Walking into the changing room, Chao Yanqian said to an expressionless ninja, "I beg you for the next thing!"
"Yes!" After the ninja finished speaking, he used the Transformation Technique to change into the appearance of Chao Yanqian.
And Chao Yanqian also used the Transformation Technique to become the opponent's appearance.
This ninja was a member of Root. In order to retrieve the only child who might survive, Shimura Danzo sent one of his most powerful subordinates an elite ninja proficient in medical ninjutsu.
This Root ninja was originally going to follow Chao Yanqian as an assistant and secretly take Yamato out of Konoha Hospital.
However, Haikeen also needed to leave and take care of other matters, so he asked the Root ninja to use the Transformation Technique to impersonate him and perform the task.
After the two exchanged appearances using the Transformation Technique, the Root ninja entered the intensive care ward posing as Chao Yanqian, while Chao Yanqian left Konoha Hospital openly and joined Uchiha Chizuru.
The Uchiha clan was in charge of the Konoha Military Police Force, and a secret exit from the village was no challenge for them.
"How is it? Senpai Chizuru! Do you feel a little excited at this time?" Once outside Konoha, Chao Yanqian asked Uchiha Chizuru with a smile.
"It's not exciting. You laid it out for so long, wasn't it just for this moment?" A light flashed in Uchiha Chizuru's eyes, and he said softly, "Now we're just going to receive the fruit that belongs to you. If anyone should be excited, it's you!"
"Then let's go!" Chao Yanqian said.
"En! But since you're not at Konoha Hospital now, will there be any problems?" Uchiha Chizuru asked. He didn't want to be implicated by Chao Yanqian.
"Don't worry! I've operated at Konoha Hospital for so long. Would I fail at something this simple? My stand-in is already in place," Chao Yanqian said lightly.
Although the Root ninja couldn't be completely trusted, Shimura Danzo wouldn't make a move against Chao Yanqian until he had obtained the results of his research.
Secret Laboratory
"Have I finally been discovered?" Feeling that the summoning snake at the entrance had been killed, a dark smile appeared at the corner of Orochimaru's mouth.
All the data in the laboratory had already been sorted. With him back to the door, Orochimaru quietly waited for the arrival of the Third Hokage.
Boom!
The door to the laboratory was blown open with force, and the Third Hokage rushed in with Enma and several ANBU.
"Sensei Sarutobi!" Orochimaru's pupils shrank, and an inexplicable emotion flickered in his eyes as he looked at the Third Hokage.
"Orochimaru, what is going on?" The Third Hokage's aura flared, and his killing intent surged toward Orochimaru.
"That… haven't you already guessed?" Orochimaru said indifferently.
"Orochimaru, do you know what you're doing? They are just children, and you're conducting human experiments here! What are you thinking!" the Third Hokage roared, his tone filled with bitter disappointment.
"It's interesting to observe living things... it's boring when they stop moving," Orochimaru said with a hint of melancholy, shaking his hands. "Humans can be destroyed so easily... But I want to learn all the ninjutsu in the world and grasp the truth of existence..."
Speaking of this, Orochimaru shouted with a twisted, crazed expression, "So what I want... what I seek is immortality!"
"Orochimaru, you've plunged completely into darkness!" The Third Hokage looked at Orochimaru and shook his head, fully disappointed in him.
"Sarutobi, get rid of him! Otherwise, he'll endanger Konoha!" Enma urged the Third Hokage, seeing the madness on Orochimaru's face.
The Third Hokage seemed not to hear Enma's reminder. He continued speaking softly to Orochimaru, "In that era of war, you were a prodigy... someone born only decades ago. I had hoped you would inherit my will and strength..."
"I gave everything to you... my teachings, my legacy. But, what a pity..."
"Sensei Sarutobi, don't you think it's too late to say all that now?" Orochimaru said quietly, a brief moment of sadness flickering in his heart.
"Sarutobi, do it!" Enma began forming hand signs, preparing to transform into the adamantine staff.
The Third Hokage stood in silence, his hands trembling as he gazed at Orochimaru's face, unable to strike.
Seeing the hesitation, Orochimaru seized the moment, blasted through the side wall, and escaped quickly!
No one noticed as Orochimaru turned away, a single tear fell from his eye.
"Sarutobi, you'll regret this decision!" Enma stopped forming seals and sighed.
"Pass down the order: Orochimaru is hereby declared a missing-nin of Konoha and classified as an S-rank criminal." The Third Hokage delivered the order in a weary tone, as if he had aged decades in a moment.
"What?! Orochimaru defected?!"
The news of Orochimaru's defection spread quickly across Konoha. When he heard it, Jiraiya's face filled with disbelief. His expression turned pale, as if all his strength had drained away.
"Transmit the order! Pursue Orochimaru immediately!" Bo Feng Shuimen looked at his teacher and sighed inwardly, but as Hokage, he issued the command without delay.
"Damn it!" At Bo Feng Shuime's voice, Jiraiya snapped back to his senses, pushed open the office door, and rushed out.
Outside Konoha
"Come out," Uchiha Chizuru said softly.
"Don't lose him," Chao Yanqian replied.
"He doesn't appear to be injured," Uchiha Chizuru said, looking suspiciously at Chao Yanqian.
"It seems the Third Hokage let him go. But don't worry Jiraiya will catch up. As long as we aren't caught ourselves," Chao Yanqian said with a smile.
At this point, the Akatsuki organization was still under the leadership of Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan, pursuing their ideal of justice. Tobi, still masked, may have been in contact with them. Orochimaru had nowhere else to go only his hidden base remained.
Just as Orochimaru escaped a group of ANBU, several kunai suddenly landed at his feet, halting him.
"Why!!?"
Jiraiya, standing in the distance, stared at Orochimaru and shouted, "Why betray Konoha?!"
"Hmph. You really are a fool, Jiraiya!" Orochimaru sneered, spreading his arms and taking flight before Jiraiya could say more.
"Stop, Orochimaru!" Jiraiya gritted his teeth and gave chase.
Thus began the pursuit Orochimaru fleeing, and Jiraiya chasing. Seeing he couldn't shake Jiraiya off, Orochimaru darted into the dense forest and launched a full-scale attack.
"It's begun..."
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