"Hisss… parasites that feed on the host's chakra?"
Orochimaru licked his lips with a snake-like tongue."In that case, even if you use a space-time ninjutsu like the Flying Thunder God to escape… the bugs that have already devoured your chakra will follow you wherever you go."
He tilted his head, eyes gleaming with amusement."Once they've burrowed into flesh and blood, even the Flying Thunder God cannot shake them off. As expected of Root's elite… the Aburame clan's secret arts are truly remarkable."
Aburame Ryōma shot Orochimaru a cold glance, then turned his calm gaze on Shion."No matter how you obtained the Flying Thunder God, even if you belong to the Fourth Hokage himself… you dared raise your hand against Lord Danzō. Today, you will not leave here alive."
"Pfft."
It was only then that Orochimaru finally pulled the Flying Thunder God kunai from his chest. Glancing at the formula inscribed on the blade, he tossed it aside carelessly.
Then his mouth split open grotesquely, stretching wide like a serpent's maw. From it crawled a new Orochimaru, shedding the old husk of skin.
This fresh body spoke with curiosity:"Shion, was it? I don't recall anyone like you among the Fourth's personal Anbu."
At last, Danzō, who had remained silent until now, turned. He raised his hand slightly, signaling Ryōma to halt the swelling of the giant parasitic insects.
"No matter who you are, whether under the Fourth Hokage or not, you now stand at a crossroads."
His eyes lifted toward Shion with the calm arrogance of one accustomed to control."Join Root. Become the hidden power of Konoha. Do this, and I will overlook everything that happened here today."
He didn't bother voicing the other choice. Everyone in the room already knew what it meant.
From her hiding place, Nonō's brows furrowed. The young man in front of her had seemed like an ally—but was he really from Konoha? She wasn't sure.
"Heh…"
Shion let out a derisive chuckle."You sound so certain of victory. The Aburame clan's parasites are impressive, yes. But if my chakra is combined with… something special… then they won't be so easy to swallow."
As he spoke, a thin tear split open across his forearm. Blood trickled out, and from the wound dropped three insects.
The bugs were fairly large, but not enough to rupture human flesh entirely.
Crack!
A sharp sound rang out. The moment they hit the ground, wooden spikes burst outward from their bodies, impaling them like sea urchins before leaving them completely motionless.
"Wood Release!?"
Danzō, who had been seated in calm composure, finally lost his mask of serenity. Only those who had witnessed the power of Hashirama Senju firsthand could harbor such blind obsession with Wood Release.
But few understood the truth: Wood Release alone was not enough. Only when paired with the vitality of the Sage Body and vast reserves of chakra could it display the same godlike might Hashirama once wielded.
And perhaps it wasn't even just that. Perhaps it was Ashura's chakra itself that had awakened such power within him.
"To see Wood Release outside of Konoha… and from an Uzumaki no less…" Orochimaru hissed, greed flashing in his eyes."You have piqued my deepest interest."
But Shion only smiled faintly. His gaze drifted toward the shed skin Orochimaru had left behind, where the Flying Thunder God's seal formula remained intact.
So, it was true—Orochimaru's ability to cheat death made him nearly impossible to pin down.
Still…
Fwoosh!
In the blink of an eye, Shion vanished. A heartbeat later, Ryōma's body stiffened. A kunai pierced through his neck, blood spraying into the air.
At the severed stump of his arm, glowing faintly, was a Flying Thunder God formula.
"The instant you forced your parasites into me, I inscribed my seal onto you. Space-time formulas cannot be erased by someone of your level."
Thud!
Ryōma collapsed lifelessly to the ground. Once Shion's seal was on his true body, his fate was sealed.
As for the parasites—The chakra of a Sage Body was not something just anyone could absorb. Root had experimented on countless test subjects, and only one—code-named "Kinoe"—had ever survived.
Shion pulled his blade free and turned cold eyes toward Orochimaru."My target is Danzō. But if you interfere again… things won't end so easily for you."
Blood pooled across the floor around Ryōma's corpse.
Orochimaru chuckled softly."Since the day I was named one of the Sannin, it's been years since I've suffered such insult. Tell me, Shion-kun—do you truly have the power to kill me?"
At that moment, Danzō slowly rose to his feet."Though I have not fought in some time, it seems many have forgotten… I was once a shinobi as well."
Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!
Wind-natured chakra surged from Danzō's mouth, slicing forward in razor-thin blades like invisible scythes. They rushed straight toward Shion's face.
Fwoosh!
The Flying Thunder God activated—but even as Shion vanished, Danzō's voice rang out again.
Wind Release: Continuous Vacuum Waves!
Five massive blades of wind howled forth, tearing across the air toward the locations of Shion's marked kunai before he could even appear.
"Orochimaru!"
At Danzō's call, Orochimaru responded instantly.
Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!
Dozens of serpents burst from his sleeves, wrapping around the scattered kunai Shion had planted earlier, sealing them away.
Boom!Crash!
The wind blades ripped apart the orphanage's side building. Shion, forced to block with a kunai mid-teleport, was hurled backward by the blast.
A Legendary Sannin and the leader of Root… Facing both at once, even the Flying Thunder God seemed almost reckless.
If not for the Sage Body's vitality and resilience, Danzō's earlier barrage would have torn Shion apart.
The battlefield itself was another problem. The confined space of the orphanage left no room to fully unleash the Flying Thunder God's speed advantage.
Which meant…
Fwoosh!
More than a dozen marked kunai whistled through the air, scattering across the ruins and widening the battlefield.
Danzō's brow furrowed, a rare hint of caution in his voice."So you've realized… Yes, that's how the Fourth Hokage fought. The Flying Thunder God, combined with his reaction speed and the Rasengan… that was what earned him the title of 'Konoha's Yellow Flash.' Against him, the technique was all but invincible."
Fwoosh!
Shion flickered behind Danzō, hands flying through seals.
Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Technique!
A massive crimson dragon of flame roared forth, rushing straight at Danzō.
Summoning Jutsu: Triple Rashōmon!
Boom!!
Three colossal demonic gates slammed into the ground, blocking the inferno head-on.
Orochimaru glanced sideways at Danzō."This close to Konoha, your Vacuum Waves have already made quite a ruckus. The Fourth will have noticed by now. Do you truly mean to reveal your Wood Release here?"
At that, Danzō's hand stilled on the bandages at his arm. He had been on the verge of using not just Wood Release, but even his right eye—the Sharingan with three tomoe.
Not far away, Shion lowered his hands from his completed seals. The Sage Body's heightened perception had already told him—Konoha shinobi were approaching fast.
Fwoosh!
In an instant, Shion vanished again, reappearing beside Nonō.
"This new power of mine… I'm still not fully adapted to it. Killing Danzō today isn't possible."
He spoke quickly, voice low."But the Fourth's Anbu should arrive soon. Find one named Kakashi—tell him what happened, and he will help you."
"Danzō's position in Konoha is not absolute. Both the Third and the Fourth Hokage keep him in check. Even among the village leadership, he lacks the true power to act freely. He doesn't even have the qualifications to sit at the table anymore."
Shion's crimson eyes softened for a moment."So don't make unnecessary sacrifices. Oh, and—tell Kabuto I'm his friend."
…