"Aoba was probably delayed by something."
Sakura helped explain for Aoba.
"Hmph! What could delay him this long?"
Tenten snorted lightly, "He must have been hanging out with Yakumo and Hinata. Anyway, as long as that guy gets a little spoiled by Hinata, he immediately gets dizzy and muddleheaded."
Sakura pursed her lips and didn't deny it.
Hinata's way of acting spoiled was too natural, even she admitted she wasn't a match.
She blinked and smiled as she said, "I feel like if you learned how to act spoiled, Tenten, Aoba would totally be wrapped around your finger too."
Tenten's cheeks flushed slightly at those words, and she pouted.
"I won't act spoiled."
Her personality made it very hard to do something like that.
"Why?"
"Hmph, no... huh?"
Tenten only realized halfway through her words that the voice just now wasn't Sakura's.
"YAH!"
Her slender waist was suddenly hugged by a hand.
"Aoba, when did you get here?"
Tenten asked with a slightly red face.
"Since the moment you started complaining."
Aoba couldn't help but scratch the ticklish flesh on Tenten's waist.
"Haha! What are you doing?", Tenten began squirming, trying to escape Aoba's claws, "I'm telling you, I'll never act all spoiled to you like Hinata and Sakura do!"
"It's okay, I like Tenten who can't act spoiled," Aoba gently pecked her cheek.
Afterwards, Tenten's face grew even redder, stammering without being able to say anything.
He then looked at the already pouting Sakura nearby, pulled Tenten closer, and naturally used his free hand to hug Sakura too.
As for Yakumo and Hinata behind him, they didn't have any objections for now either.
After all, the two of them had already taken up a lot of Aoba's time today.
———
Some more time passed.
Splat!
Karin, who had been chasing the Grass Ninja team, also stopped her steps, standing atop a tall tree.
She directly controlled Adamantine Sealing Chains to pierce through the three Grass Ninja.
Karin didn't like killing, but if it was facing ninjas from the Grass Ninja Village, she would never show mercy.
Watching the three Grass Ninja fall down after screaming, the hatred in Karin's eyes finally faded quite a bit.
The next moment, a warm palm fell on her head.
Gently caressing.
The familiar feeling told Karin exactly who it was without needing to look.
"Aoba-nii...", Karin threw herself into Aoba's arms.
"...", Aoba didn't say any words of comfort, only gently stroked her hair.
Soothing her with actions.
Tenten and the others didn't come over to disturb them either.
After all, everyone has moments when their emotions aren't quite right.
A long while later—
Karin finally lifted her head from Aoba's chest, pink eyes staring directly at him.
"What's wrong?", Aoba pinched her cheek.
"Aoba-nii...", Karin suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, leaned in and kissed him right on the lips.
The mood was already there, wouldn't it be a waste not to kiss?
The surrounding air instantly froze.
Aoba could clearly feel two surging waves of murderous intent rising from behind.
When they separated, Karin's previously sad expression had already been replaced by one of smugness.
Aoba looked at her with a helpless smile.
"Karin, you..."
"KARIN!" ×2
Yakumo and Tenten's angry roars rang out simultaneously.
Immediately after, the two of them pounced over and pinned Karin to the ground.
They were about to properly discipline this sneak-attacking girl.
"Wait! Wait! I have important intel to report!", Karin quickly squirmed and shouted.
"You get one sentence."
Tenten and Yakumo stared coldly at Karin.
"Haven't you two noticed that Sakura and Hinata don't seem that angry?"
"?"
The two instantly turned to look, and saw their faces slightly red, eyes looking away.
In that instant, it felt like the sky collapsed.
———
In the Forest of Death.
A tattered figure was darting quickly.
His pale face was full of disbelief.
In his golden eyes, there was both fear and blazing excitement.
This fleeing, miserable figure was none other than Orochimaru.
Although he looked disheveled now, his eyes were shining, and his heart was burning with intensity.
"That was definitely Wood Release!", Orochimaru licked his lips.
'No wonder Tsunade suddenly took a student.'
'Medical talent is just a cover, that brat actually has the Wood Release kekkei genkai.'
If only he had known earlier, he wouldn't have needed to mess around with the Sharingan.
In his eyes, Wood Release was the strongest bloodline limit.
Even Uchiha Madara's Mangekyo Sharingan was powerless before it.
'That is the most perfect vessel!'
"Hmm?", Orochimaru's golden eyes suddenly flashed with a strange light.
His body shifted slightly.
Several kunai sliced past him, embedding in a tree trunk.
Seeing who it was, he also stopped in his tracks.
"Long time no see, Anko," Orochimaru turned around, showing a sinister smile at Anko standing not far away.
"You're a wanted S-class dangerous criminal. Even if I have to risk my life, I'll kill you here," Anko's expression was solemn, her tone icy cold.
"Is that so?", Orochimaru only chuckled, his tongue extending from his mouth like a snake.
Suddenly stabbing toward Anko.
Anko quickly leapt back, dodging the flying tongue.
But Orochimaru's tongue was just like a real snake, unbelievably agile.
After several evasions, her right wrist was still caught.
Her entire body was pulled toward Orochimaru.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
In midair, from the sleeve of Anko's left hand, four snakes shot out toward Orochimaru.
The four snakes bit down hard on Orochimaru's body, and Anko swung him like a meteor hammer, throwing him far away.
Kicking up a massive cloud of dust.
She also took the chance to break free of his grip.
With her snake hand technique withdrawn, Anko was about to charge forward and use Twin Snakes Mutual Death, taking him down with her.
But her body suddenly froze, and the kunai in her hand fell to the ground.
She clutched the cursed mark on her shoulder, the intense pain made her entire body tremble uncontrollably.
From within the smoke and dust, Orochimaru walked toward her, still wearing that iconic smile.
"Sorry. Though I'd really like to catch up with you, I don't have much time right now."
"Why did you come back to Konoha at this time?", The searing pain forced Anko's body to bend over.
Beads of sweat the size of beans rolled from her forehead.
But before Orochimaru could reply, a figure suddenly appeared in front of her.
When Aoba arrived, his arm was already raised, fist aimed right at Orochimaru's head.
BOOM!
A terrifying force exploded.
Before he could react, Orochimaru's head was directly blown apart.
Flesh and blood splattered everywhere, the ground stained with gore.
Only a headless corpse remained.
In Aoba's hand was the Flying Thunder God kunai Anko had previously kept on her waist.
"Am I late?"
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.
https://discord.gg/bYAfGyp98y