes blazing with hostility.
From the darkness of the tunnel, the figure of the Third Death God emerged silently, scythe gleaming coldly in its hands.
"Shura…"
Orochimaru hissed the name, eyes narrowing in deep wariness.
At the same time, countless doubts raced through his mind.
How did he know about the Iburi clan?
How did he get here before me?
What exactly does he want?
One question after another filled Orochimaru's thoughts.
"Orochimaru-sama! You—!"
Gota appeared in a swirl of smoke, staring in horror at the dried corpse of his clansman. Despite being mentally prepared, he still could not suppress his shock and fury.
"Ah, Gota…" Orochimaru rasped coldly. "So you've chosen to betray me?"
The other Iburi clansmen also returned to human form, gathering behind Gota.
But now, there was no admiration left on their faces—only hatred.
Orochimaru had deceived them. He had killed their children. And now he intended to slaughter the rest.
"What happened to the children?!" Gota demanded, voice trembling.
He desperately wished to be lied to—hoped even for false reassurance.
"Heh… so you've already found out…"
Orochimaru's mocking chuckle shattered Gota's last fragile hope.
"Come out, Shura."
Orochimaru lifted his gaze toward the deeper shadows.
He mentally ran through every ninja he had ever known in Konoha—ANBU, Root, jonin from major clans…
Yet nowhere in his forty-one years of memory could he find anyone resembling this masked figure.
Tap—
Footsteps echoed from the darkness.
The Iburi clansmen respectfully parted to both sides.
"It seems I've won," Menma said lightly as he walked up beside Gota.
His tone was casual, yet filled with unquestionable authority.
"Remember this—your clan now belongs to me."
"Yes… Lord Shura…" Gota replied bitterly.
He understood clearly that their clan could not remain neutral in this conflict.
With Orochimaru now their enemy, survival left them only one option.
To submit.
Seeing the masked man before him, Orochimaru laughed in rage.
First his Hashirama cells had been stolen.
Now the Iburi clan had been taken as well.
Humiliated again and again.
As one of the Legendary Sannin—how could he tolerate such mockery?
"Summoning: Myriad Snake Formation!"
Despite his injuries, Orochimaru dropped to the ground and vomited out a massive tide of venomous snakes.
Hundreds of thick serpents surged forward like a living flood.
At the same time, he activated the curse marks on the Iburi clan to prevent them from turning into smoke.
"AAAHHH—!"
Screams echoed throughout the cave as the clan collapsed in pain, clutching their necks. Even Gota was rendered powerless.
"Death God. Heavenly Maiden. Guard them."
Menma gave the order calmly.
Now that the Iburi clan was his possession, he had no intention of letting Orochimaru kill any of them.
The Third Death God and the Jade Heavenly Maiden moved at once—scythes and ribbons slicing through the swarming snakes with ease.
Against these elite summoned beasts, ordinary serpents were nothing.
Menma stepped forward, gathering dark chakra into his palm.
A black sphere took shape.
"Rasen Ringu!"
With a violent burst of energy, the raging technique ripped a path straight through the snake horde.
Orochimaru felt a chill at the sight of it.
"Hidden Shadow Multi Snake Hands!"
His arm transformed into a mass of writhing snakes, attempting to bind the attacker.
But Menma raised the spinning orb.
The compressed dark chakra surrounded by a ring of wind—like a sinister Wind Release: Rasenshuriken—shredded every serpent into bloody fragments.
Realizing he could not block the attack head-on, Orochimaru quickly formed hand seals.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
BANG!
A massive cloud of smoke erupted.
From within emerged a gigantic purple serpent with horns.
But the moment it appeared, it was struck head-on by the Rasen Ringu.
"ROOOAR! Orochimaru, you bastard!"
Manda howled in fury as the attack tore into his body.
"I demand a hundred sacrifices for this!"
When the smoke cleared, a large portion of Manda's scales were blasted away—flesh mangled and bleeding.
Even the mighty serpent had barely endured the blow.
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