The moment the enemy captain lunged, the figure standing in the shadows flinched backward in a show of fear. A convincing performance—enough to draw the man in.
He leapt to a thick branch, blade angled for the killing stroke.
And that was when the false Orochimaru's expression sharpened.
Too late.
A hidden hand completed its seals.Tiger. Rat. Ram. Rat. Tiger.
"Shadow Snake Hands."
Five serpents erupted from the sleeve, snapping toward him with venomous intent.
The captain's eyes widened. His instincts screamed the truth:
This one—this technique—this is real.
Whether it was a clone or an impersonation didn't matter anymore. Orochimaru's signature ninjutsu wasn't something any ordinary shinobi could forge. Panic stole his footing. He hurled his sword more out of desperation than strategy and threw himself backward.
Escape was the only thought left in his mind.
The forest answered with a crackling shriek.
Birdsong—violent, electric.
"Chidori!"
Yoru's strike carved past him in a streak of white-blue light.The captain twisted midair, narrowly saving his heart. His right arm wasn't so lucky—it spun away in a spray of crimson.
He screamed, crashing through branches.
From the tree trunk above, Orochimaru's disguise dissolved into smoke.
Anko stood in its place, livid.
"Yoru! If you're going to use a high-speed assassination jutsu, aim properly!"
Yoru landed beside her, Chidori fading from his hand, the Sharingan dimming as he caught his breath. "He changed direction at the last second. Body-type shinobi. It happens."
"You're impossible," she muttered.
Below them, the maimed captain staggered, eyes blazing with fury.
"You… you're not Orochimaru at all!"
His two surviving students rushed to his side, forming a protective formation, though their fear seeped through every movement.
Anko leaned forward on her branch, an almost playful irritation lighting her face. "I mean, I thought the acting was pretty good."
Yoru didn't answer; he'd already begun recalculating angles.
The enemy prepared to retreat.
Yoru flicked multiple shuriken downward.
The captain snarled, "Block him!"
The two young shinobi stepped forward, deflecting what they could.A glint caught the captain's eye—thin wire trailing between the blades.
Too late.
Yoru pulled sharply, and the wires snapped tight, binding the students together in a single tangled mass.
Before the captain could cut them free, Anko's hands blurred through seals:
Snake. Dragon. Hare. Tiger.
"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Technique!"
She inhaled, then expelled a roaring stream of flame that streaked downward in a straight, blistering line.
The forest lit in violent orange.
The trapped students didn't even have time to scream.
Ash scattered across the clearing.
The captain landed heavily, trembling as he stared at the charred emptiness where his team had stood just seconds ago. Blood still dripped from his severed arm. Sweat ran down his temples in sheets.
"You… Mitarashi Anko," he whispered hoarsely. "Orochimaru's apprentice…"
"And you're out of teammates," she replied coldly, stepping off the branch.
His gaze darted to Yoru, catching the glint of red in the boy's eyes.
"An Uchiha… Sharingan…"His voice wavered. "This mission was a mistake."
"Analysis is finally catching up," Yoru said lightly. "A bit late."
He wasn't taunting for ego—battlefield psychology was as much a weapon as kunai. A shaken opponent makes sloppy decisions.
The captain staggered back.
Then his body stiffened.
His pupils contracted.A pulse of dizziness hit him full force.
His breath hitched. "Poison…? When…?"
Yoru's expression didn't change. "When I grazed you with Chidori. Lightning spreads through the nervous system nicely. A little enhancement turns it into a delivery method."
His knees buckled.
He collapsed onto the grass, unable to form seals, unable even to lift his remaining arm.
Anko dusted off her gloves. "Mission complete."
Yoru exhaled slowly, the last sparks fading from his fingertips. He didn't celebrate. He only watched the forest breathe again, the smell of scorched bark lingering in the air.
One more border probe neutralized.
One more step toward proving his value—to the clan, to Orochimaru, and to his own risk-filled gambit for survival.