This was Anbu's repository.
It stored countless secrets about Konoha, including various forbidden jutsu and confidential information.
A shadowy figure emerged from the darkness.
The two Anbu ninjas on duty quickly stepped forward.
"What is Orochimaru-sama doing here?"
Though he was the Hokage's student and one of the legendary Sannin, even Orochimaru wasn't allowed to enter such a heavily restricted area without direct permission from the Hokage.
In the dim light, Orochimaru's golden, snake-like eyes shimmered with a dangerous gleam.
"I was ordered by the teacher to collect some materials…"
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a document.
The two Anbu exchanged a glance, then moved in to verify it.
After all, Orochimaru had visited this place several times before as the Hokage's student. As long as the documentation was valid, he could be allowed entry.
But when they took a closer look—
The document was blank!
Before they could react, Orochimaru raised his arm.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
His hand suddenly transformed into two pale white serpents that shot forward like lightning.
Their sharp fangs pierced into the Anbu's necks, injecting a potent venom.
This wasn't ordinary poison—it was a special blend Orochimaru had enhanced himself.
Within seconds of entering the bloodstream, it paralyzed their nervous systems and shut down their vitals.
They collapsed before they could even scream.
Orochimaru summoned a clone with a hand seal.
The clone dragged the two bodies into the shadows, wrapping them with thin snakes to keep them upright as if they were still standing.
Orochimaru himself walked deeper into the underground vault.
From beneath his black cloak, hundreds of white snakes slithered out and began devouring ninjutsu scrolls, sealing them into his body.
Among the scrolls were numerous forbidden techniques.
"With these, I can transcend to the next level…"
There was a chilling glint in his snake-like eyes.
"Hmm? Already discovered?"
After all, this was one of Konoha's most secure facilities. Within ten minutes, the surrounding Anbu had sensed something was wrong.
Orochimaru turned to the entrance, where four masked Anbu had appeared.
"Orochimaru?!"
"Why did you attack your own comrades?"
As one of the Sannin, it was hard for them to believe he would ever do such a thing.
Orochimaru spread his hands, a cold, grotesque smile on his pale face.
"Comrades? My only true partner… is immortality."
Suddenly, his mouth split open unnaturally, his neck stretching like a serpent, and his fangs shot forward toward the four Anbu.
He moved with terrifying speed.
Before the Anbu could even respond, the snake's head was already upon them.
His elongated body coiled around them, constricting and immobilizing.
His fangs pierced their skin again and again, injecting lethal poison.
In seconds, two Anbu were dead.
"Damn it…!"
The remaining two slashed at the snakes wrapped around them with kunai, managing to cut themselves free.
They were about to use ninjutsu—
But then, they felt something strange under their feet.
Looking down, they saw thousands of tiny snakes surging up from the ground like a black tide.
It was like falling into a bottomless swamp.
The two were swallowed in an instant.
Orochimaru walked past their lifeless, illusion-dazed bodies with an eerie sneer on his lips.
Now, all that remained was to escape Konoha using the planned route.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office...
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, was discussing serious matters with Danzo.
Suddenly, a middle-aged man entered in a rush.
"Lord Hokage, Elder Danzo."
Both elders frowned.
They didn't appreciate being interrupted mid-conversation—especially not during such sensitive talks.
Third Hokage folded his hands behind his back and said coldly:
"Patriarch Sifang, what is it?"
The visitor was Uchiha Sifang, the current head of the Uchiha clan.
"Forgive the intrusion, Lord Hokage, but this matter is urgent."
Uchiha Sifang raised his head, his face solemn.
"Orochimaru has defected."
"WHAT?!"
The Third Hokage was stunned.
Danzo's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.
"I just got him ready to support me. Now, this guy defects directly?"
"Is what you said true?"
The Third Hokage was no longer calm.
Orochimaru was his student. If this kind of thing really happens, it would undoubtedly be a huge blow to his reputation.
And I am not a cold-blooded animal. I still have a lot of feelings for Orochimaru...
Uchiha Sifang nodded affirmatively:
"Orochimaru has broken into the data room, and several Anbu ninjas have been killed."
Without further ado, the Third Hokage quickly used the Body Flicker Technique and rushed to the reference room.
Uchiha Sifang nodded to Danzo and turned to leave.
Looking at the back of Sifang leaving, Danzo suddenly had an ominous premonition in his heart.
The Third Hokage, who rushed to the scene of the incident, just happened to run into Orochimaru, who was about to leave.
"Orochimaru..."
The Third Hokage looked at the scene before him in disbelief.
Several Anbu ninjas had fallen in a pool of blood.
The matter was clear. This apprentice of his had truly betrayed him!
Orochimaru froze for a moment, his face turning serious.
"I didn't expect you, Teacher, to arrive so soon."
According to my plan, the Third Hokage should have arrived later.
"Why would you do such a thing?"
The Third Hokage's fingers trembled. It seemed he didn't believe that his beloved apprentice would do such a thing.
Orochimaru sighed.
"Sarutobi-sensei, Konoha is on the wrong path."
His eyes were full of fanaticism.
"How fragile a ninja's life is, and how short a human life is!"
"I want to learn all ninjutsu and understand all the truths of this world!"
"Only eternal life is the truly correct path!"
"And you, including Konoha, will only hinder my research! Hinder my development!"
The Third Hokage looked at the corpses behind him, his fists creaking.
"But you should never take the lives of innocent people!"
"Human research is the absolute wrong path!"
This was also the most fundamental difference between Sarutobi Hiruzen and Orochimaru.
One called for such brutal research; the other forbade it.
When Orochimaru heard this, the sneer on his face became heavier.
"My kind teacher! On the way to find the truth, sacrifice is inevitable."
"For those guys who have done nothing all their lives, it is their honor to contribute to my research."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's face was already full of coldness after hearing this.
He knew that his most beloved apprentice was hopeless.
"Orochimaru, you've gone mad!"
"As your teacher, I must correct you from the wrong path!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen said firmly.
Then, he formed a hand sign with both hands.
"Summoning Technique!"
A cloud of smoke rose up.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's old comrade-in-arms instantly appeared on the spot.
A white-haired ape in a ninja costume.
"Hiruzen, what did you summon me for, and who are you going to deal with?"
Looking at Orochimaru in front of him, the ape demon asked suspiciously.
"It's him."
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Orochimaru icily.
That's when the ape demon finally saw the Konoha Shinobi lying behind Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru, boy, I've already said that this guy has evil intentions, and he really caused a catastrophe."
The ape demon said coldly.
"Noisy old thing."
A flash of disdain crossed Orochimaru's face, and then he looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Sarutobi-sensei, are you ready to kill me?"
At the moment when Sarutobi Hiruzen was stunned, Orochimaru quickly formed a seal with both hands.
"Ninja Art: Sound Wave Chaos!"
An ear-piercing and terrifying sound wave erupted from Orochimaru's open mouth, rushing towards Sarutobi Hiruzen and others.
The ape demon instantly covered his ears with a pained expression.
The Anbu ninjas who followed Sarutobi Hiruzen were instantly stunned.
The only one who could display his combat power was Sarutobi Hiruzen!
It was at this moment that Orochimaru quickly left.
He flashed past the Third Hokage and ran outside.
"Kill him, Hiruzen! Now is the only chance!"
Enduring terrible pain, the ape demon spoke loudly to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, however, stood still.
In an instant, a series of faces from the other party's childhood, teenager, and youth memories appeared in his mind.
Intellectually, he knew exactly what he should do now.
But the reality was, for this disciple whom he watched grow up, he couldn't take that step.
Standing outside, Orochimaru glanced at Sarutobi Hiruzen, who wasn't moving at all, and was touched in his heart.
But there's no turning back once the bow is opened.
Now he could only go one way—into the dark!
Withdrawing his gaze, Orochimaru ran outside without looking back.
"Sarutobi, you actually..."
The ape demon looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen in disbelief. How could he let the rebel who had killed his partner go so easily?
In the corner, a petite Katsuyu in blue Baixiang witnessed all of this.
"It's truly a master-student relationship."
Orochimaru had just left, and Uchiha Sifang led the team to arrive immediately.
All they saw was the mess everywhere, and the Third Hokage standing still.
"Lord Hokage..."
The Third Hokage's clenched fist gently loosened.
Looking at Uchiha's calm face, he seemed to understand something.
"It seems to be a trick."
Uchiha Sifang shook his head slightly.
"Master Hokage is not interested in tricks, but in love for his disciples."
What the Third Hokage did was known to everyone present.
Letting go of the traitor who killed his partner with his own hands.
Even Hokage couldn't bear this kind of crime!
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