"Hiss… parasitic insects that feed on a host's chakra?"
Orochimaru licked his lips slowly.
"In that case, even if you escape using Flying Thunder God, a space–time ninjutsu, the insects that have already devoured your chakra will follow along."
"Once they burrow into flesh, even Flying Thunder God can't shake them off. This is why ROOT's elites are feared—Aburame clan secret techniques truly live up to their reputation."
Aburame Ryūma shot Orochimaru a glance before calmly turning his gaze back to Kong.
"Regardless of how you obtained Flying Thunder God… even if you belong to the Fourth Hokage—
daring to attack Lord Danzō means you must leave your life here today."
"Pff."
Only then did Orochimaru finally pull the Flying Thunder God kunai out of his chest. He glanced at the formula etched on it, then casually tossed it aside.
The next moment, his body split open like a massive snake shedding its skin.
Another Orochimaru crawled out from within.
This new Orochimaru smiled with interest.
"Kong? There's no one like you in the Fourth Hokage'spersonal ANBU… is there?"
At last, Danzō—who had remained silent until now—turned around and raised his hand, signaling Aburame Ryūma to halt the expansion of the parasitic insects.
"Regardless of whether you serve the Fourth," Danzō said calmly,
"you now have two choices."
He lifted his head slightly, looking at Kong like a ruler who already held victory in his grasp.
"Join ROOT. Become Konoha's shadow—its hidden power. If you do, everything that happened today will be forgotten."
He didn't say the second option.
But everyone present understood it perfectly.
Yakushi Nono, who had retreated earlier, frowned slightly.
This man seemed to be helping her—yet he clearly wasn't one of Konoha's people.
"Tch…"
Kong sneered.
"You really think you've already won?"
"The Aburame clan's parasitic insects are impressive, sure—but my chakra isn't something they can just swallow."
As he spoke, Kong's arm muscles suddenly split open.
Blood spilled—
And three insects dropped out.
They were large, but nowhere near the size needed to burst a human body.
"Pop."
With a soft sound, sharp wooden spikes suddenly erupted from inside the insects—like sea urchins—killing them instantly.
"Wood… Release?!"
Danzō, who had been sitting calmly just moments ago, lost all composure.
Only those who had witnessed Senju Hashirama's power firsthand could become this obsessively fixated on Wood Release.
What they didn't know was that Wood Release's true might required both Sage Body vitality and overwhelming chakra reserves to match Hashirama's level.
And how much Asura's chakra played into that… no one truly knew.
Or perhaps it was precisely because of Asura's chakra that Hashirama awakened the Sage Body in the first place.
"Wood Release outside of Konoha… Uzumaki blood…"
Orochimaru hissed excitedly.
"You've truly piqued my interest to the highest degree."
Kong merely smiled and glanced at the discarded skin Orochimaru had shed earlier.
A Flying Thunder God formula was etched on it.
As expected of Orochimaru—the man most infamous in the original story for surviving anything.
He really couldn't be pinned down.
But—
"Flash!"
In an instant, Kong vanished.
The next moment, the already one-armed Aburame Ryūma froze in place.
A kunai had pierced straight through his throat.
Blood sprayed everywhere.
The severed arm's wound—
Had a Flying Thunder God formula carved into it.
"With that brief moment of contact, you implanted parasitic insects inside me," Kong said calmly.
"And at the same time, I branded you with a Flying Thunder God seal."
"Space–time formulas aren't something your strength can erase."
"Thud."
Ryūma collapsed to the ground.
The moment the formula was placed on his real body, his life was already in Kong's hands.
As for the parasitic insects…
The chakra produced by a Sage Body wasn't something just anyone could absorb.
Among ROOT's countless test subjects, only one—Tenzo—had ever survived.
"Orochimaru," Kong said coolly,
"my target was never you. It's Danzō."
"But if you choose to interfere… it won't be so simple next time."
Orochimaru laughed as Kong pulled the kunai free, blood pooling around Ryūma's corpse.
"Since being labeled one of the Sannin, it's been many years since anyone spoke to me like that."
"Kong-kun… do you really think you can kill me?"
At that moment, Danzō slowly stood up.
"It's been a long time since I last fought," he said coldly,
"but it seems many people have forgotten—I was once a shinobi as well."
Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!
A blade of compressed wind burst from Danzō's mouth, slicing toward Kong's face like a sickle.
"Flash!"
Flying Thunder God activated—but the next instant—
Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves!
Five massive wind blades followed, sweeping toward the direction of the Flying Thunder God kunai in advance.
"Orochimaru!"
At Danzō's shout, Orochimaru reacted instantly.
Shadow Snake Hands!
Several snakes burst from his sleeves, wrapping around the remaining Flying Thunder God kunai that Danzō hadn't attacked.
"Boom!"
"Crash!!"
The wind blades tore through a nearby building, reducing it to rubble.
Kong, barely blocking with a kunai, was sent flying.
A legendary Sannin.
Danzō of ROOT.
Relying on Flying Thunder God alone really was arrogant.
If not for the vitality and physical durability granted by the Sage Body, that Vacuum Serial Waves would have been impossible to block.
Still—
The cramped indoor space had limited Flying Thunder God's true advantage.
So—
"Flash!"
More than ten Flying Thunder God kunai scattered across the ruins, widening the battlefield.
"Have you realized it?" Kong asked calmly.
Danzō frowned.
Flying Thunder God truly was difficult to counter.
Combined with the Fourth Hokage's reaction speed and the Rasengan, it had once been nearly unbeatable.
That was why, during the Third Shinobi World War, Minato Namikaze earned the title—
The Yellow Flash.
"Flash!"
Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Technique!
Kong appeared behind Danzō and exhaled a massive crimson dragon of flames.
Summoning: Triple Rashōmon!
"Boom!!"
The fire dragon slammed into the towering gates and was blocked.
Orochimaru glanced at Danzō.
"This is still close to Konoha. The disturbance from Vacuum Serial Waves has definitely alerted the Fourth by now."
"You're planning to use Wood Release here?"
Danzō released his grip on the bandages around his arm.
Just moments ago, he hadn't only considered Wood Release—
He'd also thought about using the three-tomoe Sharingan in his right eye.
Not far away, Kong lowered his hands from the seals.
The Sage Body's enhanced perception told him clearly—
Konoha's forces were already on the way.
"Flash!"
Kong vanished and reappeared beside Yakushi Nono.
"My newly acquired power hasn't fully adapted yet, so I won't be killing Danzō this time."
"But the Fourth's ANBU should arrive soon. Find someone named Kakashi—explain everything. He'll help you."
"Danzō no longer has the final say in Konoha. Both the Third and Fourth restrain him."
"Right now, he doesn't even qualify to sit at the table in high-level power struggles."
"So don't make unnecessary sacrifices."
"Oh—and I'm Kabuto's friend."
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