#13

Hiruzen Sarutobi heard a voice that sent a chill down his spine.

"Sensei..."

His eyes widened in shock as he turned to face the supposed Kazekage. With a slow, deliberate motion, the figure reached up and tore away the human skin mask. Beneath it was a face he had hoped never to see again—pale, snake-like, and twisted with amusement.

"Orochimaru..." Sarutobi whispered, sweat beading on his forehead.

Orochimaru smirked. "It has been a long time, hasn't it?"

A master and his former student, now standing on opposite sides, preparing for battle.

At the Outer Wall of Konoha

A deafening crash shattered the village's peace as a monstrous, three-headed snake summoned by the invading forces rammed through the outer walls of Konoha. Rubble flew in every direction, and a thick cloud of dust and debris choked the air. The serpent let out an ear-splitting screech and began slithering toward the heart of the village, its massive form crushing everything in its path.

Hidden Sound ninja and Sand ninja poured into the village, striking down Konoha shinobi wherever they could. The attack had begun in full force.

At the Exam Arena

As chaos erupted around them, Kankuro and Temari rushed toward Gaara, who was still locked in bloodthirsty focus on Sasuke. His breath was heavy, his fingers twitching with the desire to strike again.

"Gaara! We need to get out of here!" Kankuro urged, glancing at the growing turmoil.

Gaara barely heard him, his gaze still locked onto Sasuke with a crazed hunger. The Shukaku within him roared in his mind. "Let me take over! I'll kill him for you!"

Before Gaara could make his move, Temari stepped in, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "Gaara, have you forgotten what boss told us? We must leave. Now."

Gaara's bloodlust wavered, his sister's words piercing through his rage. He hesitated for a moment, then finally exhaled sharply. "Fine. Let's go."

With that, the three Sand siblings leapt onto the nearest rooftop and fled toward the village's outer walls.

Having disposed of his attackers, Kakashi wasted no time. He summoned Pakkun, the tracking ninja hound, and turned to Naruto, Sakura, and Shikamaru.

"You three, follow Pakkun and chase down Gaara. Don't engage recklessly. I'll handle things here."

Shikamaru groaned. "Man, this is such a drag."

"Just go!" Kakashi snapped.

Unbeknownst to them, Shino Aburame had been silently observing from the shadows. Without a word, he too followed after them, slipping into the hunt unnoticed.

But what none of them realized was that this was all part of a larger game—a deadly trap set by Gaara and Mufasa.

Konoha's Counterattack

The invasion had thrown Konoha into disarray, but the village's strongest were not about to sit idly by. One by one, Konoha's elite shinobi entered the battlefield.

Might Guy, Kakashi Hatake, Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yuhi, Inoichi Yamanaka, Shikaku Nara, Choza Akimichi, Shibi Aburame, and Hiashi Hyuga—each a powerhouse in their own right—rallied their forces and launched a fierce counterattack.

Within moments, the tide of battle began to turn.

Inside the Four Violet Flames Formation

Within the burning prison of the Four Violet Flames Formation Barrier, Sarutobi Sarutobi had reached the limits of his strength. He performed the Reaper Death Seal, sacrificing his own life to drag Orochimaru's soul into the Shinigami's grasp.

But something went wrong.

Instead of taking his entire soul, the jutsu only managed to seal away Orochimaru's hands. The loss of his arms meant he could no longer weave hand signs or perform ninjutsu.

Orochimaru staggered back in shock, his snake-like pupils trembling with rage.

"No... NO!" he screamed, realizing what had happened. His carefully laid plans had fallen apart. Even after summoning the First and Second Hokage, even after everything, his own master had dealt him a devastating blow.

Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled his final breath and slumped to the ground. His time had come.

Orochimaru clenched his jaw, furious and wounded. "Damn it... We're leaving!"

Tayuya and Kidomaru rushed to his side, supporting him as they made their escape. Sakon and Jirobo followed closely behind, ensuring no one pursued them.

Mufasa's Move

Watching from a distance, Mufasa let out a lazy yawn and stretched his arms. "Man, what a nice nap. Guess it's time to move."

As he stood, the remaining spectators gasped in horror. Before their eyes, his entire body began to shimmer and disappear, fading into nothingness.

"Wh-Where did he go?!" someone shouted.

In truth, Mufasa had activated his Electromagnetic Style: Invisibility, bending light around his body by manipulating the surrounding magnetic field. Without a sound, he lifted off the ground, soaring through the air in pursuit of Orochimaru.

The Chase

Orochimaru and his followers moved swiftly through the dense forests near the border of the Land of Fire. Their destination was clear—north, toward the Land of Sound.

Despite his injuries, Orochimaru remained confident. "Even in this state, Konoha's shinobi won't dare chase me."

He was wrong.

Mufasa had no trouble tracking them. He floated silently above them, hidden by his invisibility, watching as they ruthlessly eliminated the Konoha shinobi who had dared to pursue.

He smirked. "Impressive. Even wounded, they're still a force to be reckoned with."

He waited patiently, watching them dispatch the last of their pursuers. As the sun dipped below the horizon, Orochimaru finally gave the order to rest.

The exhausted group came to a halt by a river. Orochimaru sat on the bank, staring at his own reflection in the water, deep in thought.

Tayuya approached respectfully, offering him a ladle of water. Without the use of his hands, Orochimaru extended his long, snake-like tongue, wrapping it around the ladle and bringing it to his lips.

Mufasa chose that moment to strike.

A slow, deliberate applause echoed across the water.

Orochimaru's golden eyes narrowed, his body tensing. His subordinates instantly snapped into defensive positions around him.

"I'm curious," Mufasa's voice drawled, laced with amusement. "Your tongue is so flexible, Orochimaru. Ever thought about using it to form hand seals"

The night air grew heavy.

Orochimaru's eyes glinted dangerously.

Cold sweat formed on Orochimaru's forehead.

Even with his keen senses, he still couldn't detect the presence of the one taunting him.

"Kidomaru," he commanded, his voice low and sharp.

Kidomaru sprang into action without hesitation. His six arms flexed as he spun chakra-infused spider silk, launching a massive web in the direction of the unseen figure.

This was no ordinary web—it was incredibly strong, sticky, and nearly impossible to break free from. If their hidden enemy was anywhere within range, this technique would expose him.

The web expanded rapidly, stretching wide enough to ensnare two people at once, then crashed into the water with a loud splash.

But it caught nothing.

The river rippled, the web sinking uselessly beneath the surface.

A slow, amused chuckle echoed from the other side of the river.

"Hahaha... Orochimaru, is this how you welcome your guests?"

A figure gradually materialized above the water, his presence no longer concealed. Mufasa stood there, completely at ease, cigarette between his fingers, a lazy smirk playing on his lips as he stared at the legendary Sannin on the riverbank.

Orochimaru's expression darkened, his golden eyes narrowing with unmistakable hostility.

The killing intent in the air grew thick.

"Who are you?" Orochimaru asked, his voice a quiet hiss. "And how do you know me?"

Mufasa exhaled a cloud of smoke, then casually lifted the cloth covering his forehead, revealing the symbol of Sunagakure.

With a smirk, he said, "I don't know if you hear about me, others call me the Unscientific Ninja... I know, it sucks... trust me, I tried to change it."