Naruto, the strongest Uchiha from signing in.

The lights flickered, on and off.

The thin figure with his back to the three people stopped his mechanical movements, and drops of bright red blood dripped from the cold scalpel along the blade.

"What on earth are you doing here? Answer me, Orochimaru!"

The Third Hokage, no... Sarutobi Hiruzen, Orochimaru's teacher, had some vague guesses in his heart, but still refused to believe it.

Holding on to the last glimmer of hope, a hope so slim that it was almost non-existent, he asked.

However, Orochimaru's words were like a cold wind in the dead of winter, tearing the veil between them.

"It's just an experiment in ninjutsu. For some experimental specimens, only jonin who have experienced wars for many years and concentrated chakra for a long time can meet the standards."

"What kind of experiment requires sacrificing the lives of fellow villagers! Could it be..."

His eyes were full of shock. Although he had noticed Orochimaru's dangerous thoughts earlier, it was not until today that Sarutobi Hiruzen realized that he had not realized how serious the consequences of Orochimaru's actions had caused.

"Yes, it is just as you thought, Sarutobi-sensei, a forbidden technique that can grant others eternal life, the technique of immortality!"

The lights were dim, and the two Anbu who were accompanying them held their ninja swords tightly and tried to dissuade them.

"Third Hokage, you must not let Orochimaru escape from the Land of Fire. If he leaves the Land of Fire, he will become a serious threat to the village!"

"That's right, kill him right here, give the order, Third Hokage!"

The cloudy old eyes had long been filled with memories. He vaguely remembered the white snake skin that Orochimaru picked up in front of Orochimaru's parents' grave that day.

"Orochimaru, the white snake is a symbol of rebirth and longevity. It may be God's arrangement that you can pick up this snake slough..."

Witnessing the disciple, whom he once regarded as the inheritor of his will, straying from the right path, could it be that he didn't notice it?

No, it was because of the situation at that time that the village really needed a talented ninja who could help reduce the casualties. Therefore, Orochimaru's dangerous thoughts were ignored or turned a blind eye to by himself.

"Psychic Summoning Technique·Monkey King·Monkey Demon!"

Surrounded by white mist, an old King Kong ape with a white beard and a red face appeared. He glanced around with a subtle expression.

"What's going on? Are you planning to teach your beloved disciple a lesson, or are you planning to kill him? I warned you long ago that his behavior was very strange. Don't you think it's a little late for you to realize it now, Sarutobi?"

Seeing the Monkey King appear, Orochimaru put down the scalpel and clasped his hands together.

"Want to fight? Sarutobi-sensei!"

A violent storm blew up, and the cold chakra created gusts of wind, causing countless bottles and jars to explode.

The cold murderous aura made the two Konoha Anbu feel like they were facing a formidable enemy. The being before them was one of the prestigious Three Ninjas, the Snake, who was famous for his cold-bloodedness.

"Sarutobi, what are you waiting for!"

Enma watched Orochimaru's every move, and when he saw that Sarutobi Hiruzen did not give any instructions for a long time, he looked back and saw that a clear tear had already flowed from Sarutobi Hiruzen's wrinkled old face.

In a matter of seconds, there were two thuds, and the two Konoha Anbu were already dead. Orochimaru stood at the door of the laboratory, looked back deeply, and chose to leave without hesitation.

"Sarutobi Hiruzen! What on earth are you doing? If you let Orochimaru leave today, sooner or later he will become a thorn in your side and you will regret it."

Sarutobi Hiruzen remained silent, and Enma snorted coldly and disappeared in the laboratory.

After Sarutobi Hiruzen left, ripples appeared in the space and a hint of amusement flashed beneath the fox mask.

"How's the record going?"

In the darkness, pieces of origami gathered from all directions. Xiaonan's eyes were indifferent, with a hint of memory flashing across his mind.

"The entire process is recorded. Why would you do such a thing? You want Konoha Village, but you can easily take it with your strength. Why?"

"The position obtained through war will inevitably alienate the noble families of Konoha who swore allegiance to us. I want a complete Konoha, not a devastated ruin."

Konan snorted at Huayue's explanation, his face full of disdain.

"Despicable guy."

"Meanness is the passport of the mean, and nobility is the epitaph of the noble. I am just a mean player in this war without gunpowder."

The figures of the two people appeared and disappeared along with the ripples in space, as if they had never appeared in this bloody laboratory.

That night, all members except the Konoha Anbu who were on a mission arrived at the scene and dispersed across the territory of the Land of Fire to hunt down Orochimaru.

At the same time, in the Uchiha clan, at the Kagetsu residence.

The maple leaves in the forest are as bright as fire. I quietly appreciate the sunset and the flowers and the moon at night, and listen to the chaotic footsteps.

"What happened?"

"Orochimaru has defected. His crime is violating the ninja code, developing forbidden techniques without authorization, and harming his fellow Konoha members."

Xiyan looked worried, subconsciously grabbed Huayue's hand and shook her head at him.

"Don't help him. Orochimaru is being hunted by all the Anbu now. You just need to stay at home. The Third Hokage will not suspect that you are involved with Orochimaru."

Before Huayue could answer, she heard a cheerful laugh, but the tone was a little sour.

"Wahahahaha, Lord Anko has arrived...isn't it the wrong time for me?"

Hongdou, carefree as always, stared at the two little hands holding together suspiciously, with a weird look in her brown eyes.

"No, you came just in time."

With a hook of his finger, he silently pulled the black wire wrapped around Hongdou's waist and abdomen, causing Hongdou to fly into the air and fall into his arms.

The moonlight was like water, illuminating the red maple leaves in the yard. The three of them were silent for a long time, and Hongdou was the first to break the silence.

"Teacher Orochimaru..."

"He is obsessed with magic and wants to master all the magic in the world. To this end, he developed the art of immortality. This is in line with his habits and his pursuit of truth, even though it is very crazy."

From the perspective of an observer, she gave the most straightforward evaluation. Red Bean subconsciously touched the back of her neck. The curse mark left by Orochimaru in the past had long since become a part of the Stasis Blood Suit, protecting herself many times.

"But he also taught me a lot of ninjutsu and forbidden techniques. He is a good teacher. Why would he betray Konoha?"

Hongdou was confused, but Huayue shook her head slightly.

"Everyone has their own aspirations. We cannot decide for others what path they should take. It's almost New Year's Eve again. Do you want to go together?"

The invitation was made silently, and Xiyan considered it for a moment and nodded in agreement.

"Okay, it's also a mission."

"Eh? Just a mission? You're so cunning, Xiyan."

The sound of warm breathing gradually came from my shoulder, and my inner world, which had been calm in the past, was now filled with turbulent waves.

"Hey, little Uchiha, I succeeded."

"Well, let's go over there and take a look. After this year, little Naruto will be three years old. It's time to officially meet him and kick off this stage that we've been preparing for for many years..."