In the moment of life and death, the Sound Four barely had time to react. Orochimaru was on the verge of being slain by the blade.
A terrifying killing intent burst from his eyes, which then fell into an eerie stillness. Yet within that silence seeped a deep rage from the depths of his soul.
This profound anger was something Orochimaru had never felt before. The reason? He was all too familiar with this sword technique—it was the same one used by Anya. *So you really came here to kill me.*
Endless fury shook his body. Even his heart pounded violently.
In an instant, red chakra engulfed his entire body. A brand-new evil force ignited instantly. This chakra cloak forcefully blocked the sword strike.
The blade pierced deep into the cloak, tearing open a gash on Orochimaru's chest—but it stopped just short of his heart, unable to advance another inch.
The Sound Four finally regained their senses and turned toward the attacker—a woman wearing an Anbu Mask.
"Who are you?" Orochimaru asked in a hoarse voice, filled with suppressed anger. "Did Anya send you to kill me?"
"I'm here to kill you. It has nothing to do with anyone else."
The attacker was none other than Yugao (Evening Primrose), who had been lying in ambush for a long time. She raised her sword toward Orochimaru and spoke coldly, "Do you remember Hayate Gekko? Since you took his life, you must answer for it."
"This name…"
Old memories resurfaced. Orochimaru finally recalled that vengeful youth from long ago. His tone was half-laughing, half-crying: "So you're here to take revenge for him."
"Precisely." Yugao didn't wish to waste any more words. She raised her sword again, preparing for another attack.
"How dare you! Don't underestimate us!" the Sound Four grew furious. A mere Anbu daring to sneak attack once was bad enough, but to launch a second offensive? They were being outright ignored.
"Let's go," Orochimaru said, regaining his composure. With a shift in his gaze, his anger vanished completely, replaced instead by a faint smile.
Orochimaru was extremely intelligent. In an instant, he figured everything out.
"You won't escape!" Yugao shouted as she prepared to give chase.
Orochimaru's Chakra Cloak flared brilliantly, and boundless chakra poured wildly from his body.
Then, that surrounding chakra oddly solidified. An infinitely extending giant hand formed. With a single wave, violent winds erupted outward, transforming along the way into a stunning whirlwind that connected heaven and earth, suddenly sweeping toward the unprepared Yugao.
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Yugao came to a stop. Her sword danced like a phantom around her body, firmly guarding all vital points. Yet the impact still forced her backward continuously. Several wounds appeared across her body, each burning with painful, lingering heat.
Once the giant hand vanished, Orochimaru and the Sound Four had already disappeared without a trace.
Yugao clenched her teeth in frustration: "Damn it. Next time… I definitely won't let you escape."
The Konoha Destruction Plan came to a complete end as Sunagakure Village withdrew entirely and Orochimaru left in disgrace. The Chunin main match was halted, and the death of Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi marked the dawn of a new era.
Anya had already returned to her residence, indifferent toward subsequent developments. After all, only an old man had died. Things would unfold however they were meant to. With Sunagakure withdrawing and the Sound Ninja defeated, Konoha was placed under emergency security measures. There wasn't much damage, so other nations wouldn't dare act recklessly.
Remembering the Sailor Moon anime she loved as a child, soon a cute girl with twin tails wearing a school uniform appeared vividly on paper. After adding colors, the image took on an even more vivid and lively charm.
Anya admired her work with satisfaction. Just then, the door pushed open and Yugao stumbled inside.
"Injured?" Anya immediately sensed something was wrong by the sound of her voice.
"I'm fine." Yugao's tone carried disappointment. "Orochimaru escaped."
Anya wasn't surprised by this result at all—if Orochimaru could be easily killed, he wouldn't be who he is. However, she was deeply worried about Yugao's injuries.
"Come over here. Let me treat you," Anya sensed an extremely familiar chakra from Yugao's body.
Yugao obediently responded, "Okay."
As Anya pressed her hands against Yugao's wounds, her heart tightened—this chakra had caused burn marks, and the evil aura clinging to it confirmed her suspicion—it was Nine-Tails' chakra.
To double-check, Anya channeled her Sage Chakra through Yugao's body, causing Yugao to laugh uncontrollably.
"What's wrong?"
"It tickles."
"Is it better now?"
"Much better." Yugao replied in surprise. "Captain, why does your medical ninjutsu feel different from others'?"
"This is Sage Chakra; it's indeed different," Anya explained. "Your injuries couldn't be healed easily by ordinary medical ninjutsu alone."
Thinking back on what had just happened, Yugao fearfully asked, "What power did Orochimaru use?"
Anya pondered for a moment before honestly answering, "This must be his ultimate trump card—he used the Nine-Tails' power. I didn't expect you to force him into revealing it."
"The Nine-Tails?" Yugao was shocked. "How could that be? The Nine-Tails should still be..."
"Sigh, it's a long story." Anya already guessed what had happened and bitterly chuckled. "Even if he can use it, I'd bet he only had enough for one attack. Don't confront him head-on next time."
"I understand." Yugao wisely refrained from asking further questions, turning her eyes instead toward the painting on Anya's desk. She excitedly asked, "What's this?"
Anya smiled slightly. "That's right, my next book's protagonist. What do you think of her?"
"She's beautiful. Was this character really meant for me? She looks prettier than me." Looking at the illustration, Yugao spoke with a hint of self-doubt.
Anya laughed. "Silly girl, even if someone else is more beautiful, it's fake anyway."
"No, I believe she truly exists. Perhaps, in some world, there really is such a pretty girl fighting against demons." Yugao spoke these words very seriously.
Anya stopped smiling and agreed, "Alright then, I'll write it quickly."
Yugao's face lit up with a charming smile.
Just then, Sasori strode in hastily and carelessly. He barely glanced at Yugao before rushing to ask Anya, "Big Brother Kurotsuchi, since Sunagakure has fully withdrawn, how should we handle the aftermath?"
"Reestablish diplomatic relations," Anya already had it figured out. "Konoha has temporarily lost its Hokage and won't start a war actively. This battle was originally provoked by Orochimaru, and the Third Kazekage was also killed by him. You'll serve as The Fifth Kazekage negotiating with Konoha, demonstrating that Sunagakure had been deceived by others. We'll establish an Allied Nation treaty, allowing both sides to dispatch peace envoys for friendly exchanges."
Secretly impressed, Sasori continued asking, "Then who will be chosen for this mission?"
"Just send the three children that Rasa left behind in Sunagakure, with their uncle Yashamaru leading the delegation. As for Konoha's side—you may make suggestions yourself," Dark Shine smiled slightly.
After putting on a thoughtful look, Sasori said, "Well, I think Might Guy's team would work out nicely."
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