The sharp wind-release chakra transformed into countless fine needles, piercing in and out of Orochimaru's body, slicing through his cells!
Wherever he moved, waist-thick trees were shredded within a five-meter radius, carved apart by the swirling wind chakra!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
He tore through the forest like a living hurricane—trees snapping, earth scattering in his wake!
After smashing through tree after tree, Orochimaru finally crashed into a boulder.
Boom!
He slammed into the rock, embedding himself atop it like a grotesque human sculpture.
Kaito appeared in front of Orochimaru in a flicker of light, eyes cold.
He extended his hand, feeling for Orochimaru's nose.
Raising a brow, he murmured, "Dead?"
Then he checked the carotid artery—no pulse.
Immediately, he activated electromagnetic sensing to scan Orochimaru's bioelectric field. There was no way the so-called "immortal cockroach" of the ninja world would die to a Rasenshuriken—not without a trick.
And as he suspected…
Kaito sneered. "Ran off, huh?"
Roughly two hundred meters away, he sensed a fast-moving magnetic signature—Orochimaru's chakra signature—retreating rapidly.
Kaito smirked. Immortal cockroach, indeed. To take a Rasenshuriken head-on and still escape at that speed—only someone like Orochimaru could survive that.
With Orochimaru gone, Kaito turned his attention back toward the direction of the two girls. He darted off toward Hinata first—she was in trouble.
Even though Hinata had grown stronger, the opponent wasn't ordinary.
The One-Tailed Jinchuriki—Gaara of the Sand.
---
Shortly after Kaito departed…
In the forest, a small white snake slithered quietly through the underbrush.
Elsewhere, Orochimaru raced away, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth, a glint of malice in his eyes.
"Gone… I didn't expect this!" he hissed. "Not since the Third Great Ninja War has anyone but the Akatsuki been able to push me this far!"
"But... the important part is done. Sasuke's cursed seal is in place. Now we just wait for the Chunin Exams to play out." A twisted grin spread across his lips as his snake-like eyes gleamed with anticipation.
---
In another part of the Forest of Death…
Hinata and her team stood tensely across from three figures.
"It's you? From Konoha." Gaara's hoarse voice rang out, his eyes wide, face twisted in ferocity. "If I remember right… you're the girl always with that guy, Kaito."
"I am," Hinata replied coolly. "What's your connection to Kaito?"
Her tone was calm, steady—completely different from the shy girl usually at Kaito's side. That vulnerability only ever showed in front of him.
In contrast, Inuzuka Kiba was visibly panicking. They had just witnessed Gaara crush a Genin team into pulp moments ago.
Even Shino, ever composed, had beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
"What scroll do you have?" Temari asked flatly from beside Gaara.
"Earth scroll," Kiba answered through clenched teeth.
"Tch. Another Earth Scroll," Temari muttered before turning to Gaara. "Let's go."
As the daughter of the Kazekage and someone experienced in dealings with Konoha, Temari recognized the names.
The Hyuga clan. The Inuzuka clan. Not the kind of people you kill without consequence.
Those Genin from earlier? Nobodies.
But these three? If Gaara killed them, Konoha's ANBU would be on their backs before the plan could even begin.
Gaara, however, wasn't listening. Consumed by Shukaku's bloodlust, his sanity was nearly gone.
Murderous intent poured from his body like a tidal wave, sweeping over the clearing.
Though it was midsummer, the temperature plummeted as Gaara's killing intent surged, as if they had stepped into winter.
Kiba and Shino shivered violently, their faces pale.
They were terrified.
But Hinata stood firm.
She had long since trained herself to resist killing intent. In the two months since Kaito's return, she had pushed herself relentlessly under her clan's guidance. This level of killing intent barely fazed her anymore.
Gaara raised his right hand. The cork on his gourd popped open, and streams of fine sand began to swirl out.
Just as he was about to attack—
The murderous pressure around them vanished.
Gaara blinked.
A strange grin crept onto his face.
"You're scared… You're actually scared… Is he here?" he muttered in horror. "Why are you so scared?"
Temari and Kankuro stiffened.
What… was Gaara talking about?
They knew what dwelled inside him. If that thing was afraid…
Then who the hell was it afraid of?
A voice responded from nearby.
"Oh? You sensed me already? Is that the instinct of a tailed beast?"
Kaito appeared in front of Hinata with a flicker, a mocking smile on his face as he looked toward Gaara.
"It's you… it's you…!" Gaara whispered madly. "That thing… it's terrified of you."
"I'll kill you myself during the Chunin Exams! I'll see for myself what kind of monster frightens it so much!"
He turned without another word, sand streaming back into his gourd as he headed for the tower.
Temari and Kankuro stared at Kaito, their faces pale with fear, before rushing to catch up with Gaara.
Once the Sand trio had left, Shino and Kiba collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.
"Who was that just now? My bugs wouldn't even respond… it was like they were frozen stiff!" Shino finally said after a long silence.
"Him? You'll find out soon enough," Kaito said with a smirk as he turned back to Hinata to check she was okay.
From inside his cloak, he pulled out three scrolls.
"I took these off a few teams on my way here. Two Heaven Scrolls and one Earth. Which one do you need?"
---
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