Rage

Yamato stood facing the snake perv and Kabuto, tension thick in the air. "My, my, it seems you Leaf Shinobi have been busy," Orochimaru sneered.

"Then that's not Sasori," Kabuto remarked, narrowing his eyes.

"It seems in all your time with him, you never got to see his real identity," Orochimaru muttered.

"He did love to hide in those puppets of his," Kabuto replied.

"The way you speak, were you not under Sasori's genjutsu?" Yamato asked, suspicion evident in his tone.

"Hehe! Lord Orochimaru freed me a long time ago. I'm currently following him of my own free will," Kabuto said with a sly smile.

"Enough of that. You ruined our plan for dealing with Sasori today, so..." Kabuto began, but Orochimaru interrupted.

"Now, now, Kabuto, you must be patient. First, why don't we invite our other guests hiding there?" Orochimaru suggested, his voice dripping with malice.

Yamato felt a bead of sweat trickle down his temple, realizing their cover was blown. He signaled for the others to emerge, and they moved like shadows, appearing behind him.

"Well, looky here, the Nine-Tails child came to personally visit me. I've been waiting to see how much stronger you've gotten so I can gauge how far you've come compared to Sasuke," Orochimaru taunted, his words igniting Naruto's rage. His eyes now resembled Kurama's, the Nine-Tails' chakra seeping from him, covering his body.

"Give him back! Give Sasuke back!" Naruto yelled, the Nine-Tails' chakra enveloping him.

"You talk as if we forced him to follow us. Or did you forget? Sasuke came to us willingly," Kabuto said, his voice dripping with condescension.

"That's none of your business! You don't even understand how people feel. You o..." Sakura began, but Naruto pounced with great force, appearing in front of Orochimaru and thrusting down with his chakra claw. Orochimaru quickly evaded, and the force from the thrust tore through the forest on the other side of the bridge, alarming Ryuu and Sakura.

Orochimaru emerged on the other side, his face's skin partially torn off. "It seems you've really grown as a Jinchuuriki," he remarked, a twisted smile on his lips. "I get it now. That's why you were chosen. Konoha should really be thankful to me."

"Is that so?" Daniel stepped forward, standing next to Naruto. "Right now, I have a different mission, but I was tasked with assisting with this one, so..." Daniel's body began to emit a green aura with small bits of electricity pulsing through it.

"Don't get close to Naruto in that state!" Yamato cried, but Daniel didn't heed the warning.

"I already decided I want to experience the Ten-Tails arc, so I won't kill you just yet," Daniel muttered as he karate-chopped Naruto, causing him to fall unconscious and the Nine-Tails' chakra to dissipate. Daniel picked Naruto up and tossed him to Sakura. "Take care of him, would ya?" he said.

"Now, this is unexpected. I seem to remem..." Orochimaru began, but before he could finish, Daniel was in front of him, grabbing his face and slamming him hard into the ground. "You talk a lot," Daniel muttered.

Kabuto tried to sneak up on Daniel, but he was thwarted by an energy barrier Daniel erected. "Stay out of this," Daniel said, looking at Kabuto menacingly. Orochimaru shed his damaged body, emerging anew. Daniel pointed his finger at him, forming a small bead-sized concentration of ki and thrusting it towards Orochimaru. The explosion sent Orochimaru flying through the forest.

A wave of snakes, each wielding a sword in its mouth, emerged from the smoke. Daniel smiled, swiping his right hand horizontally, leaving a streak of green energy. He then pulled back his hand and pushed, shattering the energy like glass shards that flew towards the swarm of snakes, stabbing and exploding them.

"So that's what he's capable of," Yamato remarked as Sakura finished healing Naruto.

"Gone," Daniel muttered as the dust cleared and there was no sign of Orochimaru.

"Where's Orochimaru?" a wood clone Yamato created asked.

"Gone," Daniel replied.

"I see. Kabuto is no longer here as well. I assume they made a break for it," the clone said. "I'll follow them," it added, taking the lead.

"I'll head there as well," Daniel said, taking off. Back at the bridge, a stone sprouted from the wooden road with a message. Yamato took it and read, "Orochimaru escaped. And Daniel went his way to his separate mission," Yamato remarked, pondering their next move.

---

Yamato stood on the bridge, contemplating the situation. Orochimaru and Kabuto had escaped, and Daniel had gone off on his separate mission. The remaining members of Team 7 gathered, the tension still hanging in the air.

Sakura knelt beside Naruto, who was slowly regaining consciousness. "Naruto, are you okay?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

Naruto groaned, rubbing his head. "Yeah, I think so. Where's that snake freak?" he muttered, looking around.

"He's gone," Yamato replied, his tone serious. "Daniel chased after him, but we need to regroup and reassess our mission."

Naruto clenched his fists, frustration evident on his face. "Damn it! He got away again!"

"Naruto, focus. We'll find Sasuke, but we need to be smart about it," Yamato said, trying to calm him down.

Ryuu watched the exchange, his Byakugan still active, scanning for any threats. "We need to move. Staying here any longer could be dangerous," he advised.

"Agreed," Yamato said, nodding. "Let's head back to a safer location and plan our next move."

As they made their way back, Yamato reflected on Daniel's abilities. He had never seen such raw power and precision. It was clear that Daniel was a formidable ally.

Back in the safety of their temporary base, Yamato gathered the team. "Alright, we need to come up with a strategy. Orochimaru and Kabuto are still out there, and we need to find Sasuke," he said, his voice resolute.

"But how do we track them?" Sakura asked, her brows furrowed in concern.

"Daniel might have left us some clues," Ryuu said, his eyes scanning the area for any signs.

Just then, a small, green orb appeared, floating towards them. It was one of Daniel's ki messengers. Yamato caught it, and it emitted a holographic message.

"Yamato, I've located Orochimaru's base. Follow the markers I left behind. Be cautious; the area is heavily guarded. I'll join you as soon as I can," Daniel's voice echoed from the orb.

Yamato nodded, a sense of determination in his eyes. "Alright, team. Let's move out. We have our mission."

With renewed purpose, Team 7 and Ryuu set off, following the markers Daniel had left behind. The forest seemed to close in around them, shadows dancing in the dappled sunlight. Every step they took brought them closer to their goal.

Hours passed, and the markers led them to a hidden entrance in the forest. Yamato used his wood-style jutsu to open the concealed door, revealing a dark tunnel leading into Orochimaru's lair.

"Stay close and be ready for anything," Yamato instructed. The team moved cautiously, their senses heightened.

As they ventured deeper into the lair, the air grew colder, and an eerie silence enveloped them. The walls were lined with old, crumbling stones, and the smell of dampness permeated the air.

Suddenly, they heard footsteps echoing down the corridor. Yamato signaled for the team to halt, and they pressed against the walls, blending into the shadows.

Two figures emerged from the darkness—Kabuto and a cloaked figure. They were deep in conversation, unaware of the team's presence.

"We need to strengthen the defenses. Daniel won't be far behind," Kabuto said, his voice urgent.

"Agreed. We can't let them find the inner chamber," the cloaked figure replied.

As they continued down the corridor, Yamato gestured for the team to follow. "This is our chance," he whispered.

With stealth and precision, they moved closer, staying out of sight. The tension was palpable as they neared their targets. Every heartbeat seemed to echo in the darkness.

Just as they were about to make their move, a hand reached out from the shadows and pulled them back. It was Daniel, his eyes intense with urgency.

"Change of plans," Daniel whispered. "There's a more secure way in. Follow me."

With Daniel leading the way, the team took a hidden path, bypassing the main defenses. They moved swiftly and silently, their resolve unshaken.

Finally, they reached a concealed entrance to the inner chamber. Daniel turned to them, his expression serious. "This is it. Be ready."

They nodded, determination in their eyes. Together, they pushed open the door and stepped into the unknown, ready to face whatever challenges awaited them.

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